Graduate Program
Graduate Program In German Literature And Critical Thought
The Department of German Literature and Critical Thought offers a graduate program that focuses on the theoretical and cultural foundations for the development of German literature and critical thought from 1750 onward. In order to acquire a thorough understanding of these foundations, students take a two-year sequence of six required (core) courses and two pro-seminars. Working closely with an academic adviser, students also choose seven electives based on their own interests and the direction of their individual program. In addition to Critical Theory, which is an integral part of the department’s graduate-course offerings, Northwestern houses a wide group of related disciplines in which students in the German program are encouraged to participate, including Art History, Comparative Literary Studies, Gender Studies, History, Philosophy, Religion, and Screen Cultures.
The graduate program is home to the annual Northwestern University Department of German Speaker Series. The lectures, which are organized entirely by the graduate students, who invite scholars from around the world to discuss papers or pre-distributed materials with the academic community in Chicago.