Overview

Embedded into the structure of the John F. Kennedy Institute, the Graduate School of North American Studies of Freie Universität Berlin provide a practically-oriented environment to enhance didactic and teaching skills. The planning of a graduate conference, as well as the cooperation with the Dahlem Research School and its affiliations, offer essential management skills pertinent to the students’ future careers.

Curricular Requirements

Admitted doctoral candidates are expected to obtain at least 180 credits of research training during the 3-year program. These credits will be acquired according to the following distribution: 13 credits for course work (3 credits for an Interdisciplinary Seminar [MA level] offered by disciplines outside of the discipline of the PhD, 10 credits for disciplinary research methods); 10 credits for teaching-specific competencies; 7 credits for management-specific competencies; 150 credits for the dissertation, including doctoral research and individual mentoring.

The 7 credits for management-specific competencies include the involvement in the organization of an annual multidisciplinary conference.

Programme Structure

Curricular Structure

For doctoral candidates, the first three semesters of the program offer an intense study period in which the students critically assess fundamental theoretical and methodological tools as well as review the latest research and critical debates in their respective fields.
The mandatory coursework of the program is to be completed during this period, and students will be expected to refine their research design and its method. Close collaboration between the student and his/her dissertation advisor is mandatory and individualizes the training program.
Beginning with the fourth semester, the primary focus is on independent dissertation research. Besides teaching one class at the undergraduate level in the fifth semester, the last year will be reserved for the completion of the dissertation.

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 36 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2025-10-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-01-31 00:00:00

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Delivered

On Campus

Disciplines

American and Australasian studies

Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

100

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

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Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Freie Universität Berlin and/or in Germany, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Other requirements

General requirements

A Curriculum Vitae (in English)

A Statement of Purpose of approx. 2 pages (in English)

Copies of Earned Degrees/Diplomas/Graduation Certificates (High School, BA, MA, etc.)

An Outline of the Dissertation Project of 8-10 pages (in English)

A work plan/timeline (in English)

A Writing Sample based on a chapter of the M.A. thesis or an already published journal article (in English or German)

Proof of Language Proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, CAS, CPE)

Tuition Fee

To always see correct tuition fees

International

Free

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 0 EUR per year during 36 months.
EU/EEA

Free

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 0 EUR per year during 36 months.

No tuition fees, apart from a semester contribution (about 300 EUR)

Living costs for Berlin

836 - 1340 EUR /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for North American Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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