Candidates may apply for admission either
- with a BA degree anticipated or in hand
- with an MA degree anticipated or in hand.
Students accepted to the PhD program with a BA degree will complete 3 years of coursework; the coursework requirements for the first two years are the same as those for the MA degree, except that PhD students are not required to write an MA thesis. Students entering the program with a prior MA degree will enroll in one year of coursework before taking Comprehensive Exams.
All applicants must apply via the university's graduate application system and submit the following:
- Graduate Teaching Application Form: this form is found in the online application. Please log in to GradWeb, start a new application, download a copy of the form, and upload the completed document into the application.
- Statement of Purpose: submit a statement of about 2 pages presenting your developing research and teaching interests, put past and future course work into perspective, and forecast a dissertation area, if not a precise topic. This area should fall within the Department’s research and teaching focus on literary and cultural studies from 1750 to the present.
- Writing Sample: submit a writing sample of 10-20 pages of your best scholarly writing, preferably in the field of German Studies (written in English or German).
- Language Proficiency: submit an audio file of your spoken German of about 3-5 minutes.
- Recommendations: three confidential letters of recommendation by scholars familiar with your work (We prefer that letters be uploaded electronically by the recommenders, but they may also be sent via mail).
- TOEFL Score: all applicants whose native language is not English must supply results of either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The department requires a TOEFL score of at least 233 (computer) or 88 (internet) or an IELTS overall score of 7.0.
- C1 Exam Score: all applicants whose native language is not German must supply the result of the C1 Exam administered by the Goethe-Institut. The department requires a C1 score of Gut (2) or better. If not included by the application deadline, this score must be supplied by August 15 prior to enrollment.
- Official Transcript: unofficial transcripts can be used to apply. If offered admission, you will need to send official transcripts of all college-level work to date, or the equivalent if your university does not issue official transcripts. Mail them to:
Office of the Registrar
5257 University of Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403, USA
All items are due by January 5th 2024 for application for the following fall. The Graduate Committee will evaluate each file and notify applicants of the decision by mid-April.