German Studies
The Department of World Languages, Literatures and Linguistics is home to a wide variety of quality programs and exciting opportunities. With courses in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin (Classics), Russian and Spanish, the department plays a crucial role in providing the basic foreign language component for the Bachelor of Arts degree in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. Our degrees in Chinese Studies, French, German Studies and Spanish, the area of emphasis in Russian Studies and the minor include advanced coursework in language, literature, culture and linguistics as well as innovative capstone experiences.
World languages, literatures and linguistics students participate in internationally recognized study abroad programs. They spend a summer, a semester or even a year earning credits and gaining experience in countries like China, France, Germany, Spain and Mexico. In addition to regular courses and study abroad, students off campus enroll in increasing numbers in the department’s online and distance-learning courses. Small class sizes and an array of student groups, honor societies and language clubs all contribute to a congenial atmosphere.
As a world languages, literatures and linguistics student you will:
- Explore other cultures and how they communicate.
- Expand your language knowledge in a linguistically diverse environment.
- Experience literature from a variety of perspective.
- Examine languages from different theoretical frameworks.
- Become immersed in a multicultural and multilingual environment.
How will I focus my studies?
Bachelor of Arts in German Studies
Knowing German can boost your annual salary by 4%. Germany has the fourth largest economy in the world and the largest in Europe. Many businesses seek employees who are fluent in the language to reach out to economic partners throughout the world. Germany is a center for scientific innovation as well as intellectual thought. Around 20% of people living in the U.S. claim German heritage, and Germany is a political and economic powerhouse within the European Union. Learning German is not that difficult for speakers of English because the two languages share common roots.
A major in German Studies offers a solid liberal arts education that is the foundation for personal and professional success and growth over a lifetime. The curriculum is designed to provide students with well-developed cognitive and communication skills and with a broad knowledge base that will enable them to pursue additional studies at the graduate level or to enter the job market in positions that will demand knowledge of German language and culture. The skills provided by a Bachelor of Arts in German Studies complement and add value to a degree in any field.