German Studies

The German Studies Program, which offers a German minor, seeks to give students the requisite linguistic and intercultural skills with which to read, discuss, and write intelligibly in German.

For students wishing to broaden their proficiency, the German Program offers advanced German-language courses which deal with aspects of German literature and culture. Students have an opportunity in these courses to sharpen their linguistic proficiency while at the same time gaining a better understanding of the past and present contributions made by German-language philosophers, artists, writers, and scientists.

In addition to traditional career opportunities in teaching, translation, civil service, consulting, and international business, genuine proficiency in a foreign language demonstrates to future employers the consistent application of intellectual effort, flexibility, and creativity which prove invaluable and can give students with a thorough background of foreign-language study a distinct advantage--all other qualifications being equal--over other applicants.

German Minor Requirements

Students electing to declare a minor in German are expected to complete the following courses beyond the Introductory Level (103-104):

*Starting Fall 2011, the courses GER 203 & 204 are part of the courses counting to fulfill the General Education requirement (under Humanities & Arts ).

Students who have completed at least the German minor with a GPA of 3.0 or better will normally test successfully for the Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache, the internationally recognized certificate of German language proficiency which is administered through the Goethe Institut in Chicago. Students will also be well prepared for further study in preparation of specialized certification, e.g. the Prüfung Wirtschaftsdeutsch International.