Liberal arts and sciences degree program
As part of the Excellence Strategy, Universität Hamburg plans to introduce the Liberal Arts and Sciences bachelor’s degree program. Role models for this degree program can be found in the Netherlands (University of Groningen, Maastricht University, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Utrecht University) and the United Kingdom (University of Warwick). Up until now, only the University of Freiburg and Leuphana University Lüneburg have offered a liberal arts and sciences degree program.
The Universität Hamburg degree program is unique in that has a differentiated, interdisciplinary curriculum that draws on the humanities, social sciences, and the natural sciences. Unlike its Dutch and British counterparts, Universität Hamburg will not charge tuition fees for its Liberal Arts and Sciences degree program.
Liberal arts and sciences at Universität Hamburg
The special feature about the liberal arts and sciences degree program at Universität Hamburg is the number of cooperation opportunities with the University’s research areas as well as with other universities, media companies, and cultural institutions in the city (e.g., Hochschule für Bildende Künste, HafenCity University, Die Zeit, Thalia Theater, Deutsches Schauspielhaus, Kampnagel, etc.).
The aim is to offer first-year students an interdisciplinary and methodologically innovative degree program that reacts to the global challenges of the twenty-first century and, at the same time, raises their awareness about historical developments. Teaching staff and students work together on fundamental questions: What effect does the climate crisis have on coexistence in society? What are the repercussions of global migration flows? What measures should be adopted to prevent society drifting apart?
In order to answer such questions, we require more than subject-specific perspectives, we also need new forms of interdisciplinary reflection and projects. The first year of the 8-semester degree program serves to socialize students into the research and higher education system and provide them with basic academic skills for the collaborative development of fundamental knowledge before they decide on their area of concentration (major) and a secondary area (minor).
In the required elective modules, students can acquire further foreign language skills, spend a semester abroad, or attend an atelier, which would allow them to enhance their individual research profiles in research, practice, and creative fields of activity.
As part of the Excellence Strategy, two new professorships will be created in the Faculty of Humanities for the development of the bachelor’s degree program. One of the professorships will be dedicated to the area of history of science and knowledge.
The call for expressions of interest procedure is designed to fill a second professorship with an applicant from the field of cultural, literary, or media studies who has relevant research experience at the interface with the natural sciences and/or medicine. The applicant will also be expected to have experience in interdisciplinary teaching and research and be willing to further develop the study concept in cooperation with the Universität Hamburg faculties.
Contacts
- Interim academic leadership Prof. Dr. Silke Segler-Meßner
(silke.segler-messner"AT"uni-hamburg.de) - Academic coordination Franziska Kutzick
(franziska.kutzick"AT"uni-hamburg.de)