Applying to Germanic Studies

Admission information for prospective graduate students

We admit students to the Germanic studies graduate program only for fall semester. Admission to our M.A. and Ph.D. programs is based on

the applicant's potential for research and teaching
evidence of a commitment to the advanced study of literature and culture
demonstrated proficiency in the targeted German or Scandinavian language
academic record
scores on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)

Application Requirements

Applications must be received by December 15.
Applicants must hold a B.A. (or equivalent four-year degree) in German, Scandinavian, or a related field.
Students applying for the Germanic medieval studies track must possess a strong command of German and are encouraged to acquire a reading knowledge of Latin before enrolling.
Students applying directly for the Ph.D. in German & Scandinavian studies must have an M.A. in German, Scandinavian, or a related field. Students with a B.A. who are interested in the joint track should apply for the M.A. in either German or Scandinavian studies. Please let us know that you are ultimately interested in the German & Scandinavian studies Ph.D.
We recommend that foreign applicants for the German M.A. track have the equivalent of the Zwischenprüfung.

Application Information

Below is a table indicating the supporting documentation required and who requires it (some is required by the Graduate School, some by GSD, and some by both). Apart from transcripts, most of the required documents may be submitted via the Graduate School's online application system, ApplyYourself. The materials required by GSD may be submitted online through ApplyYourself, or e-mailed to gradgsd@umn.edu, or sent as hard copy to the Department. Transcripts are required by both the Graduate School and GSD in hard copy form.

Please make sure that anything you submit in hard copy is sent to the correct place. Materials (such as letters of recommendation or writing samples) that we require must be sent directly to us. Any materials sent to the Graduate School by mistake will be delayed and may miss the deadline.

Required Documents	Required by	How to submit	Notes
Graduate School application + fee	Graduate School	Fill out & submit online through the ApplyYourself website
GSD's Supplemental Information form	GSD	Upload into your ApplyYourself account in the “Graduate Program Additional Application” section or e-mail to gradgsd@umn.edu or send as hardcopy to the Department	The form is in Word. Contact gradgsd@umn.edu for alternate versions (pdf, rtf, etc.).
Statement of your professional goals	Graduate School & GSD	Upload into your ApplyYourself account.	A description of your professional goals of approximately 1-2 pages long. It should above all focus on your academic interests in the field in which you plan to do graduate studies. Please include information about the level of your training at the time of application; the particular areas of scholarly interest that you would like to pursue during your graduate work; and your professional plans upon completion of your training. Make an effort to address the question of why: why you wish to do graduate work in the field; why at the University of Minnesota in particular; why you think that you are an appropriate candidate for graduate studies in German or Scandinavian. The statement should be written in English.
Diversity statement	Optional	Upload into your ApplyYourself account.	Enrolling and graduating a diverse student body is central to the University of Minnesota's mission. Please write a statement that identifies the distinctive qualities, characteristics, and life experiences you would contribute to your graduate program and to the education of fellow students at the University of Minnesota. You may wish to include examples that address your contribution to the diversity of the student body and illustrate your motivation to succeed by setting high standards for accomplishing intellectual and other goals, overcoming obstacles to achievement, and/or helping others to gain access to the resources necessary for success. (Please do not exceed one page in length.)
Three letters of recommendation	GSD	Your recommenders must be listed in ApplyYourself. However, they may choose to send their letters (on letterhead) via regular mail rather than submit them online. No form is required. The letters may be sent to the Department directly from the recommender or may accompany any other hardcopy materials you send us.	The letters should be from persons who can comment meaningfully about your intellectual capabilities. At least two of these letters must be from professors with whom you have studied. Please note that only the narrative evaluation (i.e., letter) is required.
Transcripts	Grad School, GSD	Official copies sent directly from the college or university are preferred, but the Graduate School will accept unofficial copies for purposes of the application (with official versions being sent later). GSD accepts either copies or originals.	The Graduate School requires non-English transcripts to be accompanied by English translations. These do not need to be official until the student is accepted into the program.
Writing sample	GSD	May be submitted through ApplyYourself in the “Writing Sample” section or e-mailed to gradgsd@umn.edu or sent as hard copy to the Department	The paper should be no more than 25 pages and should reflect your scholarly/academic interests as well as the current level of your analytic knowledge in German or Scandinavian Studies. A term or seminar paper is best. If you have a thesis, please send an excerpt (e.g., title page, contents, one chapter). The paper may be in English or German or a Scandinavian language, but keep in mind that the admissions committee is made up of faculty members from both Scandinavian and German, and it is not a given that they are fluent in all these languages. Some students send two shorter papers, one in English and one in German. If you do this and want to use the upload feature in ApplyYourself, only one paper can be uploaded into the “Writing Sample” section. The other one can be uploaded in the ”Other Information” section
GRE scores (Graduate Record Examination)	GSD	Have the ETS (Educational Testing Service) forward the scores to the Department. If you take the test in December or if you requested a copy be sent to us late, please also send us a photocopy of your scores, so that your application will be complete in time.	GRE scores are not required for non-native speakers of English unless they wish to be considered for the Graduate School Fellowship.
TOEFL scores (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores (for non-native speakers of English)	Graduate School	Have the ETS forward the scores to the Graduate School.	The Graduate School also accepts English language test scores from the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or the Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) in lieu of the TOEFL.

Addresses

Letters of recommendation, writing sample, transcripts and GRE scores to	Official transcripts, TOEFL scores to
Dept. of German, Scandinavian & Dutch 205 Folwell Hall 9 Pleasant St. SE University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN 55455	Graduate School Admissions 309 Johnston Hall 101 Pleasant St SE University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN 55455