The serious study of German philosophy requires that scholars be able to read philosophical texts in their original language and situate them in their broader intellectual, historical, and cultural context. A student who wishes to specialize in German Philosophy therefore ought to have firm grounding in German language, history, and literature. Faculty of both Philosophy and Germanic Studies are committed to training students so that they develop working relationships with scholars in both departments through participation in seminars, the German Philosophy Workshop, and events organized by the Chicago-Area Consortium on German Philosophy. The Joint Program is also designed to help create and facilitate opportunities for graduate students who wish at some point during their graduate career to spend some months studying German Philosophy at a German university.
Requirements of the Joint Program in German Philosophy
Requirements for the Joint Program in German Philosophy for students enrolling in the program in or after 2023-24
Contact the director of the program, James Conant, with any questions or if you are considering the joint program in German Philosophy. The requirements for the joint program will be specified on an individual basis in consultation with the Directors of Graduate Studies for the Departments of Philosophy and German Studies.
Requirements for the Joint Program in German Philosophy for students enrolling in the program prior to 2023-24
Philosophy students in the Joint Program in German Philosophy must complete all the requirements for the PhD in Philosophy. In addition, these students must complete two graduate-level courses in Germanics (at least one of which should be crosslisted with Philosophy). Students also need to pass the departmental language exam or achieve a "High Pass" on the university German language exam.
Applying to the Joint Program in German Philosophy
The information above highlights the basic Joint Program requirements. Usually, PhD students in Philosophy take at least a year's worth of graduate courses before they can petition to get into the Joint Program in German Philosophy. At that point, they should discuss all the specific requirements and administrative procedures for the Joint Program with their faculty advisors.
Faculty Associated with the Joint Program in German Philosophy
The faculty of the Joint Program consists of two sorts: (1) faculty at the University of Chicago in both Philosophy and Germanic Studies who regularly teach courses and seminars and supervise dissertations on topics in German Philosophy; and (2) faculty at German universities who have a close relationship with the Departments of Philosophy and Germanic Studies here, come frequently as visitors to Chicago, and are available as intellectual resources to students enrolled in the Joint Program.
Selected Faculty at Universities in Germany and Switzerland Affiliated with the Joint Program
Jonathan Beere, Humboldt Universität
Michael Forster, Universität Bonn
Logi Gunnarsson, Universität Potsdam
Johannes Haag, Universität Potsdam
Andrea Kern, Universität Leipzig
Christoph König, Universität Osnabrück
Albrecht Korschorke, Universität Konstanz
Christoph Menke, Universität Frankfurt
Sebastain Rödl, Universität Leipzig
Pirmin Stekeler-Weithofer, Universität Leipzig