Admissions
Application Deadline for 2013 Fall admission: January 1
All graduate admission applications must be submitted online
Admissions Requirements
University Requirements
The Office of Graduate Studies sets general admission requirements and policies for admission to the Graduate School. Please see the General Requirements for General Admission as administered by the Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC).
Departmental Requirements
The Graduate Program in the Department of Germanic Studies offers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. A student may enter the program at either level. In addition to the General Requirements for General Admission, the minimum departmental requirements for admission are:
- B.A. or equivalent
- The degree is ordinarily in German or in an appropriate Germanic language. The Graduate and International Admissions Center (GIAC) determines degree equivalency to a B.A. for international students. For students from Germany, the Department requires the Zwischenprüfung and an additional year of study at a German university, or 30 credit hours at an American university. The year's additional work must include 15 hours at the upper-division level in the student's intended major area of study, and 9 hours at the upper-division level in other areas. No more than 6 hours may be taken at the lower-division level.
- For students with a bachelor's or master's degree in a field other than German, the Department uses as a guideline its own requirements for a B.A. in German which include, in part, twenty-four hours (eight courses) of third- or fourth-year German with a concentration in literature, language, and/or culture. For a complete listing of these requirements, see the Undergraduate Catalog. Other courses of study may also satisfy these requirements; contact the Graduate Advisor or Graduate Coordinator in case of doubt.
- A 3.0 grade-point average in any previous work in a graduate school, if applicable.
Students who do not meet these requirements may be admitted to the Graduate School with conditions. Students admitted with conditions cannot be appointed to assistantships without petitions to the Graduate School or until conditions are removed.
See also the Admissions FAQ page.
How to Apply
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IMPORTANT: Before proceeding, please review the How to Apply page from GIAC.
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The application process is completely online. Please do not send paper copies.
US Applicants
Submit the following materials online:
- ApplyTexas application
- Statement of Purpose. Submit with ApplyTexas application
- One copy of the academic transcript from every senior college attended, including copies of Scheinefrom German universities, if applicable
- One official copy of GRE scores*
- Three letters of recommendation.Enter reference information on the ApplyTexas application; your references will receive instructions on submitting their letters online.
- A writing sample, in English or German, that represents your abilities and interests. Upload your sample (as PDF) on My Status. You will be able to upload your writing sample 1-2 business days after you have submitted your ApplyTexas application.
- CV
International Applicants
Submit the following materials online:
- Statement of Purpose. Submit with ApplyTexas application.
- Non-refundable $90 application fee
- One copy of the academic transcript from every senior college attended, including copies of Scheinefrom German universities, if applicable
- One official copy of GRE scores*
- One official copy of TOEFL scores
- Three letters of recommendation. Enter reference information on ApplyTexas application; your referees will receive instructions on submitting their letter online.
- A writing sample, in English or German, that represents your abilities and interests. Upload your sample (as pdf) on My Status. You will be able to upload your writing sample 1-2 business days after you have submitted your ApplyTexas application.
- CV
Applicants who wish to apply for funding should indicate on page 5 of the ApplyTexas application the type(s) of award you seek. No separate application is required.
* The Revised GRE General Test was introduced on August 1, 2011, with new revised test and new score system. If you are taking the test this Fall, please schedule your test accordingly to ensure your scores will be reported in a timely manner.
For questions, please contact Shery Chanis, Graduate Coordinator.
Updated: September 2011
