German (B.A.)

Location(s): Brookings Main Campus

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Students in a classroom.

Program Coordinator/Contact

Eckhard Rölz, Professor of German
School of American and Global Studies
Lincoln Hall 231, Box 2212
605-688-4276

Program Information

A German B.A. at SDSU opens the door to a world of art, music, technology, psychology, politics, medicine, and many other fields. In today’s interconnected world, many professions cross international borders and bring together people through German, the most widely spoken language in Europe.

A German B.A. prepares students to confidently use the German language in any environment. It includes courses in language, culture, pop culture, film and literature of German speaking countries and promotes intercultural competence so graduates can navigate cultural differences with ease.

Language scholarships are made available to encourage students to take advantage of multiple opportunities, both within the school and through our International Affairs Office, to study or do an internship abroad.

The major offers flexibility and can easily be added to another major.

Course Delivery Format

The German program offers flexibility and variety in the delivery of its courses. Some, including upper-division courses, are taught face-to-face. Others, including courses offered as part of the German cooperative program with USD are fully online, hybrid, fyflex, or delivered through Zoom or simultaneous television (Dakota Digital Network, or DDN).

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon the completion of the German major, students should be able to:

Speak, read and write German at the Intermediate-High or Advanced level, developing solid competence in the language needed for everyday life and advanced narrative skills in the past, present, and future.
Demonstrate understanding of and growth in the skills required for intercultural communication and competence and life-long learning.
Identify the cultural perspectives of the German-speaking world’s civilizations and their cultural products, such as literatures, arts, institutions, pop cultures, etc. and compare the cultural frames that determine everyday life in German- speaking cultures and the U.S.
Adapt behavior to a variety of cultural contexts through critical analysis of cultural frames.
Articulate the value of their language and cultural studies and apply this knowledge in future employment.

Academic Requirements

There are no application requirements to enroll as a German major. However, students with previous knowledge of the language must take the placement test and register for an appropriate course. Additionally, all the courses for the major must be passed with a grade of “C” or better.

Requirements for German Major: 120 Credits

Bachelor of Arts

System General Education Requirements

Goal #1 Written Communication: SGR #1 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #2 Oral Communication:
SGR #2 Elective Credits: 3
Goal #3 Social Sciences:
SGR #3 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #4 Arts and Humanities:
SGR #4 Electives Credits: 6
Goal #5 Mathematics:
SGR #5 Elective Credits: 3
Goal #6 Natural Sciences:
SGR #6 Electives Credits: 6

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements

Bachelor of Arts Requirements: 6+

Modern Foreign Language Including the 202-Level Credits: 6+
One declared minor outside of the major discipline OR a second major OR a teaching specialization. The minor may be a traditional minor within one department or school or it may be interdisciplinary involving more than one department or school. The minor can be in a different college. The minor must be declared no later than the student’s third semester of enrollment.
Capstone course in the major discipline
Upper division coursework Credits: 33

System General Education and/or major coursework may satisfy some or all of the above requirements. Consult program advisor for details. See the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for additional information about Bachelor of Arts specifications.

Major Requirements

GER 102 - Introductory German II (COM) [SGR #4, HSDC] Credits: 4
GER 201 - Intermediate German I (COM) [SGR #4, HSDC] Credits: 3
GER 202 - Intermediate German II (COM) [SGR #4, HSDC] Credits: 3
GER 310 - Practical German Language Skills (COM) Credits: 3
GLST 489 - Capstone Intercultural Competencies Credits: 3 (Capstone)

Select from the following

Select at least 21 credits of upper-division coursework. The following is a suggested sequence. All majors are required to select at least one course from each of the categories below. Majors are also strongly encouraged to study abroad in a German-speaking country. MFL courses with content in Teaching Methods, K12 Foreign Language Methods, or Linguistics courses can also fulfill credits in the Elective requirements. Credits: 21

Language and Professional Skills Electives

Minimum 1 from this section.

GER 330 - Reading and Writing for Communication (COM) Credits: 3
GER 350 - German for Commerce (COM) Credits: 3
GER 444 - German Culture and Language in Translation (COM) Credits: 3
GER 492 - Topics (COM) Credits: 2-3
GER 494 - Internship (COM) Credits: 1-3
GER 496 - Field Experience (COM) Credits: 1-6

Literature Culture and Civilization Electives

Minimum 1 from this section.

GER 353 - Introduction to German Literature (COM) Credits: 3
GER 380 - Deutschland Heute (COM) Credits: 3
GER 435 - German Cultural History (COM) Credits: 3
GER 454 - Survey of German Literature II (COM) Credits: 3
GER 455 - German Film (COM) Credits: 3
GER 492 - Topics (COM) Credits: 2-3

Electives

Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Total Required Credits: 120

Summary of Program Requirements

Bachelor of Arts
System General Education Requirements*	30 Credit Hours
College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Requirements**	6+ Credit Hours
Major Requirements	37 Credit Hours
Electives***	53 Credit Hours

*System General Education Requirements for students pursuing a baccalaureate degree shall include a minimum of 30 credit hours. Some general education coursework may be counted for Major Requirements, Supporting Coursework, and College Requirements.
**System General Education Requirements, Major Requirements, and Supporting Coursework may satisfy some or all of the above requirements.
***Taken as needed to complete any additional degree requirements.

Academic Advising Guide Sheet

The goal of the academic advising guide sheets and sample plans of study is to promote undergraduate student success by guiding all students to timely completion of an undergraduate degree. Students are not limited to the course sequence provided for their academic program. Instead, the sample plan of study is one possible path to completing your degree and is meant to be used as a guide for planning purposes in consultation with an academic advisor. The plans also help students prepare for meetings with their academic advisor and track their progress in their selected academic program.

German (B.A.)