Because a GE appointment is the method by which departments can offer financial support to promising students in a graduate degree program and should be beneficial to the student's development in that program, individuals appointed as GEs are regarded primarily as graduate students providing service as part of a learning experience, rather than solely as employees whose education is secondary.

The criteria used to assess satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree is the same for all graduate students in a particular graduate degree program, whether or not they hold a GE position. For GEs, satisfactory progress toward the degree is an eligibility requirement of GE appointment and reappointment. Each GE employing unit (employer) is responsible for verifying that the GE is making satisfactory progress toward their degree, whether or not the hiring unit is also the GE's graduate degree program. The GE’s progress toward the degree is assessed based on criteria established by the GE’s graduate degree program, regardless of where the GE is employed.

Criteria Used to Assess Satisfactory Progress

The criteria used to assess satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree in this unit are as follows:

MA Program

Successful completion of a minimum of 12 courses (48 credits) at the 500 or 600 level. At least 10 of these (40 credits) must be in German (GER). A student may take up to 2 of these 12 graduate courses (8 credits) from other programs if the courses are related to their research projects and with approval from the graduate advisor. Nine of the GER courses must be graded (and the total graduate GPA must remain 3.3 or higher), including six required core courses:

• GER 690 – Form and Structure
• GER 691 – Gender, Class, Race, and Nation
• GER 692 – Subject, Consciousness, and Mind
• GER 693 – Photography, Film, Video, Electronic Media
• GER 694 – Environment and Text
• GER 695 – Translations/Transformations

In addition to these 48 credits, students must also complete the following 22 credits of coursework:

• GER 610 (Teaching Methods, graded, 4 credits) – to be taken in the fall of their first year.
• GER 606 pedagogy (6 credits) – is a 1-credit course taken in each of the six quarters. Students enroll in one credit hour of GER 606 Pedagogy with the language coordinator for each term in which they are instructors of record for language courses on the 100, 200, or 300 level, or with the faculty member in the Department of German & Scandinavian, who is teaching a course for which they are discussion leaders. GER 606 Pedagogy credit cannot be granted for courses taught in other departments for which graduate students in German are discussion leaders. Where appropriate, GER 609 Pedagogy credit may be granted for relevant teaching experience in other settings at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies.
• GER 601 (3 credits) – is a 1-credit advising tutorial in the second quarter, and a 1-credit Portfolio Paper advising tutorial during each of two quarters between the second and fourth quarter.
• GER 503 or 605 (9 credits) – are tutorials to prepare the MA Thesis or MA Papers. The Division of Graduate Studies requires that a student be registered for at least 3 graduate credits during their final term. If a student completes a thesis during this final term, registration must include 3 credits of GER 503 (Thesis).

Students must be enrolled for a minimum of 2 regularly scheduled GER graduate courses, or graduate courses in other departments or programs, according to these MA degree requirements, plus one credit of GER 606 pedagogy for each term of a GE appointment.

PhD Program

Students entering with a BA degree:

Students must successfully complete at least 92 credits of graduate coursework. During the first two years in the program, successful completion of a minimum of twelve courses (48 credits) at the 500 or 600 level. At least ten of these (40 credits) must be in German (GER) or be taught under a different prefix (e.g. COLT) by a member of the German department faculty. A student may take up to two of these ten graduate courses (8 credits) in other departments or programs if the courses are related to their research projects and with the approval from the graduate advisor. The total graduate GPA must remain at 3.5 or higher. Nine of the GER courses must be graded, including six required Core Rotation courses:

• GER 690 – Form and Structure
• GER 691 – Gender, Class, Race, and Nation
• GER 692 – Subject, Consciousness, and Mind
• GER 693 – Photography, Film, Video, Electronic Media
• GER 694 – Environment and Text
• GER 695 – Translations/Transformations

Students must be enrolled for a minimum of two regularly scheduled GER graduate courses, or graduate courses in other departments, according to these PhD degree requirements, plus the pedagogy colloquium (GER 609), for each term of any GE appointment within the department prior to the term in which Comprehensive Exams are taken. The pedagogy colloquium requirement remains in force during and beyond that term until students have earned 12 credits of GER 609.

During the third year in the program, successful completion of a minimum of six graded courses (24 credits) at the 500 or 600 level is required (excluding 601, 603, 608, and 606). At least five of these courses (20 credits) must be in German (GER) or be taught under a different prefix (e.g. COLT) by a member of the German department faculty. The remaining course may be taken from another department if it is related to their research projects and with approval from the graduate advisor.

Starting in the Fall of the fourth year, students enroll with P/N registration in a minimum of six further GER courses at the 500 or 600 level (excluding 601, 603, and 606), before defending the dissertation. Up to two of these courses may be taken in other departments or programs, if the courses are related to their research projects, with approval from the graduate advisor and the course instructor for P/N registration.

