German, B.A.

What is German?

German Studies is an interdisciplinary academic sub-field of the Humanities concerned with the languages, literatures, arts, and politics of German-speaking communities in Europe and across the world (e.g., Pennsylvania Germans). In pursuing each of these areas German Studies intersects with the related fields of linguistics, literary studies, visual studies, and history, respectively.

You Might Like This Program If...

• You are passionate about the language, literature, and arts in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other German-speaking regions.
• You understand the critical role Germany plays in the EU and the world today.
• Your other major is in one of the numerous other fields in which knowledge of the German language and culture is advantageous, such as Comparative Literature, Philosophy, History, or Political Science.
• You are considering an academic or professional career requiring knowledge of a foreign language and critical thinking skills.

Entrance to Major

In order to be eligible for entrance to this major, a student must:

1. attain at least a C (2.00) cumulative grade-point average for all courses taken at the University; and
2. have third-semester classification.

READ SENATE POLICY 37-30: ENTRANCE TO AND CHANGES IN MAJOR PROGRAMS OF STUDY

Degree Requirements

For the Bachelor of Arts degree in German, a minimum of 120 credits is required:

3 of the 24 credits for Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements are included in the Requirements for the Major, General Education, or Electives and 0-12 credits are included in Electives if foreign language proficiency is demonstrated by examination.

Per Senate Policy 83-80.5, the college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of coursework in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. For more information, check the Recommended Academic Plan for your intended program.

General Education

Connecting career and curiosity, the General Education curriculum provides the opportunity for students to acquire transferable skills necessary to be successful in the future and to thrive while living in interconnected contexts. General Education aids students in developing intellectual curiosity, a strengthened ability to think, and a deeper sense of aesthetic appreciation. These are requirements for all baccalaureate students and are often partially incorporated into the requirements of a program. For additional information, see the General Education Requirements section of the Bulletin and consult your academic adviser.

The keystone symbol  appears next to the title of any course that is designated as a General Education course. Program requirements may also satisfy General Education requirements and vary for each program.

Foundations (grade of C or better is required.)

• Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
• Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits

Knowledge Domains

• Arts (GA): 6 credits
• Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
• Humanities (GH): 6 credits
• Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 6 credits
• Natural Sciences (GN): 9 credits

Integrative Studies (may also complete a Knowledge Domain requirement)

• Inter-Domain or Approved Linked Courses: 6 credits

University Degree Requirements

First Year Engagement

All students enrolled in a college or the Division of Undergraduate Studies at University Park, and the World Campus are required to take 1 to 3 credits of the First-Year Seminar, as specified by their college First-Year Engagement Plan.

Other Penn State colleges and campuses may require the First-Year Seminar; colleges and campuses that do not require a First-Year Seminar provide students with a first-year engagement experience.

First-year baccalaureate students entering Penn State should consult their academic adviser for these requirements.

Cultures Requirement    

6 credits are required and may satisfy other requirements

• United States Cultures: 3 credits
• International Cultures: 3 credits

Writing Across the Curriculum

3 credits required from the college of graduation and likely prescribed as part of major requirements.

Total Minimum Credits

A minimum of 120 degree credits must be earned for a baccalaureate degree. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 credits. Students should consult with their college or department adviser for information on specific credit requirements.

Quality of Work

Candidates must complete the degree requirements for their major and earn at least a 2.00 grade-point average for all courses completed within their degree program.

Limitations on Source and Time for Credit Acquisition

The college dean or campus chancellor and program faculty may require up to 24 credits of course work in the major to be taken at the location or in the college or program where the degree is earned. Credit used toward degree programs may need to be earned from a particular source or within time constraints (see Senate Policy 83-80). For more information, check the Suggested Academic Plan for your intended program.

B.A. Degree Requirements

Foreign Language (0-12 credits): Student must attain 12th credit level of proficiency in one foreign language. See the Placement Policy for Penn State Foreign Language Courses.

