Graduate Program Assistant

The Graduate Program Assistant will assist students from the application process through to graduation. The Graduate Program Assistant will assist the student in registering for courses (including late add/drops), transfer credit forms, and graduation forms.

Associate Chair of Graduate Studies

Students entering the M.A. program should contact the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies for German before the beginning of the first semester. The Associate Chair of Graduate Studies will discuss the student's interests, previous experience, requirements, deadlines, scholarship opportunities, and will advise the student concerning his/her program of studies. In the first semester, the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies will assign each student a faculty mentor. The Associate Chair of Graduate Studies for German also monitors the student's progress and keeps him/her informed about departmental and university deadlines. All graduate students must meet with the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies each semester to select courses. No later than the end of the second semester, the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies will help the student select a thesis director, who will work closely with students as they write the thesis.

Faculty Mentor

Each incoming MA student is assigned a faculty mentor, who is a member of the German graduate faculty. Students are required to meet their mentors at the beginning of their first semester to discuss comprehensive exams, prospectus and thesis writing, the possible choice of a second area of specialization, and course choices.

Good Standing in the Department

A graduate student is in good standing, eligible for employment and to be nominated for departmental fellowships, if he/she:

  1. is enrolled in a full-time program of graduate study. (Full-time is defined as taking 5 hours of graduate level credit, 8 hours of combined graduate/undergraduate credit, or any number of thesis hours.)
  2. obtains grades of B- and above in graduate courses or has an overall B average in graduate courses.
  3. has no more than ONE grade of incomplete during any semester.
  4. complies with the timeline for the German M.A. degree

Graduate School Grievance Policy for Graduate Students

M.A. Options

Plan I - thesis option (standard option): 30 credit hours including 24 hours of course work and 6 thesis hours. A maximum of 6 credit hours may be completed at the 3000 or 4000 level at the discretion of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies. A maximum of 6 hours of independent study coursework may be taken with the approval of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies.

Plan II - non-thesis plan: 30 credit hours of coursework. A maximum of 6 credit hours may be completed at the 3000 or 4000 level at the discretion of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies. A maximum of 6 hours of independent study coursework may be taken with the approval of the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies.

Graduation Deadlines

Students will begin to submit paperwork for graduation at the beginning of their final semester. See the Graduate School Deadlines for M.A. students.

Students who are unable to meet the spring graduation deadlines do have the option of summer graduation.  If the student successfully defends his/her thesis before summer session-A begins (beginning of June), he/she will not have to register for summer courses and should submit graduation paperwork and the thesis using the summer graduation deadlines.  (Note: Students should expect to defend their thesis before the spring semester ends, as many faculty are not available for a thesis defense once classes have ended.)  Summer graduates are invited to walk in the spring commencement ceremonies -- C.U. does not hold a summer commencement ceremony.

Fellowships & Travel Grants

Graduate students are eligible for fellowships from the Graduate School and the Center for Humanities and the Arts. The department nominates students for these awards. Graduate students may apply for travel assistance funds from the Graduate School, UGGS or from the Center for Humanities and the Arts. The department also offers several fellowships and scholarships to graduate students. See German Graduate Scholarship page for more information.

Graduate Exchange Opportunities

The office of International Education at CU-Boulder offers the following exchange programs for graduate students:

Universities of Göttingen and Regensburg

  • Duration: One year (10 months) of study.
  • Benefits: Matriculation plus a monthly stipend for living expenses.
  • Number of positions: one at each university.
  • Qualifications: Fluency in German. Evidence of superior academic work. Preference given to currently enrolled CU-Boulder graduate students in German or to graduating CU-Boulder seniors majoring in Germanic studies.

Application Deadline: February 15

    For further information on Study Abroad programs and for applications contact the Office of International Education, UCB 123, Boulder, CO 80309, (303) 492-7741 or visit their website at: http://studyabroad.colorado.edu.

    Career Planning & Placement

    CU's Career Services provides career information and can help students find vacancy listings. For a fee it will also maintain and send a set of your credentials to any designated persons. For more information on their services, contact Career Services at UCB 133, Boulder, CO 80309, phone (303) 492-6541 or stop by their offices in Willard Hall. You can also visit their website at: http://www.colorado.edu/careerservices/