Germanistik - German Philology and Linguistics

Welcome to the Pages of German Philology and Linguistics at the University of Siegen!

German Philology and Linguistics at the University of Siegen represents the entire discipline. We research and teach German language and communication, literature and (media) culture from the Middle Ages to the present. Methods include aesthetic, qualitative-hermeneutic and computer-assisted analytical approaches. The degree program qualifies students to take up interdisciplinary professional activities within and outside the university.

Subject Matter and Issues of German Philology and Linguistics

The subject matter of German Philology and Linguistics is the German language and its use in mono- and multilingual communication, literature and (media) culture from the Middle Ages to the present. We examine vocabulary and grammar (including language contact), oral and written communication, including aesthetically shaped communication in everyday life, in media publics, in organizations and institutions, in the arts (literature, theater, etc.) and popular culture, and linguistic socialization and literary education. The second major domain of German Studies in research and teaching is German literature (prose, poetry, drama) from its beginnings to the present, i.e., the roles literature plays in society throughout history as well as the aesthetic complexity, linguistic specificity, and cultural relevance of its texts.

German Philology and Linguistics is engaged in a mutually fruitful exchange with media, cultural, and visual studies, the social sciences, history and philosophy, psychology, educational sciences, other teaching subjects, and computer science and computational linguistics (for example, in the context of the “Digital Humanities”). German studies competencies find a wide range of applications both in related professional fields as well as beyond the boundaries of fixed professions. In addition to the teaching profession and activities in adult education, a degree in German Studies offers further career prospects, for example in journalism and public relations, cultural institutions, media business and corporate communications, consulting/coaching/training and in academia.

German Philology and Linguistics in Siegen: Focus in Research and Teaching

German Philology and Linguistics at the University of Siegen represents the entire discipline. This means that language and literature can be taught and researched as an integrated subject. At the University of Siegen, the German Department offers all areas of linguistics and literary studies, from the literature and language of the Middle Ages to the everyday language of the present, from language and literature didactics to theater pedagogy. Focal points in research and teaching include contemporary literature and language, popular cultures, children’s and young people’s literature research, pre-modern literature, empirical language didactics, language use and communication in institutions and organizations, German as a second language, pragmatics, writing and orthography, as well as methods of computer-aided analysis and strategic communication in politics, media and law.

Studying German Philology and Linguistics in Siegen

In the German Philology and Linguistics program at the University of Siegen, teaching, research and practice are closely linked. The university maintains diverse international cooperations with reciprocal study abroad opportunities, both within the framework of the ERASMUS+ program and worldwide. At Siegen University, a thematically diverse range of courses and the combination with other disciplines allow for a broad interdisciplinary and individualized study as well as the acquisition of interdisciplinary key competencies. Flexible course selection allows for a study according to personal interests and thus the sharpening of an individual profile. Teaching and learning objects are regularly linked to ongoing research projects in the sense of research-based learning. The department can draw on a comprehensive library with a broad range of content, which continuously complements the Studies program. In addition to teacher training programs, German Philology and Linguistics in Siegen offers the following degree programs: BA Language and Communication, BA Literature, Culture, Media, MA Linguistics: Digital, Applied, Structural (LiDAS), MA Literary Studies, and MA Theater Pedagogy (supplementary subject).