"True romance" in Göttingen: Building on related Bachelor's studies, the Master's degree programme in Romance Studies provides a deeper knowledge of the language, literature and cultural aspects of the Romance countries and their cultural sphere. Academic and language-related foci are available for the four major Romance languages: French, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.


Programme name: Romance Studies
Degree: Master of Arts (M.A.)
Standard period of study: 4 semesters
Start: Summer and winter semester
Admission requirements: B.A. degree or equivalent degree with an overall grade of at least 2.5 (no additional oral examination). With an overall grade from 2.6 to 3.0 there will be an additional oral examination.
Verification required of academic performance in a Romance programme of study (e.g. Gallo-Roman Studies, Spanish Studies, Italian Studies, Portuguese Studies, Romance Studies or Romance Philology or a subject of the cultural sciences with a corresponding regional concentration) in the scope of at least 50 credits, including at least 6 credits each in linguistics and literature science.
Language requirement: Verification of sufficient knowledge in French (GER level C1), of Italian (GER level B2+), of Portuguese (GER level B2+) or Spanish (GER level C1)
Another prerequisite for admission is evidence of basic knowledge of Latin. This evidence is to be submitted in the form of an intermediate Latin certificate or passing a test on the necessary skills at the University. The evidence can also be furnished by courses in Latin at secondary school level for at least 3 years, or in the case of Latin courses started at senior secondary school over at least two years, with a minimum average grade of 4.0 in each case. This evidence must be submitted to the Faculty of Humanities at enrolment, for a winter semester by 30 September, and by 30 March for a summer semester. This evidence is a matriculation prerequisite, conditional enrolment is not possible.
Note for international applicants: For the enrolment at the Faculty of Humanities certified proficiency in German language is required!
Entrance requirements for module packages: Overview (pdf in german)
Application: application procedure
Language of the programme: German

Programme description:
The Master's Programme in Romance Studies is a consecutive programme that follows and builds upon the Bachelor's programme. It conveys in-depth knowledge in language, literature and cultural science of the Romance language and cultural regions.

Concentrations in Göttingen:
The Göttingen programme in Romance Studies is completely dedicated to the Romance languages. It comprises the four large Romance languages French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese as well as the non-European Romance language regions and – in the elective range – Romanian, Catalan and Galician. Supplementing these, students may take courses in the field of language practice and regional studies. The concentrations in linguistics lie in variety linguistics, language contact research, cognitive semantics, historical grammar and syntax.

The sub-disciplines of literary science deal with Romance literature from the Middle Ages to the 21st Century with concentrations on interculturalism, imagology, autobiographical writings and gender studies of literary science.


Programme structure:
The Master's programme in Romance Studies can be selected as a single subject programme with 78 credits or as a programme with 42 credits in connection with an external module packet. This requires the selection of a subject-scientific or language-related concentration. Students may select from the following concentrations: Linguistics, Literary Science, Gallo-Romance Studies, Spanish Studies, Italian Studies and Portuguese Studies.

For the subject-scientific concentrations Linguistics and Literary Science, elective compulsory modules in linguistics and literature science must be selected (e.g. French and Spanish linguistics). In the individual language concentrations, elective compulsory modules in linguistics and literary science are combined (e.g. Italian linguistics and literary science). In addition, elective modules are studied. These aim to extend the student's knowledge in a comprehensive education of Romance Studies, expand practical language abilities, compliment the concentration with subject-specific modules in linguistics, literature or regional studies, give in-depth knowledge in the selected areas of concentration or students may learn a “smaller” Romance language such as Romanian, Catalan or Galician.


Occupational fields:
The degree Master's of Arts in Romance Studies qualifies for a university career, for positions in research and cultural institutions, in cultural journalism, culture management and public relations and generally for all fields of occupation that require comprehensive knowledge of the Romance languages and cultures as well as intercultural skills.