Philosophy: Medieval and Early Modern Studies, M.A.
The Medieval and Early Modern Studies master’s program at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz is a research-oriented, interdisciplinary single-subject master’s degree. It brings together the study of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period from the perspectives of history, literature, language, art history, religious history, and philosophy. It is designed for graduates from a range of humanities and cultural studies backgrounds.
Programme facts
| Degree | Master of Arts (M.A.) |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 semesters, 120 ECTS |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Required German | C1 |
| Study mode | Full-Time |
| Start | Winter semester, summer semester |
| Application | After recognition of the certificate, winter semester until 01.09, summer semester until 01.03 |
| Admission | No admission restriction: every eligible applicant is admitted |
| Tuition fee | €0 per semester for international students |
| Semester contribution | €322.18 per semester |
| Campus | JGU Campus |
What the tuition fee consists of
Will I get in
Every applicant who meets the formal requirements is admitted — but places can run out before the deadline, so apply at the start of the window.
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 program deepens academic knowledge of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period and places it in a cross-linguistic and cross-disciplinary context. It focuses on cultural diversification, cultural transfer, historical developments, and intellectual currents in Europe. The degree is strongly research-oriented and combines seminars and colloquia with close individual guidance.
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A key advantage is that there is no single compulsory previous bachelor’s degree. Different relevant academic backgrounds are accepted as long as the specific entry requirements and credit requirements for the chosen focus are met.
What you study
- Semesters 1 to 3: three modules in the chosen focus subject.
- Semesters 1 to 3: three elective modules from other participating disciplines.
- Semesters 1 to 4: module Practice and Interdisciplinarity with an interdisciplinary colloquium every semester and a practical component.
- Semester 4: master’s thesis on an interdisciplinary topic.
- Final stage: oral final examination.
The full curriculum and the programme's parameters are part of programme selection: we compare them with your profile.
Pick programmesCareer
- academia and research
- education and adult education
- museums and cultural management
- publishing
- libraries and archives
- science journalism and other journalism fields
- administration and consulting
- international relations, for example tourism
Cost of study
| Tuition fee of the federal state (Rhineland-Palatinate), international students | €0 |
|---|---|
| Semester contribution | €322.18 |
Requirements and application
| Previous education | What applicants should bring strong interest in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period as eras of cultural diversity interest in interdisciplinary work across history, culture, religion, literature, language, and philosophy willingness to work with academic literature and scholarly methods openness to foreign languages and neighboring academic cultures General entry requirements The program requires a relevant bachelor’s degree or a comparable university degree. |
|---|---|
| Language | German C1 — confirmed by a certificate when you apply |
| Application | After recognition of the certificate, winter semester until 01.09, summer semester until 01.03 |
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.
- 2German up to C1 and a certificateDSH or TestDaF has to be passed before you apply.
- 3Documents and translationsCertified translations of the certificate and transcript, an APS if required. 3–4 weeks.
- 4Application after recognition of the certificate until 01.03Send the documents well before the deadline — an incomplete application cannot be completed after it.
- 5Admission, 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 01.03.2027 (138 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.