German Degree Requirements

Immersion in the linguistic and cultural setting of a foreign country is essential to the formation of a modern language major. The German major is structured around a requisite study abroad experience. Students spend a semester or academic year abroad immersing themselves in real communicative situations to become culturally aware and linguistically proficient professionals in an interdependent world. The courses that modern language majors take prior to traveling abroad will prepare them to profit from this experience.

Required Courses (33 credits)

• GRM 2010-2020 Language Acquisition (8 credits)
• MLA 2200 Cultural Awareness Orientation (1 credit)
• GRM 3010 Language Acquisition (4 credits) *
  * During the term in which this course is taken, students will take and be required to pass reading and oral competency evaluation 3010 L. Passing scores on these evaluations are required before student can enroll in courses numbered 3080 or higher.
• GRM 3010L Language Competency Exam (0 credits)
• GRM 3080 The German-Speaking World: Social, Political, and Economic Issues (4 credits)
• GRM 3090 The German-Speaking World: Cultural and Intellectual Life (4 credits)
• GRM 3110 Interpreting Written Texts in German (4 credits)
• GRM 4010 Senior Seminar in German (4 credits)
• GRM 4240 German Theatre (4 credits) OR GRM 400T Special Topics in German (4 credits)

Also Required (12-16 credits)

• GNR 3510 Immersion Abroad (12-16 credits) *

* Students preparing to study abroad are urged to take MLA 2200 Cultural Awareness Orientation.

About the Immersion Abroad Experience

Majors are required to study abroad over one term in an academic setting in a country where German is spoken. Classroom instruction for all courses, regardless of discipline, will be in German. Courses taken at foreign institutions are usually recorded on the student’s Carthage transcript as GNR 3510. This is a global designation for experiential learning and courses that may be in History, Economics, Political Science, Linguistics, Art History, or a number of other fields supporting the MLA major. When faculty of any department agree, a specific course taken abroad may be accepted in lieu of a course in that department and be so noted on the student’s transcript. Students are strongly urged to get such courses approved by Carthage faculty before taking them.

Prerequisite to apply for study abroad in modern language majors: MLA 2200, 3010, and either 3080, 3090, or 3110. (In exceptional cases, approval may be granted for substituting two summers for the term. Students are strongly urged to get such courses approved by the Carthage faculty before taking them.)

Required Courses (16 credits)

• GRM 2010-2020 Language Acquisition (8 credits)
• GRM 3010 Language Acquisition (4 credits) *
  *During the term in which this course is taken, students will take and be required to pass reading and oral competency evaluations. Passing scores on these evaluations are required before students can enroll in courses numbered 3080 or higher.
• GRM 3010L Language Competency Exam (0 credits)
• GRM 3110 Interpreting Written Texts in German (4 credits)

Choose One (4 credits)

• GRM 3080 The German-Speaking World: Social, Political, and Economic Issues (4 credits)
• GRM 3090 The German-Speaking World: Cultural and Intellectual Life (4 credits)

Take at least two additional credits above GRM 3010.

Please see the department chair for details. Basic requirements for honors in a major include an overall GPA of 3.5 at graduation, completion of all requirements for the major, a formal recommendation by department faculty, a rating of “excellent” on the senior thesis by department faculty, and presentation of the senior thesis to an audience beyond the department.