Graduate Programs

Explore our Graduate Programs

The Department of German and Scandinavian offers both MA and PhD programs in German. Our graduate students study with leading scholars, gain teaching experience, and follow their intellectual passions as they collaborate with faculty to conduct their own research projects.


students working on group activity in classroom

Master’s Degree in German

Our program leading to a master's in German offers a supportive environment for students looking to engage in the critical analysis of literary, theoretical, and cinematic discourses focused on post-Enlightenment modernity. Our cohort is compact enough to ensure that every student benefits from individual mentoring and career preparation, and large enough to support an ambitious, well-balanced curriculum.

Master's Requirements


Statue of Franz Kafka, a German-speaking Bohemian Jewish novelist and writer from Prague.

Doctoral Degree in German

Our PhD curriculum offers an intensive set of advanced courses with a primary focus on German-language literature and culture since the Enlightenment. Students can enter the PhD program with either a BA or MA in hand.


Graduate Courses in German

Our 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.

Courses


Funding Your Graduate Studies

There are a range of funding opportunities for graduate students. MA and PhD students typically work as graduate employees each term during the academic year, teaching a range of German language courses. Explore options for funding your graduate studies.

Funding and Research Support


Prepare for the Professional World

Many of our graduate students have gone on to further graduate studies or launched successful careers as teachers. Explore professional development resources to help you prepare for your next step.

Career and Professional Development


Scandinavia

Our Graduate Students

Connect with peers in the Department of German and Scandinavian and find helpful resources for our graduate community.

Resources for the Graduate Community


Events

NW-NALRC Consultation and Assistance Time
Mar18
NW-NALRC Consultation and Assistance Time Mar 18
NW-NALRC Community Project Planning and Development Workshops
Apr1
NW-NALRC Community Project Planning and Development Workshops Apr 1
NW-NALRC Community Project Planning and Development Workshops
Apr2
NW-NALRC Community Project Planning and Development Workshops Apr 2
Geography Colloquium: "Documenting and Projecting the Human Costs of Climate Change"
Apr2
Geography Colloquium: "Documenting and Projecting the Human Costs of Climate Change" Apr 2 Knight Library
Comparative Literature Work In Progress Series
Apr7
Comparative Literature Work In Progress Series Apr 7 Prince Lucien Campbell Hall (PLC)
CAS Social Impact Forum: Increasing the Social Impact of Research
Apr8
CAS Social Impact Forum: Increasing the Social Impact of Research Apr 8 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches)
Apr8
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches) Apr 8 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall
NW-NALRC Community Project Planning and Development Workshops
Apr8
NW-NALRC Community Project Planning and Development Workshops Apr 8
Ada Limón: 2025–26 Cressman Lectureship “The Unleaving: How Poetry Helps You to Not Miss Your Life”
Apr8
Ada Limón: 2025–26 Cressman Lectureship “The Unleaving: How Poetry Helps You to Not Miss Your Life” Apr 8 Erb Memorial Union (EMU)
Filmlandia Screening Series: "My Own Private Idaho"
Apr8
Filmlandia Screening Series: "My Own Private Idaho" Apr 8 Lawrence Hall