Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in German

The program information below was valid for the spring 2023 term (May 1, 2023 - August 31, 2023). This is the archived version; the most up-to-date program information is available through the current Graduate Studies Academic Calendar.

The Graduate Studies Academic Calendar is updated 3 times per year, at the start of each academic term (January 1, May 1, September 1). Graduate Studies Academic Calendars from previous terms can be found in the archives.

• Admit term(s) 
  • Fall
  • Winter
  • Spring
• Delivery mode 
  • On-campus
• Length of program 
  • 4 years
• Program type 
  • Doctoral
  • Research
• Registration option(s) 
  • Full-time
  • Part-time
• Study option(s) 
  • Thesis

• Minimum requirements 
  • A Master of Arts (MA) degree or its equivalent in German with a 78% overall grade average.
  • A study proposal.
• Application materials 
  • Supplementary information form
  • Transcript(s)
  • Writing sample
• References 
  • Number of references:  3
  • Type of references: 

    at least 2 academic

• English language proficiency (ELP) (if applicable)

Thesis option:

Graduate Academic Integrity Module (Graduate AIM)

Courses 

• Students must complete GER 600 Methods of Research and 5 more graduate courses (after the MA).
• Candidates must obtain a minimum overall average of 78% in the courses presented in fulfillment of the degree requirements.

Link(s) to courses

• German (GER) courses

PhD Language Requirement

• Candidates must pass a written examination in an approved language other than English or German. The written examination may be conducted by the Department if it is in a language in which our faculty members possess expertise, otherwise the assistance of a corollary department within the University is enlisted.

PhD Comprehensive Examination I and PhD Comprehensive Examination II

• Students are required to meet the University-level PhD Comprehensive Examination minimum requirements outlined in the “Minimum requirements for the PhD degree” section of the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar (GSAC), with certain noted exceptions that are specific to the Faculty of Arts Comprehensive Examination minimum requirements:
  • Comprehensive examination purpose: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements.
  • Timing: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements. 
  • Committee: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements with the exception that in the Faculty of Arts, the Graduate Chair can approve the committee for comprehensive examinations.
  • Who Chairs an examination: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements.
  • Format / Content: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements.
  • Academic integrity: Consistent with University-level minimum requirements.

• In addition to the University-level and Faculty-level PhD Comprehensive Examination minimum requirements, students in the PhD in German program are also required to meet the following requirements:
  • Candidates must pass 1 oral qualifying examination (a combined examination of both Literature/Film Studies and Applied Linguistics), and 1 written qualifying examination in the area of their dissertation research. Guidelines for Qualifying Examinations are available from the Department.

PhD Thesis

• Prospectus Discussion and Doctoral Colloquia: after completing the qualifying examinations, students submit a prospectus and participate in a prospectus discussion at which they present their dissertation proposal to their Dissertation Committee (supervisor plus other department members, normally open to the public). Two subsequent presentations, at which the candidate updates the Dissertation Committee on the state of progress and research, must be held during the dissertation writing phase and are called doctoral colloquia. An outline of the PhD plan of study is available from the Department.
• Once a prospectus has been accepted and discussed, the candidate may begin writing the dissertation under the supervision of a mutually acceptable supervisor and with regular feedback through the Dissertation Committee at the doctoral colloquia. The supervisor must be an Approved Doctoral Dissertation Supervisor (ADDS).
• Dissertations must normally be defended in a public forum. PhD dissertations must be available for public inspection at least four weeks prior to the defence. Examination Committees are comprised of a minimum of five examiners, three from within the Department, one from another department within the University, and an external examiner from a different university who is an expert in the dissertation area. A neutral chair is appointed to oversee the proceedings. Particular importance is placed upon the views, challenges and recommendations of the external expert, who is also required to submit their evaluation of the dissertation in writing before the defence begins. At the conclusion of the defence, committee members discuss the dissertation and vote in camera to accept it, accept it with modifications or reject it. The dissertation cannot be accepted with more than one negative vote.