German Studies
Academic Department Introduction
German studies focuses on the languages and cultures of Germany, Austria, and German-speaking Switzerland. Our language courses emphasize quick acquisition of communication skills. Most upper-level courses, which give students an in-depth understanding of key time periods, literary and cinematic movements, and social and cultural development in German-speaking countries, are conducted entirely in German.
Our department emphasizes small classes that draw upon interactive and innovative materials. We offer a range of opportunities for students to experience life in German-speaking surroundings, including a Wintersession in Berlin and funded summer internships in Dresden.
Learning goals
- Speak, read, and write German with advanced proficiency.
- Understand key historical moments and representative German-language cultural production from 1800 to the present.
- Build the intercultural fluency necessary to thrive in the different cultural contexts central to our increasingly connected world.
Programs of study
German studies major and minor
Students gain transcultural perspectives on developments in German-speaking cultures.
Course highlights
Beginning German I
GER101
An introduction to contemporary German with emphasis on communicative fluency. Extensive practice in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Videos and Web-based activities introduce the student to topics from contemporary culture in German-speaking countries. Three periods.
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Fantasy Factories: Film and Propaganda in Nazi Germany and Beyond (in English)
GER286
This course examines the cinematic output of Nazi Germany as a test case for the development of film as propaganda. We consider the cinematic medium as entertainment and as a cultural event with the potential to influence a population. We trace the forebears of Nazi film, including WWI propaganda produced in Britain, France and Germany and Soviet films made to serve the revolutionary agenda. We examine the ways in which Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda deployed both overtly propagandist films and films that couched Nazi ideals in narratives from melodrama to fantasy, and examine whether films could exceed their official aims and become subversive. And we consider post-WWII developments: the continuing careers of producers of propaganda and the ways that modern media shapes new forms of propaganda. (CAMS 286 and GER 286 are cross-listed courses.) -
Intermediate German in Berlin
GER202W
Like GER 202 on campus, this course strengthens and expands all language skills including idiomatic grammar review, oral and listening practice, readings on contemporary and historical topics, and practice in composition. This course will be taught as an intensive Wintersession course in Berlin and will feature an important cultural component.
Places and spaces
Study abroad
We encourage students to study abroad through a German-speaking program, where they can focus on German studies as well as many other fields. We work closely with them to find programs with the courses, support, and living experiences they are interested in. Among the programs available to our students is Tufts in Tübingen, which offers courses at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen.
Wintersession in Berlin
Led by a faculty member of the German Studies Department, Wintersession in Berlin provides an intensive fourth-semester language experience that includes daily classroom instruction and an exploration of the history, culture, and everyday life of this European metropolis.
Departmental library
Our cozy departmental library is open for language cafés with our tutors or for individual study.
Research highlights
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Annie Schnitzer ’18 wrote her honors thesis, “The Power of Art to Break Despair: The Impact of the Kohleausstieg on the German Imagination,” on how Germany’s coal-exit policy shaped culture and society in former East Germany. She explored how artists responded to the coal industry’s spatial, cultural, and social effects, and how their work addressed broader socio-cultural changes after reunification.
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Emily Moore ’18 wrote “Die Künstlergruppe Ratgeb: Die Kunst der Verteidigung des öffentlichen Raumes: Politische Wandbilder in West-Berlin 1979–89” (trans.: The Ratgeb Artists' Group: The Art of Defending Public Space: Political Murals in West Berlin 1979–1989). Her research traces how the five-member collective collaborated with marginalized communities to create more than 10 large-scale murals across Berlin.
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The Transforming Stories, Spaces, Lives Mellon Grant and the Provost’s Office recently funded a foreign languages research fellowship organized by Professor Anjeana Hans. The “History of Foreign Languages at Wellesley” project traces and documents the history of foreign languages offered at Wellesley from 1870 to 1975. Using these materials, research fellows Alex B. ’27, Freya D. ’28, and Marilla M. ’28 created a public website exploring the history of foreign languages at Wellesley.
Opportunities
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Dresden summer internships
We offer two paid summer internships in Dresden. At Entwicklungspolitisches Netzwerk Sachsen, students work at an organization dedicated to environmental, educational, or social policies. At Stiftung Frauenkirche Dresden, students can work in arts and cultural management, architectural research, international outreach, or peace and social justice.
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German Club and living learning community
Our club members collaborate on campus events, field trips, and other activities related to the culture of German-speaking countries. Students can also apply to join the German living learning community, located within a Wellesley residence hall, to build an intellectual community with others interested in German studies and to practice speaking German outside of class on a daily basis.
Beyond Wellesley
Beyond Wellesley
Careers of German studies grads include government, higher education, journalism, media, and publishing. Recent employers include an immigration law firm, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung in Washington DC, and the Deutscher Bundestag, the federal parliament of Germany. A significant number of our graduates have received Fulbright awards or German Academic Exchange Service awards for study in Germany or Austria directly after graduation.
Recent Employers
Alum highlights
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Olivia Davis ’22
Olivia Davis ’22
Being a part of a small department like German Studies meant that there is a real sense of community among the students and I met some lifelong friends there. I work in Harvard's Alumni Affairs and Development office and completed my Master's in Museum Studies in May 2026. My thesis argues for Holocaust and WWII museums in America to explicitly address current events by educating on the parallels between the history they teach and the events unfolding right now in this country.
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Katherine Van Adzin ’11
Katherine Van Adzin ’11
German has been relevant in one way or another to nearly every job I’ve held in my career. I specialize in B2B technology marketing for heavy industry and worked for three years at Bosch before taking a job with a startup and moving to Austria this summer. Majoring in German at Wellesley offered me opportunities I would never have otherwise had, and was hands down the best investment I made in my education.
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Ley Muller ’10
Ley Muller ’10
Learning German sent me to Austria, where I met an ex-partner from Norway, which got me to Norway, where I earned a master’s degree and Ph.D. in addiction treatment. My German studies enabled me to learn Norwegian quickly. I have worked as a public health researcher and am now an AI product manager.
106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02481