Graduate Program in German Studies

Why German Studies at Duke?

"I was looking for a small department with an excellent student/faculty ratio. The Duke German Studies Program also appealed to me because it combines disciplinary focus with ample opportunity for interdisciplinary inquiry. A diverse faculty that covers all literary periods from the Middle Ages to the 21st Century allows students to explore things German in breadth and depth, while the Program's emphasis on interdisciplinarity and its close cooperation with the Literature Program, the Women's Studies Program, the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies and other university-wide programs makes it easy to branch out beyond one's own discipline."

- Katja Altpeter-Jones

". . . the unique, interdisciplinary academic configuration, the breadth of interests on the part of the faculty, the strong ties to the Literature Program, not to mention the excellent five-year funding."

- Janelle Blankenship

"The graduate students in our department are given the utmost freedom in choosing the content and direction of their studies. The flexible course requirements allow students to explore a wide range of fields/ideas without being compelled to compromise the rigor with which they pursue their core interests. The preliminary exam is also designed to give students a great deal of autonomy in choosing the content of their studies, but within a clearly defined structure that tries to assure that students are not only expanding their knowledge, but also specializing in a particular area of knowledge.   Interdisciplinarity is not treated as an end in itself, but as a way of enhancing and giving new perspective to the process of specialization that is the ultimate goal of graduate education."

- Margo Eastlund

" I came to Duke to study German because it was the only Ph.D. program available which offered a truly interdisciplinary approach to the study of German culture and thought. I believed, and still do, that an interdisciplinary approach to thinking and research provides a more sophisticated and more developed understanding of the questions posed. Duke's Ph.D. program in German Studies has offered me the opportunity to study German thought under professors in various departments, and thus gain an understanding that is informed by a variety of visions."

- Kristen Kramer

"I considered several 'conventional' German Ph.D. programs when applying to grad school. Duke's consistent emphasis on interdisciplinarity, one which easily accommodates non-traditional projects such as my own, won out. My own dissertation combines inquiry into (German) cultural studies, political science and history, and Duke professors from all these disciplines have been active, supportive mentors throughout. Financial support for graduate research abroad was also key. Opportunities for study in Germany, many unique to Duke, have invaluably enriched my academic and professional experience."

- Daniel C. Villanueva

"My years in the German Studies graduate program at Duke allowed me to grow both as a teacher and a scholar. I really appreciated the opportunity to teach a variety of classes, including one related to my scholarly work. The combination of guidance and intellectual freedom I experienced in the department made it possible to pursue interdisciplinary work while being anchored in German Studies. I feel that the access to professors in the department and the close collaboration with faculty in other fields enabled me to write a truly interdisciplinary dissertation that benefited from a multitude of perspectives."

- Katrin Voelkner