The Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures offers a German major and three minors. An interest in Swedish language and culture can lead to a Scandinavian Studies minor. The minor in Yiddish consists of 15 units of coursework beyond Yiddish 1103. Honors study is another option.
For German majors who want an immersion experience, the Max Kade German House serves as a Living Learning Center for ten students and provides a very comfortable, informal setting for numerous extra-curricular activities, such as German Club, Kaffeestunde, discussion groups, conferences, and TV evenings. Opportunities to study abroad in German-speaking countries include a summer study tour to Dresden.
Students gain proficiency in German, Swedish, and/or Yiddish, discover the appreciation of other cultures, and learn to think critically. Our goal is to develop students’ intercultural competency and guide them to understand the skills that they develop so that they can express to future employers what they have to offer as multilingual, culturally and interculturally competent job candidates. Students work towards the degrees with classes, one-on-one interaction with faculty, study abroad experiences, conversation groups and clubs, and scholarly events.
Scandinavian Studies minors can involve themselves in Icelandic Film Screenings and other events Nordic. In addition, you are invited to apply for the exchange program with the University of Uppsala in Sweden.
Students of Yiddish can plan a minor by pursuing coursework in the Yiddish Program and through the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, which offers 200 interdisciplinary courses. Students may apply to the summer program at the Vilnius Yiddish Institute in Lithuania. A variety of scholarships is also offered, such as the George and Emily Severinghaus Beck Fund Scholarship for Study at Vilnius Yiddish Institute.
Apart from our degree programs, the Department invites all undergraduates to make use of its offerings in the GE or as students in individually selected courses.