The German Major

Anthropology major Maja B. Lynn assisted in the with the International Traveling Exhibition: Names Instead of Numbers: Remembrance Book for the Prisoners of Dachau Concentration Camp

 

 

 

 

The study of foreign language and culture is a cornerstone of education in today's world. It teaches intercultural competence by increasing students' understanding of their own background and their sensitivity for other traditions and values. Knowledge of foreign language and culture brings obvious competitive advantages in careers with an international dimension. As a liberal arts discipline, it improves analytic-conceptual and communication skills necessary for professional careers. Enhanced with appropriate course work, a major in German serves as a foundation for professional training in such subjects as business, law, politics, and medicine, as well as the media and communication industry. Students with a bachelor's degree in German will compete well in non-technical fields for jobs requiring an undergraduate degree.

The German major was redesigned in the Summer of 2023. For the previous version of the major, please click here.

Requirements

The German major requires completion of 33 credits (11 courses) distributed as follows. If necessary to fulfill credit requirements, higher-level language courses can be substituted for intermediate-level language courses.

See these Sample Course Plans for examples on how to complete the German Major when starting at Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced levels. Contact Dr. Jaclyn Kurash for help creating a plan that fits your needs.

Required Intermediate German Language Courses

Intermediate German two-course sequence (6 credits):

  • German 201
  • German 202

Required Writing-Intensive Course

Students must complete one of the following writing-intensive courses (3 credits):

  • Writing (GER 1001)
  • Professional German (GER 1003)

1 1000-level Course

Students must complete one course at the 1000-level, meaning between GER 1000 and GER 1099 (other than the writing course). (3 credits)

1 1100-level Course

Students must complete one course at the 1100-level, meaning between GER 1100 and GER 1199. (3 credits)

1 1200-1400-level Course

Students must complete one seminar in German at the 1200- to 1400-level, meaning between GER 1200 and GER 1499. (3 credits)

1 additional 1100-1400-level course

Students must complete one additional course at the GER 1100 - GER 1499 level. (3 credits)

3 Culture Courses in either German or English

Students must complete three culture courses at the 1100-1599-level, taught in German or English. [These may include up to two courses with at least 30% German content in other departments.] (9 credits)

1 Capstone Experience

Students should take the capstone seminar (GER 1399) in the fall term of their senior year. (3 credits)

Total Credits: 33 credits / 11 courses

Additional Requirements:

Grade requirements: A 2.00 GPA is required in is required in each course that counts toward the major.

Satisfactory/No Credit option: No course that counts toward the major can be taken on an S/NC basis unless the student receives special permission from the major advisor.

Writing requirement: GER 1001 - GERMAN WRITING and GER 1003 GER 1003 - PROFESSIONAL GERMAN fulfill the requirement for a writing course in the major.

Honors requirements: To earn departmental honors in German, students must demonstrate superior performance in departmental courses by:

  • earning an average GPA of at least 3.5 in their major courses;
  • demonstrating a high level of proficienty in speaking and writing German; and
  • completing a three-credit senior honors project (in addition to the credits required for the major), which has been accepted by the departmental faculty. Senior honors projects may include:
    • a semester-long, independent research project, as an extension of the senior thesis written during the capstone seminar;
    • taking an exam on a comprehensive reading list derived by the student in consultation with the faculty; or
    • enrolling in a graduate seminar and completing a graduate paper

Students are encouraged to study and reside in a German-speaking country as a component of the German major. Numerous possibilities exist for such study, and financial aid is often available.

More Information

For further information about the majors, email Jaclyn Kurash, Director of Undergraduate Studies, at jaclynkurash@pitt.edu. Undergraduate applicants are encouraged to apply online through the University of Pittsburgh Office of Admissions and Financial Aid.