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Handbook for the M.A. in GermanINDEX
M.A. in German M.A. in GermanThe German Program offers an interdisciplinary M.A. in German Studies that allows students to design a program of study according to their research and professional interests. While our courses emphasize the German literary and philosophical tradition, we also require students to conduct interdisciplinary work. Recent graduate students have worked with faculty members in the Departments of History and Linguistics, as well as in the School of Education and the School of Business. We maintain close ties with Political Science, Comparative Literature, and Film Studies, and we are one of the few German programs in the country to offer a concurrent M.A. and M.B.A. Graduate Program AssistantThe Graduate Program Assistant will assist students from the application process through to graduation. The Graduate Program Assistant will assist the student in registering for courses (including late add/drops), transfer credit forms, and graduation forms. The Graduate Program Assistant will also schedule students’ M.A. oral comprehensive exams and theses defense or final examination (non-thesis students). Associate Chair of Graduate StudiesStudents entering the M.A. program should contact the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies for German before the beginning of the first semester. The Associate Chair of Graduate Studies will discuss the student's interests, previous experience, requirements, deadlines, scholarship opportunities, and will advise the student concerning his/her program of studies. In the first semester, the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies will assign each student a faculty mentor (see Faculty Mentor section below). The Associate Chair of Graduate Studies for German also monitors the student's progress and keeps him/her informed about departmental and unive rsity deadlines. All graduate students must meet with the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies each semest er to select courses. No later than the middle of the second semester, the Associate Chair of Graduate S tudies will help the student select a thesis director, who will work closely with students as they write the thesis and select a second area for the comprehensive exams. Faculty MentorEach incoming MA student is assigned a faculty mentor, who is a member of the German graduate faculty. Students are required to meet their mentors at the beginning of their first semester to discuss comprehensive exams, the choice of a second area of specialization, and course choices. Good Standing in the DepartmentA graduate student is in good standing, eligible for employment and to be nominated for departmental fellowships, if he/she:
M.A. OptionsPlan I - thesis option (recommended option): 30 credit hours including 24 hours of course work and 6 thesis hours. A maximum of 6 credit hours may be completed at the 3000 or 4000 level at the discretion of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies. A maximum of 6 hours of independent study coursework may be taken with the approval of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies. Plan II - non-thesis plan: 30 credit hours of coursework. A maximum of 6 credit hours may be completed at the 3000 or 4000 level at the discretion of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies. A maximum of 6 hours of independent study coursework may be taken with the approval of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies. Timeline for the German M.A. Program
BEFORE YOUR FIRST SEMESTER:
FOURTH SEMESTER:
CourseworkGerman 5010, Bibliography and Methods of Research, is required of all German M.A. students. German 5020, Applied Linguistics and Foreign Language Teaching Methodology is required for all German Teaching Assistants. GRMN 5010 is generally offered in the spring semester and GRMN 5020 is generally offered in the fall semester. See the CU catalog for a listing of all German graduate level courses. Course listings for each semester can be accessed through CU Plus. German M.A. students may take up to 9 credit hours in a second area. CU graduate students frequently choose history, political science, philosophy, education, business, and geography, but students may pursue other options. All second area courses must be approved by the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies. Upon approval of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies, students may take up to six credit hours of 3000/4000-level courses toward their M.A. degree. Second AreaGerman M.A. students may take up to 9 credit hours in a second area. CU graduate students frequently choose history, political science, philosophy, education, business, and geography, but students may pursue other options. All second area courses must be approved by the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies. Upon approval of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies, students may take up to six credit hours of 3000/4000-level courses toward their M.A. degree. Second Foreign LanguageStudents must have reading knowledge of a second foreign language in order to receive their M.A. in German. This requirement may be fulfilled by two college-level semesters of a foreign language, an approved study abroad program, or a course in reading knowledge of a foreign language. Courses used to fulfill the second foreign language requirement may be taken pass/fail. Students should consult with the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies at the beginning of their first semester to discuss procedures. The department recommends that this requirement be fulfilled in the first year of study. Comprehensive M.A. Exams
The comprehensive exams aim to acquaint you with the area of German Studies that will be the focus of your thesis. I. General Information
The exams are based on a reading list that you assemble in close
consultation with the members of your committee.
