Aims and Structure of the Course

The Book Studies Bachelor degree at the Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg aims to give students a solid grounding in the fundamental concepts of book production, distribution and reception – from both a historical and a modern perspective.

The book is studied as a means of conveying text and images in hand-written, printed and electronic form. Other core components of the course are the organisations and institutions responsible for book-based communication, and the book industry.

The course focuses on the dissemination of literary material by means of the book – from the medieval codex to present day media technologies. With the growth of digitalisation the subject moves to embrace the new strategies of E-publishing and E-commerce.

Interdisciplinary methods are used to examine the specific characteristics of literary communication, at the same time comparing them with those of audio-visual media. This allows students not only the chance to learn to analyse in a formal, academic fashion, but also the opportunity to develop practical skills relevant to the book industry.

The course has been designed to be completed in six semesters. It comprises compulsory and optional modules and is divided into three sections. In the first, year-long phase of the course students will attend lectures on the following topics: Fundamentals of Book Studies, Reading and the Reader, The Modern Book Industry and Typography. These introductory modules will help students develop a sound base on which to build their future studies. In the second phase important technical skills and methods are honed, developed and contextualised. In the third phase students specialise in selected areas of Book and Book Trade History, The Book Industry, Electronic Publishing and Electronic Commerce.

The course is intended to be combined with another subject (in a joint-award Bachelor degree). This is ideal for students wishing to gain skills and knowledge relevant to the book industry and Book Studies while also learning the core material of another subject.

Entry Requirements and Application/Enrolment

To apply to the FAU students must have a German Abitur or an equivalent qualification from another country. The exact regulations regarding university entry in Bavaria are set out in the (German-language) document "Verordnung über die Qualifikation für ein Studium an den Hochschulen des Freistaates Bayern und den staatlich anerkannten nichstaatlichen Hochschulen". For enquiries please contact the university's Information and Advice Centre (IBZ):

Informations- und Beratungszentrum für
Studiengestaltung und Career Service (IBZ)
Schlossplatz 3, 91054 Erlangen
Öffnungszeiten: Mo–Fr 8.30–12.00 Uhr
Telefon: +49 (0)9131 85-23333 oder -24444,
E-Mail: ibz@zuv.uni-erlangen.de
www.uni-erlangen.de/studium

The IBZ is also the best starting point for all questions concerning enrolment/matriculation. In the case of the Book Studies Bachelor course, students can only begin the degree in the winter semester. The course is currently not admission-restricted.

Second subject

At the FAU the Book Studies Bachelor is read as a combined degree with the following credit requirements:

- primary subject with 70 ECTS points, plus a 10 point Bachelor thesis

- secondary subject with 70 ECTS points.

Book Studies should generally be combined with one of the following subjects:

It is possible to combine with subjects other than those listed here. However, students must submit an application to the board of examiners in order to do this. They must also take responsibility for any compatibility issues that arise, in particular with regard to timetable clashes.

Module Overview

  • Module 1 (Compulsory) An Introduction to Book Studies
  • Module 2 (Compulsory) Reading and the Reader – Past and Present
  • Module 3a (Choose 3a or 3b) History of the Book Trade before the mid-18th century
  • Module 3b (Choose 3a or 3b) History of the Book Trade from the mid-18th century
  • Module 4 (Compulsory) Structures, Institutions and Processes in the Modern Book Industry
  • Module 5 (Compulsory) The Commercial Book World and Legal Regulations
  • Module 6a (Choose 6a or 6b) Electronic Publishing
  • Module 6b (Choose 6a or 6b) Electronic Commerce
  • Module 7 (Compulsory) Book Typography
  • BA thesis

Transfer of Credits from other Universities

Any period of study or module/exam result from a corresponding Bachelor course at another German university will be recognised without need of an equivalence check. Any credits earned at a foreign university will need to be validated to make sure they are of an appropriate standard. To have this check carried out students must apply to the board of examiners and present the relevant proof of credit for inspection.

Timetable

Course times and locations will be published online approximately two months before the start of the semester. See the university's information system UnivIS at http://www.univis.uni-erlangen.de

Foundations and Orientation Assessment

The Foundations and Orientation assessment happens automatically in the course of the first year – that is, without writing an extra exam paper. Students should show that their academic study skills have grown sufficiently to meet the demands of their chosen modules and in particular that they have learned the methodical skills required to continue their studies successfully.

In order to pass the Foundations and Orientation assessment in Book Studies students must successfully complete modules 1 and 2 by the end of the second semester.