German Studies Majors & Minors

The German Studies Program offers two majors. The first is a language major called "German" and the second is an interdisciplinary major called "German Studies". Program-level Student outcomes for each major follow below. Note that there is some overlap between the Program-level outcomes for

German Major/Minor Program-level Learning Outcomes:

1. Students will develop oral, writing, reading, listening proficiency in German beyond the interpersonal level with presentational language abilities (CEFR levels A1-C1). Identify how language is used and shaped for a variety of purposes and develop a critical relationship with media, including literature, film, the arts, scholarly writing, Internet resources and the press.
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of historically representative narratives, other cultural products, and social institutions of the German-speaking world including texts and objects relating to literature, fine arts, film, music, pop-culture, cultural difference, society, history, philosophy, politics, religion, business, economy, science, technology.
3. Students will develop analytical and critical thinking skills as evidenced by students' ability to offer nuanced and persuasive interpretations of all kinds of German-language artifacts and German texts that attend to their socio-historical context; develop information literacy; identify and formulate incisive and relevant research questions; demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the field of German Studies, including ability to apply such knowledge to a substantial interdisciplinary research project which links the investigation of the German-speaking world and/or its global influence to another field of study.
4. Students will attain intercultural/transcultural competency: an awareness of cultural differences within and between societies and their relationship to their economic and political structure, an understanding of how these differences inform cultural/personal identity and/or identifications; develop a coherent and sophisticated approach to understanding the significant and multifaceted contributions of German culture beyond the borders of German-speaking Europe.
5. Students will gain the ability to view themselves and the world from multiple perspectives.

German Studies Major Program-level Student Outcomes

1. Students will develop oral, writing, reading, listening proficiency in German beyond the interpersonal level with presentational language abilities (CEFR levels A1-C1). Identify how language is used and shaped for a variety of purposes and develop a critical relationship with media, including literature, film, the arts, scholarly writing, Internet resources and the press.
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge of historically representative narratives, other cultural products, and social institutions of the German-speaking world including texts and objects relating to literature, fine arts, film, music, pop-culture, cultural difference, society, history, philosophy, politics, religion, business, economy, science, technology.
3. Students will develop analytical and critical thinking skills as evidenced by students' ability to offer nuanced and persuasive interpretations of all kinds of German-language artifacts and German texts that attend to their socio-historical context; develop information literacy; identify and formulate incisive and relevant research questions; demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the field of German Studies, including ability to apply such knowledge to a substantial interdisciplinary research project which links the investigation of the German-speaking world and/or its global influence to another field of study.
4. Students will attain intercultural/transcultural competency: an awareness of cultural differences within and between societies and their relationship to their economic and political structure, an understanding of how these differences inform cultural/personal identity and/or identifications; develop a coherent and sophisticated approach to understanding the significant and multifaceted contributions of German culture beyond the borders of German-speaking Europe.
5. Students will learn to draw upon their work in German studies to find answers to their own big questions regarding their scholarship, life, society, responsibility, difference, representation and power; gain the ability to view themselves and the world from multiple perspectives.

Course Catalog

Requirements for a major

German

Total courses required	Eight (exclusive of GRMN 111 and 112)
Core courses	GRMN 211, GRMN 212, GRMN 304, GRMN 307, GRMN 415 and additional courses in German to complete the major
Other required courses
Number 300 and 400 level courses	Six
Senior requirement and capstone experience	The senior requirement consists of the completion of the senior seminar with a grade of C or better.
Additional information	A student may elect a German major with a minor in International Business, which must include GRMN 309.
Writing in the Major	In order to satisfy the Writing in the Major requirement for German, students must complete one 400-level course in German (German 411, 412, 447, or 448) in addition to the senior seminar (German 415). In these 400-level courses, students will have a variety of writing assignments and opportunities to revise and reflect on their writing. Upon completion of the major, students should be able to write clearly in German for a wide range of audiences and in varied contexts, from informal correspondence through professional and academic discourse.

German Studies

Total courses required	Eight
Core courses	GRMN 115, 116, 117, or 118 GRMN 211, 212 A course in German history: HIST 244, HIST 245 One 300-level German course: GRMN 307 or 314 and a Bridge Course, GRMN 306. The bridge course is an independent study seminar, with treatment of texts in German, in which students learn deeply about a German aspect of one of their other courses.) GRMN 448 (Senior Thesis)
Other required courses	One cognate course taught in English, or an additional German course, or an additional bridge course ART 225, ART 275, ENG 261, GRMN 115, GRMN 116, GRMN 117, GRMN 118, HIST 244, HIST 245, HIST 342, MUS 265, MUS 266, PHIL 220 Topics courses with German content with the approval of the program. (e.g. ARTH 290, ENG 255, MUS 390)
Number 300 and 400 level courses	Three
Senior requirement and capstone experience	GRMN 448 (Senior Thesis)
Additional information	Semester-long internships in Germany and/or courses taken during study abroad in Germany may count up to 2 credits toward the requirement for the major.
Writing in the Major	Students may satisfy the Writing in the Major requirement for German Studies either with GRMN 306 or GRMN 448.

Requirements for a minor

German

Total courses required	Five
Core courses	None
Other required courses	The minor requires a minimum of five German courses, starting at the 200-level. Only one of these courses may be taken off-campus.
Number 300 and 400 level courses	Three

German Studies

Total courses required	Five
Core courses	GRMN 115, 116, 117, or 118 Two semesters of German language above the 100-level
Other required courses	Two cognate or German courses or a combination (one at the 300-level) ART 225, ART 275, ENG 261, GRMN 115, GRMN 116, GRMN 117, GRMN 118, HIST 244, HIST 245, HIST 342, MUS 265, MUS 266, PHIL 220 Topics courses with German content with the approval of the program. Semester-long internships in Germany and/or courses taken during study abroad in Germany may count up to 1 credit toward the requirement for the minor.
Number 300 and 400 level courses