Graduate Admission

The Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures offers the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees* with possible focuses in German literature, philology, linguistics, and second-language acquisition (research and teaching).

*PLEASE NOTE:  The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures has suspended matriculation for the 2017-2018 Academic Year and will not be considering applications until further notice.  If you wish to be notified when the application queue is reopened, please contact Graduate Academic Advisor, Cari Ann Kreienhop.

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Required Supplemental Application Materials

Please be aware that the following items will need to be prepared in advance and uploaded with the online application:

• A current C.V. (Curriculum Vitae) or resume
• A Statement of Purpose explaining your academic objectives. This statement should provide the graduate faculty with a sense of what you hope to encounter in the graduate school experience, your experience and general research interests at this point in your career, what skills you most need to work on, and what shape you think your career might take--in the academy or outside of it)
• A short essay in German (Non-native speakers of German only)
• A writing sample that demonstrates your writing skills and basic research capacity. A paper from a research paper from a previous upper-level undergraduate course will suffice.
• Name and email for 3 references, preferably from professors you have studied under, who will provide a Letter of Recommendation.  The best letters are the most recent ones.
• Transcripts from all institutions from which a degree was obtained and from all institutions attended post-bachelor's.  Official (sealed) transcripts should also be sent directly to KU:

  Graduate Admissions
  213 Strong Hall
  1450 Jayhawk Blvd.
  Lawrence KS 66045-7535

• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Although the online application will ask you to self-report your scores, official scores must also be sent directly from GRE. KU's University code is 6871.

International Students

All international students, or applicants who indicate that English is not their first language, are also required to provide proof of English proficiency. The following are acceptable means for verifying English proficiency for purposes of admission at KU:

• Graduation with a baccalaureate degree (or higher) earned in residence from an accredited English-medium U.S. college or university, or from a College or Institution in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, English-Speaking provinces of Canada, or and English-speaking Caribbean country, with instruction conducted in English. This does not apply to degrees earned online.
• Receipt of an official copy (not student's copy) of applicant's proficiency scores (e.g. TOEFL) achieved not more than two years prior to the first semester of enrollment. See the English Proficiency Chart at the Graduate Studies Admissions web page for more information regarding minimum TOEFL scores.

Deadlines

KU Germanic Languages & Literatures accepts applications for graduate study year-round; however, students are encouraged to apply for a Fall (August) start. Our Graduate Faculty finalizes GTA and GRA (Graduate Teaching and Graduate Research Assistantships) decisions by March 1.  Students who wish to be considered for a GTA or GRA appointment should ensure their application is completed, including all supplemental documentation and letters of recommendation, prior to February 15.  Some students may still be considered for funding in exceptional cases after that date. 

Students who wish to be considered for funding in the form of a graduate fellowship award should apply no later than January 15.

Please indicate in your letter of intent or in the on-line application form whether you wish to be considered for funding. For more information, see Funding Opportunities.

Diagnostic Testing

During the week before instruction begins, the coordinator of the language proficiency sequence will conduct an orientation and workshop for new GTAs and the Germanic Graduate Committee will administer a diagnostic examination for new graduate students. The examination consists of a one-hour essay written in German, followed by a conversation in German (for native speakers of German this examination will be conducted in English).

Contact

Prospective students are encouraged to research and contact relevant faculty in the department concerning their particular interest, as well as the Graduate Academic Advisor, Cari Ann Kreienhop, who can advise concerning the application process and direct you to the faculty best suited to assist you.