The graduate program in German is designed to broaden the student's knowledge of, and to deepen insights into, German literature, culture and language. Its primary aim is professional preparation for teaching and scholarship in German literature and linguistics. Ph.D. applicants can choose between two programs: German literature (history and criticism) or German linguistics (modern, historical and applied) with half the work in literature. Several complementary features of the regular course program strengthen the pursuit of the program's goals: the Swiss Writer-in-Residence program and the opportunity to study in Germany and in the USC Program in Freiburg.

Admission Requirements

Graduate work in German requires an undergraduate major of at least six upper-division courses in German, or equivalent. A student who does not have the prerequisites may be required to make up the deficiencies.

Degree Requirements

These degrees are under the jurisdiction of the Graduate School. Refer to Requirements for Graduation and the Graduate School for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degrees must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.

Master of Arts in German

Completion of 28 units, 19 of which must be at the 500 level or higher, and GERM 508 is required. A comprehensive examination, written and oral, on the period from the eighteenth century to the present is required. A reading examination in either French or Latin (certification of Grosses Latinum or equivalent is accepted), or a language for special research purposes approved by the student's committee must be passed (unless the M.A. is a terminal degree).

Doctor of Philosophy in German

Screening Procedure

The student is accepted into the Ph.D. program upon satisfactory completion of the M.A. degree at USC. Students with master's degrees from other institutions take a screening examination during their first semester at USC. Prior to being admitted to the Ph.D. qualifying examination, all candidates are expected to present a long seminar paper showing their ability to conduct research and use secondary literature.

Course Requirements

Satisfactory completion of 60 units beyond the baccalaureate and GERM 508 and 510 are required. Program A: Thirteen graduate courses in German literature plus two courses in German linguistics, one historical and one modern. Program B: Eight courses in German linguistics and seven graduate courses in German literature. (Students in Program B take the regular M.A. examination after completing seven graduate courses in German literature.)

Foreign Language Requirement

Students in the Ph.D. program must demonstrate reading ability in French and one additional foreign language other than German (certification of Grosses Latinum or equivalent is accepted). Several language departments at USC offer special courses in preparation for examinations offered in these departments, or the standardized language examinations administered by the Educational Testing Service are accepted.

Guidance Committee

The guidance committee is chosen in consultation with the student after the special field of interest has been defined. The chair of the committee usually becomes the chair of the dissertation committee.

Qualifying Examination

The written qualifying examination consists of four parts, each taking four hours, each on a separate day. Program A: selected periods, genres and authors as well as critical methods. Program B: questions from two chosen periods in German literature; German linguistics.

Doctoral Dissertation

An original investigation in philology, German linguistics, textual criticism, literary history, or literary criticism represents the usual form of dissertations in German.

Defense of Dissertation

This oral examination is basically a defense of the method, conclusions, and implications of the dissertation.

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