Comprehensive and well-positioned German studies with a lot of research-related teaching, also due to various (third-party funded) projects. Numerous e-learning and blended learning offers accompany the seminars. There is also very good supervision and guidance, also in teaching/learning matters. Many inter(sub)disciplinary, practice-oriented courses allow students to focus on a specific occupational field.

The institute organises various Erasmus partnerships, institute partnerships and double degrees (M.A.). An internationalisation officer coordinates the institute's international activities. Flexible learning agreements are concluded with outdoing students; Outgoing students' academic achievements gained abroad are generally credited and flexibly integrated into the Bochum curriculum. Bochum has many international students, especially in the master's degree, who benefit from additional exercises and support services.

The digital media of teaching staff and students can be used in all teaching rooms; Internet access is also available in all course rooms. Eduroam ensures that not only students and staff of RUB, but also guests from other universities can access the internet easily. The department also has computer workrooms that are used for teaching sessions. The university library has all relevant subject databases, which can be used by students.

The institute is extremely research-intensive with key research areas in all work units and sub-disciplines: Journal literature, literary anthropology, media history, digital humanities, classics in context (medieval studies), language history/grammaticography, linguistic imitation and concealment strategies, etc. Numerous teaching/learning projects are offered, such as in cooperation with partner schools (‘language construction’) and using the Moodle online platform (‘fit for punctuation’). Research content is incorporated into teaching, such as in the form of research-based learning projects.

In summer semester 2021, a start-up camp for scholars in the humanities was held for the first time at the decisive initiative of the department and in cooperation with the Worldfactory Startup Center of the Ruhr University. In the field of alumni work, we mediate between founders and interested students. A colleague advises and assists students with brainstorming, based on her own experience as a founder of a start-up.

Exemplary guidance concept and services offered by the German Studies academic office ("Best practice course of study" at RUB): www.studienbuero-germanistik.de, www.beratungsportal-germanistik.de; Practical career orientation in cooperation with alumni through the "career prospects in German studies" course; Graduation planning and mentoring programmes for the assistance of long-term students; Universitätsallianz Ruhr (UA Ruhr): Cooperation with the German studies departments in Duisburg-Essen and Dortmund; Mutual recognition of courses