Coordinator, Clinton S. Shaffer
The German and German Studies majors equip students to acquire and develop proficiency in Europe’s most widely spoken first language and to cultivate the intercultural communication skills necessary in an increasingly global society. Through dynamic on- and off-campus instruction in multiple facets of German culture—cinema, history, literature, politics, religion, business, etc.—students develop an in-depth understanding of the rich cultures of German-speaking countries.
Faculty regularly facilitate internships and service-learning opportunities with business, political, and ministry organizations in the U.S. and overseas. Graduating German and German Studies majors often pursue advanced study or work in contexts that demand intercultural communication skills and/or knowledge of the German language and culture.
German and German Studies majors meet the following programmatic goals:
- Communicate effectively in German for a range of purposes and across a variety of genres.
- Demonstrate literary, medial, and intercultural fluency through analyzing various textual types (literary, cinematic, visual, multimodal) in their cultural, historical, and socio-political settings and in comparative interaction with their own cultural context .
- Identify and appreciate the diversities of German-speaking cultures.
- Demonstrate the ability to integrate their faith with their studies in the German language and culture and with CATC learning.
Along with specific requirements for any major, all students in the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree programs must meet all general education and graduation requirements under a single catalog.
Coordinator, Clinton S. Shaffer
Requirements for a major in German are 32 credit hours of German language and culture courses: 8-12 credits at the 100-200 level, and 20-24 credits at the 300-400 level:
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Major Requirements | ||
GERM 101 & GERM 102 | Elementary German I and Elementary German II (Option 1) | 8 |
GERM 103 | Accelerated Elementary German (Option 2) | 4 |
GERM 201 | Intermediate German | 4 |
or GERM 209 | Intermediate German in Germany | |
GERM 341 | Contemporary German Culture and Mores | 4 |
GERM 342 | Contemporary German Culture: Politics, Economics, and Current Events | 4 |
Study Abroad | ||
Option 1 (summer Wheaton in Germany program): | ||
GERM 343 | German Cultural Identity from Charlemagne to the Berlin Republic (Summer Wheaton in Germany program) | 4 |
GERM 496 | Internship (GERM 343/GERM 496 are required Wheaton in Germany curriculum; GERM 496 may also be taken separately from Wheaton in Germany ) | 4 |
Option 2 (approved semester abroad program): | ||
GERM 338 | Advanced German in Germany | 4 |
GERM 489 | Special Topics | 4 |
Select one | ||
GERM 351 | Topics in German Literature | 4 |
or GERM 361 | Topics in German Language and Cultural Studies | |
Senior Capstone Experience | 4 | |
Senior Seminar | ||
Elective courses | ||
Select any remaining elective credits from upper division GERM courses | ||
Total Credits | 32 |
A period of study abroad in a German-speaking country is required either through participation in the eight-week Wheaton in Germany program (GERM 343; GERM 496 Internship) or by completing an approved semester abroad program (at least 8 hours of which must be taken in German) with an accredited academic institution in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Semesters abroad should arranged and approved in consultation with the Department of Modern and Classical Languages and the Global Programs and Studies (GPS) Department at Wheaton. (n.b. For students choosing the semester abroad option, an accompanying internship is also recommended.) Credits earned during a semester of study abroad may be applied either to a second major (with the approval of that major department), to the German major, or (upon approval) to both.