Course content and focus areas
The two-year master's program in German-Portuguese Studies/Estudos Luso-Alemães (MA DPS) is a double degree program offered in cooperation with the Universidade do Minho Braga. At Goethe University, the program is managed by the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures. At Universidade do Minho Braga, it is housed within the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies (DEGE) of the Institute of Letters and Human Sciences.
This master's program is comparative in nature. In Frankfurt, the focus is primarily on comparisons with other Romance languages and literatures. In Braga, due to its connection to German studies, the emphasis is on comparative exploration of academic questions from both German studies and Lusophone perspectives. A study abroad experience at the partner university is firmly integrated into the curriculum and facilitated through an existing Erasmus cooperation.
The research-oriented master's program builds on undergraduate studies, deepening and expanding the literature and linguistics knowledge as well as foreign language skills acquired at the bachelor's level, with a focus on Portuguese. In the third semester, students can specialize in either literature/cultural studies or linguistics. Successfully completing the master's program provides a foundation for further academic qualification through doctoral studies. However, the program also opens up horizons in other professional fields due to its transnational and multilingual dimension.
The comparative program involves the examination of academic questions from German studies and Lusophone perspectives, while also embedding these within broader contexts, such as comparisons with other Romance languages and literatures.
In linguistics, the focus is on questions related to multilingualism and language contact research, with particular emphasis on connecting empirical linguistics with modern linguistic models of language competence. In literature studies, intercultural dependencies between Portuguese and German cultures are highlighted. At both Goethe University Frankfurt and Universidade do Minho, the significance of Portuguese and German culture in the arts (film, painting, music) plays a key role.
Additionally, the program equips students with practical professional skills in translation, digital editing techniques, and advanced Portuguese language proficiency.
Who is it for?
The MA DPS is designed for graduates of the BA in Romance Studies (as a major or minor) at Goethe University, as well as graduates with a comparable degree from a German or international higher education institution. Language requirements are also defined.