B.A. Fields (9 credits): Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arts, Foreign Languages, Natural Sciences, Quantification (may not be taken in the area of the student's primary major; foreign language credits in this category must be in a second foreign language or beyond the 12th credit level of proficiency in the first language)

Other Cultures (0-3 credits): Select 3 credits from approved list. Students may count courses in this category in order to meet other major, minor, elective, or General Education requirements, except for the General Education US/IL requirement.​

Requirements for the Major

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Prescribed Courses
Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better
GER 301	Intermediate Speaking and Listening	3
GER 302	Intermediate Composition and Grammar	3
GER 310	Introduction to the Study of German Literature	3
GER 344	Intermediate German Culture	3
GER 401	Advanced Composition	3
Additional Courses
Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better
GER 201	Conversation and Composition	4
or GER 208	Business German
Select 3 credits of the following:		3
GER 200	Contemporary German Culture
German at the 100-level
Select 6 credits in German literature and culture of the following:		6
GER 420	Genre
GER 431	History of German Literature and Culture I
GER 432	History of German Literature and Culture II
GER 440	Seminar in German Culture
GER 472	Romanticism
GER 489	Introduction to German Film History and Theory in Context
Select 3 credits in German linguistics and applied linguistics of the following:		3
GER 411	The Teaching of German
GER 412	Contrastive Analysis of Modern German and English
GER 430	History of the German Language
Select 6 additional credits of German at the 300- or 400-level		6

Integrated Undergraduate/Graduate (IUG) Degree Program B.A. in German and Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.)

The integrated undergraduate-graduate (IUG) degree program (B.A. in German/M.I.A. in International Affairs) provides an opportunity for strong students in these majors to complete a master’s degree with 5 total years of study.

An increasingly globalized economy is likely to escalate the demand for graduate training in international affairs. The career choices for graduates with this training will also expand sharply. The integrated degree program prepares students for a variety of careers requiring an interdisciplinary background in German and international affairs. Examples of types of entities hiring in these areas are federal, state, and local governments, international organizations, multinational corporations, international banking and financial institutions, media organizations and journalism, consulting firms, policy research centers, and development assistance programs and foundations. The School of International Affairs (SIA) Master of International Affairs (M.I.A.) represents a professional degree designed to prepare students to thrive in these increasingly global career paths.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements listed here are in addition to requirements stated in the GENERAL INFORMATION section of the Graduate Bulletin.

The number of openings in the integrated B.A./M.I.A. program is limited. Admission will be selective based on specific criteria set by the School of International Affairs. Students shall be admitted to an IUG program no earlier than the beginning of the third semester of undergraduate study at Penn State (regardless of transfer or AP credits accumulated prior to enrollment) and no later than the end of the second week of the semester preceding the semester of expected conferral of the undergraduate degree, as specified in the proposed IUG plan of study. Students must be admitted to the program prior to taking the first course they intend to count towards the graduate degree. Specific requirements:

1. Must be enrolled in the German B.A. program.
2. Must apply to and be accepted into The Graduate School and the M.I.A. program in the School of International Affairs. Students must complete the Graduate School application. All applicants will submit GRE scores, two letters of recommendation, and a personal statement addressing their reasons for pursuing a graduate degree in international affairs and discussing their plans and goals.
3. Although the program has no fixed minimum grade point average, an applicant is generally expected to have a minimum overall GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) in undergraduate coursework and a minimum GPA of 3.5 in all coursework completed for the major.
4. Must include a plan of study identifying undergraduate credits to be applied to the M.I.A. degree elective requirements. The plan should cover the entire time period of the integrated program, and it should be reviewed periodically with an adviser.
5. Must provide written endorsement from the head of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures.

M.I.A. Requirements for the Integrated B.A./M.I.A.

Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements stated in the DEGREE REQUIREMENTS section of the Graduate Bulletin.

M.I.A. portion of the integrated B.A./M.I.A. will require the completion of a minimum of 42 graduate credits, at least 18 of which are from six core courses consisting of:

The remaining credits are attained through completion of the approved elective courses. A minimum of 6 credits must be at the 500-level.

In addition to the core curriculum and elective courses, M.I.A. degree candidates must complete either:

1. a master's paper; or
2. a supervised internship placement.

If the first option is chosen and the candidate opts to complete a paper, he/she must complete 3 credits of INTAF 594. The master's paper will involve integrating and showing mastery of the subject matter of the student's curricular emphasis, and may also involve original research. If the second option is chosen, the candidate will complete 3 credits of INTAF 595. The student will participate in a supervised internship of sufficient depth and professionalism that will allow the student to experience the integration of his/her curricular studies in an actual professional environment. A reflective paper will be submitted as a part of this credit requirement.

In order to graduate, M.I.A. degree students also will need to demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. Proficiency will be defined as follows:

1. four semesters of a Penn State language sequence or its equivalent (15 credits with a quality grade of B or better using a 4.0 scale);
2. native acquisition, as shown by the candidate's personal history and approved by the SIA faculty; or
3. performance on a proficiency evaluation sufficient to equal four semesters of language learning: for this purpose, either Penn State's proficiency certification process or another pre-approved proficiency assessment may be used.

