In order to graduate you will have to obtain a total of 180 ECTS credit points. Through your dissertation and defense, you will earn 135 credit points (CP). The remaining 45 CP are awarded after passing the Graduate School’s curriculum, which is divided into two different parts - obligatory courses (27 CP) and elective options (18 CP).
These courses revolve around current theoretical developments in the humanities and social sciences and their 'applicability' in literary studies. Other central issues include the social and political function, or cultural work, of literary practices and their continuous renewal and reinvention. Course topics are related to the profile of the graduate school, which has three dimensions: (1) literature and society, (1) theories of literature, and (3) literary studies and (professional) practices.
The curriculum is taught by professors from the GS PoL and visiting scholars from Germany and abroad. Usually, the curriculum consists of a lecture series each winter term and workshops/master classes each summer term. Master classes are two-day workshops where students prepare a selected topic and discuss it with an expert from Münster or another university in Germany or abroad.
The colloquium is taught by two faculty members from different departments and provides students with the opportunity to discuss their work-in-progress.
The project groups are formed each semester according to the students' needs. They usually take the form of a reading group where students with similar projects and interests discuss theoretical texts. Teams may also focus on planning conferences or other projects. They are expected to meet every other week and to submit a report at the end of their project.
Elective options are meant to give students the opportunity to improve their professional skills and to gain practical experience in academic or non-academic settings. Options include internships, teaching, academic publications, conference papers, practical and professional skills courses, and committee work.
16. Juni 2023 – Prof. Timothy Bewes (Brown University)
23. Mai 2023 – Prof. Danielle Fuller (University of Alberta, Canada) und Prof. Dr. Corinna Norrick-Rühl (University of Münster)
16. Mai 2023 – Prof. Dr. Corinna Norrick-Rühl (University of Münster)
9. May 2023 – Prof. Eugenie Brinkema (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
27. April 2023 – Prof. Jessica Pressman (San Diego State University)
11. January 2023 – Prof. William Watkin (Brunel University)
15. December 2022 – Prof. Irina Dumitrescu (Universität Bonn)
17. November 2022 – Prof. Irina Dumitrescu (Universität Bonn)
16./17. December 2021 – Dr. Joela Jacobs (University of Arizona)
20./21. October 2021 – Dr. Julia Grillmayr (Kunstuniversität Linz)
15. July 2021 – Christoph Dittert
13./14. July 2021 – Prof. Dr. Jörg Kreienbrock (Northwestern University)
22./24./25. June 2020 – Prof. Dr. Peter Fenves (Northwestern University)
17. /19. June 2019 - Prof. Dr. C. Bauer-Funke (Universität Münster) and Prof. Dr. J. Kreienbrock (Northwestern University)
06. June 2019 – Prof. Dr. Theo D’haen (KU Leuven)
03. July 2018 – Dr. Jan Behrs (Northwestern University)
20./21. June 2018 – Dr. Patrick Miller (Northeastern Illinois University) and Paul Spickard (UC Santa Barbara)
5. June 2018 – PD Dr. Christoph Jürgensen (University of Wuppertal)
8./9. February 2017 – Dr. Tomislav Zelic (University Zadar, Croatia)
18./19. January 2017 – Prof. Dr. Lars Koch (TU Dresden)
3./4. November 2016 – Dr. Kristin Dombek, Münster Lectures (Princeton University)
14. July 2016 – Dr. Pál Kelemen (Eövös-Loránd-University Budapest)
9. June 2016 [de] – Prof. Dr. Claudia Benthien (University of Hamburg)
3./4. May 2016 – Prof. Dr. Eckart Goebel (University of Tübingen)
28./29. April 2016 – Prof. Dr. Markus Kuhn (Syddansk University, Denmark)
2./3. February 2016 – Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Heinrich Detering (University of Göttingen)
15./16. January 2016 – Prof. Dr. Clemens Ruthner (Trinity College, Ireland)
20./21. August 2015 – Prof. Dr. Jörg Kreienbrock (Northwestern University)
21./22. April 2015 – Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Hans Ulrich Gumbrecht (Stanford University)
15./16. January 2015 – Dr. Matthias Thiele (University of Dortmund)
4./5. March 2014 – Dr. Thomas Ernst (University of Essen)
29./30. April 2013 – Prof. Dr. Sabine Wilke (University of Washington)
15./16. January 2013 – Dr. Carrie Smith-Prei (University of Alberta)
21./22. November 2012 – Prof. Dr. Klaus-Michael Bogdal (University of Bielefeld)
Practical and professional skills courses at the GS PoL focus on topics such as third-party funding and publishing opportunities.
Here are a few selected examples:
4./18. May 2021 – Sonja Vandenrath: Literatursausstellungen
18./19. February 2017 – Martin Stobbe (TEXTPRAXIS: Digital Journal for Philology): Online Publishing
13. June 2016 – Dr. Viola Voß (Universität Münster, ULB): Dissertation optimal publizieren
21. October 2015 – Rebecca Walsh (Universität Münster): Englisch für Literaturwissenschaftler*innen
13. March 2015 – Dr. Christine Schmidt, Dr. Rebecca Schreiber (Universität Münster): SAFIR - Recherche - Schulung
09./10. April 2013: Sarah Giese: Rhetorikworkshop