GERST-PHD - German Studies (PhD)

Students who completed graduate coursework at another institution are expected to transfer course units in the winter quarter of their first year of doctoral study. The Director of German Studies will evaluate the transfer of units on a course-by-course basis. Graduate work accepted for transfer of residency does not automatically exempt a student from having to complete a course requirement for the degree.

The department is committed to academic advising to support graduate students’ scholarly and professional development. The overall goal of advising, both in the department and the Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages (DLCL), is to help graduate students make academic and career choices wisely and think ahead to craft a long-term plan for their graduate student career and beyond. 

Given the interdisciplinary nature of the PhD program and the opportunity it affords each student to create an individualized program of study, regular consultation with an advisor is of the utmost importance. The advisor for all entering graduate students is the department director, whose responsibility it is to assist students with their course planning and to keep a running check on progress in completing the course, teaching, and language requirements. By the end of the second year of study, each student should have chosen a faculty advisor whose expertise is appropriate to their own area of research and interests.

When most effective, the advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by the advisor and the advisee. As a best practice, advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the advisor and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity. Advising is academically invaluable for transmitting expertise and is an essential aspect of creating a strong departmental and Stanford community. See the VPGE for university information regarding advising. 

Faculty advisors guide students in critical areas such as selecting courses, designing and conducting research, developing teaching pedagogy, navigating policies and degree requirements, and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways.

Graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship, proactively seeking academic and professional guidance and taking responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for their graduate program.