1. Have you taken classes in the following areas in your BA programme?

• Linguistics

• Literature

• Cultural studies

• English language proficiency

Comment: Please note that the European Joint Master’s programme is only open to students with previous knowledge in these core areas. None of the partner universities offers beginners’ classes for Master’s students in any of these areas.
 

2. Did you focus on English or on another language?

Comment: The programme may also be open to applicants whose BA degree is in a language other than English, provided that applicant can demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English. If you are unsure whether your BA degree would be accepted, please contact the academic advisor of your chosen entrance university for advice.
 

3. Which of these areas are you particularly interested in: literature, linguistics, cultural studies?

Comment: The programme requires you to choose one of these areas as your specialist area and to earn 30-40 ECTS in this area in addition to the compulsory credits in all three areas. You will also have to submit a thesis in your specialist area.

1. Can you read these texts and summarise the main points?

• Vivian Cook: Going Beyond the Native Speaker in Language Teaching (TESOL QUARTERLY Vol. 33, No.2, Summer 1999)
• Jonathan Culler: Story and Discourse in the Analysis of Narrative (From Narrative Theory. Ed. Mieke Ball. Routledge, 2004)

2. Are you able to write a seminar paper of this standard or better?
These papers were written by Joint Programme students, they received the top grade and they have not been revised.

• Cultural Studies
• Linguistics

3. Are you able to understand this lecture and this discussion with ease and take notes?

• TedTalk: Patricia Kuhl, Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the University of Washington, shares her research findings about how babies learn one language over another.

• Discussion programme taken from the BBC Radio 4 series “In our time”. Melvyn Bragg discusses “Victorian Pessimism” with Dinah Birch, Professor of English at the University of Liverpool; Rosemary Ashton, Quain Professor of English Language and Literature at University College London; Peter Mandler, University Lecturer and Fellow in History at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. First broadcast on 10 May 2007. 

Comment: In this Master’s programme, you will be expected to work independently with academic sources and to be able to write good quality academic papers. You should therefore be familiar with conventions of academic writing including referencing conventions. You should also be willing to acquire research skills.

One of the main problems encountered by students in this programme relates to their writing ability, and it is essential that you have a good standard of written English from the outset and are prepared to work on improving your writing skills.

1. Are you interested in studying in an international context?

2. Are you willing to engage in intercultural debate?

3. Are you well organised and able to study independently?

4. Do you have clear ideas about how you wish to benefit from this programme academically, professionally and personally?

Experience has shown the programme coordinators and teaching staff that personal competences such as intercultural competence, goal orientation, intellectual curiosity and good organisational skills are the essential elements to success in this programme.

Our students come from diverse academic backgrounds and may find that they seem to lack certain academic skills when they embark on the programme. However, determination, willingness to engage in debate and to work hard can often overcome any perceived deficits.

Each partner university has an academic coordinator who will provide guidance for students in the programme. Contact the coordinator of your chosen entrance university if you have any concerns about your ability to cope with the demands of this programme.

1. Confirmation of English proficiency through either a completed bachelor or master’s programme studied in the following English-speaking countries Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, USA.
 

2. English certificate - List of approved language tests:

• Cambridge CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) grades C, B, A
• Cambridge CAE (Certificate of Advanced English) PASS
• Michigan ECPE (Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English) PASS
• Trinity ISE 3 (Integrated Skills in English) PASS
• Pearson PTE Academic MINIMUM SCORE 76
• IELTS MINIMUM OVERALL SCORE 7
• TOEFL iBT MINIMUM SCORE 98

Comment: Applicants must include with their application either an approved language certificate or a confirmation of registration for a language test. The language test must be taken before the selection meeting and the scores must be available at the selection meeting at the latest.

Please note that the provided language certificates must not be older than 2 years wherefore the 2 years will be counted back from the start date of the application.

No English proficiency letter or other certificates will be accepted.

When you apply for the programme, you will have to indicate your preference as regards to your entrance and mobility universities.
Consider the following points when you are choosing your entrance and mobility universities:

• What does each university offer as regards its academic programme?

• Do you have any knowledge of the language spoken in the country of your chosen university and are you interested in learning this language?

• Do you have any knowledge of the culture and history of the country of your chosen university?

• Do you have any family contacts or friends in any of these cities?

• Have you compared the cost of living in the different cities and thought about how you will be able to finance your stay in any of these cities?

Comments: The most important factor involved in choosing your universities is the academic programme and the opportunities open to you to acquire a further foreign language. For instance, students who want to learn German can choose either Bamberg or Graz, but there isn’t much point in studying in either city if you are not interested in or willing to learn German. However, you should also consider where you would like to live, and having friends or family nearby can help you settle in faster.

A further consideration is finance. Tuition fees vary according to the university and you should check this before you apply to a particular entrance university. Further, the cost of living in the cities involved in the programme varies quite a lot, and you should think carefully about your budget. The partner universities don’t themselves offer scholarships to Joint Programme students, but it is worth investigating whether any scholarships are offered by the countries themselves to international students, or whether your country offers financial support to its own citizens.

Note that mobility scholarships awarded through the Erasmus+ programme are available for students who choose a European partner as their entrance university. Other mobility scholarships may be available and you should check with your chosen entrance university.