German Language and Cultural Studies, BA

Requirements

The German major can be completed by any student who begins GER 0001 - ELEMENTARY GERMAN 1  during the fall term of the freshman year. The curriculum integrates language learning with the study of history, politics, and popular as well as elite culture. Students acquire proficiency in the German language as well as an in-depth understanding of the German-speaking world. The German major requires 12 credits of advanced language, 18 credits in literature and culture, and one credit for GER 1990 - SENIOR THESIS  for a total of 31 credits as follows:

Additional rules and requirements for German majors are as follows:

• A 2.00 GPA is required in major courses to be counted toward the degree.
• Majors may take required courses under the S/NC option only by special permission of the director of undergraduate studies.
• Admission to the German major requires a grade of B- or better in GER 0004 - INTERMEDIATE GERMAN 2 .
• The A&S departmental writing requirement is satisfied by GER 1001 - GERMAN WRITING .
• The director of undergraduate studies must approve all courses that are to count as a student’s required 12-credit A&S related area. These credits may be taken from another discipline (e.g., art history, economics, chemistry) or from an interdisciplinary field (e.g., film studies or women’s studies).
• Departmental honors in German are available to majors who have earned an overall GPA of at least a 3.50 in their major courses, completed a senior thesis that has been accepted by the departmental faculty, and demonstrated a high level of proficiency in speaking and writing German. Only those students with a 3.25 GPA in three advanced literature and culture courses and three advanced language courses will be permitted to write an honors thesis.
• Students are encouraged to study and reside in a German-speaking country as a component of the German major. Numerous possibilities exist for such study, and financial aid is often available.