German and German Studies
German Major
German Studies Major
German Minor
Dual Certification
The German Major
A major in German consists of ten course units above 105, including a minimum of two courses at the 200 level chosen among 210, 215 and 241; and at least two courses at the 300 level, one of which must be taken at the college in the senior year.
A German major normally includes the following:
German 110, 210, and 215, plus two more courses at the 200 level, a minimum one-semester study abroad (in which a minimum of three courses must be taken in the language of study), and two courses at the 300 level, one of which must be taken at the college in the senior year. A student may not take a course at the 300 level that he/she has already taken at the 200 level, and vice versa. After completing two courses at the 200 level, students may no longer take 100-level courses.
Only one internship in a modern language may be taken for credit towards a major in that language.
Declaration of major should be done as early as possible, and no later than upon completion of German 210 or 215, or the beginning of the sophomore year.
Special topics courses at the 200 and 300 level may count towards a major; please consult with an advisor.
During their course of study at 91¿´Æ¬, all students majoring in German will be required to study abroad for a minimum of one semester in a country where German is the principal language. Upon declaring a major in German, students (in consultation with their advisors) must work out a schedule which will make study abroad possible.
The department recognizes that there will be cases that call for a special exception to the study abroad policy. These cases will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Students who wish to apply for an exception to the study abroad policy must contact the Chair of the Modern Languages and Literatures Department. Unless the student has already spent a minimum of one year, as an adult, in a country where the foreign language is spoken, the student will not, generally speaking, be waived of the entire study abroad requirement. Courses taken during study abroad must be approved by the department prior to the student's registration for the program.
The German Studies Major
A major in German Studies provides students with an interdisciplinary approach to the intellectual and cultural history of German-speaking countries by combining courses in German language and literature with courses from fields such as Art History, Economy, Philosophy, Political Science, and History. Majors in German Studies are encouraged to design their own innovative programs of study in close cooperation with the German Studies Advisory Board. Students are required to take a total of ten courses above German 105, six of which must be earned within the German section of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures.
Of these six courses, German 215 and 241 (or equivalent) and one course at the 300-level are required. After completing German 215 and 241 (or equivalent), students no longer may take 100-level courses in German. A grade of B or better is required in German 220 or 241 for advancement in the German Studies Major. A minimum of one 300-level course in German must be taken at 91¿´Æ¬, and at least one 300-level course in German must be taken at 91¿´Æ¬ in the senior year. The remaining four courses may be chosen from relevant offerings in the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and other departments. No more than two courses can be taken within one department. Possible electives include Art 218, Art 226, Art 229, Econ 336, Ger 200, Ger 260, Hist 112, Hist 219, Hist 220, Mgmt 333, Mus 281, Mus 283, Mus 352.2, Mus 354.2, Posc 215, Posc 235, Posc 250. Other courses may serve as electives. Please consult with Dr. Hildebrandt.
German studies majors must also have a significant experience abroad. They can opt to study for one semester abroad or participate in a six-weeks summer program.
The German Minor
The minor consists of five course units above German 105, including 110, 210, and 215.
Dual Certification in Modern Languages and Literatures
When a student completes a full major in one modern language (French, German or Spanish), certification may be obtained in a second under the following conditions:
- Completion of seven courses above the elementary level in the second modern language, with the understanding that a desired level of proficiency may be reached after completion of fewer than seven courses in exceptional cases. It is also possible that a student may be required to complete work beyond the seven courses if, in the judgment of the Modern Languages and Literatures Department, the competence required for certification has not been achieved. The student must achieve the required 3.00 average in each language to be recommended for certification. Student-teaching experience is required in all languages in which certification is anticipated.
- The seven courses must include Modern Language 210, 215, and 241 (or equivalent), and one additional literature course. As with all other modern languages and literatures majors, a fall or spring term abroad is required.
- Students interested in dual certification in modern languages are advised to consult with their Education Department and major advisors early in their academic program.
