The German Major

The German major is of interest to the following groups of students:

♦ Those who have a special interest in the German language, literature, and culture.

♦ Those who intend to enter fields in which a background in foreign languages and literatures is desirable, such as international business and law, trade, journalism, science, library science, government service, and international service organizations.

♦ Those who plan to teach German in secondary schools. Since most secondary schools require their teachers to teach more than one subject, students planning to enter teaching at this level should plan their programs carefully. They should combine a major in one of the languages and its literature with a minor or at least a meaningful sequence of courses in another subject. Dual majors are also possible. For certification requirements, see the section coordinator.

A major consists of 10 courses in German beyond German 402. Required for the major are GERM 503, 504, 525, 601, 631, 632 (or their equivalents) and 4 more courses which must be taken on the 600 or 700 levels. Majors are required to spend a minimum of one semester in an approved German-speaking study abroad program, or equivalent. For students spending one semester abroad, 3 of the 4 upper-level courses are normally taken in Durham. For students spending an academic year abroad, 2 of the 4 upper-level courses are normally taken in Durham. GERM 791 does not count for major credit: 791 is recommended as an elective and required for teacher certification.