Field of study Linguistics, Cultural Studies

How does language work? What conclusions can be drawn from literature about the society in which it was created? Where do common moral concepts come from? Linguistics and cultural studies deal with questions like these.

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[Translate to English:] Foto: Bundesagentur für Arbeit / Thomas Lohnes
[Translate to English:] Verschiedene Wörterbücher die übereinander gestapelt sind.

There is a wide range of subjects in this group: from philosophy, history and ancient philologies to German studies and applied subjects such as communication, media or translation.

Despite all the differences, graduates of linguistics and cultural studies nevertheless have very similar tasks. If you look at Arabicists and philosophers, for example, it becomes clear that both act as cultural mediators - Arabicists research, analyse and document Arabic language and literature in all its current and historical manifestations; philosophers try to fathom, interpret and understand the world and human existence.

Students in the field of linguistics and cultural studies should enjoy engaging with texts, theories and methods. In view of the amount of literature to be dealt with, they must not lose sight of the essentials and should be able to exercise critical judgement. A differentiated vocabulary, a good understanding and feel for language and a precise way of working are important prerequisites for a successful degree programme.

Bachelor's degree programmes in the humanities and cultural studies are often offered as combined degree programmes. The degree programme usually comprises two sub-degree programmes, which must be chosen in accordance with the university-specific combination regulations (2-subject Bachelor's degree).

Sub-fields of study in the field of linguistics and cultural studies

  • Classical studies, archaeology

    Classical studies and archaeology offer a scientific glimpse into the past. The focus is, for example, on cultural-historical research into…read more »
  • Archive, library, documentation

    In these subjects, everything revolves around information: how is it obtained, systematised, processed, passed on and stored correctly?read more »
  • German studies

    German language and literature are the main subjects of German studies. They are analysed in terms of linguistics, literary studies and…read more »
  • Historical sciences

    The study of history explores the development of man as a social and active being. It attempts to reconstruct and critically interpret…read more »
  • Jewish Studies

    The Jewish Studies degree programmes focus on teaching and researching over 3,000 years of history, religion and culture of the Jewish…read more »
  • Minor European languages and cultures

    The modern philologies of Finno-Ugric Studies and Baltic Studies are combined in the ‘Minor European Languages and Cultures’ field of study.read more »
  • Communication and media

    The degree programmes in this field of study prepare students for a career in the areas of editing, journalism, press and public relations,…read more »
  • Culture studies

    Study programmes in this field are multidisciplinary in nature, combining study content from different disciplines. Ethnology, for example,…read more »
  • Liberal Arts

    In this still young field of study, the aim is to provide a broad scientific education that is orientated towards personal interests.read more »
  • Regional sciences

    The world is a village - and yet it is extremely diverse. Society, culture and history differ considerably depending on the region. This is…read more »
  • Romance studies

    Romance studies deals with the Romance languages, i.e. those languages that have developed from Latin. These primarily include French,…read more »
  • Slavic Studies

    The subject of Slavic Studies is the languages, literatures and cultures of the Central, Eastern and South-Eastern European peoples.read more »
Stand: 09.07.2025