The BA degree program in American Studies at Goethe University focuses on the literature, culture, and history of the United States. Through introductory courses and advanced seminars, students analyze literary texts, non-literary cultural productions, and media (such as film), as well as historical sources, discussing their diverse contemporary and historical dimensions of meaning. This broadens perspectives on various actors, milieus, and institutions, as well as cultural periods, societal developments, and historical and political decisions—from the colonial era to the 21st century. Throughout their studies, students acquire expertise in the cross-cultural dimensions of American literatures, cultures, and history, while developing an understanding of interdisciplinary horizons related to their field of study, along with various theoretical approaches and methods.
At Frankfurt, the degree program is divided into three core areas: American Literature and Literature Studies, American Culture and Cultural Studies, and American History and Society.
The American Studies department at the Institute for English and American Studies (IEAS) is one of the few interdisciplinary American Studies departments in Germany. This interdisciplinary focus is further strengthened through close collaboration with other institutes at Goethe University. In Frankfurt’s American Studies program, the teaching is shaped by the research interests of the professors and staff, resulting in distinctive areas of focus. In addition to general introductions, specific courses concentrate on particular literary periods or specialized literary and media forms, as well as approaches such as African-American Studies, Gender and Queer Studies, Animal Studies, Film Studies, Sound Studies, Media Philosophy, the Aesthetics of Democracy, or the history of the Civil Rights Movement. Starting in the third semester, students specialize in two of the three offered core areas, allowing them to develop their own academic profile.
Additionally, the IEAS hosts a long-standing theater group (Chaincourt Theatre Company) and an annual publication of student texts, poems, and photographs (Student Anthology), both of which are managed in close collaboration between faculty and students. These extracurricular opportunities provide students with the chance to gain initial practical experience in creative professional fields.