Germanic Languages and Literatures

For more than a century, the Department of German Studies has successfully trained its graduate students to compete in the professional world. The graduate program enjoys a national and international reputation, and its graduates hold teaching positions at some of the most distinguished American universities and colleges. The faculty members are active, internationally recognized scholars and innovative, dedicated teachers. The annual presence of a Max Kade Distinguished Visiting Professor adds to the department’s excellence.

The course offerings of the department span the entire spectrum of German literature with an emphasis on 20th and 21st-century literary culture and film. The department is strongly student oriented, providing both theoretical and practical experience in the teaching of German language, literature, and culture.

Graduate students accepted into the program are eligible for teaching assistantships in addition to tuition remission. They can also compete for fellowships, among them the prestigious Max Kade Graduate Fellowship and the distinguished Taft Fellowships, as well as stipends to study abroad. Most graduate students earn additional money by teaching summer school in the department. In addition, German Studies offers editorial assistantships to students interested in working with any of the important journals in German Studies:  Journal of Austrian Studies, the Celan Jahrbuch and Focus on German Studies.

Admission Requirements