Literature
Does Literature suit me?
Studying Literature
Literature is a field of study that focuses on the analysis and evaluation of literary texts: that involves reading historical and modern works of literature, assigning them to their respective eras, genres, and trends, and analyzing their content. If you are interested in what literature is, this could be right for you.
When studying literature, you’ll focus on the language, styles, and themes of literary works. Content from linguistics, cultural studies and media studies is also covered, as all these subjects are required for dealing with texts.
In this field of study, you’ll learn to analyze literary texts and put them into context. You’ll learn more about literary genres, narrative techniques, and literary theory and acquire techniques and methods for interpreting and researching literature.
This field of study offers many specializations because you can typically choose between literature for individual languages and regions or for several languages. Typical degree programs are therefore called general literature, comparative literature, or interdisciplinary literary and cultural studies.
Personal requirements | Literature
- Enthusiasm for books, culture and literature
- Strong expression and communication skills
- Accuracy and endurance
- Independent way of working
- Enjoy reading and discussing
Study Choice Test
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Take the testTypical course content | Literature
- Cultural history
- Poetics and rhetoric
- Media analysis and media theory
- Literature work techniques
- Text and media analysis
- Applied literature
- Literary history
- Reception history
- Digital humanities
- Representation of gender roles in literary texts
Career prospects | Literature
With a degree in literature, you’ll be qualified to research literary texts from different countries, cultures, and eras. You’ll be able to analyze, interpret, and evaluate works and compare them. These are common areas of work, especially in research.
As a literary scientist, you’ll work in the cultural and literary sector, for example for publishing houses, libraries, archives, museums, or in education. You can also find work in the media sector or write texts yourself. Other areas of work include public relations, cultural management, and education.
- Archivist
- Author
- Cultural Manager
- Cultural Mediator
- Curator
- Editor (Journalism)
- Editor (Publishing)
- Literary Scientist
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