German

University of California, Berkeley

About the Program

The graduate program emphasizes seminars that provide an in-depth study of specialized areas in German literature, culture, and language. Instruction in methodology is provided for graduate student instructors and prospective teachers, and seminars in applied linguistics and second-language acquisition provide a theoretical and practical foundation for teachers. The program aims at comprehensive historical knowledge of German literature and culture and/or linguistics and is designed to train students in rigorous scholarship, original research, and independent thinking.

Students are not admitted solely to pursue a master of arts, which is an integral part of the PhD program. 

There are two options to fulfill the language requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to acquire useful reading knowledge in two languages other than English and German (Option 1 per the Guide to Graduate Policy). Many of our students choose French, Latin, Dutch, Italian, Russian, Japanese, or Turkish. Students may also choose to learn only one language other than English and German (Option 3 per the Guide to Graduate Policy). The languages should have value for the students’ research project and probable future career needs and are selected in consultation with the advisor. The language requirement must be fulfilled prior to the QE.

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Admissions

Admission to the University

Applying for Graduate Admission

Thank you for considering UC Berkeley for graduate study! UC Berkeley offers more than 120 graduate programs representing the breadth and depth of interdisciplinary scholarship. The Graduate Division hosts a complete list of graduate academic programs, departments, degrees offered, and application deadlines can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Prospective students must submit an online application to be considered for admission, in addition to any supplemental materials specific to the program for which they are applying. The online application and steps to take to apply can be found on the Graduate Division website.

Admission Requirements

The minimum graduate admission requirements are:

  1. A bachelor’s degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution;

  2. A satisfactory scholastic average, usually a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale; and

  3. Enough undergraduate training to do graduate work in your chosen field.

For a list of requirements to complete your graduate application, please see the Graduate Division’s Admissions Requirements page. It is also important to check with the program or department of interest, as they may have additional requirements specific to their program of study and degree. Department contact information can be found here.

Where to apply?

Visit the Berkeley Graduate Division application page.

Admission to the Program

The Department of German accepts applications for its degree program beginning in September for admission to the following fall semester. Applications must be submitted online no later than December 15. The department does not admit for the MA as a final degree, although the MA will be awarded to students pursuing work toward the PhD after fulfillment of the requirements. Applicants who hold an MA in German may apply directly to the PhD program.

Graduate Application and Supporting Documents Graduate Division Application

The online application is available after September 6 via the Graduate Division website.

The program requires GRE scores (general test), or TOEFL (international students), a statement of purpose, a personal statement, and critical writing samples (in either or both German and English.) Writing samples should be in the form of thesis or research paper on a topic relevant to the fields of German literature or linguistics (limited to 25 pages).

For the purpose of campus-wide fellowship competitions, applicants who submit the statement of purpose or personal history statement in German should also submit an English version of both.

Applications are accepted for fall term only.

Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Application

It is recommended that you fill in the GSI application section with your online graduate application. All graduate students teach as part of the graduate program, and teaching positions are awarded at the time of admission. Teaching experience is not required.

Doctoral Degree Requirements

Normative Time Requirements

Normative Time to Advancement

The total normative time to advancement is four years.

Normative Time in Candidacy

The total time in candidacy is two years.

Total Normative Time

The total normative time of the program is six years.

Time to Advancement

Curriculum

Courses Required
Basic Requirements
GERMAN 207Methods4
GERMAN 375ASeminar in Foreign Language Pedagogy: Teaching College German I4
GERMAN 375BSeminar in Foreign Language Pedagogy: Teaching College German II4
Comprehensiveness Requirements
Eight (8) graduate GERMAN courses, selected in consultation with faculty advisers in view of the desired specialization and in view of the historically comprehensive QE and the PhD. These seminars must include at least one course dealing primarily with early German literature (pre-1700) and one course dealing primarily with classical German literature (1700-1900).
Further Specialization
Electives chosen in the fields of specialization and outside interests (Joint PhD/Designated Emphases)
Exam preparation

Foreign Languages

There are two options to fulfill the language requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to acquire useful reading knowledge in two languages other than English and German (Option 1 per the Guide to Graduate Policy). Many of our students choose French, Latin, Dutch, Italian, Russian, Japanese, or Turkish. Students may also choose to learn only one language other than English and German (Option 3 per the Guide to Graduate Policy). The languages should have value for the students’ research project and probable future career needs, and are selected in consultation with the adviser. The language requirement must be fulfilled prior to the QE.

