Requirements for Major Programs

34 hours beyond 201, including 202 (if needed), GER 301& 302 (Composition and Conversation), a 400-level course, and GER 495 (Capstone). The elective courses must include

• At least two Literature courses (selected from GER 303, GER 304, or GER 401);
• At least two Culture and Civilization courses (selected from GER 310, GER 311, GER 312, or GER 315); and
• At least one Linguistics course (selected from GER 321, GER 322, or GER 421).

            202                  = 4 cr.
            301 & 302         = 6 cr.
            2 lit.                 = 6 cr.
            2 C/C               = 6 cr.
            1 Ling.             = 3 cr.
             495                 = 3 cr. 
                                   = 28 cr., leaving two elective 300-level courses

• Majors seeking secondary teacher certification must take GER 322 (Introduction to German Linguistics) in addition to the above requirements, for a total of 37 hours; ENG 261 (Study of Modern English) is also strongly recommended.

Requirements for Minor Programs

Minors must take at least 22 credits of German beyond 201, including GER 202 (if needed) and GER 301 & 302 (Composition and Conversation I & II). Of the elective courses, they must take

• At least two Literature courses (GER 303, GER 304, or GER 401) and
• At least one Culture and Civilization course (GER 310, GER 311, GER 312 or GER 315).
• Teaching minors are strongly advised to take a linguistics course as well, preferably GER 322.

** Study-abroad courses taken in German count toward both the major and minor; for instance a language/grammar course toward an elective, and a content course toward the applicable area (lit., culture/civ, or ling.).

Courses of Instruction

A note on prerequisites and corequisites: for all 300-level courses except 321 (Phonetics), students should have at least one semester of Composition and Conversation. They may take 300-level content courses concurrently with the second semester of Composition and Conversation. 400-level courses are meant to be taken immediately before the Capstone, hence the senior status requirement. However, students with the 302 prerequisite may also take a 400-level course which is of interest to them.

GER 101 Elementary German I. An introduction to the language with emphasis on understanding, speaking, and reading, complemented by recorded materials available in the Language Resource Center. Not for credit for students with prior college German or more than two semesters of high school German. Four credits. Offered fall and winter semesters.

GER 102 Elementary German II. Continuation of 101. Students may not receive credit for both 102  and 150. Prerequisite: C (not C-) or better in GER 101, credit, or appropriate placement test score. Four credits. Offered fall and winter semesters.

GER 150 Intensive Elementary German. One-semester review of elementary German for students with prior study but who are not adequately prepared for 200-level courses. Covers the same material as 101 and 102. Prerequisite: appropriate high school background or placement-test score. Four credits. Offered fall semester.

GER 180 Special Topics in German. Course content varies. Expectations of students approximate those in other 100-level courses. May be repeated for credit when content differs. Variable credit. Offered on sufficient demand. 

GER 201 Intermediate German I. Continuation of 102. Review and advancement of grammar, with additional focus on reading, writing, and the culture of German-speaking countries. Prerequisite: C (not C-) or better in GER 102/150, credit, or appropriate placement test score. Four credits. Offered fall and winter semesters.

GER 202 Intermediate German II. Continuation of 201. Prerequisite: C (not C-) or better in GER 201, credit, or appropriate placement test score. Fulfills World Perspective requirements. Four credits. Offered fall and winter semesters.

GER 280 Special Topics in German. Course content varies. Expectations of students approximate those in other 200-level courses. May be repeated for credit when content differs. Prerequisite: GER 201. Variable credit  no more than four credits may be applied to the major or minor. Offered on sufficient demand.

GER 301 Composition and Conversation I. Extensive practice and real-life application of oral and written communication to advance proficiency in German language and culture. Prerequisite: GER 202 with a C (not C-) or better. Three credits. Offered fall semester. 

GER 302 Composition and Conversation II. Continuation of 301. Extensive practice and real-life application of oral and written communication to advance proficiency in German language and culture, with attention to advanced stylistic and grammatical concepts. Prerequisite: GER 202 with a C (not C-) or better. Three credits. Offered winter semester. 

GER 303 Introduction to German Literature I. A brief survey of German literature from the Germanic period to the end of the seventeenth century. Prerequisite: GER 301 & 302; 302 may be taken concurrently. Three credits. Offered winter semester in odd-numbered years. 

