Major

Students plan their major in consultation with their German Studies faculty adviser, and submit it to the program director for approval. All courses taken for the major must be taken for a letter grade, and must be passed with a C- or better. The major in German Studies requires twelve upper-division courses chosen from among the core course list, and includes:
Major Planning Guide [PDF]

Language Requirement

The first year of German is taken through the Linguistics Department's Language Program. The second year of German is taken through the Literature Department's Language and Culture Programs. All questions regarding language placement and classes should be directed to these two departments.

Students need to attain competence in German (two years of university-level language courses or the equivalent) before they can take certain required upper-division courses. It is recommended that students attain this level of competence early in the program.

LIGM 1A/AX. German Conversation/Analysis of German

LIGM 1B/BX. German Conversation/Analysis of German

LIGM 1C/CX. German Conversation/Analysis of German

LTGM 2A. Intermediate German I

LTGM 2B. Intermediate German II

LTGM 2C. Intermediate German III

Majors who have taken language courses in high school or at community colleges should speak to the Program Director about how those courses may count toward completing their language competency.

Major Requirements

German Studies I and II

LTGM 100. German Studies I: Aesthetic Cultures

LTGM 101. German Studies II: National Identities

German Literature Requirement

three courses in German literature

LTGM Elective

German History Requirement

two courses in German history

German History Elective

Elective Courses

Five additional core courses, taken in at least two different departments. At least two of these courses must be taken outside the literature department.

German Studies Elective (non-Lit)

German Studies Elective (non-Lit/Dept.1)

German Studies Elective (Dept. 2)

German Studies Elective

Senior Honors Thesis

At the beginning of his or her senior year, a student major in German Studies may elect to write a Senior Honor's Thesis. To be eligible, the student must have a GPA of 3.5 in the German Studies major at the beginning of the senior year.

To begin work, the student forms a committee of three appropriate faculty members, including a committee chair, who is chosen from among the German Studies core faculty. The chair supervises the student in a two-quarter program of independent study to research and write an Honor's Thesis of approximately thirty to fifty pages (GMST 196A/B; the two courses count among the required twelve for the major). The student defends the thesis in a one-hour oral exam with the full committee, which is charged with recommending the degree of honors that will appear on the student's transcript and diploma.

Learning Objectives of the German Studies Program (PDF)