Browse our Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I apply to this program?
With sixteen full-time core faculty members who are national and international leaders in their field, the Carolina-Duke Ph.D. program in German Studies offers opportunities that no other program in North America does. Students can fully take advantage of the resources of two great universities and participate in a vibrant intellectual climate that is without peer. Our highly selective admissions process ensures that those students who are accepted will be studying along the next generation of leaders in the field of German Studies.
What do you mean by core faculty?
The core faculty hold primary appointments in the Departments of Germanic Languages and Literature at their respective universities. They also hold adjunct appointments in the German department at the opposite university, allowing graduate student advising and service on graduate student committees to proceed seamlessly. For the purposes of the Carolina-Duke Graduate Program in German Studies, they constitute a single, graduate faculty.
Where will I take courses and teach?
You will have your pick of courses taught by German studies faculty at both Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. You will have the opportunity to teach at both universities as well.
How far apart are the two campuses?
The campuses of Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are about ten miles apart and connected by free bus service (see below) Undergraduate and graduate students at Duke and UNC regularly take courses at the other institution and have done so for years.
How will I get back and forth?
Whenever classes are in session, the Robertson Scholars Program provides free, express bus service between the campuses of Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill running every thirty minutes in both directions between 7:30 am and 7:30 pm Monday through Friday, as well as hourly service on the weekends. This service is free to all members of both university communities.
Who will decide on admissions? And how do I apply?
The joint program has a single faculty and a single admissions committee drawn from the German Studies faculty at both universities. To apply use the UNC Graduate School's electronic application.
I want to do a Ph.D. in German Studies. Do I have to do an MA, too?
No, you do not. The Carolina-Duke Graduate Program in German Studies does not have a required MA. Students enrolled in the program who wish to acquire an MA along the way can do so.
I already have an MA in German. Will your program recognize it?
Yes. Incoming students who have satisfactorily completed equivalent graduate courses, for example in an accredited MA program, may be exempted by the Director of Graduate Studies and Graduate Advising (DGS) from up to six required courses, including, if applicable, the core courses.
So will I be a Blue Devil or a Tar Heel?
You will be both, with full access to the educational and cultural riches of both universities. We have worked with administrative staff at both universities to ensure that such administrative processes as registration, financial aid, internal fellowship competitions, and so on are easy, seamless, and transparent.
What if a problem arises? Which university's policies will apply?
The Duke and Carolina Graduate Schools have been consulted to ensure that the joint degree to be awarded for completion of the Program is in compliance with existing policies. Students in the Program will normally be subject to the institutional policies of their administrative home institution. Instances of non-comparable policies will be addressed as necessary by mutual agreement of the Duke and Carolina Graduate School deans.
Does this mean that the departments are merging?
No. The merger of the graduate programs will not alter the independent status of the two Departments of Germanic Languages and Literature, which will remain separate for all other matters, including personnel decisions and the management of their undergraduate curricula.