University of Hamburg - to research, to teach, to educate and form, to homepage
EKW



Institut für
Empirische Kulturwissenschaft (Anthropological Studies in
Culture and History)

Photo: Universität Hamburg

Career exploration/prospects

"And what will you do with it later?"

This question is likely to be asked of all students at some point. The answer can sometimes be challenging, as studying Empirical Cultural Studies does not prepare you for a single profession, but rather qualifies you for a variety of career fields thanks to its specific perspective and diverse range of thematic focuses.

In addition to the implicit professional skills you will acquire through your studies, such as scientific work and research sills, high-level writing skills, literature research and use of it, discussion, moderation and presentation skills, etc., the following explicit offerings are integrated into the BA programme in Empirical Cultural Studies in Hamburg:

  • The Career Exploration module (VK-KA (FSB13-14)-M9) is firmly anchored in the curriculum and consists of a practical component in the form of internships and a theoretical component in the form of special seminars.
  • An important component of this module is a course on publishing as an academic practice and professional qualification, using the Hamburg Journal of Cultural Anthropology as an example.
  • Optional: The Museum Management module (VK-KA (FSB13-14)-M10) is situated at the interface between science and practice and covers specific professional qualifications relating to the museum sector. Upon successful completion, students receive a certificate that explicitly lists the skills they have acquired.
  • The General Studies programme, which is also firmly anchored in the curriculum, offers you the opportunity to gain interdisciplinary qualifications.

The website kulturstudieren.org, provided by the German Society for Empirical Cultural Studies (dgekw), offers an initial insight into future career prospects in empirical cultural studies, such as education and equality work, museum and administration, project management, and media relations. Since the 2021/22 winter semester, the dgekw has also been coordinating the career field colloquium in collaboration with the Standing Committee for Study and Teaching in the Subject. Or feel free to browse through the entries at https://www.blog-the-job.de/ , a former project of the Freiburg Institute for Cultural Anthropology and European Ethnology.

A portrait of a former student who used her research interests for her professional career can be found here.

Additional faculty-wide offerings such as the lecture series "New Career Paths for Humanities Scholars" are provided by the Study and Career Office of the Faculty of Humanities.
You can find university-wide career qualification opportunities at the Career Centre.

Whiteboard Professional Skills