African Languages and Cultures Universität Hamburg

English, Amharic, Hausa, Swahili, Tigrinya

The Master's programme in African Languages and Cultures is a two-year research-oriented programme with a strong connection to applied issues focusing on theories and methods in linguistics of African languages, language in African cultures and Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies. Graduates with an MA in African Languages and Cultures are well prepared for a position in research, education and consulting. By extending language skills in Swahili, Hausa or Amharic, or learning a further African language you will also extend your comprehension in areas from local "doing things with words" to traditional knowledge and philological methods. The study programme enables you to develop your own capacity of working with primary sources of language data, oral and written history, literatures, cultural and religious texts in their relevant context. The language of instruction and examination is English.

The study programme envisages an obligatory thematic specialisation in one of the following study profiles:

(1) Applied African Linguistics: Language Education and Language Planning
(2) Linguistic Analysis and Language Documentation
(3) Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies
(4) Language in Culture

Semester start:

• 1 October (winter semester) and
• 1 April (summer semester)

• 15 February to 31 March (winter semester)
• 1 December to 15 January (summer semester)

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No tuition fees

There is a semester fee of approx. 330 EUR per semester. This fee includes a semester ticket covering public transport in the Hamburg metropolitan area.

Without additional costs for further insurances, private vehicles, etc., you ought to expect the following expenses:

• housing: approx. 400 to 700 EUR per month
• living expenses: approx. 500 to 700 EUR per month

University degree

A Bachelor's degree from a German or recognised foreign university in a major subject from African or Semitic studies or related fields. If you have not received your degree certificate yet, you can submit this by the end of the first semester of your Master’s programme.

Additional special admission requirements

Depending on the selected profile, the following admission requirements must be fulfilled:

Profile Language in Culture:

Proof of competences in African linguistics or African Studies with a minimum of 45 ECTS as well as competences in an African language with a minimum of 16 ECTS (language courses are offered at the institute and a language proficiency equivalent to 16 ECTS can be submitted on request until the end of the second semester). The proof of these competences is usually provided by a transcript of records.

Profile Linguistic Analysis and Language Documentation and Applied African Linguistics:

Proof of fundamental knowledge in phonetics/phonology, morphology and syntax with a minimum of 45 ECTS as well as competences in an African language with a minimum of 16 ECTS (language proficiency equivalent to 16 ECTS can be submitted on request until the end of the second semester). The proof of these competences is usually provided by a transcript of records.

Profile Ethiopian and Eritrean Studies:

Proof of competence in Semitic, Philological, Christian Oriental or African Studies with a minimum of 45 ECTS and basic knowledge of Geez (Ancient Ethiopic) with a minimum of 8 ECTS (language proficiency equivalent to 8 ECTS can be submitted on request until the end of the second semester). The proof of these competences is usually provided by a transcript of records.

For details of the legal basis for this regulation, please see the admission by-laws for your chosen degree programme: www.uni-hamburg.de/zugang-master.

Certificate of linguistic knowledge in English at level B2 (CEFR)

Competences in an African language depending on chosen profile (see academic admission requirements)

• 15 February to 31 March (winter semester)
• 1 December to 15 January (summer semester)

International full-time students may apply for merit scholarships or exam grants granted by Universität Hamburg. For more information, please use the provided link. We also recommend contacting our colleagues in the Department of International Affairs for further guidance.
http://www.uni-hamburg.de/internationales/studieren-an-der-uhh/finanzierung-des-studiums_e.html

Are you looking for a part-time job? Stellenwerk, Hamburg's cross-university job platform posts attractive job and internship advertisements every day.

Part-time work, an internship, or self-employment—the Counselling Centre for Social & International Affairs (BeSI) advises you on all aspects of social security.

Students from countries outside the EU, the EEA, and Switzerland are subject to special regulations for part-time work when studying. Contact the Counselling Centre for Social & International Affairs for more information.

There are several job opportunities in diverse areas of Universität Hamburg. Many of these jobs are offered exclusively to students enrolled at the university. For job ads of this kind, check out departmental bulletin boards, departmental websites, www.stellenwerk.de (wanted ads for Hamburg’s universities), or ask directly in your department.

• tutors
• student assistants (in the academic area) and student employees (in the administrative area)
• library assistants
• test subjects for studies conducted in the fields of psychology or in the social sciences

Are you searching for an apartment or a room? Although affordable housing in Hamburg is rare, please do not despair. Patience and luck will help you find suitable accommodation.

Start looking for accommodation as soon as you can. For more information on how to find accommodation, please visit: Finding accommodation in Hamburg.

For more information on how to find accommodation and how to plan your first steps in Hamburg, please see: https://www.uni-hamburg.de/piasta/beratung/doc/willkommen.pdf.