Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
MAJOR AND MINOR DESCRIPTIONS BY DEPARTMENT
GERMANIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES
The study of second language and culture is a cornerstone of education in today’s international world. It teaches intercultural competence by increasing students’ understanding of their own backgrounds and their sensitivity for other traditions and values. Knowledge of a second language and culture brings obvious competitive advantages in careers with an international dimension. As a liberal arts discipline, the study of language improves analytic-conceptual and communication skills necessary for all professional careers. Enhanced with appropriate additional course work, a major in German serves as a foundation for professional training in such subjects as business, law, politics, and medicine, as well as the media and communication industry. Students with a BA in German compete well in nontechnical fields for jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree. For more information on the major, the minor, the certificate, and the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures, see www.german.pitt.edu.
German Major Requirements
The German major can be completed by any student who begins GER 0001 Elementary German 1 during the fall term of the freshman year. The curriculum integrates language learning with the study of history, politics, and popular as well as elite culture. Students acquire proficiency in the German language as well as an in-depth understanding of the German-speaking world. The German major requires 12 credits of advanced language, 18 credits in literature and culture, and one credit for GER 1990 Seminar for a total of 31 credits as follows:
Required advanced language courses (12 credits)
- GER 1000 Reading Literary Texts
- GER 1001 Writing in German
- GER 1101 Advanced German 1: Media
- GER 1102 Advanced German 2: Structures
Required literature and culture courses (18 credits)
- GER 1051 Introduction to Literary Analysis
- GER 1052 Major Cultural Periods I
- GER 1053 Major Cultural Periods II
- Four advanced literature and culture seminars from GER 1200–1399. Courses numbered in the 1500s (German literature and culture courses in English) may be used in this category only in exceptional cases and with the permission of the director of undergraduate studies.
Senior Seminar (1 credit)
- GER 1990 Senior Seminar—to be taken in the fall term of the senior year in conjunction with one of the three seminars
Additional rules and requirements for German majors are as follows:
- A 2.00 GPA is required in major courses to be counted toward the degree.
- Majors may take required courses under the S/NC option only by special permission of the director of undergraduate studies.
- Admission to the German major requires a grade of B- or better in GER 0004 Intermediate German 2.
- The A&S departmental writing requirement is satisfied by GER 1001 Writing in German.
- The director of undergraduate studies must approve all courses that are to count as a student’s required 12-credit A&S related area. These credits may be taken from another discipline (e.g., art history, economics, chemistry) or from an interdisciplinary field (e.g., film studies or women’s studies).
- Departmental honors in German are available to majors who have earned an overall GPA of at least a 3.50 in their major courses, completed a senior thesis that has been accepted by the departmental faculty, and demonstrated a high level of proficiency in speaking and writing German. Only those students with a 3.25 GPA in three advanced literature and culture courses and three advanced language courses will be permitted to write an honors thesis.
- Students are encouraged to study and reside in a German-speaking country as a component of the German major. Numerous possibilities exist for such study, and financial aid is often available.
Requirements for Minor in German Studies
The minor in German studies consists of 15–19 credits. Students who are interested in the minor may tailor their course selection according to their interest in German language, literature, and film studies. They may select literature and film courses that are offered either in English translation or in German. The two options within the minor are as follows:
German Literature and Film Option (15 credits)
Students must complete five 3-credit courses offered by the department as either literature, culture, or film courses in German (numbered 1051–1410) or as German literature, culture, or film courses in English (numbered 1500–1542).
German Language, Literature, and Film Option (15–19 credits)
Students must complete the following requirements:
- Two semesters of German language acquisition courses, including GER 0001 and 0002 Elementary German 1 and 2 or GER 0101, 0102, and 0103 Beginning German 1, 2, and 3
- Three, 3-credit courses offered by the department as either German literature, culture, or film courses in German (numbered 1051–1410) or as German literature, culture, or film courses in English (numbered 1500–1542)
German Language (19 credits)
- GER 0001 Elementary German 1
- GER 0002 Elementary German 2
- GER 0003 Intermediate German 1
- GER 0004 Intermediate German 2 – students must pass this course with a minimum grade of B- before taking any 1000-level German courses
- 1000-level course in German, chosen from the following list
- GER 1000 Reading Literary Texts
- GER 1001 Writing in German
- GER 1003 Professional German 1
- GER 1004 Professional German 2: Business German
- GER 1051 Introduction to Literary Analysis
- GER 1052 Major Cultural Periods I
- GER 1053 Major Cultural Periods II
Note: Students may use appropriate study abroad credit toward the German studies minor. The credits must be pre-approved by the department’s director of undergraduate studies. The department also offers a German language certificate. For details and requirements on this certificate, please see the A&S Certificate Programs section of this bulletin.