Graduate Admissions – Application Instructions

The Department of German accepts the Graduate Application for the M.A./Ph.D.* degree program beginning in September for admission to the following fall semester. Applications must be submitted on-line no later than December 15.
*The Department does not admit for the M.A. as a final degree, although the M.A. will be awarded to students pursuing work toward the Ph.D. after fulfillment of the requirements. Applicants who hold an M.A. in German may apply directly to the Ph.D. program.

Graduate Application and Supporting Documents

Graduate Division Application:  The on-line application is available after September 6 via the Graduate Division web site http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/index.shtml.
 
Letters of Recommendation: Submit three letters, preferably from faculty familiar with your academic work. You may request these via the on-line application and faculty can submit them electronically. We also accept letters submitted through Interfolio.

Transcripts:  Electronically submitted transcripts are accepted for admissions review and should be submitted via the on-line application.  When you are offered admission we require an official transcript of every college or university you have attended in sealed envelopes issued and sent by the school. A bachelor's degree or recognized equivalent from an accredited institution with a satisfactory scholastic average minimum GPA of 3.0 (B) is required for admissions consideration. International applicants: The transcript/record must be issued in the original language and accompanied by English translations prepared by the issuing institution or an official government translator (see Graduate Division Web page for guidelines).

Graduate Record Exam (GRE): To have test scores reported to UC Berkeley and the German Department use: Institution Code 4833 and Department Code 2604 (Germanic Languages). Test scores more than five years old will not be accepted.  All applicants who have attended a college or university in a country where English is the official language are required to submit GRE scores.  Take the GRE no later than November. International students educated in countries where English is not the official language must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or equivalent (see Graduate Division Web page for guidelines).

Writing Sample: Submit a sample of your academic writing (in English or German) showing your thought process and style of argument.  Upload and submit this with your on-line application (limited to 25 pages). 

Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Application: It is recommended that you submit a GSI application (on-line with the graduate application). All graduate students teach as part of the graduate program, and teaching positions are awarded at the time of admission. Teaching experience is not required.

Send all supporting documents to the Department of German:

Application questions may be sent to the graduate assistant at germanga@berkeley.edu.

Reactivation of a Previous Application

If you have applied within the last two years, you may reactivate your application by submitting form A of the current graduate application. The department recommends that you submit a new Statement of Purpose (Form F) and writing sample, an additional letter of recommendation, and transcripts of all coursework undertaken since you last applied.

Admissions Procedure and Criteria

The departmental Graduate Admissions and Support Committee examines and evaluates within the first two weeks of each spring semester all completed applications that have been received by the department. The committee then makes its recommendations for admission to the Graduate Division in early February. It also recommends awards of GSIships and/or fellowships. Applications for appointments as GSIs are due in the department by mid-December each year. The department notifies all applicants recommended for admission and support before the end of February each year.

Criteria for the selection of applicants for graduate study in German literature and culture or Germanic linguistics include the following: academic background (including grades) and interests, professional promise, evidence of intellectual initiative and commitment, potential for a successful teaching career at the university or college level, and language proficiency in German. The assessment of the applicant's potential is based primarily on the statement of purpose (which should focus on the potential contribution to the field), past record and recommendations. A writing sample (in English or in German) that shows the applicant's thought process and style of argument is required.

Applicants from foreign countries should be aware that the department's resources for supporting them with nonresident tuition are very limited; thus, admission of such students is particularly difficult.