Our German major and minor provide students from a variety of backgrounds with an opportunity to develop critical thinking skills, an appreciation of foreign cultures, and advanced language skills. Every third year, the Language House becomes the German House, and students have an opportunity to live together with a native speaker of German. Alfred University also has an active German Club, which includes German exchange students from our campus.

Graduates from our program have pursued a variety of careers in the United States and abroad, including positions in teaching, international finance, museums, the fine arts, information technology, Glass Science, and Ceramic Engineering. German majors from Alfred University have received both research and teaching Fulbright scholarships, and have been selected for the prestigious Congress-Bundestag scholarship and internship. German students have often combined their studies with a second major, such as Environmental Studies, Ceramic Engineering, Psychology, Global Studies or another foreign language. Our German program also provides a sound foundation for those students wishing to pursue a graduate degree in German. All German majors are highly encouraged to study abroad in a German-speaking country for at least one semester.

Major Requirements

A grade of C or higher must be earned in all courses that count toward the completion of the major program. NOTE: It is highly recommended that a student pursuing a German major fulfill one or two semesters of the core requirements on an exchange or a study abroad program at a university where German is the language of instruction.

Core Courses:
GRMN 301 Adv. Conv. and Comp. 4
GRMN 312 German Literature I: 18th & 19th Century 4
GRMN 313 German Literature II: 20th & 21st Century 4
GRMN 316 German History and Culture 4
GRMN 360 Literary Theory Seminar 4
GRMN 410 History of German Cinema 4
GRMN 400 Special Topics 4
GRMN 450 Independent Study 4
Core Credits 32

Elective Courses: choose six credits from among the following (other courses may be accepted in lieu of the courses below with approval from the major advisor):
ECON 412 International Eco/Finance 3
HIST 315 Modern Europe I 4
HIST 316 Modern Europe II 4
HIST 384 Modern Germany 4
HIST 380 World War I 2
HIST 381 World War II 4
LING 120 Introduction to Linguistics 4
LING 240 Language and Society 2
PHIL 313 19th Century Philosophy 4
Elective Credits 6

Total Credits for Major 38