Thematic Analysis of Nigerian Students’ Attitudes Towards German Literature in Postgraduate Education

This study conducts a thematic analysis of the attitudes of postgraduate students towards German literary education at three federal universities in the South West geopolitical zone of Nigeria, namely the University of Lagos, Obafemi Awolowo University, and the University of Ibadan. While German literature forms a significant component of most German language degree programmes in Nigeria, the attitudes of advanced students towards literary study, and the factors shaping these attitudes, have not been systematically examined at the postgraduate level. The study employs a qualitative phenomenological design, conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with 30 Masters students enrolled in German literary studies modules. Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's framework identifies dominant themes in participant accounts. Findings reveal six primary attitudinal themes: appreciation of intellectual challenge, alienation from culturally distant literary contexts, ambivalence about canonical dominance, recognition of literary German as a distinct linguistic register, the desire for contemporary and diverse German-language literary voices, and the instrumentalisation of literary study as a pathway to academic credentials. The study argues that literary curricula in Nigerian German departments require greater diversification and contextualisation to align with the values and expectations of contemporary postgraduate students. Recommendations include the expansion of syllabi to include German-language texts from African and diaspora authors. Keywords: attitudes, German literature, postgraduate education, South West Nigeria, literary curriculum.