Graduate Program

Admission

Students shall present evidence of native or near-native fluency in German and a solid background in German literature and culture. At the time of application they should present a tentative area for a secondary field of study and submit a writing sample.

Successful applicants to the program are admitted with five years of guaranteed support and supplementary funding for four summers.

Students entering with an M.A. may transfer some credits from the M.A. granting institution after completion of the first year of study. This transfer is done at the department's discretion and only if the student's first-year performance is excellent. Up to a maximum of 8 credits may be transferred.

Students whose primary department for graduate work is not German Studies may complete an M.A. in German Studies by completing 8 courses in the area of German Studies.These shall include 6 courses within the Department of German Studies and 2 courses in a related field. None of these may overlap with coursework completed for the student’s home department.

Students who obtain a B.A. in German Studies from Brown may integrate their undergraduate studies with work towards an M.A. as part of the 5th-year Masters program. Six additional courses beyond the B.A. would be required. Please see the Dean of College's website here for more information.

The department will not accept outside applications for a terminal M.A. degree.

Applicants should submit a writing sample (in German or English) of around 15 pages. The GRE-general exam is required. Foreign students will need to take the TOEFL exam. The letter of application should suggest research interests as well as possible fields of secondary study.

For admission forms please visit the Graduate School.