German Studies, Minor
Develop intercultural competencies for global careers and international and domestic opportunities through a minor in German studies at Saint Louis University. SLU’s German studies minor is interdisciplinary in its approach to the development of linguistic and cultural proficiency and requires six courses in German language, literature, and culture, preparing students for immersion and research in German.
A German minor complements other fields of study, such as medicine/health sciences, engineering, sciences, education, international business and international studies, and many humanities majors, such as history, political science, library science, philosophy and theology.
Being competent in more than one language makes students highly competitive in the job market and in the workplace, but also develops sensitivity to different customs and practices. With the help of SLU’s dedicated and experienced German language faculty, German minors at SLU participate in vigorous and personalized learning. They refine their language skills, develop intercultural competencies, explore the German cultural legacy, and gain familiarity with German within professional and research contexts.
Program Highlights
- SLU’s intimate and vibrant German studies program highlights the crucial role of German-speaking countries in the development of Western civilization, modern-day Europe and our global world. Students enjoy a rich and varied curriculum that draws from Germany’s centuries-long contributions to literature, architecture, painting, sculpture, music, philosophy, theology and the sciences.
- Saint Louis University offers German minors opportunities for summer, semester and year-long study abroad programs that count toward degree options, especially through the department’s affiliation agreements with the University of Heidelberg and its U.S. counterpart Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio; the University of Frankfurt; and the University of Stuttgart.
- SLU’s German program places a strong emphasis on language proficiency, intercultural competence, and knowledge of both the earlier and modern time. For example, students choose from courses including “Fluency in German,” which is taught around contemporary issues in German-speaking countries, “German for Professional Use,” “Wolfram von Eschenbach’s Parzival: Gender, Race, and Otherness,” or “Modern German Prose and Film.”
Careers
A minor in German studies can prepare students for a number of rewarding careers. Opportunities are rich in fields such as comparative literature, performing arts, cinema, engineering, politics, sports, fashion and industry. Hundreds of American companies operate in Germany and vice versa. Students might pursue a career as a(n):
- International business representative
- Scientific researcher
- International lawyer
- Foreign service officer
- Social service employee
- Teacher
- Interpreter/translator
- Museum curator
A German Studies minor requires 18 credit hours, regardless of whether a student starts at GR 1010 Communicating in German I (3 cr) or later.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required courses | ||
| GR 3010 | Communicating in Written German: The German Media (satisfies "Eloquentia Perfecta: Writing Intensive" in University Core) † | 3 |
| GR 3020 | Communicating in Spoken German: Contemporary Issues (satisfies CORE 1200) † | 3 |
| Elective courses | 12 | |
Select 12 credits of electives from the below OR other language, literature, or culture courses in the German program. | ||
| Communicating in German I | ||
| Communicating in German II | ||
| Intermediate German: Language & Culture † | ||
| German Cultural History | ||
| Fluency in German | ||
| Berlin | ||
| Modern German Prose and Film | ||
| German for Professional Use | ||
| German Cinema | ||
| Courtly Love and Life Portrayed Through Medieval German Literature | ||
| History of German Language | ||
| Beginning Middle High German Language | ||
| Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival: Gender, Race, and Otherness | ||
| The Culture of The Weimar Republic | ||
| The German Press: Creating a Foreign Language Newspaper | ||
| Total Credits | 18 | |
- †
In the event that an incoming student is placed above GR 2010, GR 3010 or 3020, s/he would take additional 4000-level courses to meet the 15-credit requirement.
- ‡
GR 4150 satisfies “Equity and Global Identities: Identities in Context” in University CORE
GR 4500 satisfies “Ways of Thinking: Aesthetics, History and Culture” in University CORE
Continuation Standards
All German Studies minor courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher in order to count for the minor and for the student to continue in the minor. If a student earns a grade of C- or lower in a course, the student may retake the course or take an additional course in the minor in which the grade earned is a C or higher.