Timeline for the German M.A. Program

BEFORE YOUR FIRST SEMESTER:
Consult with the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies regarding your plan of study and to select courses for your first semester. 

FIRST SEMESTER:

  • Register for 9 hours of coursework (GRMN 5020 is required for all TAs). Students may take 3 hours in their outside area, if they choose to designate an outside area.
  • Register for your second language if needed (can take this pass/fail).
  • Meet with your faculty mentor to discuss courses, comprehensive exam, and possible second area of specialization.
  • You should think about what you would like to focus on in your comprehensive exam and ultimately in your thesis, and discuss your plans with faculty members.
  • You should think about which faculty members you would like to have on your exam committee and you should familiarize yourself with the sections of the MA Handbook titled "Comprehensive Exam" and "Prospectus Writing and Defense."
  • At the end of your first semester, you must have a preliminary reading list (for your comprehensive exam) of about 15 works approved by the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies, so that you can begin to read over the winter break.

SECOND SEMESTER:

  • Register for 9 hours of coursework (GRMN 5010 is required for all German MA students). Students may take 3 hours in their outside area, if they choose to designate an outside area.
  • Register for your second language if needed (can take this pass/fail).
  • By the first day of the second week of the semester, you must select a chair of your exam committee and submit a preliminary reading list to him or her. You should discuss with the chair the makeup of your exam committee.
  • By the end of the third week of the semester, you must have your reading list (for your comprehensive exam) approved by your committee and submitted to the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies.
  • Sometime between the 11th and 13th week of the semester, you should take your written comprehensive exam, to be followed by your oral examination a week later.
  • By the end of the semester, you must select the chair of your thesis committee.
  • Start working on your prospectus during the summer.

THIRD SEMESTER:

  • Register for 6 hours of coursework. Students may take 3 hours in their outside area, if they choose to designate an outside area — If you are doing the non-thesis plan, you should announce your intention no later than the end of the first week of the semester. The Associate Chair of Graduate Studies will then assign you a reading list that is going to be the basis of a second comprehensive exam which you must take in your fourth semester.
  • By the end of the third week of the semester, you should submit a draft of your prospectus to the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies and the chair of your thesis committee, and choose in consultation with them two additional members of your thesis committee. — If you are doing the non-thesis plan, you should choose the chair and two members of your exam committee by the same deadline.
  • Sometime between the 11th and 13th week of the semester, you should submit your prospectus, to be followed by its defense a week later.

FOURTH SEMESTER:

  • Register for 6 thesis hours (Graduate Program Assistant can do this for you). — If you are doing the non-thesis plan, register for 6 hours of coursework. Sometime between the 11th and 13th week of the semester, you should take your second written comprehensive exam, to be followed by your oral examination a week later. (Last day for the final comprehensive exam for non-thesis option students is in mid-April.)
  • Make a timeline with the chair of your thesis committee for submitting outlines and drafts of your thesis.
  • Begin writing your thesis (anytime after the prospectus defense, by the beginning of the fourth semester at the latest).
  • Submit Graduate paperwork to Graduate Program Assistant (due in early February).
  • Submit an abstract and preliminary copy of your thesis to your thesis committee at least two weeks in advance of your thesis defense.
  • Last day to defend your thesis (for spring graduation) is in mid-April.
  • Submit thesis to the graduate school electronically, along with a hard copy of the signature page.