Exams

Several aspects need to be considered before entering an oral examination. This page offers some information regarding your preparation and the procedure in the exam itself. Note that this is merely an outline of the most important aspects and does not replace a consultation in person in one of my office hours.

For an appointment, please contact staff-anglistik1[at]rub.de.

I examine students on a variety of subjects and themes in English/British literature. You do not have to have taken a class with me to be examined by me, although this is very often the case. The topics you choose to be tested on should not be too related or similar to each other in terms of focus and/or genre. For example, while it is possible to choose Shakespeare's problem plays and Shakespeare's sonnets for the two topics in your BA exam, Shakespeare's tragedies and comedies is not an ideal choice. (The case is different when you decide to do your MA with a special focus on "Shakespeare Studies")

Ideally, we will engage in a discussion about the topics you prepared. With the help of a thesis statement (s. below), you will be able to structure and 'steer' this discussion to a certain degree. I usually start the exam by referring to one of your statements and asking you to elaborate on it. This will give you the chance to get used to the exam situation. The thesis statements are intended to trigger and keep the discussion going. Apart from the points addressed in your statements, we will also talk about some of the more general aspects of the texts such as literary tradition, genre and historical context (this will be further explained and discussed in the consultation).

I strongly advise candidates to warm up prior to the exam. Find some time (and a good place) to practice and to get used to your own voice. This is usually more helpful that going through your notes for the hundreth time. Also, allow enough time to get to the exam in time. There is nothing more stressful than worrying about being late for your exam.

Be aware that there are certain deadlines set by the "Prüfungsamt". If you are considering taking an oral exam, start early with your preparation and registration. You can find the deadlines on the website of the Faculty of Philology. 

Do not wait until the last possible time to approach your potential examiners. It takes some time to gather and organize all the necessary documents, signatures and forms! Also, for a Master of Education oral exam you need to find a second examiner. Approach potential examiners rather soon than later!

The amount of relevant reading for your exam depends on the number of topics (either 2 or 3, see table above). To give you a rough idea of the number of primary texts I expect you to prepare for each topic, I usually require five plays, five novels or ca. 20-25 poems (in the case of sonnets) per topic, or the equivalent. (For example, if you are a BA student choosing Shakespeare's tragedies and Ian McEwan's novels as topics, you will need to prepare 5 tragedies by Shakespeare and 5 novels by McEwan [or 4 novels and ca. 3 short stories, or the equivalent].) Other topics not limited to genres are of course also possible (e.g. the motif of revenge in selected literature across the ages, 21st-century political drama, 18th-century tragedy, key narratological concepts, Romantic poetry, Oscar Wilde).

I expect every candidate to hand in one thesis paper per topic by email, at the latest two weeks prior to the exam date. Each paper should not exceed 1 A4 page and include a) the titles of the primary texts that will be discussed in the exam, b) the consulted secondary literature and c) five thesis statements. The secondary literature should be of a more general and introductory character so that you can inform yourself about some of the essential aspects. The thesis statements should consist of one sentence, stating something that can be discussed. "Hamlet parodies the revenge tragedy" is a good thesis statement, "Hamlet is a tragedy" is not, as there is not a lot to discuss. Statements that can be simply answered with "yes" or "no" are no thesis statements.

You will not be allowed to have your thesis papers in front of you during the exam.

BA and Master Theses

If you would like me to supervise your BA or Master thesis please approach me as early as possible. When you come to your first consultation (by appointment through staff-anglistik1[at]rub.de), please be prepared. Think about possible research questions and thesis statements before your first consultation.

As with the oral exam, I gladly supervise theses on a range of subjects, periods and authors. However, my teaching and research is almost exclusively limited to literature. For topics in linguistics and cultural studies please contact the colleagues who represent these disciplines.