German (PhD)

The graduate program in German offers offers the doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree in German, for which applicants may apply either with a BA or an MA already earned. The requirements for the PhD include one year of graded course work past the MA level and a written dissertation. The PhD degree, as the highest degree in the field, is generally expected for an academic career involving both research and teaching.

The graduate curriculum acquaints students with the history of German letters (with a primary focus on modernity since the enlightenment), places this history in a European context, and provides tools for a critical analysis of the literary, theoretical, and cinematic discourses involved. The program encourages comparative, theoretically oriented work.

We work closely with the programs in Comparative Literature, Philosophy, Judaic Studies, and other related fields, and we encourage our students to take some courses outside the department in pursuit of their specific interests, as well as to obtain any of a broad number of interdisciplinary graduate certificates, such as those in New Media and Culture; Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Nonprofit Management; or Museum Studies.

Program's Admission Requirements

Please visit the program's website.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Literature and Culture -- Range: Students should demonstrate the capacity to master a range of different specific topics within the field of German literary and cultural studies, by writing at least three essays on diverse topics during their period of study.
• Literature and Culture -- Field Definition: Students should demonstrate a professional-level mastery of three literary-historical or literary-critical categories. This should include coverage of the primary literature, a strong knowledge base in the secondary literature, and a capacity to argue persuasively in written form for a given position on the category under consideration. Students should be able to design courses as well as answer questions in oral form on their chosen categories, so as to demonstrate their readiness to teach on the university level in the subfields defined by these categories.
• Literature and Culture -- Specialization: Students should demonstrate the capacity to develop a book-length argument of persuasively innovative character on a topic within the field of German literary and cultural studies (and related to at least one of the categories of focus under point 1 above). In addition, they should demonstrate the capacity to defend their written work orally--justifying the legitimacy of its argumentation in professional terms--in response to, and dialogue with, specific reasoned challenges and questioning.
• Demonstrate mastery of the full range of German literary history in terms of genres, periods, as well as of relevant theoretical paradigms and critical traditions.
• Demonstrate effective oral and written scholarly communication skills in English and German, as well as working knowledge in at least one additional language for research purposes.
• Demonstrate ability to conduct independent advanced research and analysis in German studies, following professional standards of writing and citation.
• Develop a professional profile through conference presentations and the submission of at least one article for publication.
• Contribute substantive and original work in the field in the form of a dissertation.

German Major Requirements - Entering with a B.A. Degree

¹

Please contact the Graduate Advisor for approved courses.

²

Precise number of credits depending on GE status.

German Major Requirements - Entering with an M.A. Degree

¹

Please contact the Graduate Advisor for approved courses.

²

Precise number of credits depending on GE status.