The Faculty of Humanities, along with the Faculty of Sciences and the Faculty of Politics, Law and Economics comprise the University of Konstanz's three academic units.

It coordinates the departments’ responsibilities in the areas of teaching, study and research and promotes inter- and transdisciplinary collaboration within and between the departments. The Faculty of Humanities is comprised of the following departments:

  • Philosophy
  • History and Sociology including Empirical Educational Research and Sport Science
  • Literary Studies including Art and Media Studies as well as
  • Linguistics.

More than 60 professors - including junior professors and university lecturers - as well as a substantial number of academic staff members work in the faculty’s four departments.

Each faculty is represented by a dean whose term of office is four years. The dean’s office is comprised of one dean of studies and three vice-deans, one of whom represents the dean in case of absence. The faculty is managed by the director of the faculty administration.

The dean’s office is responsible for all faculty matters that are not settled in the Landeshochschulgesetz LHG (state law on higher education) or in the University of Konstanz’s constitution (Grundordnung, GO). Its duties include: preparing the faculty’s structure and development plan and drafting proposals for the distribution of faculty funds, deciding on the Rectorate's staff and material resources, defining teaching duties and teaching evaluations as well as submitting proposals describing university teachers’ responsibilities. The dean’s office also supervises the faculty’s research and teaching activities as well as the technology transfer units affiliated with the faculty.

Issues of fundamental importance are deliberated in the Faculty Council. These include the faculty’s structure and development plans, which are prepared by the departments, as well as the establishment, adaptation and discontinuation of faculty institutions. The Faculty Council further appoints the Study Commissions. Together, they are responsible for approving the faculty’s study and examination regulations. Recommendations made by the appointments committee also need to be submitted to the Faculty Council for approval.

The dean’s office and the Faculty Council meet regularly during the lecture periods of both semesters.