日耳曼语言文学专业研究生课程的主要优势是其灵活性。尽管主要侧重于德文文学和文化研究，但学生的课程和论文中经常包括比较文学，艺术，哲学，电影研究，历史和科学史。在研究生院院长的指导下，学生们制定了一项研究计划，该计划一方面旨在获得整个领域的广泛常识，另一方面则针对自己的特殊重点。通常，论文主题会从研讨会论文中浮出水面，此外，博士普通考试的准备工作专门针对在一定时期和类型下发展专业知识。我们还提供较古老的日耳曼语，尤其是北欧语，以及有关中世纪特定方面的课程。提供了较旧语言的博士课程，该课程利用了英国和中世纪历
A major strength of the graduate program in Germanic Languages and Literatures is its flexibility. While the focus is on German literature and cultural studies, students often include comparative literature, art, philosophy, film studies, musicology, and history of science in their coursework and dissertation. Under the guidance of the director of graduate studies, students develop a plan of study that aims, on the one hand, for broad general knowledge of the field as a whole and, on the other, for special emphases of their own. Often, dissertation topics emerge from seminar papers, in addition, preparation for the PhD general exam is specifically geared toward developing expertise in a period and a genre. We also offer older Germanic languages'such as Old Norse, Old High German, and Gothicas well as courses on specific aspects of the medieval period. A doctoral program in the older languages is available, which draws on resources in related disciplines such as English and medieval history. Teaching is required for the PhD degree, not only because sound training and practice are essential for a career in higher education, but also because it provides transferable skills in many other careers for which a PhD may be helpful. Graduate students normally begin teaching in their third year of study. New teachers take a course in foreign language pedagogy, and all graduate students involved in language teaching profit from the guidance of the language program coordinator. Opportunities are provided to teach elementary and intermediate language classes, where the graduate student is responsible for the entire weekly instruction of a class. Many of our graduate students assist in high-enrollment courses on literature, film, thought, and culture given by members of the department or professors in related departments, in such courses, the graduate student leads a weekly discussion group under the direction of the course head. Graduate students may also participate as teaching fellows in the undergraduate Program in General Education, again as leaders of small-group discussion sections that accompany lectures given by a professor.