German

MA Program in German

The German program offers an interdisciplinary 2‐year MA degree in German that can include a direct exchange with universities in Baden‐Württemberg. Many of our incoming MA students spend their first year studying in Germany and return to Knoxville for their second year to complete their degree requirements and to receive pedagogical training in the classroom. We offer tuition waivers and GTA stipends on a competitive basis.

Thesis Option

Students in the thesis option demonstrate their research capability by submitting a thesis (usually 40 to 75 pages long) and passing an oral examination on it and on related matters. Additional information can be found in the WLC Graduate Handbook.

Credit Hours Required

Minimum of 30 graduate credit hours.

Required Courses

GERM 500 (6 credit hours)
24 credit hours on literature, culture, film or language taught in the German program
Only one of which may be chosen from GERM 411-GERM 412 or GERM 485.
Graduate courses in other programs may be counted with permission of the graduate advisor in German.
MFLL 512 is required for all students and may be taken only one.
A maximum of three 400-level courses (taken for graduate credit) may be counted toward the 24 credit hours of graduate course work.

Non-Course Requirements

An exam over the designated reading list is required
A thesis defense
A standardized language exam, such as the Zentrale Mittelstufenprüfung.
Students who are interested in future PhD-level study are strongly advised to choose the thesis option.

Non-Thesis Option

(Course Only with Comprehensive Exam Option)

In this option students demonstrate their research capability by submitting to their three-person graduate committee a dossier consisting of two research papers, the first a seminar paper written in a 600-level German course and the second a paper previously written for another graduate course in German. Additional information on this option can be found in the WLC Graduate Handbook available on the department’s webpage.

Credit Hours Required

Minimum of 30 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

The 30 credit hours consist of courses on literature, culture, film, or language taught in the German program.
- At least one 600-level course for which a seminar paper is required.
- Only one course may be chosen from GERM 411-GERM 412 or GERM 485
- Graduate courses in other programs may be counted with permission of the graduate advisor in German.
- MFLL 512 is required for all students and may be taken only one.
- A maximum of three 400-level courses (taken for graduate credit) may be counted toward the 30 credit hours of graduate course work.

Non-Course Requirements

A common written exam over the designated reading list
A standardized language exam, such as the Zentrale Mittelstufenprüfung
Each non-thesis MA candidate will have a committee of three faculty members in German to whom the student will submit a dossier consisting of
- the seminar paper (see first bullet under Required Courses) and
- one paper previously submitted in a graduate course; the length and type of the papers is described in greater detail in the Manual for Graduate Students in German.