Major
	German (BA) from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Minor
	German
Four-year Graduation Plan
	Yes
Honors
	Yes
Teacher Licensure
	Yes
Links
	Web Site Courses General Catalog

Europe has 94 million native speakers of German, so study of this language is crucial for students interested in European business, government, philosophy, and literature. German-speaking Europe includes Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. German also is the second language of several other countries.

• Why Study German at Iowa?
• Course Work
• Learning Outside the Classroom
• Study and Internships Abroad
• Careers
• Scholarships

Why Study German at Iowa?
Iowa’s Department of German offers excellent programs in traditional areas such as literature, culture, and linguistics as well as the German language itself. The department’s faculty members are involved in all periods of German language and literature. They also do interdisciplinary work involving film, music, religious studies, and contemporary theory.

As a German major, you’ll find outstanding technological aids in your German classrooms, and at the University of Iowa Libraries you’ll have access to an extensive collection of works and periodicals that will help you with research in all major areas of German literature and linguistics.

At the University’s Language Media Center, you’ll elevate your comprehension and command of German by working independently with recorded materials and using online multimedia activities such as German TV shows.

German is an ideal major to combine with a second major or a minor in another discipline, or with an interdisciplinary certificate. At Iowa you’ll have almost unlimited choices for combined areas of study, which will broaden your options for careers and for graduate or professional school.

Course Work
Students majoring in German earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. The BA requires a minimum of 120 semester hours (s.h.), including 30 s.h. for the major earned in upper-level German course work.

In order to major in German, you’ll need to complete Elementary German I–II and Intermediate German I–II (a total of four semesters), or equivalent courses. These basic language courses do not count toward the major.

Your work for the major will include core requirements (six courses) plus four elective courses. You may take two Department of German courses taught in English if you enroll in a section that includes a German language component, but the rest of your courses will be taught in German.

To earn the major, you’ll complete the following courses.

• Introduction to German Literature
  
• Composition and Conversation I–II
  
• Advanced Composition and Conversation
  
• One course in German linguistics
  
• One course in German culture
  
• Four advanced elective courses
  

If you are interested in elementary or secondary school teaching, you’ll need to complete the College of Education’s foreign language Teacher Education Program, which includes education courses and student teaching. Contact the college's Office of Education Services to learn more.

See German in the UI General Catalog to learn more about the major and for information about graduating with honors or earning a minor in German.

Learning Outside the Classroom
Every week you’ll have an opportunity to converse in German with faculty members and students at “Kaffeestunde,” the department’s informal coffee hour. At regular department colloquia, you’ll hear talks by German graduate students and faculty members and faculty from other departments. You also may decide to join the undergraduate German Society, which organizes events such as movie nights, German breakfasts, field trips to German restaurants and heritage sites, game nights, a soccer tournament, and an end-of-semester party with a raffle.

The Global Village Living-Learning Community in the UI residence halls welcomes American and international students. Residents broaden their knowledge of international issues, languages, and cultures while living in a close-knit group. Activities include celebrating international holidays, attending performances and film screenings, conversing with international visitors, and learning about work and study in other countries.

Study and Internships Abroad
The Department of German participates in an academic year abroad program for undergraduates at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität in Freiburg, Germany, offered by a consortium made up of The University of Iowa, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. You’ll participate in a four-week intensive language program during September, then take a combination of special program classes and regular German university courses. Organized field trips will give you a broad perspective on German culture, and vacation periods will give you time for extensive travel throughout Europe.

The University also offers exchange programs with the Universität Dormund and business-oriented programs in Frankfurt and Vienna.

You also may participate in an internship abroad course, earning academic credit for work experience that involves significant use of the German language in a German-speaking country.

Study and other experiences abroad require advance planning; talk with your advisor as soon as possible if you’re interested in participating.

Careers
Department of German graduates frequently enter the teaching profession. They also find positions in government, foreign service, and commercial enterprises.

Scholarships
Consult multiple sources for scholarship information, including the Office of Admissions, the Office of Student Financial Aid, and departmental web sites.