Degree: B.A., Modern Foreign Languages
Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
The German major leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Modern Foreign Languages. Through courses in German, students gain linguistic proficiency, as well as understanding of the literatures and cultures of the German- speaking world. Electronic resources are used extensively to supplement classroom instruction. Upper-level classes are conducted in German.
Double majors are possible, and non majors may also take advantage of the language program. The resident program director of this area is a native speaker of German and sponsors various inter-cultural programs.
The Department of Modern Languages and Literatures cooperates with a variety of overseas study programs, advises and encourages students wishing to study abroad, and helps in planning their foreign study programs. Credits can be accepted from abroad to fulfill major requirements. UMW offers programs in German-speaking countries of varying lengths, making it possible for students to study during spring break, summer or for a semester or year there.
Graduates in German may pursue careers in government or in private fields in which the knowledge of this language and culture is essential, including interpreting, translating, research, social services, education, or international business.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Students will use language to engage in meaningful exchanges, to understand and interpret spoken language and written text, and to present information, concepts and ideas.
2. Students will frame, analyze, and synthesize information as well as negotiate meaning across language and culture in order to explore problems and issues from their own and different perspectives.
3. Students will evaluate literary works in order to understand main themes and movements.
4. Students will respond to new perspectives in order to understand diverse cultures within the world of a specific language.
Major Requirements
A minimum of 30 credits as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GERM 302 | Oral Communication | 4 |
| GERM 303 | Advanced Composition | 4 |
| GERM 313 | German for Professional Use I | 4 |
| GERM 330 | Methods Seminar: Analyzing Text and Culture | 4 |
| IDIS 350 | Study Abroad | 1-4 |
| or GERM 491 | Individual Study | |
| or GERM 492 | Individual Study | |
| or GERM 499 | Internship | |
| Thirteen additional credits from the following courses: 1 | 13 | |
| Intermediate German II | ||
| Communication through Film | ||
| German Cultural History | ||
| Women, War and Psychology: German Literature and Culture between WWI and WWII | ||
| Forward and Never Forget: German Literature 1945-2000 | ||
| Representations of Death | ||
| German Translation | ||
| German in the Sciences | ||
| Seminar in German | ||
| Remembering the Holocaust | ||
| Total Credits | 30-33 | |
- 1
Additional credits from two courses taught in English are permitted. These courses may be from the German program or from other departments, dependent on faculty approval.
General Education Requirements
The general education requirements for Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degrees apply to all students who are seeking to earn an undergraduate B.A., B.S. or B.S.Ed. degree.
Students seeking a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree have a separate set of BLS general education requirements.
Electives
Elective courses are those that are not needed to fulfill a general education requirement or major program requirement but are chosen by the student to complete the 120 credits required for graduation with a B.A./B.S./B.S.Ed. degree or the BLS degree. These courses may be taken graded or pass/fail (or S/U in the case of physical education and 100-level dance). No student in a regular B.A./B.S./B.S.Ed. program may count more than 60 credits in a single discipline toward the 120 credits required for graduation.
Total Credits Required for the Degree: 120 credits
Plan of Study
For a suggested plan of study for the German major, please contact the Modern Languages and Literatures Department directly.
Modern Languages and Literatures Faculty
Marcel Rotter, Chair
Brooke E. Di Lauro, Career Advisor, French
Marcel Rotter, Career Advisor, German
Elizabeth F. Lewis, Career Advisor, Spanish
(The person’s subject field is indicated in parentheses.)
Professors
Ana García Chichester (Spanish)
Brooke E. Di Lauro (French)
Jeremy G. Larochelle (Spanish)
Elizabeth F. Lewis (Spanish)
María Isabel Martínez-Mira (Spanish)
Scott M. Powers (French)
Associate Professors
María Laura Bocaz-Leiva (Spanish)
Gonzalo S. Campos-Dintrans (Spanish)
Marcelo Fajardo-Cárdenas (Spanish)
Antonia L. Delgado-Poust (Spanish)
Jennifer Hansen-Glucklich (German)
Leonard R. Koos (French)
Marcel Rotter (German)
Jose A. Sainz (Spanish)
Senior Lecturers
Maysoon Fayez Al-Sayed Ahmad (Arabic)
Martha Patricia Orozco (Spanish)