GER 304 Introduction to German Literature II. Continuation of 303. A survey of German literature from the eighteenth century to 1945. Prerequisite: A brief survey of German literature from the Germanic period to the end of the seventeenth century. Prerequisite: GER 301 & 302; 302 may be taken concurrently. Three credits. Offered winter semester in even-numbered years.

GER 310 German Civilization and Culture I. A study of the cultural, social, and economic history and development of the German-speaking peoples from the early beginnings to the Baroque. Prerequisite: 302. Three credits. Offered fall semester in even-numbered years. 

GER 311 German Civilization and Culture II. Continuation of  310. A study of the cultural, social, and economic history and development of the German-speaking peoples from the Baroque to World War II. Prerequisite: 302. Three credits. Offered fall semester in odd-numbered years. 

GER 312 Contemporary German Culture. An examination of German culture, including artistic, social and economic developments, from 1945 to the present day. A brief survey of German literature from the Germanic period to the end of the seventeenth century. Prerequisite: GER 301 & 302; 302 may be taken concurrently. Three credits. Offered winter semester in even-numbered years. 

GER 315 German Cinema. Examines major developments of German cinema throughout the twentieth century, within the context of socio-political issues facing Weimar and Nazi Germany, the separate West and East German states, and reunified Germany. The course provides an overview of important movements, directors, and studios, and introduces the tools of film analysis. Prerequisite: GER 301 & 302; 302 may be taken concurrently. Three credits. Offered winter semester in odd-numbered years.

GER 321 Phonetics.  An introduction to the sound system of German, designed to improve students pronunciation, intonation and listening comprehension, primarily through comparison of English and German. Prerequisite: German 202 with a C (not C-) or better. Three credits. Offered fall semester.

GER 322 Introduction to German Linguistics. An introduction to general linguistics through modern German. Covers phonology, morphology, syntax, applied linguistics, dialectology, sociolinguistics and language change. A brief survey of German literature from the Germanic period to the end of the seventeenth century. Prerequisite: GER 301 & 302; 302 may be taken concurrently. Three credits. Offered winter semester in odd-numbered years.

GER 331 Business German I.  This course focuses on the language and culture of business in German-speaking countries in both their European and global contexts. Topics covered include: foreign trade, the European Union, the labor market, economic policy, shipping, and transportation. A brief survey of German literature from the Germanic period to the end of the seventeenth century. Prerequisite: GER 301 & 302; 302 may be taken concurrently. Three credits. Offered fall semester in odd-numbered years. 

GER 332 Business German II. Continuation of 331.This course focuses on German business culture and organization, as well as on specific types of business correspondence. Topics covered include banking, advertising, marketing, and management. Prerequisite: GER 302. Three credits. Offered winter semester in even-numbered years.

GER 380 Special Topics in German. Course content varies. Expectations of students approximate those in other 300-level courses. May be repeated for credit when content differs. A brief survey of German literature from the Germanic period to the end of the seventeenth century. Prerequisite: GER 301 & 302; 302 may be taken concurrently.. Variable credit. Offered on sufficient demand. One to four credits. Offered fall and winter semesters.  

GER 401 Modern German Literature. Covers writings from the latter half of the twentieth century to the present day and places them in their socio-cultural context. Poems, short stories, novellas and longer novels will be supplemented by clips from movies. Prerequisites: German 302 and senior standing. Three credits. Offered fall semester in even-numbered years.  

GER 402 German Authors. Reading and analysis of selected German authors within their cultural and historical context. Prerequisites: German 302 and senior status. Three credits.

GER 421 History of the German Language. Presents the historical development of the German language and its dialects within the socio-historical context. Topics covered include the position of German within the Indo-European and Germanic language families, periods in the development of German, with representative literary genres and works, and the development of dialects of German. Prerequisites: German 302 and senior status. Three credits. Offered fall semester in odd-numbered years.

GER 480 Special Topics in German. Course content varies. Expectations of students approximate those in other 400-level courses. May be repeated for credit when content differs. Prerequisite: GER 302 and at least one other 300-level course. Variable credit. Offered on sufficient demand.

GER 495 Advanced Topics in German (Capstone).  Content varies according to instructor: German studies in literature, linguistics, or culture. The Capstone course requires in-depth analysis of a narrowly-defined topic, resulting in a long (10-15 page) research paper and an in-class presentation. Prerequisite: A 400-level course and senior standing with a major in German. Three credits. Offered winter semester.