Interested in German graduate programs at the University of Arizona? Learn more about what we have to offer and find out more about graduate study in German and how to apply.
The University of Arizona offers two graduate programs: one leading to the Master of Arts degree in German Studies, and a second in the PhD/Dr. phil. dual degree program in Transcultural German Studies. Within the MA and PhD program, students may choose among a number of emphases and individualized courses of study. Please see the Graduate Handbook for details.
Our curriculum includes literary studies from the medieval through the modern period, cultural studies, film studies, genre studies, applied linguistics, general linguistics, teaching methodology, and foreign language testing, as well as an introduction to and further study in a variety of critical methods. The Department of German Studies, in cooperation with the College of Education, by which students who complete their MA in German Studies have the unique opportunity to acquire a teaching certificate for K-12 public schools in just one or two additional semester(s). Students recieving an MA in German Studies are eligible to apply for admission to the PhD/Doctor of Philosophy dual degree program in Transcultural German Studies (TGS) or to the Interdisciplinary PhD program in Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT).
Since the PhD/Dr. phil. dual degree program in Transcultural German Studies (TGS) requires a year of study in Germany, either at the University of Leipzig or Cologne, most students admitted to the TGS program will spend their first year at the University of Arizona, their second year in Germany, and their third year and dissertation time in Arizona.
The Department of German Studies offers graduate teaching assistantships (to teach German language courses while taking classes) as well as a number of scholarships for qualified students, in addition to Graduate College Diversity Scholarships for qualified minority students. Additionally, the department offers the opportunity for study and teaching abroad. See here for more information.
The University of Arizona is a student-centered research institution with an enrollment of approximately 46,000 students. The Department of German Studies, a part of the College of Humanities, sees as its major academic goals the instruction of students (1) in German language at the beginning and intermediate levels, (2) in German literature and cultural studies at the upper division, MA, and PhD levels, and (3) in Germanic linguistics (applied, theoretical, and pedagogical) at the graduate levels.
The Department of German Studies encourages social interaction between its faculty and students through its Deutscher Studentenclub, through faculty and student colloquia, a weekly Stammtisch, and other social events. The Department sponsors a chapter of the German honor society Delta Phi Alpha. Other activities include a long-standing German Film Series.
In the Department of German Studies, we strongly believe in preparing graduate students as future teachers as well as scholars. To this end, the German Studies curriculum is complemented by a teacher development program that is one of the finest in the country. It includes coursework in methodology and assessment, and supervised teaching assistantships. The University of Arizona, a member of the Pacific-10 Inter-collegiate Conference, is located in Tucson, a growing city of over one million inhabitants in the mountain country of the Arizona-Sonora Desert. One hour from the Mexican border to the south, and two hours from the State capitol, Phoenix, to the north, the Tucson area provides a wealth of outdoor recreational activities all year round, from hiking, cycling, skiing, swimming, and golf, to camping, backpacking, and mountain climbing. The city of Tucson also presents a broad spectrum of cultural offerings, among them museums, the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, the Arizona Theater Company, the Arizona Ballet Company, and the Arizona Opera Company. Many colorful events and celebrations draw upon the area's rich Hispanic and Native American cultural heritage.
MA Program
The MA in German Studies prepares you to analyze critically and synthesizing various aspects of literary studies, cultural studies, theoretical and applied linguistics, studies in Second Language Acquisition & Teaching, and related professional disciplines.
PhD Program
With its German partner universities in Leipzig and Cologne, the dual PhD/Dr. phil. degree program in Transcultural German Studies offers interdisciplinary doctoral training in two rigorous academic environments, while providing intensive mentoring opportunities and comprehensive financial support.
If you have any other questions, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies.
Testimonials
Lee Gagum | PhD 2016
There were three reasons why I chose to pursue my PhD in Transcultural German Studies at the University of Arizona. The first reason was the opportunity to study a the University of Arizona in Tucson and at the University of Leipzig in Leipzig, Germany. I have had the opportunity to study not only under professors at both universities but also work and collaborate with them. Due to the uniqueness of the PhD program, I have been able to gain experience in teaching students in Germany and in the US. This is a valuable experience that has proved to be vital for my career and in my research. The second reason was my research topic. My dissertation explores the German literary influences in Manga and Mahwa. Central to the dissertation are the Grimm's fairy tales. Remarkably, these tales have been in the Japanese reading culture since 1887 and have permeated the Japanese canon. My third reason for undertaking this program of study was the opportunity to pursue a dual degree and to receive doctoral degrees from the University of Arizona and the University of Leipzig.