Program Overview

Program Overview

The German (Intercultural German Studies) - Master of Arts (MA) program is a two-year joint degree offered by the University of Waterloo and the Universität Mannheim. This program is designed for students who want to advance their German literature and linguistic skills while immersing themselves in German culture.

Program Details

• Department/School: Germanic & Slavic Studies
• Faculty: Faculty of Arts
• Admit term(s): Fall (September - December)
• Delivery mode: On-campus (Waterloo/Mannheim campus)
• Program type: Joint, Master's, Research
• Length of program: 24 months (full-time)
• Registration option(s): Full-time
• Study option(s): Thesis

Research Fields

• Applied Linguistics/Language Acquisition
• Literature/Media Studies

Program Highlights

• Degree has equal degree recognition in Europe and North America.
• A more integrated experience than a typical exchange program.
• Hands-on learning experience with a job at the Philosophical Faculty in Manheim for 3 hours per week.

Application Deadlines

• March 31 (for admission in September of that year)

Admission Requirements

• A four-year honours bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in German Studies or a four-year honours bachelor's degree in the Humanities and Social Sciences if evidence justifying admission is offered (with sufficient German proficiency; normally level B2).
• Minimum average of 78% overall in final two years.
• Students whose native language is neither English nor German and who have not taken their first degree in a program taught in either language will have their language skills assessed by the admitting university.
• While every student will be registered at both the University of Waterloo and the Universität Mannheim during the two-year program, students should apply to the university that they will consider their home-university, via that university's application system.

Degree Requirements

• Review the degree requirements on the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar, including the courses that you can anticipate taking as part of completing the degree.
• Check out Waterloo's institutional thesis repository to see recent submissions from the department of Germanic and Slavic Studies graduate students.

Application Materials

• Resume
• Statement of interest: A statement of maximum 500 words explaining your interest in and fit for the program you’re applying to.
  • Outlining intellectual interests and reasons for applying; international study and work experiences, as well as academic honours, or presentations or publications should be included.
• Transcript(s)
• References: Two academic references are required.
• Proof of English language proficiency, if applicable: TOEFL 90 (writing 25, speaking 25), IELTS 7.0 (writing 6.5, speaking 6.5)

Tuition and Fees

• Visit the graduate program tuition page to determine the tuition and incidental fees per term for your program.
• Review living costs and housing.
• Review the funding graduate school resources for graduate students.

Admission Limitations

Due to funding restrictions, the Faculty of Arts is currently limiting the number of international students we can admit. Please contact the department's Associate Chair, Graduate Studies prior to applying to discuss your interest in this program.