The degree course "Philosophy, Literary Studies and Linguistics" is characterised by its variety of subjects. In addition to "Germanic and General Literary Studies", a second subject is chosen from Philosophy and English Studies, and interdisciplinary modules from five other subjects can be chosen. The European-Jewish Literature and Cultural History teaching and research area is unique in Germany. In addition, the institute also offers courses that qualify students to teach German. The student-teacher ratio is better than average.

The Master's degree course in "German and General Literary Studies" allows students to study German-language literature in its European, media and intellectual-historical contexts. The freedom of choice, the practical relevance and the interdisciplinary nature allow an individual specialisation for research and in future careers. The European-Jewish Literature and Cultural History teaching and research area is unique in Germany. The student-teacher ratio is excellent and the degree course is characterised by a high level of social interaction.

The institute maintains Erasmus partnerships with institutes in Ghent, Graz, Opava, Paris, Reims and Udine.

Digital access to the usual specialist databases via the university network. Recent research literature is digitally licensed on a large scale. Multiple seminar rooms are equipped with SMART boards. All lecturers have a Zoom licence.

The institute's research focuses, among other things, on German-Jewish literature, the relationship between literature and forms of knowledge, medieval edition philology, reading promotion and sustainability. The institute is part of the faculty-wide Research Area "Knowledge Cultures". Habilitation theses are currently being written on the cultures of things and materials of the Fin-de-Siécle, on the mediology of olfaction in German and French literature (1750-1914), on the narrative poetology of the example in the Enlightenment and on the theoretical history of queer studies.

Several events on the topic of sustainability in literary and cultural history (current lecture series "The Anthropocene – from Geography to Literature")