Cultural Studies, M.A.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Arts (M.A.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Required English | B2 |
| Study mode | Full-Time, Part-Time |
| Start | Summer semester, winter semester |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 31.05, summer semester until 31.12 |
| Admission | Admission restriction (NC): a competition of school grades |
| Tuition fee | Set by the university for international students — the amount is on the programme's official page |
| Semester contribution | €255.50 per semester |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
The programme has an admission restriction: the average grade of your certificate, converted to the German scale, decides. The cut-off changes every year — last year's value shows the order of magnitude, not a promise.
How the selection works and how strong the competition is — we go through it against your certificate when we select programmes for you.
Programme selection →About the programme
The research-oriented master's program Cultural Studies is characterized by a social-scientific orientation and the networking of different disciplines under the umbrella of cultural studies. This includes:
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- cultural philosophy and cultural theory (A)
- the Comparative Cultural and Social History (B)
- cultural sociology (C)
- the more practice-oriented area of cultural management and cultural field research (D)
All these areas are social science and social theory oriented. That is, the question of how culture and society interact, how culture emerges under certain social presuppositions, which characteristic forms it assumes and how it is permanently posed in institutions, but also the question of how social relations in their turn are expressed culturally and evaluated, brings together all four areas of the institute.
Here, a broad concept of culture is applied: on the one hand, culture can mean what is practiced in city theaters, museums and operas as so-called high culture in mass events of popular culture, but also in socioculture or in forms of alternative and protest culture. On the other hand, culture also refers - in a broader sense - to the fact that all our social action is culturally interpreted and interpreted and only then does it retain its meaning and meaning.
Students of cultural studies should not only be professionally competent, but should also be able to critically analyze the processes in the field of culture and society. Even where it comes to practical relevance and application, it is always about careful and critical reflection.
What you study
During the four semesters of the Master's program, students must study nine modules, with one module consisting of two courses (seminars or colloquia). All modules offered by the institute are elective modules. By choosing a focus area, students pursue their own study profile. You must choose modules from at least two of the four subareas A to D (cultural philosophy and cultural theory, comparative cultural and social history, cultural sociology, cultural management and cultural field research).
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
The Master's Program in Cultural Studies enables sound theoretical training, practice-oriented transfer references, the acquisition of methodological, interpretive as well as communicative and organizational skills. The program qualifies the graduates to take over responsible conceptual and organizational activities in a variety of occupational fields in the public and private cultural, art and media sectors as well as charitable endowment work.
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The cultural and creative industries are today one of the fastest growing industries (such as music industry, book, art and press market, software / games industry, broadcasting industry) and offers good and interesting career prospects. The program is also suitable for students who are looking for a scientific career. A doctorate is possible in the form of a doctoral program at the University of Leipzig.
Occupational fields may include the following areas:
- Cultural professions
- Cultural Policy
- Culture Economy
- Journalism
- Knowledge Management
- Foundations
- Organization with an emphasis on intercultural encounters
- International companies
- Non-government organizations
Cost of study
| Semester contribution | €255.50 |
|---|
Requirements and application
| Previous education | Proof of successful completion of a cultural studies, social science, philosophical or historical bachelor's degree program or equivalent recognized study at another university with at least 60 ECTS in the mentioned subject groups. |
|---|---|
| Language | English B2 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | Via uni-assist, winter semester until 31.05, summer semester until 31.12 |
The procedure and the set of documents depend on your certificate. We check the university's requirements against your documents and give you a list: what to submit, how to certify and translate it, where and when to apply.
Check the requirementsHow to get into this programme
- 1Check your certificate and its recognitionDirect admission, a year at a university at home, or Studienkolleg first — this decides the whole plan.
- 2Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 3Application via uni-assist until 31.12uni-assist checks documents for 4–6 weeks — send them well before the deadline.
- 4Admission, visa, movingPlan 2–3 months for the visa and the blocked account in parallel.
How to apply
You can submit the application yourself or with our help — the university decides on admission in both cases.
Applications go through the university's portal or uni-assist. Typical mistakes:
- ×incorrectly made certified copies and translations
- ×a wrong set of documents
- ×the application submitted the wrong way
- ×errors or gaps in the application form
- ×the application submitted at the wrong time — too early or too late
An incomplete or incorrectly prepared application is excluded from the selection — it can no longer be corrected after the deadline.
StudyInFocus does not represent the university and does not influence the admission decision. We do not sell study places and do not guarantee admission — this is a service for preparing and submitting documents on the applicant's side.
If your level is not enough yet
The two most common stoppers are a language level below the requirement and a certificate without direct admission. Both can be solved, but they take months — plan them now, not after a rejection.
Questions about this programme
How much does the programme cost?
What language level do I need?
When do I need to apply?
Don't postpone the application
The deadline is 31.12.2026 (78 days left). Language, translations and the document check take months, not weeks. In 30 minutes we will build a plan backwards from the deadline and tell you honestly whether you can make it.