GERST-PHD - German Studies (PhD)
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Program Overview
The PhD in German Studies is designed for students who are proficient in the German language and are interested in taking an interdisciplinary approach in their in-depth study of the literature, culture, and language of the German-speaking world. The PhD program also provides pedagogical training and experience in teaching language and literature.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
A total of 135 units is required for the Ph.D.. Students must complete at least one course with each faculty member in the department. All courses counted toward the 135-unit requirement for the Ph.D. must be at the graduate level and for a letter grade when the option is available. All German Studies seminars are offered for three to five units.
First Year. During autumn, winter, and spring quarters students must enroll in at least 18 graduate units. Each quarter students are required to enroll in at least two graduate courses taught by German Studies faculty and submit at least one seminar paper in German Studies. DLCL301 The Learning and Teaching of Second Languages is a required course for all Ph.D. students and must be taken in the Spring of the first year. It is highly recommended that students take GERMAN369 Introduction to the Profession of Literary Studies in year one or two. GERMAN330, GERMAN331, and GERMAN322 are generally taken in the first year of study and must be taken by the end of year two. During summer quarter, students enroll in one unit of independent study with their advisor (GERMAN399 Individual Work) and complete a draft of the Qualifying Paper on a topic in their presumed area of research specialization.
Second Year. During autumn, winter, and spring quarters students must enroll in ten graduate units. Each quarter, students are required to complete one graduate course in German Studies in which they submit a seminar paper . In autumn, students enroll in independent study (GERMAN399 Individual Work) with a faculty advisor to refine the draft of the Qualifying Paper written over the summer. It is highly recommended that students take DLCL311 Professional Workshop. During the summer quarter, students enroll in independent study units (GERMAN399 Individual Work ) with their advisor and complete a dissertation chapter or prospectus.
Third Year. During the autumn, winter, and spring quarters students who have not reached Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status (135 units) must enroll in ten graduate units each quarter. Students may enroll in one to ten independent study units (GERMAN399 Individual Work) with their advisor. In the summer quarter, students enroll in one graduate unit of GERMAN399 Individual Work with their advisor.
Graduate Studies Colloquium. Enrollment and participation in the Colloquium are mandatory for all students (students conducting research abroad are exempt). Students are recommended to enroll in GERMAN397 Graduate Studies Colloquium for one unit per quarter. The Colloquium meets every two weeks throughout the year and involves the presentation of student work and professionalization workshops.
German Studies Lecture Series. Regular attendance at lectures sponsored by the department is required.
The principal conditions for continued registration of a graduate student are the timely and satisfactory completion of university, department, and program requirements for the degree, and fulfillment of minimum progress requirements. Failure to meet these requirements results in corrective measures, including a written warning, and/or dismissal from the program.
Qualifying Examination.
Immediately following the end of classes in spring quarter of the first year, all Ph.D. students must take their qualifying examination. This examination is designed to cover the full range of German literary history. It is based on the German Studies reading list in the Graduate Handbook and builds on the core courses GERMAN330, GERMAN331, and GERMAN322. Students who fail this examination may request to retake it once before October 15. A second failure of the qualifying examination results in dismissal from the Ph.D. program.
Qualifying Paper Submission.
Based upon summer independent study and progress in GERMAN399 Individual Work, the Ph.D. student submits a polished research paper (no longer than 8000 words) in autumn quarter of their second year. The paper must be submitted by December 1 and is assessed by a reading committee comprising three faculty members(including the primary advisor), appointed by the Director. A qualifying paper that does not meet approval may be revised and resubmitted by February 15. A second failure to submit a paper meeting approval of the faculty readers results in dismissal from the Ph.D. program.
Dissertation Proposal Submission.
In spring quarter of year two, all Ph.D. students must submit a five-page prospectus proposal outlining the research idea for the dissertation to a reading committee. It must be discussed in a one-hour session of the reading committee by the end of spring quarter. The reading committee comprises three faculty members (including the primary advisor), at least two of whom must have primary appointments in German Studies. Students select reading committee members in consultation with the primary advisor or the DGS if they have not yet decided on a primary advisor. For more information, see the Graduate Handbook.
Dissertation Chapter Defense.
Building on work in winter and spring quarters of the student’s second year, and ideally on the qualifying paper, students spend the summer quarter of the second year completing a draft chapter of the dissertation. It must be discussed in a one-hour session of the reading committee by the end of autumn quarter. The reading committee comprises three faculty members, including the primary advisor. At least two reading committee members must have primary appointments in German Studies. Students select members of the reading committee in consultation with the primary advisor.
After completing the Dissertation Chapter Defense, all students are strongly encouraged to spend at least one quarter abroad in a German-speaking country while remaining in regular contact with their advisors.
Teaching is core to our program’s academic and professional training of Ph.D. students. As such, all students must complete three quarters of language teaching in their second year in the program as part of their degree requirements. An additional two quarters of teaching in language and/or literature are required to further pedagogical and professional skills. These courses will be determined in consultation with the Department Director and based on the department's and Language Center's needs. Typically, students teach more than the required number of courses.
A student who does not complete the five-quarter teaching requirement fails to meet academic requirements and is thus not making satisfactory academic progress.
Admission to candidacy is an important decision by the department based on the department faculty’s overall assessment of a student’s ability to complete the Ph.D. program. Students are expected to follow department qualifying procedures and apply for candidacy by the end of the second year in residence. In reviewing a student for admission to candidacy, the faculty considers a student’s academic progress, including but not limited to:
Advanced language proficiency
Performance in courses and completion of required coursework
Performance on departmental examinations and milestones
Successful completion of teaching assistantships
Completion of at least three units of work with each of four Stanford faculty members
In addition to successfully completing departmental requirements for years one and two a student is only admitted to candidacy if the faculty makes the judgment that the student has the potential to complete the degree program requirements successfully. Candidacy is determined by faculty vote. Failure to be admitted to candidacy results in the student’s dismissal from the Ph.D. program.
The University Oral Examination involves a defense of a substantial portion of the dissertation, typically at least three draft chapters, and takes place no later than the end of autumn quarter of the fifth year. The student’s work must be distributed to the committee at least four weeks before the formal University Oral Examination. The signed form should be turned in to the Student Services Manager at the same time. The committee consists of the dissertation committee (three faculty members), one additional reader, plus an outside chair selected in consultation with the primary advisor. The examination lasts no longer than two hours. It begins with a brief statement by the candidate (no longer than 15 minutes) followed by questions from the four examiners, each limited to 20 minutes. The remaining time is reserved for optional questions from the examination chair.
All Ph.D. students are strongly encouraged to give a public lecture on their dissertation topic. This lecture may be scheduled after the successful completion of the University Oral Examination.
The dissertation may take different formats. The standard format in our field is a monograph comprising five chapters, including the introduction and dissertation. Depending on the topic and approach, other structures may be considered and should be discussed with the advisor as the project develops. In consultation with their advisor, students may submit a collection of three to four published or publishable articles, together with an introduction as a dissertation.
A reading knowledge of one language other than English and German is required. Students in Medieval Studies must also have a reading knowledge of Latin. Reading knowledge is assessed by an examination administered by the Classics Department or by successful completion of an advanced Latin language course or graduate seminar in which Latin texts are read in the original.. The language requirement must be satisfied by the end of year three (prior to going TGR).