Admissions

To apply to the German MA program, you will need to submit transcripts from your undergraduate institutions, a writing sample in German, three letters of recommendation, and your TOEFL score if you are an international student. It is important to start the application process early, especially if you are an international student, because it takes time to process a visa, and our number of assistantships is limited.

Please note: The Graduate School states that all applicants have to take the GRE (Graduate Record Examination), but the German MA program does NOT require the GRE. Instead, we ask for a writing sample in German. Ideally, we would like you to submit a Seminararbeit that you wrote in German for an undergraduate class.

It is possible to apply for the MA program if you do not have an undergraduate degree in German, but you must have strong German language skills. In this case, the writing sample (in German) will be from another study area. Students who have not completed the UA German BA degree program will most likely be required to take at least one undergraduate level survey course, depending on their educational background. It is possible to receive graduate credit for such a course upon completion of additional graduate-level assignments.

Application Checklist

  1. Apply online via the Graduate School website.
  2. Fill out the Graduate Application Form.
  3. Pay the application fee.
  4. Submit a Statement of Purpose explaining why you would like to study German at The University of Alabama.
  5. Submit 3 letters of recommendation. Your instructors/professors can submit those letters via the website of the Graduate School. You will receive the necessary information on how to do that once you have applied online. In case of any problems, letters of recommendation can be also mailed directly to the German program.
  6. You need official transcripts from all institutions attended.
    International students: If your institution does not mail transcripts, you will have to obtain official documentation from your university (International Office) along with a notarized translation into English and send it yourself to the Graduate School.
  7. International students will in addition have to take the TOEFL and submit their score. Please make sure that your scores are submitted to the University of Alabama, NOT the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The TOEFL code for The University of Alabama is 1830.
  8. Submit your German writing sample, either upload or send directly via email.

Next Steps

Once the Graduate School has received and processed all necessary paperwork, your file will be forwarded to the German program, and we may extend an offer if you fulfill our requirements. In that case, you will receive a letter with an offer that you may accept or decline. Once you have accepted the offer, your paperwork will be processed further. International students will be informed about any further requirements regarding the visa application.

Questions?

Please feel free to contact the Graduate Advisor for German, Dr. Matthew Feminella.