Language study does not provide credits towards the M.I.A. degree.

If students accepted into the IUG program are unable to complete the M.I.A. degree, they are still eligible to receive their undergraduate degree if all the undergraduate degree requirements have been satisfied.

M.I.A. Degree Requirements

Integrated B.A./M.I.A. Degree Requirements

Tuition Charges, Grant-in-Aid, and Assistantships

Students admitted to the School of International Affairs through the IUG with a B.A. in German may be considered to receive financial assistance. Students on graduate assistantships must adhere to the course load limits set forth in the Graduate Bulletin.

Program Learning Objectives

1. Students will have developed oral skills in German that allow them to communicate efficiently in a range of settings from informal to professional.
2. Students will have developed literacy skills that allow them to both read and write in German. Majors should be able to read and interpret a variety of media ranging from newspapers to literary texts to formal academic prose.
3. Students will have developed an understanding of the structure of the German language.
4. Students will have developed an understanding of the significance of the major cultural and historical events, personages and developments in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
5. Students will be familiar with major authors and literary works in German.

Academic Advising

The objectives of the university’s academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.

Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee’s unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.

READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY

University Park

Liberal Arts Academic Advising
814-865-2545
http://starfish.psu.edu
http://www.la.psu.edu/current-students/undergraduate-students/education/majors-and-minors

Suggested Academic Plan

University Park Campus

The course series listed below provides only one of the many possible ways to move through this curriculum. The University may make changes in policies, procedures, educational offerings, and requirements at any time. This plan should be used in conjunction with your degree audit (accessible in LionPATH as either an Academic Requirements or What If report). Please consult with a Penn State academic adviser on a regular basis to develop and refine an academic plan that is appropriate for you.

* Course requires a grade of C or better for the major

‡ Course requires a grade of C or better for General Education

# Course is an Entrance to Major requirement

† Course satisfies General Education and degree requirement

University Requirements and General Education Notes:

US and IL are abbreviations used to designate courses that satisfy University Requirements (United States and International Cultures).

W, M, X, and Y are the suffixes at the end of a course number used to designate courses that satisfy University Writing Across the Curriculum requirement.

GWS, GQ, GHW, GN, GA, GH, and GS are abbreviations used to identify General Education program courses. General Education includes Foundations (GWS and GQ) and Knowledge Domains (GHW, GN, GA, GH, GS, and Integrative Studies). Foundations courses (GWS and GQ) require a grade of ‘C’ or better. 

Integrative Studies courses are required for the General Education program. N is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate an Inter-Domain course and Z is the suffix at the end of a course number used to designate a Linked course.

All incoming Schreyer Honors College first-year students at University Park will take ENGL/CAS 137 in the fall semester and ENGL/CAS 138 in the spring semester. These courses carry the GWS designation and replace both ENGL 30 and CAS 100. Each course is 3 credits.

Bachelor of Arts Requirements:

Bachelor of Arts students must take 9 credits in Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Fields (Humanities; Social and Behavioral Sciences; Arts; World Languages [2nd language or beyond the 12th credit level of proficiency in the 1st]; Natural Sciences; Quantification). The B.A. Fields courses may not be taken in the area of the student’s primary major. See your adviser and the Degree Requirements section of this Bulletin.

Bachelor of Arts students must take 3 credits in Other Cultures.
See your adviser and the full list of courses approved as Other Cultures courses.

Advising Note:

All incoming freshmen must take a First-Year Seminar (FYS) during Fall or Spring of their first year.  Academic advisers can provide a list of FYS being offered and help the student enroll.  Most FYS in the College of the Liberal Arts are worth 3 cr. and count as a General Humanities (GH) or General Social Sciences (GS) course.  For this reason, the FYS is not listed separately on this eight-semester plan; most students will be able to fulfill the FYS requirement while also fulfilling a GH or GS requirement.

Career Paths

German is one of the three official working languages of the European Union, and it is the most widely spoken native language in Europe. A degree in German opens up doors to a variety of careers in the US government and military, international business, international relations, international law, human rights, information technology, professional translation, publishing, education, the travel industry, and more. A number of our graduates have been awarded Fulbright and DAAD grants, and some have gone on to pursue graduate degrees in German Studies or related fields (Comparative Literature, Linguistics).

Contact

University Park

DEPARTMENT OF GERMANIC AND SLAVIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES
442 Burrowes Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-5481
psugerman@psu.edu

http://german.la.psu.edu/