Global History

The aim of the Master’s programme in Global History at the University of Bayreuth is to enable students to recognise and analyse complex social, political, cultural and economic phenomena of the present in their global and historical contexts. The programme has a modular structure with a different number of modules in four columns: Column 1 (Foundations of Global History) consists of four compulsory modules which form the basis of this programme. The students will acquire basic knowledge about the Global History approach with its specific paradigms, theories and methods. All four modules contain methodological reflections of different historiographical approaches, of entanglements between political, social, economic and cultural history and the analysis of global encounters and conflicts. Column 2 (“Area Expertise”) consists of six elective modules. The acquisition of area expertise forms the first part (three modules) of this column. Students can select from four different options: “Africa” (A), “Europe” (B), “Atlantic World & the Americas” (C) and “Trans and other areas” (D). For each option, students will have to successfully complete three different courses/seminars that will focus on the history of the particular area(s), but they may do so from different chronological points of view (ancient, medieval, pre-modern, modern, contemporary) and by scrutinising different topics (for example, economic, social, cultural or religious phenomena). The acquisition of additional language skills forms the second part of this column (three modules). Depending upon the chosen area expertise, students will learn a language or intensify their pre-existing language skills in three different language classes. The idea is to learn or refresh/intensify language skills that exceed the obligatory English and German skills according to the admission requirements of this programme. Column 3 (“Specialisation”) consists of two elective modules. The “Specialisation I: Additional Area of Expertise” module is a chance – especially for those students choosing options A, B, C in column 2 – to broaden the scope of their area expertise by gaining additional expertise in a second focus area. This enables them to compare historical phenomena in different global areas. In the courses for the “Specialisation II: Methods and Skills” module, students will be introduced to different analytical tools and practices enabling them to apply specific methods (qualitative and quantitative) in their own academic investigations of specific historical phenomena. These methods (for example, from social sciences, literary studies, etc.), which are usually not part of a curriculum in history, will broaden the methodological tool kit of the students and help them approach historical phenomena in an innovative way. Column 4 (“Master's thesis”) contains the whole process of conceptualising and writing the thesis in one compulsory module. Students will be asked to present a report (“Forschungsbericht”) in the accompanying Master's class.