Studying the language, cultures and histories of German-speaking countries offers students opportunities to develop effective communication skills as well as intercultural competencies that will further their role as responsible global citizens. The German program complements language study with courses in German literature and film as well as contextual study of political and cultural histories.
Students collaborate closely with experienced faculty through small, interactive classes and take advantage of our many excellent study abroad programs to achieve their professional goals. There are multiple ways to tie coursework into key out-of-classroom experiences, including service learning, internships and extracurricular activities. With a major in language, literatures and cultures and concentration in German, students have access to a broad range of career opportunities such as in international business, non-profits, the sciences and government.
Concentration in German
The concentration in German is available for the major or minor in Languages, Literatures & Cultures. To learn more about the degree requirements, please review the program of study in Bulletin.
Learn About the Languages, Literatures & Cultures Major and Minor
Featured Courses
GERM 1416
German Civilization: History, Politics, and Culture
About this Course
This course is an introduction to intellectual and cultural currents in German civilization from the Enlightenment to the present, emphasizing the arts in the context of history and philosophy from the late 18th century to around the mid-20th century. Readings include excerpts from such thinkers as Kant, Fichte, Marx, Nietzsche, Weber, as well as poetry and short fictional works by Heine, Jünger, Remarque, Borchert, and others. The readings are supplemented by films that students are expected to have watched at the beginning of each week. This course counts toward the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.
GERM 2022
German Cinema: An Introduction to German Culture, History, and Politics through Film
About this Course
This is an introduction to 20th- and 21st-century German culture, history, and politics through film analysis. Studying the most famous and influential films in the history of German cinema, students explore a wide range of topics (including political propaganda, national identity, multiculturalism, terrorism, education and youth, the arts, gender, and class) and investigate how a popular culture medium like film can capture the political, social, and economic atmosphere in society. This course counts toward the Analytical Inquiry: Society and Culture requirement.
GERM 3325
Die Weimarer Republik: German Culture & Society 1918-1933
About this Course
This course analyzes how violence, economic and political volatility, technology, and changing moral codes affected German society and culture (literature, visual arts, film and music) from the onset of the First World War to the rise of Nazism. Germany's first experiment in democracy, the Weimar Republic, can be viewed both as a prelude to Fascism (and therefore a failure) and as a period of radical socio-cultural change, experimentation, and even progress. This course is taught primarily in German, but occasionally we discuss particular texts in English.
