The major in German studies is an interdisciplinary program focusing on study of the literary, artistic and philosophical aspects of German culture in the past and the present; the major historical events and developments in Germany and its neighboring countries; and the current political institutions and dynamics in Germany within the broader European framework.
Requirements
Program Requirements
Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the required courses listed below.
The major requirement in German studies is 32 hours beyond GRMN 1020 (with grades of C- or above). Students design their own major in consultation with the undergraduate advisor and a faculty mentor. At least 18 hours taken toward the major must be completed at the 3000 or 4000 level.
Required Courses and Credits
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| German Language Courses | 14-17 | |
| German language courses above GRMN 1020, to include either GRMN 3020 or GRMN 3030 (or both). | ||
| Intermediate German 1 and Intermediate German 2 | ||
| or | ||
| Intensive Intermediate German | ||
| Upper-division German Language courses: | ||
| Advanced German 1 | ||
| Advanced German 2 1 | ||
or GRMN 3030 | Business German | |
| Advanced German III 1 | ||
| German Culture, Literature and Other Electives | 15-18 | |
| Take at least 5 German literature/culture courses. At least 3 courses must be upper division, and at least 3 must be taught in the German language. | ||
Courses Taught in German | ||
Select at least three of the following: | ||
| German for Science and Engineering | ||
GRMN 3110 | ||
| German Literature from the Enlightenment to Expressionism | ||
| Issues in German Philosophy and Literature | ||
| Current Issues in German Culture | ||
| Issues in German Politics, Literature and Media | ||
| Open Topics in the Cultural Context | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Internship | ||
| The Age of Goethe | ||
| Seminar in German Literature | ||
| Methods of Teaching German | ||
Courses Taught in English | ||
| First Year Seminar (Topic "Uncertainty") | ||
| Germany Today | ||
| Metropolis and Modernity | ||
| Nature, Climate and Environment in German Culture | ||
| Topics in Modern German Culture and Society | ||
| Inside Nazi Germany: Politics, Culture, and Everyday Life in the Third Reich | ||
| Nazis on Screen: Hollywood, War, Propaganda | ||
| Sports and Athleticism in German and Global Culture | ||
| Miniatures of Modrn Life: From Berlin to Vienna and Beyond | ||
| Representing the Holocaust | ||
| Fairy Tales of Germany | ||
| Gothic, Horror, and Fantasy | ||
| Kafka and the Kafkaesque | ||
GRMN 2603 | ||
| Topics in Modern German Culture and Society | ||
| Modern Art and Design at the Bauhaus | ||
| The German Experience in North America | ||
| The German-Jewish Experience: From the Enlightenment to the Present | ||
| Literature in the Age of Goethe | ||
| German Film Through World War II | ||
| Topics in German Film | ||
| The Enlightenment: Tolerance and Emancipation | ||
| Tracing the Criminal: Crime in 19th C Society and Culture | ||
| Engineering and the Practice of Literature | ||
| Masters of Suspicion: Marx, Nietzsche, Freud | ||
| German Film and Society 1945-1989 | ||
| German Film & Society After 1989 | ||
| German Women Writers | ||
| Refugees in German Culture | ||
| Dada and Surrealist Literature | ||
| Politics and Culture in Berlin 1900-1939 | ||
| The Invention of Sexuality | ||
| Marxism | ||
| Gender, Race and Immigration in Germany and Europe | ||
| Seminar: Literature in Cultural Context | ||
| Nietzsche: Literature and Values | ||
| Issues in German Thought | ||
| Goethe's Faust | ||
| History of Yiddish Culture | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 32-35 | |
| 1 | Students have the option of taking the exam Goethe-Zertifikat B1 or B2 in GRMN 3020 and the Goethe-Zertifikat B2 or C1 in GRMN 4010. |
| 2 | With the approval of the German program faculty advisor, one course from another department may be taken in lieu of one of the four courses, provided that the course has a direct link to German studies. |
| 3 | GRMN 4450 and GRMN 4460 can be taken with faculty approval and in most cases only after full admission to the teacher education program in the School of Education. |
Secondary Teacher Certification Program
In addition to other requirements as stated by CU Boulder's School of Education, the following courses are required for students in the secondary teacher certification program:
Study Abroad
The department recommends that all majors take part in study abroad. Students may study through the university program in Regensburg for a full academic year or for the spring semester. The Berlin program offers options for the full academic year, fall semester, spring semester and summer terms. The Berlin program also offers an internship opportunity. Students should consult with their major advisor and visit the Education Abroad website for program-specific information. Scholarships are available to help cover the costs of study abroad.
