|
GERMAN STUDIES at
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
HOME
UPCOMING EVENTS
PEOPLE
PROGRAMS
OF STUDY
STUDENT
INFORMATION
COURSES
INSTITUTE FOR
GERMAN CULTURAL STUDIES
NEW GERMAN CRITIQUE
LINKS
|
GRADUATE
STUDIES
OVERVIEW
COURSES
OF STUDY
LIBRARY
FACILITIES
ADMISSION
PROCEDURE
FELLOWSHIPS
AND FINANCIAL AID
GRADUATE
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
CURRENT
GRADUATE STUDENTS
OVERVIEW
The
extraordinary changes in central Europe over the past few years have
again brought the study of the German-speaking countries of Europe to
the center of academic interest in the United States. Cornell University's
Field of Germanic Studies has been leading the development, in research
as well as teaching, of the new and lively field of German studies.
In this transdisciplinary program, the faculty
has a strong interest in cultural and intellectual history, as well
as literary theory, gender studies, film, and music. Members of the
faculty are also affiliated with the Medieval
Studies Program, Program
of Jewish Studies, Program
in the History and Philosophy of Science, Department
of Music, Department
of Theatre, Film & Dance, Program of
Cinema Studies, Department
of Comparative Literature, the
Field of Lesbian, Bisexual, and Gay Studies
and the Feminist,
Gender, & Sexuality Studies Program.
The New
German Critique, an interdisciplinary journal, is also based
in the Department of German Studies. In the past years faculty members
have team-taught courses with colleagues from the Departments
of Psychology, Music,
History of Art,
Comparative Literature,
and the Program in the History
and Philosophy of Science. The course work offered in the field
reflects this transdisciplinary approach: students take a wide variety
of courses from within the core program (ranging from seminars on topics
such as sixteenth-century popular literature, and German feminist response
to the Shoah, to seminars on Wolfram von Eschenbach, Schiller, the brothers
Mann, and Adorno). They also are encouraged to take seminars offered
in German-oriented areas from throughout the university (from the history
of German Education through German political philosophy).
COURSES
OF STUDY
The
graduate program in German Studies allows students to tailor their program
to their own academic interests. Graduate students, whatever their concentration,
work closely with a Special Committee of their choice that advises them
and administers the examinations required for an advanced degree. The
Graduate School permits any combination of major and minor subjects
approved by the candidate's Special Committee.
Students
with a major in German Literature will acquire a general knowledge of
the field and become familiar with the tools and methods necessary for
research and analysis. A concentration in German Intellectual History
also draws on the faculty of neighboring departments, such as Philosophy,
History, Government, Psychology, Music, etc. Students may also concentrate
in German Cinema Studies.
Prior to being permitted to take the Admission-to-Candidacy examination
for the Ph.D., a student in German Literature, German Intellectual History,
or German Cinema Studies must complete five of the anchor courses taught
by a faculty member in the Department of German Studies in the following
four areas of German culture: Middle Ages through the Reformation; the
Baroque through the end of the eighteenth century; the nineteenth century;
the twentieth century. A student with a major in Germanic linguistics
is expected to gain a thorough knowledge of the basic tools of research
in linguistics and philosophy and a thorough competence in theoretical
linguistics.Among the possible areas of concentration are the structure
of modern German, contrastive analysis of German and English, the older
Germanic languages, the history of the German language, and comparative
Germanic linguistics.
All students, regardless of concentration, are encouraged to pursue parallel
interests in history, political science, linguistics, philosophy, music,
and other literatures.
LIBRARY
FACILITIES
The
Cornell Libraries have more
than 5.2 million volumes, including extensive holdings in all periods
and aspects of Germanic studies. Of special interest are the Bopp Philological
Collection, the Zarncke Collection of medieval through eighteenth-century
texts (including substantial Luther and Lessing collections), the Witchcraft
Collection, the Loewy Masonic Collection, and the Fiske Icelandic Collection.
ADMISSION
PROCEDURE
In
addition to German majors, undergraduates who have majored in Humanities
or Social Sciences and who have a strong interest in German Studies are
encouraged to apply. Fluency in the German language is required. Reading
knowledge of a foreign language other than German is expected by completion
of the advanced degree. We recommend that all applicants submit scores
on the Graduate Record Examination aptitude test. In addition, we require
a writing sample, transcripts, and at least two letters of recommendation.
