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The study programme of Byzantine Studies within the framework of the modularized courses
The modularized and consecutively interrelated Bachelor and Master programmes exist since the winter term 2008/09. The study programme for history students consists of the core subject “History” and a freely selectable minor subject.
The following remarks serve as explanatory purposes and do not represent legally binding regulations. Furthermore, they do not replace the module manuals. On request, the employees of the division of Byzantine Studies are happy to help and consult regarding the questions of how to select a main focus on Byzantine Studies in your B.A. or M.A. study programme, which level of knowledge and skills are taught in Byzantine Studies, what occupational fields open up, and more.
B.A.
There is no B.A. programme dedicated to Byzantine Studies as such. Instead, we offer a B.A. History programme, which integrates independent divisions, like Ancient History, Byzantine Studies or East-European History, among which Byzantine Studies participate with classes dedicated to the epoch of the Middle Ages. The advantage of this system lies in the acquisition of a general historic proficiency, as well as a possible future specialization within a sub-area of history, like Byzantine Studies. The resulting interdisciplinary approach is unique among those German universities which have classes on the History of the Middle Ages and it therefore makes it possible to get hold of the entire History of the Middle Ages in Western Eurasia. The subject of Byzantine Studies is represented in many courses across the Division of Byzantine Studies at the Historical Seminar. The Division of Christian Archaeology and Byzantine Art History at the Institute for Archaeology expands the options to study Byzantium even further. This opens the opportunity to select many classes with a Byzantine scope and to write the B.A. thesis about a topic in the field of Byzantine studies.
The following classes we offer on B.A. level in History within the sub-area of Byzantine Studies:
• Modul 1 (Einführung in Grundlagen, Theorien und Methoden der Geschichtswissenschaft): Englische Quellenlektüre
• Modul 3 (Mittelalter)
• Modul 6 (Exkursion)
• Modul 8 (Aufbaumodul 1)
• Modul 9 (Praxismodul): An internship with byzantine topic is possible at Museums (e.g. at LEIZA) or an internship in a foreign country; can be replaced by two language classes (4 SWS)
• Modul 10 (Modul Forschung): Oberseminare
• BA-Abschlussmodul: oral exam, B.A. thesis
M.A.
With a successfully completed B.A. programme, one can start the M.A. programme in History. The specialization “Byzantine Studies” can be chosen as a focus within this study programme and hence, there are specific modules which can be selected. A so-called diploma supplement Byzantinistik is given to the diploma of the M.A. History after the successful completion of this study programme. It is also possible to pursue a PhD in Byzantine Studies, and even later a habilitation, which is the highest academic graduation in the German system.
In terms of language skills, the M.A. study programme with the focus on Byzantine Studies, requires a certificate of proficiency in Latin (Latinum), as well as certain knowledge of Ancient Greek. The latter language skills have to be demonstrated prior to the start of the “MA-Abschlussmodul”. The minimum level of knowledge of Ancient Greek corresponds to 80 hours of successful classes or three years of high-school/grammar-school in Ancient Greek. For the PhD, the certificate with the label Graecum is required. Thus the acquisition of language skills is not a requirement for the regular compulsory studies. It is recommended to acquire these language skills during the B.A. programme or during the first two terms of the M.A. programme at the latest. One can also replace Module 9 in the B.A. programme and Module 14 in the M.A. programme by corresponding language classes.
The structure of the M.A. programme in History, with the diploma supplement of Byzantine Studies
• Two modules out of three in Module 11 (Aufbaumodul 11) need to be chosen out of the sub-area of Byzantine Studies: a module consists of a lecture, an exercise and a Hauptseminar. • Module 14 (Praxismodul): An internship with a Byzantine topic at a museum (e.g. LEIZA) or an internship in a foreign country; can be replaced by two language classes (4 SWS). • Module 15 (Historische Zweig- und Nachbarwissenschaften): Lectures from similar divisions of research, like Christian Archaeology and Byzantine Art history, Church History or Greek Studies (Gräzistik); self-study of a corpus of texts from a respective field of study. • Module 16 (Forschung): Oberseminar 1, Oberseminar 2, self-study of a corpus of texts. It is advised to choose at least one Oberseminar from the Division of Byzantine Studies. • Module 17 (Abschlussmodul): M.A. thesis and an oral exam, both with a Byzantine scope
