Graduate
About the Program
A major strength of the graduate program is its flexibility. While the main focus is on German literature and cultural studies, students often include comparative literature, art, philosophy, film studies, history, and history of science in their coursework and dissertations.
Fellowships
Students are eligible to apply for competitive fellowships that support research, travel, language study, dissertation writing, and other necessities of their academic career at Harvard.
Secondary Field in German
Students seeking a secondary Ph.D. field in German take a minumum of four courses in the department. Reading knowledge of German is a pre-requisite.
Recent Dissertations
Dissertations submitted in recent years span topics ranging from satire, political correctness, and the literature of dissent to portrayals of the environment in literature and film and the intersection of literature with statistics, law, and psychology.
Careers
Graduates of the department pursue academic careers primarily, but also work in government, the non-profit and private sectors, media, and the arts.