In addition, students must also complete the following 20 credits of coursework:

• GER 610 (Teaching Methods, graded, 4 credits) – to be taken in the fall of their first year.
• GER 606 pedagogy (12 credits) – is a 1-credit course taken in each of the first 12 quarters. Students enroll in one credit hour of GER 606 Pedagogy with the language coordinator for each term in which they are instructors of record for language courses on the 100, 200, or 300 level, or with the faculty member in the Department of German & Scandinavian, who is teaching a course for which they are discussion leaders. GER 606 Pedagogy credit cannot be granted for courses taught in other departments for which graduate students in German are discussion leaders. Where appropriate, GER 606 Pedagogy credit may be granted for relevant teaching experience in other settings at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies.
• GER 601 (4 credits) – is a 1-credit advising tutorial in the second quarter of the first year (see below on “Mentoring”), and a 1-credit Portfolio Paper advising tutorial during each of three quarters between the second and eleventh quarter.

Students entering with an MA degree:

Students must successfully complete at least 36 credits of graduate coursework beyond those required for the MA degree. A minimum GPA of 3.5 is required throughout. During the first year in the program, successful completion of a minimum of six graded courses (24 credits) at the 500 or 600 level is required. At least five of these courses (20 credits) must be in German (GER) or be taught under a different prefix (e.g. COLT) by a member of the German department faculty. The remaining course may be taken in another department of program if it is related to their research projects and with approval from the graduate advisor.

Students must be enrolled for a minimum of two regularly scheduled GER graduate courses, or graduate courses in other departments or programs, according to these PhD degree requirements, plus the pedagogy colloquium (GER 606) for each term of any GE appointment within the department prior to the term in which comprehensive exams are taken. The pedagogy colloquium requirement remains in force during and beyond that term until students have earned 6 credits of GER 606.

Starting in the fall of the second year, students enroll with P/N registration in a minimum of six further GER courses at the 500 or 600 level (excluding 601, 603, and 606), before defending the dissertation. Up to two of these courses may be taken in other departments or programs, if the courses are related to their research projects, with approval from the Graduate Advisor and the course instructor for P/N registration.

In addition, students must also complete the following 12 credits of coursework:

• GER 610 Teaching Methods, graded, 4 credits – to be taken in the fall of their first year.
• GER 606 pedagogy, at least 6 credits.
• GER 601, 2 credits – a 1-credit advising tutorial in the second quarter of the first year, and a 1-credit Portfolio Paper advising tutorial during one quarter between the second and fifth quarter.

MA Program:

Nine of the GER courses must be graded, including the six required core courses. The total graduate GPA must remain 3.3 or higher.

PhD Program:

Five of the six required GER 500 or 600-level courses must be graded, not more than one of the GER seminars for Pass/No Pass. The six further seminars are taken for Pass/No Pass. A minimum GPA of 3.3 is required throughout.

MA Program:

Pass the written and oral examination within prescribed timetable, with no more than 1 retake. Not passing one question the first time puts the student in an unsatisfactory standing. New questions for the failed part of the exam will be given in a two-week framework.

PhD Program:

1. Pass the written and preliminary oral examination. Not passing one question the first time puts the student in an unsatisfactory standing. New questions for the failed part of the exam will be given in a two-week framework.
2. Within two weeks after passing the oral examination, the student will name a dissertation director and committee.
3. By the end of term following the passage of the exams (excluding summer), i.e. normally by the end of winter term of the second year, the candidate must submit and defend a prospectus of the planned dissertation to the dissertation committee. All committee members must approve the prospectus and sign the doctoral-student activity form.
4. Defend completed dissertation within two years after passing the written and oral examinations. Possible extensions of this time frame have to be approved by the tenured faculty.

MA Program: Timeline for the Second Year

October 15 – Director of thesis (or first MA paper) chosen and one-page proposal/outline approved.

January 15 – Approved first MA paper due. Director of second MA paper approves outline. Rough draft of thesis due.

February 15 – Rough draft of second MA paper due. Selection of MA committee members; individual reading list to be developed in consultation with them.

March 31 – Approved thesis/second MA paper due. Reading list finalized, portfolio (see #3) complete.

PhD Program (if entering with an MA): Timeline

Spring of First Year:

Submission of portfolio paper. Creation of examination committee.

Fall of Second Year:

Comprehensive examination. Name dissertation director and committee two weeks after passing the exams.

Winter of Second Year:

Prospectus defense.

Spring of Third Year:

Submission and defense of dissertation.

PhD Program (if entering with a BA): Timeline:

First Year:

Submission of portfolio paper.

Second Year:

Submission of second portfolio paper

Spring of Third Year:

Submission of third portfolio paper. Creation of examination committee.

Fall of Fourth Year:

Comprehensive examination. Name dissertation director and committee two weeks after passing the exams.

Winter of Fourth Year:

Prospectus defense.

