Application & Admission

Application

For students interested in pursuing German Literary Studies, please see the M.A./Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at www.complit.ucsb.edu. For further information, you can email the Comparative Literature Program at gd-complit@complit.ucsb.edu.

Admission

In addition to the general requirements of the Graduate Division, students admitted to both the M.A. and the Ph.D. program will have completed an undergraduate major in German literature or a related field. Candidates may be required to take undergraduate courses to make up deficiencies in preparation before or concurrent with beginning work in the master's program. For admission to the Ph.D. program applicants must have hold an M.A. degree in German literature or a related field.

Admission is based on five kinds of evidence:

  1. Copy of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended uploaded in the online application;
  2. Three letters of recommendation. Please note your recommenders can now submit their letters electronically. You will be prompted to enter information about your recommenders when you fill out the online application. If you have a recommender who is only able to submit a hard copy letter, you must make sure to supply that recommender with the mandatory letter of recommendation cover-sheet;
  3. Scores on the general test of the GRE and, if the applicant is not from an English-speaking country, TOEFL. The UCSB institution code is 4835.
  4. A writing sample in German or English; and
  5. Statement of purpose, personal achievements/contributions, and resume/CV (submitted in the online application).

The writing sample should be a substantial essay written in the context of an upper-division or graduate-level course. In addition to departmental requirements, candidates for graduate degrees must meet university degree requirements. Applicants should consult the newest General Catalog for possible changes in requirements.

The department’s admission policy is based on intellectual potentials and promise, academic records, and programmatic fit.

Applications can be completed at https://www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/eapp/

For further information, please contact:

Tyler McMullen
Student Services Manager
Phone: 805-893-2961
Email: tylermcmullen@ucsb.edu