The degrees courses offered includes teacher training courses, Bachelor's, Master's and doctorate programmes. In addition, the department offers the Bachelor/Master of Arts in "Culture and Economics" together with the Economics department (Business Administration and Economics). The teaching focus is on contemporary subjects. Literary and linguistic subjects are taught with a strong reference to media. The combination of basic degree courses and those conducted in collaboration with Economics shapes the independent profile of the Mannheim German Studies Department.

Through the "I²-International im Quadrat" project financed under the scope of the program for better study conditions and greater quality in teaching of the Federal Government and states, the Universität Mannheim has strengthened the professionalisation of its internationalisation structures to qualify students for an international and cross-cultural working and activity environment. Students benefit from 1. the expansion of the exchange programme with partner universities worldwide, 2 The expansion of the guidance of and support for internationally mobile students, 3. The internationalisation of the course programme.

The majority of the lecture rooms have the most up-to-date technical facilities thanks to extensive renovations. Items in the department library: 90,000 volumes, media institute with extensive audiovisual materials, an up-to-date language lab and media rooms for PC use.

In research, the Mannheim German Studies department receives particular attention for the following key areas: Modern German Literature from the 18th Century to the Present, Media Studies, Media as Cultural History, Interdisciplinary Anthropology and Gender Research, German Syntax, Cultural Semiotics, Language Variance.

All first semester students receive intensive preparation in the accompanying orientation days at the beginning of studies. After a personal welcome by the study programme manager, the course advisers and university facilities are presented. Individual time table advice is also available.