Required Courses GRMN 6001: Advanced German Composition and Conversation (or test, if not native speaker of German) GRMN 7500: Teaching College German (if a Graduate Teaching Assistant) General Requirements The M.A. portfolio requires students to complete a minimum of 33 hours of course work in German Studies or Linguistics, which may include GRMN 7500 and GRMN 6001. Students' coursework may be in German Studies or Linguistics, excluding courses normally taken in connection with the thesis, such as GRMN 7000 Master’s Research or GRMN 7300 Master’s Thesis. No more than one Directed Readings/Projects (GRMN 8160, 3 hours) may count towards the total number of hours required for the MA degree in either the thesis or non-thesis track. The final examination for the non-thesis Master's degree (portfolio option) consists of a written exam and a student portfolio. The Written MA Exam The exam is comprised of questions from the three different professors serving on the student's MA Committee. It is three hours in length. Two hours of exam time should be devoted to questions concerning the core reading list, and one hour to questions concerning the supplemental reading list.The major professor will be responsible for questions related to the supplemental reading list. The purpose of the M.A. exam is to test the student's knowledge of German Studies, as well as of a self-selected area of expertise. The exam is based on: A core reading list provided to the student upon acceptance into the program. The reading list is meant to be studied independently and should be prepared in full by the student for the exam. Students prepare the list that reflects their area of concentration in either literature or linguistics. A supplemental reading list in an area of specialization of the student's choice. For students pursuing the non-thesis (portfolio) option, the examinee’s supplemental reading list shall be comprised of extended bibliographies from three graduate seminars taken in the program. The reading list should be compiled by the student in consultation with the major professor and be distributed to all members of the M.A. Committee upon completion of the third semester of study. The German MA Portfolio (non-thesis track) To complete the German MA (non-thesis track), students submit a comprehensive portfolio in lieu of the thesis. At least fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled oral defense, the examinee will submit to the committee members a portfolio consisting of three seminar research papers, a critical. essay of 6-8 pages reflecting on the research conducted, and materials related to achievements in research and/or teaching. The student must defend the portfolio in a one-hour oral defense which will serve to evaluate and critique the student’s work. While the Graduate School requires only a pass/no pass decision for the defense, the department will internally evaluate the quality of the student's work in the following three categories: pass with distinction, pass, and no pass. This evaluation shall be announced to the student at the end of the oral examination. PDF Version - Fall 2026
