The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures offers a rich and diverse program of literary and cultural studies, including film and music. Concentrators have the option to pursue a concentration in German Studies, Scandinavian Studies, or a joint concentration in German and another field. The program’s goal is to provide students with the enriching experience of studying languages, literatures, and cultures different from their own so they can gain new perspectives on their languages and countries of origin.
A major strength of the graduate program in Germanic Languages and Literatures is its flexibility. While the focus is on German literature and cultural studies, students often include comparative literature, art, philosophy, film studies, musicology, and history of science in their coursework and dissertation. Under the guidance of the Director of Graduate Studies, students develop a plan of study that aims, on the one hand, for broad general knowledge of the field as a whole and, on the other, for special emphases of their own.