Requirements

Bachelor

The university entrance qualification (usually the German Abitur) is mandatory to begin a degree programme. Since the winter semester 2019/20, admission to the Bachelor’s programme Scandinavian and Finnish Studies is no longer restricted. All prospective students have to complete an online self-assessment instead to check if this degree programme matches their interests. After the online self-assessment, prospective students can apply  via KLIPS 2.0 and receive their letter of admission immediately which can then be used to enrol for degree component. In order to complete a double major Bachelor's degree, a second subject is mandatory, for which admission restrictions may apply. We therefore advise all prospective students to find out in advance about the admission procedure in the other subject as well!

It is mandatory that you have a command of English at level B2 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. As a rule, you reach this level if you have taken English classes in school for at least 8 years and can prove this with your Abitur certificate.

Additionally, you should show general interest in languages, literature and culture. Degree programmes in humanities are so-called ‘reading-intensive subject’, i.e. you should like reading. This does not only mean novels and thrillers, but also theoretical texts. 

Since you obtain your graded certificates by writing term papers and giving presentations, apart from the language examinations in the first semesters, an interest in presenting researched topics as well as the ability to put them into written form is also a prerequisite for studying at the Institute for Scandinavian and Finnish Studies. It should also be noted that the majority of research literature is written in English. The ability to read English specialist texts is therefore assumed.

Master

Double major Master’s degree ‘Scandinavian Cultures and Literatures’ or single major Master’s degree in ‘Scandinavian Studies’:

In order to get admitted to the Master's programme in Scandinavian Studies, you must have obtained a Bachelor's degree or a comparable degree in Scandinavian or Finnish Studies, Nordic Philology or a comparable subject. At least 60 credits must have been obtained for the subject. In addition, knowledge of English at level B2 and knowledge of a Scandinavian language at level B2 (Danish, Norwegian or Swedish) or B1 (Icelandic) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is required.

Double major Master’s degree ‘Finnish Studies’:

In order to get admitted to the Master's programme in Finnish Studies, you must have obtained a Bachelor's degree or a comparable degree in Scandinavian/Finnish Studies, Nordic Philology, Finnish Studies, Finnougristics or a comparable subject. At least 60 credits must have been obtained for the subject. In addition, knowledge of English at level B2 and knowledge of Finnish at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages is required.