Master of Arts Degree Program

Overview

The Master of Arts degree is dedicated to providing a sound background in the field of German and Scandinavian studies with broad opportunity for interdisciplinary work. The M.A. degree is designed to be meaningful in itself and a foundation for further progress toward the Ph.D.

Prerequisites for admission to the M.A. Program include a relevant bachelor’s degree (or equivalent such as Vordiplom or Zwischenprüfung) and indication of ability to do successful graduate work in German Studies.

Language Requirement

M.A. students will need to be proficient in oral and written English and German in order to successfully teach German language courses and complete German Studies coursework for the degree. Proficiency in English and German are also important qualifications for career opportunities beyond the degree. Language proficiency will be assessed by the Language Program Coordinator and/or the Graduate Program Director. Students who do not meet minimum expectations for proficiency in German may be advised to seek supplementary language instruction in the U.S. and/or abroad. Students are not required to demonstrate proficiency in languages other than English or German for the degree; however, we encourage students to study additional languages as relevant for their research and professional interests.

Program of Study

Ten graduate-level courses (30 credit hours) taken for a grade are required of all M.A. candidates by university regulation. Students must earn at least a 3.0 grade average. Full-time students are normally expected to take a minimum of three courses in each semester. (Courses taken as audits are not counted among the minimum three.) Those holding teaching assistantships are expected to complete their course requirements for the M.A. within four consecutive semesters of the regular academic year. Of the ten courses required for an M.A. degree, six must be taken in German and Scandinavian Studies. Outside courses must be approved by the student's adviser and the Graduate Program Director. In addition to the ten required courses, M.A. students are required to take two semesters of German 583: Methods of Teaching German.

Additional courses should be selected in consultation with the student's adviser to form the basis for the Master's exams. By end of the first semester in the program, a student should have arranged for a faculty member qualified in the appropriate track above to serve as adviser for the M.A. The adviser assists the student in designing a program of study and selecting courses. Within the student's track (gender studies, film studies, or literary and cultural studies), the M.A. exams are to cover three areas determined in consultation with their examination committee members.