We are proud of our breadth of research in many areas—from philology to contemporary literature and culture, innovative language pedagogy to linguistics. Our professors and students examine all aspects of society, the arts, and literature. We bring expertise, curiosity, and enthusiasm to bear on work across the wide spectrum of intellectual history.

Our department has long received high ratings for its research and Ph.D. training. In the most extensive rating by the National Research Council (NRC) in 2010, we were placed in the top three German programs in the United States. Programs are ranked highly if they are strong in the criteria scholars say are most important, including faculty publications, citations, grants, and awards. The NRC also considers student completion rates, financial aid, gender balance, ethnic diversity, and the proportion of international students.