Graduating in Four Years
Consult the Four-Year Guarantee Requirements for information on eligibility. The concept of "adequate progress" as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in German studies, students should meet the following requirements:
- Begin to study the language in the freshman year, or have received AP credit.
- In consultation with the major advisor before the end of the drop/add period in the first semester, plan a tentative schedule of courses to be taken over eight semesters.
- Discuss progress toward the degree each semester with the major advisor.
Note: Although these requirements apply only in cases in which students are seeking to graduate under the terms of the four-year guarantee, they are good advice for all majors. Consult the major advisor about the major at any time.
Recommended Four-Year Plan of Study
Through the required coursework for the major, students will complete all 12 credit hours of the Arts & Humanities area of the Gen Ed Distribution Requirement.
| Year One | Credit Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| GRMN 1010 and GRMN 1020 (8 credit hours) or GRMN 1030 (5 credit hours) which does not count toward the major 1 | 8 | |
| One lower-division GRMN literature or culture course | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: QRMS) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/US Perspective) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Lower-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences with Lab) | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 30 | |
| Year Two | ||
| GRMN 2010 & GRMN 2020 or GRMN 2030 | Intermediate German 1 1,2 or Intensive Intermediate German | 8 |
| One GRMN literature or culture course | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution/Diversity course (example: Social Sciences/Global Perspective) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 32 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Study Abroad recommended | ||
| GRMN 3010 & GRMN 3020 or GRMN 3030 | Advanced German 1 or Business German | 6 |
| Upper-division GRMN literature or culture course taught in German or English | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Skills course (example: Upper-division Written Communication) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 30 | |
| Year Four | ||
| GRMN 4010 | Advanced German III | 3 |
| Two Upper-Division GRMN literature or culture courses taught in German | 6 | |
| One Upper-Division GRMN culture course taught in English | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Natural Sciences) | 3 | |
| Gen. Ed. Distribution course (example: Social Sciences) | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Upper-division Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 30 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 122 | |
| 1 | Students who take intensive language courses (GRMN 1030 or GRMN 2030) may fulfill their additional language credits with GRMN 3030 or GRMN 4010. |
| 2 | Or placement credit. Students who place out of beginning and intermediate language requirements should see the major requirements for further flexible options. |
Learning Outcomes
The following objectives are central to the undergraduate degree in German studies:
- To understand, articulate, and critically reflect on key concepts of media, history, and cultures of German-speaking societies.
- To expand historical understanding and cultivate intercultural competency.
- To engage critically and comparatively with diverse perspectives and positionalities within German-speaking societies.
- To conduct research and engage in critical analysis of the area of study.
- To develop German language skills, written and spoken, to enable communication, self-expression, and creativity in a variety of situations and contexts.
Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's Degree Program(s)
The bachelor's–accelerated master's (BAM) degree program options offer currently enrolled CU Boulder undergraduate students the opportunity to receive a bachelor's and master's degree in a shorter period of time. Students receive the bachelor's degree first but begin taking graduate coursework as undergraduates (typically in their senior year).
Because some courses are allowed to double count for both the bachelor's and the master's degrees, students receive a master's degree in less time and at a lower cost than if they were to enroll in a stand-alone master's degree program after completion of their baccalaureate degree. In addition, staying at CU Boulder to pursue a bachelor's–accelerated master's program enables students to continue working with their established faculty mentors.
BA and MA in German
The BAM degree program in German studies recognizes the need for master's-level training upon entering the job market in a variety of sectors that call for highly advanced proficiency in the German language, knowledge of the German-speaking central Europe and its cultures, and the skills afforded to BA and MA graduates in the humanities (research, analysis, interpretation, translation and communication).
The degree gives highly motivated BA students the opportunity to earn an MA degree using an accelerated undergraduate program in combination with a fifth year of study.
For more information, visit the department's concurrent BAM degree in German studies webpage.
Admissions Requirements
In order to gain admission to the BAM program named above, students must have an overall GPA of 3.25 or higher, and should have completed most of their MAPS/Gen Ed requirements by the end of their sophomore year. No GRE is required. It is recommended that applications be turned in by the spring semester of the sophomore year.
Students should apply for the German BAM online. Before filling out the online application, complete the German BAM application. The German BAM application should be uploaded to the online application, along with an unofficial CU transcript. Students should apply using the BAM intent application.
Program Requirements
Students may take up to and including 12 hours while in the undergraduate program which can later be used toward the master's degree. However, only 6 credits may be double counted toward the bachelor's degree and the master's degree. Students must apply to graduate with the bachelor's degree, and apply to continue with the master's degree, early in the semester in which the undergraduate requirements will be completed.
If you are interested in the BAM degree program, please contact the German MA program for more information.