English and American Studies

Starting your BA English and American Studies

Our BA programme in English and American Studies enables students to engage critically with the English language and Anglophone literatures and cultures, to analyse them rhetorically and/or audio-visually, and to interpret them.

You will be introduced to linguistics, and learn skills in literary studies, as well as cultural and media studies. The programme covers geographical, social, and historical variations of English, presents key literary texts from different periods, and explores the cultural and social history of Anglophone countries.

You will also improve your language skills through dedicated classes, achieving proficiency on the level of CEFR C2. Alongside this, you will develop research, academic writing, and critical thinking skills, culminating in two bachelor’s theses.

Finally, you will gain additional interdisciplinary knowledge by completing 45 credit points (ECTS) of Extension Curricula at other departments of the University of Vienna. The total number of credit points to be earned in the BA English and American Studies is 180 (ECTS).  
 

Franz Pfluegl

Orientation session for your degree programme

At the beginning of the semester we offer an orientation session Orientierungsveranstaltung for BA beginners with some more information on your first semester and the possibility to ask questions. Please register for your session via u:find/u:space, “Orientierungsveranstaltung”, by the previous evening. 

You won’t be able to register if you have not completed your admission to the university (Zulassung). On the day of the “Orientierungsveranstaltung”, please log in to Moodle, find the course in your Dashboard and enter the stream. 

Registration for the orientation event

Studierende sitzen auf der Treppe im Hauptgebäude
Ian Ehm

Accessible Studies (Barrierefrei studieren)

Students with impairments, disabilities, or illnesses are advised to consult with our colleagues at Team Barrierefrei. Depending on your condition, you can get advice on the provisions and alternative modes of assessment, tailored to your needs. 

Contact Team Barrierefrei

How to prepare your timetable

At the University of Vienna you do not get a pre-defined timetable, but follow a recommended study path – you plan your semester yourself. The most important tools for planning your semester are the curriculum of your degree programme, the student portal u:space and the course directory u:find. 

In your record of examinations in u:space you can also view all the grades you receive during your degree programme. This overview will help you plan the next semesters.

Need help planning your courses?

Recommended Path of Study

What types of courses are there?

  • Course with non-continuous assessment

    Courses with non-continuous assessment (npi LV) are, for example, lectures (Vorlesung, VO). The following applies to lectures:

    • Attendance is not compulsory.
    • The number of participants is not limited.
    • You do not obtain ECTS credits simply by attending a lecture. To complete a lecture and obtain ECTS credits, you must take an exam at the end.
    • Registration for the exam is mandatory. 

    In general, we recommend registering for lectures, as you will then automatically be enrolled on the corresponding Moodle course. This gives you access to the learning materials.

    PLEASE NOTE: You must also register for the exam even if you have already registered for the course with non-continuous assessment.

  • Course with continuous assessment

    Courses with continuous assessment (pi LV) are, for example, seminars (Seminar, SE) and exercises (Übung, UE). Please note the following:

    • You must register for courses within the registration period.
    • Assessment is based on active participation through written and/or oral achievements during the semester.
    • Attendance may be compulsory.

    The number of participants is usually limited. After the registration period, you can check in u:space whether you have been allocated a place in the course. 

    PLEASE NOTE: If you miss the first course unit without providing a reason, you will be deregistered and lose your place.

  • Module examinations

    A module examination or subject examination is an examination on the content of an entire module (i.e. an examination on the content of several courses). 

    • Assessment is based solely on the examination result.
    • Attendance or participation in the courses is not taken into account in the assessment.
    • Module examinations – with the exception of STEOP examinations – take place three times during each semester.

  • Do you still have questions about certain university terms?

    We have compiled an overview of all important terms and abbreviations in our ABC of terminology.

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What is the introductory and orientation period (STEOP)?

All bachelor’s, teacher education and diploma programmes include an introductory and orientation period (STEOP) in the first semester.

The STEOP gives you an insight into the programme and allows you to assess

  • whether the course content aligns with your expectations of the programme and
  • whether you can meet the programme’s requirements.

Starting your studies in the summer semester?

It is not recommended to start your MEd UF Englisch studies in the summer term. The time between the semesters is too short to guarantee that you can register for courses. We recommend continuing in your BEd Studies and completing courses for Block IIa for both of your UFs so you can graduate from your BEd studies over the summer. 

STEOP in the BA English and American Studies

The STEOP consists of four lectures and three exams: 

  • STEOP Language Analysis + STEOP Introduction to the Study of Language 1
  • STEOP Introduction to the Study of Literature
  • STEOP Introduction to Anglophone Cultures and Societies

Register for each STEOP lecture via u:find so that you can access Moodle. STEOP lectures are often offered only in the winter term, but tutorials and exams take place in both winter and summer terms.

General info provided by Teaching Affairs and Student Services.

Each STEOP lecture is accompanied by a tutorial (TR) in which the lecture content is revised and discussed. Attendance is not compulsory, but students are strongly advised to attend these sessions. 

STEOP exams are multiple-choice. Exam details and learning materials are provided during the lectures and on Moodle. Register via u:find. Please check the registration deadlines.

Students in their first semester may join the coaching groups offered by the department and taught by advanced students. Registration for the groups is possible via the STEOP Moodle platforms.

In addition to the STEOP, the structured study path recommends registering for lectures (e.g. 07.1 Culture, Society & the Media and 08.1 Literature Survey 1) from other modules. However, in order to sit the corresponding exams, the STEOP module must be successfully completed.

Check the structured study path for the BA English and American Studies.

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Further important aspects for the first semester(s)

Registering for exams

In the course directory u:find, you can view the details of the exam for your respective course.

Click ‘Register/Deregister for this exam’ to be redirected to u:space where you can complete your registration.

Next, you have to select your degree programme and the respective curriculum item (module) in u:space. If you can choose from several modules, select the one that is specified in the u:find course directory. Otherwise, your grade will be assigned to the wrong module in the record of examinations. 

Click ‘Register’ to complete your registration for the exam.

Students in front of the lockers at the department library
Ian Ehm

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