Bachelor Master Doctorate

Contemporary History

Abstract

A Bachelor's degree in Contemporary History – this opportunity is open to you only at the University of Fribourg. The programme focuses on the 19th and 20th centuries in Swiss and European Contemporary History offering introductory survey courses accompanied by seminars elaborating on specific topics thereof. In addition you are introduced to the historiography of Contemporary History. You will acquire skills in analyzing and contextualizing historical sources, in reading and digesting secondary literature, in presenting an historical argument as well as in writing your own texts. Our large number of teaching staff offers you a broad range of topics and ensures that the students are closely mentored, thereby facilitating the compatibility of class room and work place. The degree can be taken in German, in French and as a bilingual degree in German and French.

  • Show the study programme profile

    Profile of the study programme

    The objective of this Bachelor's programme is to provide an overall survey of Swiss and European Contemporary History. You will develop analytical skills in reading and analyzing historical texts and images. Therefore you will be introduced to the methods employed in Contemporary History. The Bachelor in Contemporary History can be taken as full programme or as secondary study programme. The multidisciplinary approach of the Fribourg Bachelor in Contemporary History includes among others courses economic history and social sciences.

    Fribourg profile
    The Fribourg Bachelor offers you multi-disciplinarity within a bilinguar curriculum. The multidisciplinary outlook if the programme is ensured through the inclusion of courses in economic history and the social sciences. What makes the Fribourg Bachelor special is its bilingual orientation. You can take the programme in German, in French or bilingually in both languages and earn a bilingual degree (mention bilingue). Through the BENEFRI network you can include courses taken in Bern or Neuchâtel into your Fribourg Bachelor. You also benefit from the various activities of the Swiss Institute of Swiss Contemporary History. Studying at foreign European universities is provided for through many ERASMUS contracts. The high number of staff members secures a broad variety of course topics, close mentoring and thereby the compatibility of work place and class room.

    Learning outcomes and career openings
    The Bachelor in Contemporary History lends historical depth to your analysis of the present, fosters analytical thinking and critical discernment and teaches students to present information competently. The Bachelor programme is based on various competences to be acquired. You are taught general skills in analyzing and presenting complex historical matters. Students who successfully complete their Bachelor in Contemporary History have expert knowledge of Swiss and European Contemporary History, can present and discuss complex historical matters properly, and are able to investigate and structure information on topics of social and political relevance.

    The Bachelor in Contemporary History provides you access to a Master's degree in the same or a related field of study at the University of Fribourg or other universities in Switzerland, or abroad. It also allows you an early career start in the media, in NGOs, in documentation centers, archives and libraries, museums and cultural centers, in public or private public relations, and administrations or departments at the local, cantonal and federal level.

Studies organisation

Structure of studies

120 ECTS credits + 60 ECTS credits in a minor study programme freely chosen, 6 semesters

Curriculum

http://studies.unifr.ch/go/WSTjs (French)
http://studies.unifr.ch/go/iaDtL (German)

Comments

It is not possible to choose both this study programme and a programme in the fields of History and Contemporary History.

Admission

The following Swiss school-leaving certificates grant admission to bachelor programmes at the University of Fribourg:

  • Swiss academic Maturity Certificate
  • Federal vocational or specialised Baccalaureate + supplementary examination of the Swiss Maturity Commission (passerelle)
  • Bachelor Degree from a Swiss university, from an accredited Swiss university of applied sciences (HES/FH) or from a Swiss university of teacher education (HEP/PH)

A complete list of all further recognised Swiss school-leaving certificates is to be found on the webpages of swissuniversities (in French and German only): https://studies.unifr.ch/go/fr-admission-swisscertificates; https://studies.unifr.ch/go/de-admission-swisscertificates
Foreign upper secondary school-leaving certificates are recognised only if they correspond substantially to the Swiss Maturity Certificate. They must qualify as general education. Foreign school-leaving certificates are considered to be general education if, among other things, the last three years of schooling include at least six general education subjects, independent from each other, in accordance with the following list:

  1. First language
  2. Second language
  3. Mathematics
  4. Natural sciences (biology or chemistry or physics)
  5. Humanities and social sciences (geography or history or economics/law)
  6. Elective (computer sciences or philosophy or an additional language or an additional subject from category 4 or 5)

The general admission requirements to the bachelor programmes at the University of Fribourg for holders of foreign school-leaving certificates as well as the admission requirements for individual countries are to be found on the webpages of swissuniversities: https://studies.unifr.ch/go/en-admission-countries
In addition, foreign candidates must present proof of sufficient language skills in French or German.
All guidelines are available at (only in French and German): https://studies.unifr.ch/go/adm-guidelines

The assessment of foreign school-leaving certificates is based on the «Recommendations for the Assessment of Foreign Upper Secondary School-Leaving Certificates» adopted by the Chamber of universities of swissuniversities on 11.11.2021 (https://studies.unifr.ch/go/swissuniversities21fr; https://studies.unifr.ch/go/swissuniversities21de). The admission requirements are valid for the respective academic year. The Rectorat of the University of Fribourg reserves the right to change these requirements at any time.

Alternatives

Also offered as a minor study programme (60/30 ECTS credits).

Minor study programmes to be chosen

Key points

Degree conferred

Bachelor of Arts

Languages of study

Possibility to study in French, in German or in French and German. Some courses are offered in English.

Options

For information on the optional award of the distinction «Bilingual curriculum, French/German», please contact the relevant Department (see Contact).

Commencement of studies

Commencement of studies in the Autumn Semester (September) or in the Spring Semester (February)

Access to further studies

Master

Contact

Faculty of Humanities
Department of Contemporary History
conseil-histcont@unifr.ch (French)
http://studies.unifr.ch/go/fr-contemporaryhistory
studienberatung-zeitgeschichte@unifr.ch (German)
http://studies.unifr.ch/go/de-contemporaryhistory

Apply for admission

  E-mail   PDF