Spring of Fifth Year:

Submission and defense of dissertation.

MA Program: Students must satisfy Division of Graduate Studies requirements for competence in one other foreign language and the German and Scandinavian departmental requirement for competence in two foreign languages. To satisfy the latter requirement, MA students have to demonstrate reading proficiency (or better) in a language other than English or German. They may satisfy this requirement either by passing two years (or the equivalent) of college-level language work, or by passing a graduate-level reading knowledge course (for languages in which a course is offered).

PhD Program: Students are required to demonstrate advanced knowledge of at least one language other than German (or English for native German speakers). This requirement may be met by passing the last term of the third-year sequence of a foreign language or by taking a 400-level literature, film theory, or culture course (P/N) conducted in that language or by taking a translation exam.

MA Program: GER 610: Teaching Methods, graded, 4 credits - to be started during orientation week & continued in the fall of the first year.

GER 606: Pedagogy, 6 credits - a 1 credit course taken in each of the six quarters.

PhD Program: GER 610: Teaching Methods, graded, 4 credits - to be started during orientation week & continued in the fall of the first year.

GER 606: Pedagogy, at least 9 credits.

MA Program:

GER 601 (3 credits) – a 1-credit advising tutorial in the second quarter, and a 1-credit portfolio paper advising tutorial during each of two quarters between the second and fourth quarter German 503 or 605 (9 credits) – tutorials to prepare the MA thesis or MA papers.

Students must make at least one public presentation of their research (such as reading a 20-minute paper) at a joint graduate-student colloquium in winter term or at an approved conference.

Each year the department offers a broad variety of lectures, conferences, and/or workshops. These extracurricular events are essential for the professional training of our graduate students, and we strongly urge regular attendance.

PhD Program:

GER 601 Research (3 credits)—one term advising, two terms portfolio paper revision. GER 608 (Doctoral Colloquium, 2 credits P/N).

Each year the department offers a broad variety of lectures, conferences, and/or workshops. These extracurricular events are essential for the professional training of our graduate students, and we strongly urge regular attendance.

PhD Program: Timeline Spring of First Year:

Submission of first portfolio paper. Creation of examination committee.

Fall of Second Year:

Comprehensive exams. Name dissertation director and committee two weeks after passing the exams.

Winter of Second Year:

Prospectus defense.

Portfolio Papers:

Portfolio papers (MA students: 2 papers; PhD students entering with a BA: 3 papers, PhD students entering with an MA: 1 paper) from amongst the substantial research papers written during the first three terms of study must be revised under tutorial supervision (GER 601) and, once approved by the professor directing the tutorial, submitted as "Portfolio" papers. Portfolio papers will be about 25-28 pages in length; the revision process aims to expand the depth of the original research paper and enhance the overall argumentation. The purpose of this requirement is twofold: to enhance scholarly research and writing skills, and to enable students to prepare accomplished writing samples for future use. In each case, the revisions are to be undertaken in the context of a GER 601 tutorial with the professor with whom the paper was originally written (except with approval of the graduate advisor). Students must submit an outline of their argument for the professor’s approval before revising each portfolio paper. In consultation with - and as approved by - the advising professor, a relevant pre-professional project related to the content of the original course may take the place of one of the two portfolio papers; such projects might include a course proposal and detailed syllabus, an extended annotated bibliography, a web-based project, or any other suitable project designed to prepare the student for their intended future career.

MA students must make at least one public presentation of their research (such as reading a 20-minute paper) at a joint graduate-student colloquium (normally during Winter term of the second year of study) or at an approved conference.

For PhD students, one of the portfolio papers must be developed to the point of being capable of being submitted for publication as a scholarly article or paper to be published in a conference proceeding volume and must ultimately be submitted to a scholarly journal or proposed essay collection or proceedings volume prior to the defense of the dissertation.

The process for evaluating satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree is as follows: successful and timely completion of coursework and portfolio papers. Excellence in teaching and support of departmental professional initiatives.

Student's motivation and resourcefulness, commitment to scholarly projects; independent, creative, and original thinking are also evaluated as evidenced by the student's progress in the above-listed areas.

Describe procedure and timetables per instructions above related to GE's failure to make satisfactory progress toward a graduate degree.

Each year during the month of February the tenure stream faculty reviews the academic performance and teaching reviews of each graduate student enrolled in the graduate program. In case of unsatisfactory progress towards the graduate degree, the advisor of each student or the DGS will meet with the student, discuss the problems, and decide together with the student upon a manageable course of action. A working plan and timetable for the successful completion of missing work will be decided upon and signed. In case there are problems with teaching performance, students will be assigned additional instruction. In case of linguistic problems in German, an additional individual course of study will be assigned.

If the student does not successfully complete the additional course of study, the DGS and the department head will meet with the student again. This may lead to the negotiation of an alternate schedule for the completion of the missing work or to disqualification from the program.