Student opportunities on campus, in Columbus, and abroad

Graduate students engaging in Fußball excitement

The long tradition of German at the Ohio State University has engendered a large and vibrant community of people interested in German Studies, offering unrivaled opportunities for graduate students to develop professional skills while pursuing their academic goals.

Thanks to the widespread interest in German at Ohio State and the international reputation of the department, the graduate students organize the annual GGSA conference, attracting speakers from across the country. The graduate students choose the topic, select the speakers, and coordinate the event themselves. In so doing, they gain new career competencies and help establish the trajectory of the discipline.

An exchange program with the TU Dresden further provides students possibilities to advance their individual research projects, refine their language skills, and become part of an international academic network. Through this longstanding program, our students have several options to study abroad and they gain helpful connections when applying for competitive fellowships like the DAAD and Fulbright awards.

Outside of the classroom, we also encourage our graduate students to pursue meaningful interdisciplinary work related to their interests. Recently, students have worked with refugees in Dresden and researched in Bonn.

There are also several unique opportunities for students here in Columbus, which has been a base of German immigration to America since the 1860s. Just south of campus in the historic “German Village” neighborhood, students can participate in the Männerchor, Damenchor, and Swiss club, or head to the Book Loft for readings and events. Our Major League Soccer team, the Columbus Crew, hosts an international friendly with a Budesliga team every year. And Columbus is home to a premier symphony, a thriving opera scene, and several chamber music festivals, as well as first-rate museums. There is no shortage of events and cultural offerings for students hoping to find entertainment off campus. Combined with the low cost of living, Ohio State’s beautiful campus, and the institution’s world-class resources, the rich cultural life makes Columbus an ideal place to pursue a graduate education.

Our students regularly win DAAD and Fulbright awards and can elect to study abroad in Dresden.