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The Department of Germanic, Slavic and Semitic Studies at UCSB offers a rigorous course of study in German literature that considers the many discourses in which literary texts operate, such as philosophy, media-technology, history of sciences, and critical theory (deconstruction, psycho-analysis, Frankfurt school). German literature has always engaged deeply with speculative, critical and scientific thought. Through an interdisciplinary approach, our Ph.D. program explores this engagement and the unconventional perspectives it opens for scholarly work on literary and philosophical texts from the 18th century to the present.

The study of German literature at UCSB also takes into consideration the transmigration of people and ideas across the world and the profound changes in the economic and symbolic status of national borders. The Department encourages students to focus on German literature while engaging with fields such as Comparative Literature, Film Studies, Jewish Studies, Art History, the History of Sciences, Media Studies, and Eastern European Studies. The resulting interdisciplinary model, which has long been integral to our Program, allows students to construct fields of research in diverse ways. After completing five core courses offered in the Department within a two-year cycle of studies, students are encouraged to work not only with departmental and affiliated faculty but with scholars throughout the University whose courses are of relevance to their particular interests. Our department also offers a strong program in second language acquisition and Applied Linguistics.

Since the MA and PhD programs are relatively small, students have ample opportunity to work closely with faculty and pursue a course of study tailored to their specific academic interests.

The department is committed to contributing actively to the intellectual life on campus. In 2001, it organized an international symposium on "Packrats and Bureaucrats. Study in the Archive". In 2003, the department hosted a conference in conjunction with the department of Religious Studies on the topic of "Irreconcilable Differences? Jacques Derrida and the Question of Religion".

For detailed information on graduate policies and procedures at UCSB, see the Graduate Handbook, now available on-line at www.graddiv.ucsb.edu/academic/handbook/ .