Designated Emphasis

Graduate students may add a designated emphasis to their plans of study to gain a particular area of specialization. The DE is usually added before a student advances to candidacy. DE in Dutch Studies, Critical Theory, Renaissance & Early Modern Studies, Film & Media Studies, New Media, Women, Gender & Sexuality; concurrent PhD in Medieval Studies.

Second Year Review

The second year review is a written exam based on a text on methodological questions from the student’s main field of interest. The student will choose an examination committee consisting of three members, communicate an area of interest, and submit a list of works already read. The committee will choose an exam question or a text from the area of interest and communicate it to the student two weeks before the examination. In response to the question the student will write an essay in a three-hour time period. The committee will meet with the student to discuss the examination and the student’s progress in the program. The faculty will decide whether the student will be invited to proceed to doctoral work in the program.

PhD Qualifying Exam 

The PhD qualifying examination, or QE, consists of a written portfolio submitted to the student’s committee and a three-hour oral examination. In the year before the QE, the student should decide on an exam committee of three faculty members from the department and one faculty member from outside the department. This committee must be approved by the head graduate adviser six months before the exam is to take place.

The student prepares a reading list for the exam. The reading list should show historical breadth and also highlight texts within the student’s area of interest. Students generally choose a theme for their exams, to help make it easier for them to simultaneously showcase breadth and their research interest. The reading list must be approved by the QE committee chair a month after the committee has been approved by the graduate adviser.

In consultation with the committee, the student will write a research proposal for the exam. This proposal usually follows the student’s exam topic as a red thread through German literary history. The research proposal must be submitted to the committee by the first week of the semester in which the QE is to take place.

The student must also turn in two revised papers from seminars they have taken in the department (Option I) or write two three-hour exams (Option II). Most students choose Option I. These are to be turned in to the committee with the research proposal and a final draft of the reading list.

The QE is a three-hour exam, if the student passes the exam, he or she will advance to candidacy.

Prospectus Conference 

By the end of the semester after the QE, the student will submit a prospectus and any other work completed on the dissertation to the dissertation committee. The dissertation committee will meet with the student to discuss progress and to offer advice. Annually thereafter, it is required that at least two members of the committee confer with the student, in addition to regular meetings with the dissertation chair.

Dissertation

Final requirement to complete the PhD is completion of a dissertation. Students should meet with their dissertation chairs to decide on appropriate timelines for research abroad and the completion of individual chapters. Students are not required to defend the dissertation once the dissertation committee has decided the dissertation is finished.

Teaching Opportunities

The following links contain information that you may find helpful during your graduate studies at Berkeley:

Teaching and Research Opportunities

Academic Student Employment
What you need to Know About Being a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor
Labor Relations
Academic Appointments Office (for general policies and procedures)

Courses

Select a subject to view courses

German

Yiddish

Contact Information

Department of German

5319 Dwinelle Hall

Fax: 510-642-3243

gspa@berkeley.edu

Visit Department Website

Department Chair

Professor Karen Feldman PhD

5325 Dwinelle Hall

kfeldman@berkeley.edu

Graduate Student Affairs Officer

Andrea Rapport, MA

5307 Dwinelle Hall

germanga@berkeley.edu

Head Graduate Adviser

Chenxi Tang, PhD

5331 Dwinelle Hall

ctang@berkeley.edu

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