Orange Alert

Minor in German Language, Literature, and Culture

Winter view of Neuschwanstein Castle, Schwangau, Germany

Why Study German?

Knowledge of German gives students improved qualifications in fields as diverse as arts, media, sciences, research, technology and the humanities.

  • German is one of the official languages of the EU
  • 42 million Americans can trace their ancestry to Germany
  • Germany is the most important trading partner for almost all European and many non-European partners
  • Knowledge of German will give you a better chance when applying to graduate schools
  • Read Goethe’s “Faust”, listen to Bach and Schubert, watch movies like “Live of the Others,” all in the original language.
  • German is one of the most commonly used languages after English on the internet
  • German companies account for 800,000 jobs in the US. Knowing German gives you an advantage for careers in:
  • Business, Communication Studies, European Literature, History, International Relations, Journalism, Linguistics, Literature, Music, Psychology, Publishing, Sociology, and Sciences

German Placement Exam

If you have studied German either formally or informally, lived in a German-speaking country, or grown up in a German-speaking household, you must take a placement exam before being allowed to register for any GER course. To access the German exam, please go to MySlice. If you have any questions, please contact Professor Karina von Tippelskirch.

Program Faculty