THE DEPARTMENT OF GERMANIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES welcomes all students who wish to study German at UVA! Marcel Schmid is the department’s Director of Undergraduate Programs and the Coordinator of the German Language Program. He can be reached at ms5qt@virginia.edu. Email Prof. Schmid with any questions about German such as the German minor and major, the German language sequence, or the placement test.
HOW CAN I MAJOR OR MINOR IN GERMAN? WHAT ARE THE GERMAN PROGRAMS?
To major or minor in German, a student must first complete courses through the intermediate level (German 2020). Students who have a score of 585 and above on the German Placement Test or a 5 on the College Board German Advanced Placement exam may also commence work toward the major. See the German Placement Chart.
MAJOR IN GERMAN LANGUAGE, LITERATURE, AND CULTURE
Students must complete ten courses or thirty semester hours in German at the 3000 level or above, including:
- GERM 3000 Advanced German
- GERM 3010 Texts and Interpretations
- GERM 3110 Literature in German II or GERM 3120 Literature in German I
- GERM 4600 Fourth-Year Seminar
- GETR 3330 Introduction to German Studies
+ at least one additional German literature or culture course
Beyond GETR 3330, one additional GETR/YITR course may be taken toward the major. Up to 12 credits may be transferred from other institutions in the USA or abroad (prior approval required).
INTERDISCIPLINARY GERMAN STUDIES MAJOR
Students must complete ten courses or thirty semester hours beyond GERM 2020; 5 courses must have German as the language of instruction, including:
- GERM 3000 Advanced German
- GERM 3010 Texts and Interpretations
- GERM 3110 Literature in German II or GERM 3120 Literature in German I, or approved substitution
Additionally, German Studies majors will devise in consultation with their German Department advisor and, where necessary, an advisor from outside the German Department an individualized program that includes two relevant courses in a specific area of concentration (e.g. history, philosophy, politics, or art history) and three additional courses from departmental offerings (GETR or GERM) or from approved courses offered by the Departments of History, Media Studies, Drama, Art History, Philosophy, Politics, Sociology Music, Religious Studies, Anthropology, and the School of Architecture. It is strongly recommended that all students take GETR 3330 (Introduction to German Studies) and at least one course in modern German history. Up to 12 credits may be transferred from other institutions (prior approval required).
GERMAN STUDIES MINOR/GERMAN MINOR
Six courses or 18 semester hours in German at the 3000-level or above, including GERM 3000 and 3010. One GETR/YITR course and one independent study may be counted toward the minor. Up to 9 credits may be transferred from other institutions in the USA or abroad (prior approval required).
DISTINGUISHED MAJORS PROGRAM IN GERMAN LANGUAGE, LITERATURE, AND CULTURE
This program is available to German Language, Literature, and Culture majors presenting an overall GPA of 3.400 and a letter of recommendation from a department faculty member. The DMP consists of GERM 4600 (Fourth-Year Seminar), GERM 4995 (Honors Research and Thesis) or GERM 4998 and GERM 4999 (Honors Research and Thesis, year-long sequence), in addition to the requirements for the German major. Students may elect to complete their 6 credit hours of Honors Research and Thesis in one semester (GERM 4995) or two (GERM 4998 and GERM 4999) in their final year. In either case, an honors thesis of approximately 40 pages is to be submitted by April 25.
DISTINGUISHED MAJORS PROGRAM IN GERMAN STUDIES
This program is available to German Studies majors presenting an overall GPA of 3.400 and a letter of recommendation from a member of the German Studies faculty. The DMP consists of a minimum of one relevant 4000-level course in the student’s disciplinary concentration or the German Department, GERM 4995 (Honors Research and Thesis) or GERM 4998 and GERM 4999 (Honors Research and Thesis, year-long sequence), in addition to the requirements for the German Studies major. Students may elect to complete their 6 credit hours of Honors Research and Thesis in one semester (GERM 4995) or two (GERM 4998 and GERM 4999) in their final year. In either case, an honors thesis of approximately 40 pages is to be submitted by April 25.
THE GERMAN HOUSE
The Department currently maintains a German House in which a group of undergraduates and a German-speaking graduate student reside. As a part of UVA housing, the German House is located near the campus as part of the Shea House on Brandon Avenue. For details about the German House at Shea contact Stefanie Parker (snp2j@virginia.edu).
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