Prospective postgraduates
Postgraduate study
Postgraduate study at both research and taught-course level plays a central role in the Department´s approach. The Department, founded in the 1880s, has a distinguished history of research across the range of Germanic languages, literature and society from the Middle Ages to the modern period. Today, we are a compact, cohesive Department with three main research strands:
- Modern literary and cultural studies, including intellectual history
- Contemporary politics and modern history
- Germanic linguistics, including spoken language research and dialectology
The Department conducts research in Dutch and Luxembourgish as well as in German. It houses the internationally unique Centre for Luxembourg Studies and supplies the Directors of the University's interdisciplinary Research Centres in Nineteenth-Century Studies, Gender Studies in Europe, and Dutch Studies.
Study Programmes
The Department offers study opportunities at PhD, MPhil or MA level. The PhD and MPhil are full research degrees, leading to dissertations. Our MA in Germanic Studies offers either a 'Research Track' or a 'Programme Track', which students select according to taste and need. In recent years there have been, on average, around 15 students registered for postgraduate degrees in the Department, full- and part-time. We welcome applications from any well-qualified, strongly motivated finalist, recent graduate or mature student.
Research Supervision
Research supervision for MPhil or PhD is available in all areas of interest of members of staff, and we welcome interesting new proposals.
For further details, see
PhD/MPhil research degrees
Staff Research Profiles
Taught MA Courses
For further information on the Department's MA in Germanic Studies and other Sheffield MAs involving German, see
Masters courses
Staff Research Profiles
Entry Requirements
A good Honours degree (normally an upper 2.1 or equivalent) in German/Germanic Studies or in a discipline which includes a major German/Germanic Studies component is our normal requirement. We will consider applications from candidates with other qualifications who can provide evidence of very strong motivation for research in Germanic Studies. Admission for MPhil/PhD is normally on the basis of consideration of a research proposal of 400-500 words, a sample or samples of previous written work, and (where possible) an informal interview, which is also an opportunity to view the Department´s facilities, meet your potential supervisor and fellow students, and discuss matters such as funding. For our MAs, we make the same requirements, minus the full-length research proposal, but we ask candidates to include with their application a short written account of their academic interests and motivation.
Application Procedure
Enquiries should be made informally in the first instance to:
Dr Kristine Horner
Department of Germanic Studies,
The University of Sheffield,
Jessop West
Sheffield S3 7RA
Telephone: 0114 222 4396
Fax: 0114 222 2160
email : Kristine Horner
A formal application can then be lodged using the online application form from the University's Admissions Service.
Funding
For current funding opportunities, see