The Graduate Program in Germanic Studies at UBC integrates a large scope of thematic and theoretical research areas. Students are guided by faculty whose teaching and research cover the full range of German literature and culture from medieval to the present. Course offerings comprise approaches from historical, cultural, media, performance and gender studies. The program's structure encourages students to develop their individual focus of study and research. Students have the opportunity to develop a comprehensive knowledge of German literary texts in their aesthetic, social, political, (inter-)cultural, and historical dimensions. They will learn how to apply a variety of critical methods and theories to the study of literary texts, refine literary sensibilities, analytical skills and conceptual abilities. We offer professional development opportunities such as Teaching and Research Assistantships.
We are one of North America's top departments for Northern and Central European languages, with a thriving cohort of German and Swedish-language students and outstanding Polish, Danish and Russian language programs.
We encourage our MA students to pursue German cultural and literary studies with an interdisciplinary approach.
Our faculty, whose expertise lies in all areas of German, Baltic, Scandinavian, and Slavic studies, including gender, film and media studies, as well as second language acquisition, prepare students for their future endeavours and engage them in a diversity of professional development opportunities.
Our faculty are dedicated teachers who are regularly honoured with prestigious teaching awards.
The Master’s program is intended as preparation for a career in teaching and provides a possible foundation for advancement to a PhD in Germanic Studies. Our Teaching Assistants receive supervision and guidance to become effective and engaging instructors. Recent graduates have become sessional instructors of German, and have received recognition for excellent teaching evaluations. Other recent graduates have gone on to pursue studies at UBC, Cornell University, law studies at the University of Calgary, and art studies at McGill.
