Major in German

With one of the largest economies in the world, German-based and German-run companies operate around the globe.

Students who graduate with a major in German gain access to this job market as well as the skills to tap the ever-increasing need for bilingual professionals. If business is not your passion, teaching, foreign service and international law are other professional markets that actively recruit graduates with language skills.

German majors at Elmhurst learn to use German to narrate in connected discourse, understand most details on a variety of topics, comprehend substantive texts in selected fields, write with a high degree of accuracy, and function appropriately in the culture.

Major Requirements

The German major consists of 7.5 courses (30 hours) beginning at the 300-level, chosen from among the following areas:

• Conversation/composition
• Culture
• Literature
• At least one term in a German-speaking country

Students should generally take GRM 301 and 302 before enrolling for other 300- or 400-level courses.

Students must complete the half-credit Senior Research Capstone (WL 451) during one of their final two terms.

The Minor

A minor in German can be a valuable addition to your resumé in today’s multicultural society. Prospective employers know that students who have significant experience in another language tend to be well educated, articulate, open-minded, willing to try new things and respectful of diverse cultures.

Academically, a culture or literature class in a foreign language or a study-abroad experience will support advanced scholarship in education, politics, nursing, business, the arts and many other fields.

The minor in German consists of at least four college courses, three of which must be taken at the 300/400-level at Elmhurst University. A 202-level course can also count for intermediate students who wish to gain the minor, but no student is permitted to take a class below their placement level.