German, PhD
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in German
Admission
Applicants should apply online and submit a statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation and a sample of their written work in English or German or both. For admission to the Master of Arts program, the writing sample might be a term paper, and for admission to the doctoral level, a master's thesis or seminar paper. Original transcripts (with English translations if applicable) showing all undergraduate and graduate work completed should be sent to:
SLCL Graduate Student Services
3070 Foreign Languages Bldg.
707 S. Mathews Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores are required. The applicant should ask the ETS to submit scores to institution 1836. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and must score at least 79 on the internet-based test (iBT); they must also pass the speaking sub-section of the iBT with a minimum score of 24.
Graduate Teaching Experience
Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program, and all students teach. Non-native English speakers must first pass a test of their oral English ability.
Research Interests
The department faculty includes nationally and internationally recognized scholars in all areas of research within the field, from older and modern German language, literature, and culture to Scandinavian languages, literatures and cultures. Some of the current research areas of faculty encompass (but are not limited to) Arctic Studies, Literature and Music, Literature and Medicine, Migration and Multilingualism, Film and Visual Studies, Digital Humanities, Memory Studies, and Intersectional Studies of Race, Gender, and Sexuality. We offer courses on topics in German and Scandinavian languages, literatures, and cultures across all periods, including historical and synchronic Germanic linguistics, and German language pedagogy. The University Library has one of the nation's outstanding collections of works pertaining to study and research in Germanic literatures of all periods and in Germanic and general linguistics.
Financial Aid
All students accepted into the program have financial support, usually in the form of a Teaching Assistantship.
The department has contacts with a variety of universities and institutions in German-speaking countries; these cooperative endeavors also include arrangements for graduate students to study and teach abroad.
For continuing graduate students, the awarding of financial aid of all types is contingent upon making satisfactory progress toward a degree.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in German
Applicants must meet the admission standards outlined for the Master of Arts and, in addition, hold a Master of Arts in German (or equivalent) with a graduate grade point average of 3.5 (A = 4.0). Admission to the program is on a competitive basis.
Candidates for the Ph.D. in German may specialize in older German literature, modern German literature, Germanic linguistics, or Scandinavian literature.
Students working toward the Ph.D. degree must have completed all requirements for the Master of Arts degree given above and must complete an additional 40 graduate hours of coursework approved by the graduate adviser. At least 32 graduate hours must be for courses in Germanic Languages and Literatures. No more than 8 hours of credit in 400 level courses beyond those presented for the M.A. will be counted toward these ten units. The 40 hours may include up to 4 hours of GER 593, but may not include any credit for GER 496 for work taken as independent study. Residence requirements are those of the Graduate College.
For additional details and requirements refer to the department's website and the Graduate College Handbook.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One course in German or Scandinavian literature before 1500 | 4 | |
| One course in German literature since 1500 | 4 | |
| One course in German, Germanic, or Scandinavian linguistics | 4 | |
| GER 582 | German Language Teaching | 4 |
| GER 515 & GER 520 | Middle High German and History of the German Language (unless completed during masters) | 8 |
| Course work electives at the 500 level (to total 40) | ||
| GER 593 | Research in Special Topics (4 max hours applied toward degree) | 0-4 |
| Language Requirement: a reading knowledge of two research languages other than English and German | ||
| GER 599 | Thesis Research (min/max applied toward degree) | 12-32 |
| Total Hours | 72 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Credit in GER 496 will not count toward degree requirements | |
| Teaching of elementary or intermediate German (at least one half-time appointment as teaching assistant for one academic year). | |
| Minimum Hours Required in the Unit: | 32 (not including GER 599) |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 72 |
| Masters Degree Required for Admission to PhD? | Yes |
| Preliminary Exam Required | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required | Yes |
| Dissertation Deposit Required | Yes |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in German
- Disciplinary knowledge, both factual and analytical. Ours is a very comprehensive graduate program in literature and culture of all periods, visual studies, and linguistics, in which we apply theoretical, digital, and historiographic methods and approaches. We require that students situate their disciplinary knowledge within an interdisciplinary and multicultural context. Graduates will have comprehensive factual knowledge of German literary-cultural periods, movements, authors, and linguistics, as well as the ability to use contemporary tools of analysis. They are able to position themselves within scholarly discourses: broadly at the M.A. level, and, at the Ph.D. level, within their specialties. They express this ability in writing and oral presentation (see outcomes #2 and #4). The program’s foundational course (GER 510) covers learning to conduct research in a tier-one research library, techniques of literary analysis and critical approaches, conventions of scholarly writing, use of bibliographic tools, and learning about the profession. Each subsequent course in the program deepens this knowledge and is designed for students to familiarize themselves with methods of systematic literary study that can yield original findings and practice oral and written scholarly communication.
