Secondary Education - German Major Requirements

A major in German language and literature is available for students in liberal arts or elementary and secondary education. A knowledge of German is an invaluable tool for anyone seriously studying the history of our civilization with its social triumphs, its holocausts, and its enduring achievements in music, philosophy, literature, and the fine arts. Numerous other fields, from modern physics to psychology, were pioneered by German minds and continue to receive valuable contributions from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Germany plays a leading role in the European Union. Thus, German will continue to be an important language for industry and commerce in the foreseeable future.

Major in German (33-45 credits)

Basic Language Courses (12 credits)
GER101 Elementary German I (3)
GER102 Elementary German II (3)
GER201 Intermediate German I (3)
GER202 Intermediate German II (3)

Students with prior training or experience in German may obtain waivers for one or more of the basic language courses listed above, after consultation with the Foreign Languages Department.

Required Courses (18 credits)
One of the following:
GER311 German Composition and Conversation I (3)
GER315 Advanced German [summer in Germany*]

One of the following
GER312 German Composition and Conversation II (3)
GER401 Advanced German Composition [summer in Germany*]

One of the following
HIS311 Modern Germany [History Department] (3)
GER314 Contemp. German Civilization [summer*] (3)
[* Students are encouraged to spend at least one summer in Germany on a study-abroad program]

All of the following
GER316 Germany Today (3)
GER406 Modern German Fiction (3)
GER409 Nineteenth-Century German Plays (3)

Electives (15 credits)
Each major candidate is required to complete, by advisement, five courses (15 credits) in German studies. At least three of these (9 credits) must be German courses at the 300 or 400 level, and up to two courses (6 credits) may be in cognate areas with a substantial German component. Such cognate areas include Art History, History, Music, Philosophy, Political Science and Sociology.