Major/Minor/Honors Requirements

The Major in German Studies

Requirements for the Individual Structured German Studies Major 
The department offers an individual structured major in German Studies. Students will develop an individualized plan in close consultation with their major advisor or the Department Chair.

The Minor in German Studies

Requirements for the German Studies Minor

The minor in German Studies requires students to complete 5 courses above GER 102. One course (taken within or outside the department) may be taken in English. 

Honors Program

The department offers two plans for the honors program. Students who are interested in honors need to contact the chair of the department at the end of their junior year to learn about expectations, preparation, formats, and deadlines. Decisions about admittance to either one of the plans are made by the departmental committee.

For Plan A, students write a thesis and pass an oral examination. Students enroll in Senior Thesis Research (360) in the first semester and carry out indepen­dent work under the supervision of a fac­ulty member. If sufficient progress is made, students continue with Senior Thesis (370) in the second semester.

For Plan B, students prepare for a written and an oral examination based on a reading list devised by the student under the guidance of an advisor. Preparation of a special author or project can be reflected proportionally in the honors examination.

Plan B carries no course credit, but students may elect a unit of 350 as part of their preparation for the honors examination.

To be admitted to either plan, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100-level. The department may petition on behalf of exceptional students whose averages fall between 3.0 and 3.5.