In addition to a basic language sequence, the German studies department offers courses in both English and German.

Some courses will help you orient yourself in the rich German intellectual and cultural tradition, such as the courses on Berlin and Vienna, while others focus on more contemporary issues such as the Second World War and the Holocaust, youth culture and the immigrant experience, and terrorism and the Red Army Faction. 

Still other courses in this major look at major figures, like Goethe or Kafka, or present significant movements in the evolution of modern consciousness, such as the rise of psychology and expressionist film.

In recent years the list has included (E = course in English, G = course in German):

• Witches, Weirdness and Wonder (E)
• At the Edge of Language (G)
• Berlin (E)
• Madness, Power and Perversion (E)
• War, Holocaust and Memory (E)
• Terrorism in German Culture: die RAF (G)
• After the Wall: German literature and film after 1990 (G)

It is always wise to consult the course catalog, as new courses keep appearing in line with changing faculty research interests and student interests. You'll also find there up-to-date information on course offerings as well as such things as travel components connected to a course.

Our German studies faculty members also encourage advanced students to pursue their research interests through an independent study.