Concurrent BA/MA Degree in Germanic Studies

The concurrent BA/MA degree in Germanic Studies recognizes the need for master's-level training upon entering the job market in a variety of sectors that call for highly advanced proficiency in the German language, knowledge of the German-speaking central Europe and its cultures, and the skills afforded to BA and MA graduates in the Humanities (research, analysis, interpretation, translation, communication).

The degree gives highly-motivated BA students the opportunity to earn an MA degree using an accelerated undergraduate program in combination with a fifth year of study. Applications can be obtained in the Germanic and Slavic office (McKenna 129). It is recommended that applications be turned in by the spring semester of the sophomore year.

Students must have an overall 3.25 GPA to apply to the program, and should have completed most of their MAPS/core requirements by the end of their sophomore year. No GRE is required.

Concurrent BA/MA Requirements

The concurrent BA/MA degree in Germanic Studies requires 58 hours of coursework (with grades of 3.0 or above in all degree courses and an overall 3.0 GPA); students who test out of GRMN 2020 are required to complete only 57 credit hours. Students are mentored by the undergraduate advisor in consultation with the graduate director.

I. Undergraduate Courses

Students complete requirements listed under Sections A-C on the German Studies Major page. Six 3000/4000 hours taken for the German BA may be counted toward the German MA.

II. Graduate Courses

• GRMN 5010-3 Bibliography and Methods of Research (required)
• Pick either Plan I (no thesis) or Plan II (thesis option). Students are strongly advised to pursue Plan I; consent of both the undergraduate advisor and graduate director is required to take the thesis option.

Plan I - Non-thesis option

Any seven* of the following 5000-level courses:

• GRMN 5020-3 Applied Linguistics and Foreign Language Teaching Methodology
• GRMN 5110-3 Sem: Germanic Lit. & Society from the Beg. to the Renaissance
• GRMN 5120-3 Sem: Germanic Lit. & Society from the Renaissance - Baroque
• GRMN 5210-3 Seminar: The Age of Enlightenment
• GRMN 5220-3 Seminar: Topics in the Age of Goethe
• GRMN 5230-3 Seminar: Concepts of the Self from Schlegel to Freud and Jung
• GRMN 5310-3 Seminar: Topics in the Nineteenth Century
• GRMN 5320-3 Seminar: The German Novel from 1901-1956
• GRMN 5330-3 Seminar: German Intellectuals & Society Between the Wars
• GRMN 5410-3 Seminar: Topics in Early Twentieth Century German Society
• GRMN 5420-3 Seminar: Topics in Later Twentieth Century German Society
• GRMN 5510-3 Seminar: Open Topics in German Civilization
• GRMN 5520-3 Seminar: Current Issues in German Literature and Media
• GRMN 5900-3 Independent Study
• COML 5410-3 Theory and Practice of Literary Translation
• COML 5610-3 Introduction to Literary Theory
• Any 5000-level course(s) from another dept. (e.g. history, political science) for which the student has the consent of the undergraduate advisor and graduate director.

Plan II - thesis-option

Any five* courses listed under Plan I above, and

• GRMN 6900 Master's Thesis (6 credit hours)

*does not include the six 3000/4000 hours that can be counted toward both the BA and the MA.

III. Examinations

Comprehensive exams and the final oral exam must be completed in the second semester of the final year. Students in Plan II - Thesis Option will have comprehensive exams (both written and oral) at the end of the first semester of the final year, with a final oral thesis defense in the second semester of the final year.