The graduate curriculum in German Studies offers historical breadth as well as particular depth in areas that correspond to the research interests of our faculty. We offer courses focusing on the aesthetic, philosophical and literary landscape of the enlightenment, romanticism, and realism, as well as seminars that trace major theoretical and cultural trends of the 20th century up to the present. Core courses offered on a regular basis are centered on important writers, aesthetic concepts, and cultural currents from the 18th through the 21st centuries, including critical theory, film studies, and gender studies. Special-topics courses offered in recent years have focused on such diverse themes as terrorism, fairy tales, and memory culture in literature and critical thought. Graduate courses are taught either in German or in English. Graduate students in German Studies at UNM also receive thorough training in the teaching of German as a second language, including pedagogical theory and practical classroom experience. Students are encouraged to expand their academic expertise and gain linguistic proficiency by taking advantage of our academic exchange programs at partner universities in Bonn, Graz (Austria), Halle, Heidelberg, and Würzburg. Our program also offers a wealth of extra-curricular activities, such as a weekly Sprechtisch, poetry evenings, and film screenings, which provide additional opportunities to practice German and network with other interested students.