The Master of Arts in German Studies mentors each graduate student toward outstanding standards of scholarship and teaching, independent research, and professional excellence. Students in this program practice critical analysis across literary and cultural studies, theoretical and applied linguistics, studies in second language acquisition and teaching, and related professional disciplines.
The Graduate Handbook, esp. section II, is designed to familiarize prospective applicants with the program and to guide current students through the steps toward their Master of Arts degree. All Master's students in the Department of German Studies complete a minimum of 33 units of graduate coursework at the 500 level and above, typically over a four-semester period. Students take two or three graduate seminars per semester.
There are several courses of study available for MA students in the Department of German Studies (see the Graduate Handbook for details).
- Literature and Culture Emphasis
- Literature, Culture, and Pedagogy Emphasis
- Literature, Culture, and Pedagogy Emphasis with Secondary Teaching Certification (over 5 semesters, with a student teaching practicum in the 5th semester)
- Literature and Culture with an Emphasis in Translation Studies
These emphases are usually paired with a GAT-ship that includes a tuition waiver and insurance plan. In order to plan ahead for their course of study, students interested in the MA with Secondary Teaching Certification should inform the Coordinator of Secondary Education Certification Program and the Director of Graduate Studies at the beginning of their studies.
Applicants need to fulfill the following prerequisites:
- A Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in German Studies and/or a related field
- Advanced competence in English and German (minimum Common European Framework rating of B1)
If you have any questions, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies.
Testimonials
RACHEL WALKER | MA
As a student in the Master's program at the University of Arizona's Department of German Studies, I felt encouraged and inspired by the faculty, staff, and other graduate teaching assistants. Their commitment to excellence in education is contagious and extends beyond the classroom. I developed professionally as I engaged in the opportunities to research and present, volunteer on campus and in the community, and hold leadership roles in learning-centered extracurricular activities.
The Department of German Studies served our greatest needs as students through the presence of both focus and flexibility in the program and courses. I enjoyed the variety of course offerings as well as the opportunity to approach each subject in-depth with creative and critical thinking. It is the relevance and adaptability of multicultural and transcultural appreciation within the curriculum to which I attribute my preparedness to enter the field of International Education. I am currently an International Admissions Counselor and correspond each day with people from diverse backgrounds. Many of the skills essential to my career, from program evaluation to international market research to cross-cultural communication, I owe to the time I spent in the versatile, learner-centered graduate program in German Studies at the University of Arizona.
That I am grateful for having been taught and influenced by some of the brightest professionals in the field I love is an understatement. I am inspired not only by their knowledge and passion for teaching, but by the global perspectives with which I learned to view the classroom, course content and ultimately, the world.