Q and As

Courses offered by the Comparative Literature Department
The Junior Chair of Comparative Literature provides the basic modules for the MA Comparative Literature. In the winter semester, BM1 (lecture and tutorial) as well as the seminar from BM2 are offered, in the summer semester BM2 (lecture and tutorial) as well as, as a rule, a seminar open to BM2 and, if applicable, suitable specialisation modules. Basic modules 1 and 2 are not designed to be consecutive, i.e. you can take basic module 2 (if you start studying in the summer semester) without having taken basic module 1 first.
Enrolment
Current dates for KLIPS can be found here.
Please note that the range of courses offered in the Comparative Literature programme may be extended in the course of the first enrolment phase. It is therefore better to look at the courses offered several times.

Guide
A guideline for writing papers in Comparative Literature as well as information sheets for different types of examinations can be found here.
Exam registration
Before you can register via KLIPS for an examination in the basic and specialisation modules as well as the supplementary modules 1-4 and 5b, a corresponding examination must be created by the Comparative Literature Advisory Service. Therefore, shortly before the end of the semester, you will receive a request via the Comparative Literature newsletter to communicate your examination preferences. You have until the end of the respective examination period (usually 15.03. or 15.09.) to register (and, if necessary, to deregister). For courses from the advanced modules and from the supplementary modules 5a and 6a to 6t, the deadlines of the respective institutes apply.
See also the instructions fpr registering for examinations in KLIPS as well as the general information provided by the KLIPS support of the Faculty of Humanities and the University of Cologne.

The main module 2: World Literatures (1-subject) respectively main module 2: World Literatures or 3: Mediality (2-subject) comprises a combined or oral examination. The introduction of the combined examination is based on an amendment to the examination regulations of 9/9/20 and does justice to the higher workload of the main module 2 in the 1-subject Master's programme.
In the 1-subject Master's programme (cf. module handbook), the combined examination must be completed within the framework of the main seminar. This consists of a written course work in form of an essay of 5-10 pages and a 30-minute oral exam on the based on and deepening the course work. Additional topics can be discussed with the examiner. The grade of the essay with oral examination forms the module grade and is included to 25% in the subject grade.
The oral examination in the 2-subject MA (cf. module handbook) also lasts 30 minutes and concerns topics/literature that must be discussed in advance with the examiner. The grade of the examination is 35% of the subject grade.

Internship exchange

You can find the internship exchange of the CareerService of the Faculty of Humanities here. See also other offers of the Career Service of the Faculty of Humanities and the Professional Center of the University of Cologne.

Crediting

Four-week internships can be credited in the supplementary module 2: Career Orientation for two of the seminars provided in this module. In order to initiate the crediting process, please contact the subject representative of Comparative Literature (Prof. Harst) with the completed crediting form for the supplementary modules as well as the evidence of your completed internship (which also shows the duration). After the examination, the original of the application and the evidence must be submitted to the Examinations Office.

Internship report

A report (10 to 20 pages) must be written as a module examination in Supplementary Module 2: Vocational Orientation. You can either prepare this report in consultation with the supervising lecturer in a seminar you took in EM2 or with the lecturers of Comparative Literature. If you decide on the second option, please contact the desired lecturer from Comparative Literature before starting your internship.

Procedure
For the statement on the accreditation of foreign achievements, please contact the subject representative of Comparative Literature (Prof. Harst) with the corresponding original proofs (transcript of records, proof of enrolment, if applicable transcripts or language certificates). After the examination has taken place, the recognition form issued by the subject representative of Comparative Literature as well as the proofs must be presented to the Master's advisory service in the examination office of the Faculty of Humanities and the accreditation must be applied for there. The booking in KLIPS is also carried out there.

See also the information on the accreditation of achievements of the Faculty of Humanities.

Within the Supplementary Module 1: Mobility, students of Comparative Literature can study at a foreign university for one semester and have their study achievements credited retroactively. Since Comparative Literature is part of Romanic Studies, students can preferentially apply for study places from Erasmus cooperations at the Romanic Department, but they can also take advantage of cooperations at other institutes. The contact persons are the Erasmus coordinators at the respective institutes. You can find a list of Erasmus cooperations at the Faculty of Humanities here. According to the Erasmus agreement, at least 20 ECTS must be taken at the foreign university.
Students of Comparative Literature can also participate in the cooperation agreement of Chinese Studies with the Faculties of Chinese Language and Literature of Fudan University in Shanghai as well as Sun Yatsen University in Guangzhou (one to two semester study). For more information, please contact Stefan Kramer (stefan.kramer@uni-koeln.de).

Further information on studying abroad can be found at ZIB.

As part of the Master's programme in Comparative Literature, it is possible to participate in the Research Master's Programme of the a.r.t.e.s. Graduate School for the Humanities Cologne, which is aimed at academically particularly ambitious students who already want to work in a research-oriented manner in the course of the Master's phase to prepare for a subsequent doctorate. Information on the programme and the application process can be found here.

LOTSE
The LOTSE programme (Landkarte zur Orientierung und für Transparenz im Studien-Einstieg) supports new students in their start into university life and could also be helpful and interesting for Master's students who are new to the University of Cologne.
Writing guidance training
The Competence Centre for Writing of the Faculty of Humanities offers training as a writing advisor. The training teaches skills in academic writing that can later be passed on to other students in the form of peer counselling. The writing worker training is completed with a certificate and can open up a variety of professional opportunities, for example in publishing.
IT certificate
The IT certificate of the Faculty of Humanities teaches IT skills in practice-related courses. For example, students can learn to develop an operating system, programme a website or create a database, which can be very helpful in later professional life.

In its 1-subject variant, the Master's programme in Comparative Literature offers the possibility to learn a new language or to deepen one within the framework of the advanced modules. Students of the 2-subject Master's programme have the option of taking an in-depth language course in the supplementary module (if they are writing their Master's thesis in Comparative Literature). In addition, the extracurricular offer is open to all, through which language courses can also be taken. Further information on the extracurricular offer can be found on the website of the PhilFak or the university.