A Typical Week in the First Semester

Half of all the courses in the main six modules you complete for your primary and secondary disciplines are seminars, while the other half are lectures. Both tend to have a similar setup and attendance, but are differentiated by their requirements and the amount of classroom discussion that they feature.

Keeping regular library hours and utilizing the JFKI's library in particular is an important aspect of most student's experience at the JFKI. Throughout the semester most courses require you to hand in written assignments which will determine whether you are granted participatory credit. Whether you prefer to research and write these assignments from home or not, the JFKI's library is always there for you as a peaceful and resourceful work environment.

As an international research institution the JFKI is regularly visited by guest professors from around the globe who will often give a lecture or a workshop whenever they stop by in Berlin. While these guest lectures are very irregularly held, it is typical for students to attend a few of these each semester, depending on their personal interests and the topic of the talk.

Group work and the cooperation between students is an essential part of any education and especially relevant in the interdisciplinary context of the JFKI. Group work is an essential part of the Interdisciplinary Modules 1 and 2, but a majority of seminars assign some amount of group work. Group projects are at times part of some seminars' requirements.

Keeping regular library hours and utilizing the JFKI's library in particular is an important aspect of most student's experience at the JFKI. Throughout the semester most courses require you to hand in written assignments which will determine whether you are granted participatory credit. Whether you prefer to research and write these assignments from home or not, the JFKI's library is always there for you as a peaceful and resourceful work environment.

During your MA at the Kennedy Institute you pick two disciplines that you devote an equal amount of time to, as both consist of three modules, which in turn consist of a lecture and a seminar. Your primary discipline will also become the subject of your master's thesis. Nevertheless there is always a certain amount of flexibility in determining your specialisation during the first few semester of your studies, and you do not have to decide from the beginning which disciplines you are going to devote yourself to.

Keeping regular library hours and utilizing the JFKI's library in particular is an important aspect of most student's experience at the JFKI. Throughout the semester most courses require you to hand in written assignments which will determine whether you are granted participatory credit. Whether you prefer to research and write these assignments from home or not, the JFKI's library is always there for you as a peaceful and resourceful work environment.

Half of all the courses in the main six modules you complete for your primary and secondary disciplines are seminars, while the other half are lectures. Both tend to have a similar setup and attendance, but are differentiated by their requirements and the amount of classroom discussion that they feature.

Most courses at the JFKI have a considerable workload which is made up of plenty of reading which will usually take up a majority of your preparation for classes.

The "Ringvorlesung" is an absolute staple in the education of any North American Studies Graduate; whether at the BA or MA level, everyone is required to attend this fascinating array of lectures at least once in its entirety. Yet even though it is a requirement, it is only held during the winter semester, which is why it is traditionally attended by most first semester students.

For years, the basement of the JFKI has housed the "Cafete", a student operated cafe that sells snacks, drinks and freshly brewed coffee. It is the ideal space to rest and reflect, have a chat, meet new people, or even do some work. In the evenings it is often used for extracurricular activities such as movie or pub nights, small festivities and, every four years, the communal viewing of the U.S. elections.

A small selection of three interdisciplinary modules make up almost a quarter of the courses you have to complete during the duration of your studies. These courses are usually well attended and taught by two professors from different disciplines. They also feature an especially high volume of reading but are still often counted amongst the most fascinating and engaging classes you can attend at the JFKI.

During your MA at the Kennedy Institute you pick two disciplines that you devote an equal amount of time to, as both consist of three modules, which in turn consist of a lecture and a seminar. Your primary discipline will also become the subject of your master's thesis. Nevertheless there is always a certain amount of flexibility in determining your specialisation during the first few semester of your studies, and you do not have to decide from the beginning which disciplines you are going to devote yourself to.

A small selection of three interdisciplinary modules make up almost a quarter of the courses you have to complete during the duration of your studies. These courses are usually well attended and taught by two professors from different disciplines. They also feature an especially high volume of reading but are still often counted amongst the most fascinating and engaging classes you can attend at the JFKI.

Most courses at the JFKI have a considerable workload which is made up of plenty of reading which will usually take up a majority of your preparation for classes.

Keeping regular library hours and utilizing the JFKI's library in particular is an important aspect of most student's experience at the JFKI. Throughout the semester most courses require you to hand in written assignments which will determine whether you are granted participatory credit. Whether you prefer to research and write these assignments from home or not, the JFKI's library is always there for you as a peaceful and resourceful work environment.