German
In addition to general university requirements for the Ph.D., the following regulations apply to graduate students in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures:
To be accepted into the Ph.D. program, students must demonstrate by an exceptionally strong academic record that they are capable of advanced study in literature. The student will normally take two to three years of graduate courses and devote the fourth year to study and research in the country on which the student’s study concentrates. The well-prepared student can expect to receive the Ph.D. after five years of study. The graduate program in Modern Languages and Literatures emphasizes work in three complementary areas: literary history, close textual analysis, and theory of interpretation. By way of preparing students in a variety of critical schools, the faculty and the visiting professors offer training in the different disciplines pertaining to critical theory, including philosophy, theory of language, psychoanalytic theory, intellectual history, and cultural anthropology.
In addition to the major language, the Ph.D. candidate must demonstrate proficiency in one or two other languages besides English, depending on the specialization.
In addition to fulfilling the general university requirements for advanced degrees, candidates for the M.A. must demonstrate fluency in spoken German, be able to write German reasonably well, have a good knowledge of the history of German language and literature, be familiar with the general cultural background, and have read extensively in German literature, particularly in the periods after 1700. During their first two years at Hopkins, candidates for the M.A. degree must pass two topical examinations. After the M.A., two major qualifying papers are required under the supervision of two advisors, chosen by the candidate, before work on the dissertation can be undertaken.
Graduate Study Abroad
The Department encourages and expects graduates student to do research abroad during their program of study. Exchange programs with the FU Berlin (Friedrich Schlegel Graduate School of Literary Studies), the University of Hamburg, and the Humboldt University, offer the opportunity for graduate students in the German section to study in Germany. In addition, the German section offers Max Kade travel grants for research in a German-speaking country.
After presenting a research proposal to their advisor, with the approval of that advisor and the head of section, students may elect to go abroad for a semester or the entire academic year in order to conduct research essential to their dissertation.
Admission Requirements
Application Procedures
Prospective graduate students may visit the departmental website at https://krieger.jhu.edu/modern-languages-literatures/ for further information on programs and faculty. All questions regarding the programs offered by the department should be emailed to mll@jhu.edu. Prospective students are encouraged to apply online through the secure Graduate Admissions website.