Our Department

The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures at The Ohio State University is home to one of the oldest and largest German and Germanic Studies programs in the country. Its sixteen faculty members offer a comprehensive course of study that covers all periods of literary, cultural, and intellectual history as well as a plurality of diverse interests and in-depth specializations that include Germanic philology, aesthetic philosophy, minority literature, post-colonial studies, language pedagogy, film studies, gender studies, cultural theory, Scandinavian studies, and Yiddish and Ashkenazic studies. The Department's strength, however, lies not in mere pluralism, but in its coherent and firm commitment to the humanities and rigorous intellectual inquiry as well as to meaningful innovation on all levels of professional activity.

Students are the primary beneficiaries of this commitment. Undergraduate and graduate students alike will find their interests reflected in the Department's course offerings. The Department offers undergraduate degrees in German, Yiddish, and Scandinavian Studies and highly competitive MA and Ph.D. degrees in German and Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies that have led to excellent placements. In order to facilitate intellectual exchange, the Department regularly sponsors symposia and conferences, visits by guest lecturers and distinguished visiting professors, and in-house discussions, where faculty and students are able to share their work-in-progress in an informal setting. Regular extracurricular activities and social events are sponsored by the Department or student-run German Club and our Max Kade German House. For those who want to complement their study of German language and culture with extended immersion experiences, the Department offers overseas study programs at the University of Bonn, the Technical University of Dresden, the Free University Berlin, and the Humboldt University, Berlin. Students can earn direct OSU credit while studying abroad.

A recent photograph of Hagerty Hall on the Ohio State Main Campus.

Ongoing research and publication require a reliable system of financial support. The Department is noted for its active support of both faculty members and graduate students in this regard. In addition, the College of Humanities awards considerable financial assistance to projects of merit. All our Ph.D. students enjoy a minimum of six years of financial support in the form of fellowships or teaching associateships. Fellowships and teaching associateships are currently at approximately $15,000.00 per year plus full tuition and fee waivers. More details about the Department's Graduate Programs as well as most other aspects of our programs can be found in the department's Web pages.

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