There are two take-home written exams, one at the end of the second semester and
one at the end of the third semester. Each written exam is followed by an hour-long
oral examination that concentrates on the written exam but may also address texts and
topics on the MA reading list that are not covered in the written exam. II. Reading Lists
Your reading list should reflect your individual intellectual interests
and can focus on any area of German Studies. You determine the focus of the
list and assemble the list in close consultation with the faculty in the German
Studies program and with the faculty in your second area. Your list should include
primary texts and secondary literature that address these texts' critical and historical
contexts. III. Exam FormatFor each exam, you will be given three groups of two or three questions each, and you will choose one question from each group. Your responses s hould be about 4 double-spaced pages each. You will pick up the exam on Friday at 2 PM in the departmental office (or you can request the exam be emailed to you) and return your responses by Monday at 2 PM to the departmental office. You can consult any materials you wish while writing your exam. You should plan to take your first exam by the 13th week of the second semester, and your third exam by the 13th week of the third semester. Graduation DeadlinesStudents will begin to submit paperwork for graduation at the beginning of their final semester. See the Graduate School Deadlines for M.A. students. The Application for Admission to Candidacy is due in early February. This application should be filled out by the student and given to the Graduate Program Assistant at least 5 days before the application is due. The Graduate Program Assistant will complete the departmental section of the form and obtain signatures from the Graduate Advisor and Departmental Representative. The Graduate Program Assistant can give you a copy of the Diploma Card. This is due in early February. The Graduate Program Assistant will submit the M.A. Exam Report form to the Graduate School at least two weeks prior to your M.A. thesis defense to receive approval of your committee. The last day to defend your thesis is in mid-April. (A preliminary draft of your thesis must be submitted to your thesis committee at least two weeks before your defense.) Students should have a copy of the signature page available at the thesis defense (see Thesis Specifications. The student’s thesis advisor will submit the signature page, along with the exam report to the Program Assistant for submission to the Graduate School. Your thesis must be electronically submitted by the deadline (usually the third week of April), and a hard copy of the signature page with original signatures of two of the student’s committee members (including the thesis advisor) must also be submitted to the Graduate School by this deadline. It is recommended that the student have an advisor in the Graduate School check their thesis before submitting it electronically. M.A. Thesis GuidelinesThe M.A. thesis committee consists of a thesis advisor from German faculty, one additional faculty member, and one faculty member from an outside discipline (occasionally a student’s committee will consist of three members from German). All committees must be approved in advance by the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies. Students should begin to write their thesis after they have taken their second set of comprehensive exams, and no later than the beginning of their final semester. Students should work closely with their thesis advisor and committee members as they write their thesis. Students are advised to submit draft copies of each chapter to all members of their committee as they are writing their thesis. The thesis should be approximately 35-40 pages long (no longer than 40 pages). A final draft of the thesis should be submitted to committee members at least two weeks before the defense. Thesis specifications can be found on the Graduate School website: http://www.colorado.edu/GraduateSchool/current/mastergraduationpacketThesis.html Independent StudyStudents interested in independent study in German should obtain an informational sheet and an Independent Study Contract from the department. The student must fill out the Independent Study Contract with the faculty member specifying the course of study and the method of evaluation. Once the contract is approved by the chair, a staff member will enroll the student in the course. Students interested in taking an independent study in an outside area should work with that department to fill out the contract and register for the course. M.A. students may not take more than a total of 6 hours of independent study. Policy on Grades of IncompleteA grade of incomplete (IF) is granted when, due to circumstances beyond the student's control (illness, military service, hardship or death in the family), he/she is unable to complete the requirements of the course in the semester for which he/she is registered. Upon receiving an Incomplete, the student has a maximum of one year to complete the work unless the professor chooses a shorter time period. If the work is not completed within one year, the IF will become an F (fail). An Incomplete Contract must be filled out and signed by both the instructor and the student stating the work to be completed. Transfer CreditTransfer credit from accredited institutions is accepted by CU-Boulder only after approval by the As sociate Chair of Graduate Studies. Transfer credit is defined as a ny credit earned at another accredited institution, credits earned on anoth er campus of the CU system, or credits earned as a non-degree student within the CU system. M.A. students are allowed a maximum of 9 hours of transfer credit. (See the Graduate Program Assistant for transfer credit forms.) Fellowships & Travel GrantsGraduate students are eligible for fellowships from the Graduate School and the Center for Humanities and the Arts. The department nominates students for these awards. Graduate students may apply for travel assistance funds from the Graduate School or from the Center for Humanities and the Arts. The department also offers several fellowships and scholarships to graduate students. See German Graduate Scholarship page for more information. Graduate Exchange Opportunities
The office of International Education at CU-Boulder offers
the following exchange programs for graduate students: CU-Boulder seniors majoring in Germanic studies. Application Deadline: February 15 (Students interested in the Göttingen Program should apply directly to the University of Göttingen). For further information on Study Abroad programs and for applications contact the Office of International Education, UCB 123, Boulder, CO 80309, (303) 492-7741 or visit their website at: http://www.colorado.edu/OIE/StudyAbroad/ Career Planning & PlacementCU's Career Services provides career information and can help students find vacancy listings. For a fee it will also maintain and send a set of your credentials to any designated persons. For more information on their services, contact Career Services at UCB 133, Boulder, CO 80309, phone (303) 492-6541 or stop by their offices in Willard Hall. You can also visit their website at: http://www.colorado.edu/careerservices/ |
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