Students whose native language is not English must also submit TOEFL socres.
The application process must be done on-line through the Graduate
School and must be complete by January 15. If you have
any questions, please contact
us.
FELLOWSHIPS
AND FINANCIAL AID
Applicants
and continuing students nominated by the Field of Germanic Studies are
eligible for a variety of scholarships awarded by the Graduate School.
Teaching Assistantships are available in beginning language and literature
courses and in Cornell's Freshman Seminar Writing Program; apprentice
teaching is considered an essential part of the graduate program in German.
Opportunities for study abroad include the Schurman Fellowship at the
University of Heidelberg, German Academic Exchange fellowships (DAAD)
and exchange fellowships with the universities of Göttingen and Berlin.
- German
Academic Exchange Service Fellowships:
One or more DAAD fellowships are awarded directly to Cornell University
annually by the German Academic Exchange Service. The fellowships carry
tuition and fees, monthly stipends ranging from Euro 715 to Euro 975,
and a stipend to defray travel costs. They enable students to study
at a German university or to work on a research project in Germany.
The DAAD guidelines state that, "[g]raduating seniors, graduate students
and Ph.D. candidates of high academic caliber, who are currently enrolled
full time ... and are not older than 32, are invited to apply." U.S.
citizens and Canadian citizens attending Cornell are eligible. Deadline
is normally in October each year.
- Humboldt
Exchange Fellowship:
One graduate exchange fellowship is awarded directly
to the Department of German Studies annually. This fellowship carries
tuition and fees, and a monthly stipend. The fellowship will enable
the student to study at the Humboldt University and to work on dissertation
research. Applications should include project outline and/or rationale
for study abroad, and two letters of recommendation from professors
in the student's field. Fellowship announcement and application deadline
announced in early January. Applications are solicited foremost from
graduate students in the Department of German Studies at Cornell and
should be sent to Professor Peter
Uwe Hohendahl, Department of German Studies, Cornell University.
- Cornell
University-Heidelberg Exchange Fellowships:
Cornell University offers two Graduate
Exchange Fellowships to the University of Heidelberg/Germany. They carry
tuition and fees plus a monthly stipend of Euro 630 for ten months.
In additional the University of Heidelberg will cover the fees for the
preparatory language course and, if desired, for a language course (4
hrs per week) that is offered duriing the academic year. The German
academic year customarily runs from mid-October to mid-July with a two-month
break from mid-February to mid-April between semesters. Students arrange
for their own transportation. The competition is open to qualified students
from all academic units in the university. Applicants are encouraged
to obtain a good knowledge of the German language by the beginning of
the German academic year in October. While it is no longer a prerequisite,
particularly for students in the Sciences where English has become the
lingua franca, students of subjects involving German texts
will obviously still need it. Application material (there are no official
application forms) should include CV (complete with local address, telephone
number and e-mail address), a brief rationale for study abroad, a Cornell
transcript, and one letter of recommendation from a professor in the
student's field. Application material should be sent to: Professor Herbert
Deinert, 180 Goldwin Smith Hall, or Miriam
Zubal, Administrative Manager, Department of German Studies, 183
Goldwin Smith Hall. Deadline: February 1, 2008.
More information on graduate fellowships, travel
grants, and financial aid is available from the
Institute for European Studies
and The Graduate School.
GRADUATE
PRIZES
- Goethe
Prize
Graduate Students (10-20 page essay) win up to $500; Juniors/Seniors
(7-15 page essay) win up to $250, Freshmen/Sophomores (5-10 page essay)
win up to $250 with an essay on any topic connected to German literature
or culture.
The Goethe Prize, endowed in 1935 by Ludwig Vogelstein, is awarded annually
for the best essay. The committee may award a first prize, and possibly
a second prize. Essays should be submitted under an assumed name, but
the author must indicate class standing on the essay and submit a sealed
envelope containing his/her identity. Each student may enter only one
essay; former prize winners are not eligible, except that winners in
the freshman/sophomore competition may enter the junior/graduate competition
when they have advanced to that status. Deadline: Noon, April 15, 2008.
Submit to: Dean of the University Faculty, 315 Day Hall.
For more
information, send e-mail to: germanic_studies@cornell.edu
or visit the Cornell
University home page.This site
was created by M. Duncan. Last modified: 12/14/2007. |