- Research and writing expertise. Students are familiar with fundamental research tools in the humanities as well as tools specific to the study of German literature, culture, and linguistics. They can sustain a nuanced argument in academic writing and can produce well-written academic texts in English and in German. In their writing, they display an awareness of the audience and an understanding of how textual choices reflect coherent argumentation. Students know how to conduct research and understand the value of multiple-draft writing. They know how to use proper citation, how to evaluate print and online sources, and they understand and avoid plagiarism. Our students are thoroughly trained in theoretical, historical, and comparative methodologies of research and writing. From the start, students learn scholarly conventions, especially for footnotes and bibliography, including intensive library workshops to become acquainted with key research resources. Students learn and model critical approaches to a literary text through close readings, analysis, and interpretation of key passages in online posts, class presentations, and informal and formal writing; and students learn to develop several possible approaches to literary interpretation and criticism.
- Teaching preparedness and praxis. Our graduate students participate in a thorough teacher-training program that includes a graduate seminar on teaching methodologies and approaches(GER 582), which trains students in pedagogical best practices as well as in current topics of interest in the field. Students receive ongoing, consistent mentorship from the Director of the Basic Language Program as well as from all faculty members, through a structured system of classroom observations and discussions. They teach across the curriculum, in German, and in English; they teach language as well as literature/culture courses. Students are acquainted with leading language teaching and learning theories, and consider the relationship of those theories to pedagogy. They understand the curricular and institutional contexts within which teaching and learning take place. Their German skills are at a near-native level, commensurate with the demands of the language classroom; in courses taught in English, our students are able to teach writing and argumentation at a very advanced level. Students leave our program ready to teach in any type of German curriculum or institutional context.
- Professional development. Our students are able to submit and present conference papers successfully; they receive guidance in essential conference behavior, including acting as a respondent and handling question-answer sessions. They gain experience in presenting research by participating in our department lecture forum. They can write abstracts, apply for grants, and are aware of the relevant professional organizations and the advantages of membership. They receive training in professional ethics. They are mentored in preparation for the academic and non-academic job market and in interviewing for a variety of positions. Their German and English language skills are excellent. Ability in German is supported by participation in departmental exchange programs and help with grant applications to spend time researching and/or teaching in German-speaking countries. In the program’s foundational course GER 510, students study the ethics of the profession, and they learn about the profession by writing a professional email, web page content, a CV, MA/PhD reading lists, a grant application, and a conference abstract.
- Mobility and academic exchange. Students all have substantial experience abroad. They gain this experience by participating in one of our departmental exchanges with German universities and/or by spending time in a German-speaking country conducting research with the support of an external grant (e.g., Fulbright, German Academic Exchange Service). The faculty mentors students through the process of writing grant applications. Our exchanges are bidirectional—we host students here and send them abroad, which means that the graduate students here in Illinois have consistent opportunities to interact with German-speaking visitors.
Graduate Degree Programs in Germanic Languages & Literatures
- German, MA
- concentration:
- German, PhD
- concentration:
The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures offers graduate programs leading to the degrees of Master of Arts in German, and Doctor of Philosophy in German. Students in the department may choose an additional specialization in Cultural Studies and Interpretive Research or a concentration in Medieval Studies. Candidates for the Ph.D. in German may additionally obtain a certificate in Second Language Acquisition and Teacher Education (SLATE Certificate).
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in German
Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures
Head of Department: Anke Pinkert
Director of Graduate Studies: Carl Niekerk
Department website
2090 Foreign Languages Building, 707 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 333-2020
Department email
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences website