Anglophone Postcolonial Studies | Single-Subject Bachelor

The English-language Bachelor’s program Anglophone Postcolonial Studies examines literary, cultural, historical and media phenomena of the English-speaking world from a non-Eurocentric perspective. It centers complex questions surrounding the (post)colonial past, present and future and equips students with the skills to analyze these from multiple perspectives.

The Anglophone Postcolonial Studies program at the University of Potsdam enables students to adopt a non-Eurocentric view of the (English-speaking) world and to examine global phenomena from a postcolonial perspective. The focus is on the complex entanglements between the (postcolonial) past, present and future. Whether dealing with literary works, cultural dynamics, ecological challenges or media and historical phenomena – graduates learn to view these not as isolated events, but to analyze them from multiple perspectives as part of a culturally interwoven complex. Through their engagement with various historical, disciplinary, and regional contexts, they develop trans-cultural competencies (“trans-cultural literacy”), which enable them to understand cultures as inherently incomplete, hybrid and co-constitutive entities.

The Bachelor’s degree program Anglophone Postcolonial Studies provides students with literary and cultural studies expertise as well as strong trans-cultural competencies (“trans-cultural literacy”), enabling them to understand (postcolonial) cultural processes as globally interconnected and hybrid. The program is complemented by practice-oriented elements such as outreach projects, science communication, and project- and media-based work. The program qualifies graduates for advanced MA programs in literary and cultural studies in Germany and abroad, particularly the institute’s own Master’s program Anglophone Modernities in Literature and Culture. However, the program also opens up career opportunities wherever an in-depth understanding of the diverse range of literary, ecological, cultural, historical, and media developments in the English-speaking world (and beyond) is required. Relevant professional fields include specialized journalism, publishing, the non-profit sector, cultural education, advertising and public relations, as well as, for example, human resources in companies. Cooperation with international partner universities and institutions also qualifies graduates for positions in international organizations, in academic management, as well as in archives and libraries.

Admission to the Bachelor’s program requires proof of a higher education entrance qualification. Further information on the different types of higher education entrance qualifications can be found here. Applicants must also demonstrate their proficiency in English by passing the institute's aptitude test OR by submitting a recognized alternative proof of English language proficiency upon enrollment OR by applying for an equivalency certificate at an early stage. (See also FAQs about the English Entrance Test). German language skills are not required.

Please note: Allow ample time for the recognition processes of foreign higher education entrance qualifications, equivalency certificates, and alternative proofs of English language proficiency. These must be submitted within the enrollment period.

The Bachelor’s program is modular in structure. Within each module, course content is taught in thematically grouped units through various forms of study and instruction. Each module requires the completion of a specified number of credits earned through designated coursework and examinations.

For further information, please consult the subject-specific study regulations or the departmental advisors.

* Basic Academic Competences

The Bachelor of Arts represents an initial professional academic degree that provides access to Master’s programs, such as the institute's own Master’s in Anglophone Modernities in Literature and Culture. If you have developed a passion for research and university life, you can set a goal to earn a doctorate (Ph.D.) through a doctoral program after completing your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.