GERMAN
Major and Minor in German
Course Descriptions
Faculty
Scholarships
Study Abroad in German-speaking Countries
Important Notice for ZDfB Test Takers: The Department of Foreign Languages at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is an official Testing Center for the Zertifikat Deutsch für den Beruf (Certificate of German for Professions). The ZDfB Exam will be given on Saturday, April 25, 2009. If your institution is interested in sending students to take the exam, or if you as an individual wish to take the exam, please contact Department Chair, Dr. Johannes Strohschänk, as soon as possible (strohsj@uwec.edu). Before taking the exam, test participants must have applied and been accepted for the exam through the Goethe Institute Chicago (go to http://www.goethe.de/ins/us/chi/lrn/prf/zdb/enindex.htm). |
Although there is no evidence to support J. G. Becanus' sixteenth - century claim that Adam spoke German in Eden, it is the national language of Germany and Austria and the native language of nearly 70% of the population of Switzerland. In addition, German is spoken in Luxembourg by 60,000 people in Belgium, and 1, 000,000 in Latin America. German is also the native language of over 6,000,000 residents of the U.S. The U.S. Department of Education has identified German as one of the 169 languages the U.S. Government considers critical in the sense that "knowledge of them would promote important scientific research or security interest of a national or economic kind."
An increasing number of jobs require workers who are fluent in a foreign language. The German liberal arts major increases the options of those seeking careers in governmental and international agencies, the travel, communication, and entertainment industries, and international business firms and corporations. A double major or German minor is an excellent choice for students in Communication, Journalism and Business (Finance, Business Administration, Management, Marketing) and Professional Studies (Foundations of Education, Library Science)
*Students who study abroad in Leipzig/Germany accumulate enough credits in German to declare a minor or even a major in German.
German major and minor programs lead to degrees in liberal arts (a business/professions emphasis) and teaching. Students gain listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills and an understanding of the culture and history of German speaking countries. Study abroad is strongly encouraged. Study abroad opportunities are available at universities in Graz, Austria; Marburg, Germany, at multiple sites in Hessen through the Hessen-Wisconsin Exchange, and at the Herder Institute in Leipzig, Germany.
DEPARTMENTAL COURSES FOR NON-MAJORS Germ 101 plus Germ 102 satisfy the foreign language/foreign culture university graduation requirement. See Catalogue for additional ways of satisfying this requirement.
NOTE: Most courses used to satisfy the foreign language/foreign culture requirement also may be applied to the University's General Education requirements.
