Major in German
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The German major is designed to provide students with the language skills necessary for work or study in German speaking countries: Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. Students also learn about German culture and literature. The German major combines practice in reading, speaking, and writing about themes of general interest and about topics related to business and other professions. In addition, students read and discuss important literary works and explore German cultural history. At USC, fellowship and ample opportunities to speak German are provided by the German Club.
The German major, unlike the English or history major, for instance, has the advantage of providing an additional valuable skill: mastery of a foreign language! |
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| The Course Requirements | ||||||
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During their first two years, German majors typically take general education courses and, if they are novices in German, enroll in beginning and intermediate German courses. Students with language experience take a placement test and may place into higher-level German courses. A major in German requires 27 hours of course work at the level of GERM 280 and above. (Only one course may be taken at the 200-level, however; all others must be at the 300-level and above.) You can put together your German major from the following courses:
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Your selection should include the following REQUIRED courses:
Up to three courses taught in English can count toward the German major. You may take our Special Topics courses (398, 580, 598) multiple times, as long as the course theme (and suffix) is different. GERM 401P may only be taken once for credit towards the major. GERM 615 (Intensive Readings in German) is designed primarily for graduate students and does not count toward the German major. Business majors are encouraged to enroll in GERM 316, and GERM 416. A maximum of six hours of GERM 333, Summer Study Abroad, applies to the German major. Transfer credit from study in the exchange programs with Bamberg and Erfurt can be included in the German major. Students who begin their German major with knowledge in German and who are placed into the 300-level or higher may petition for credit-by-examination (for a maximum of 6 credits) for GERM 210 and GERM 211. |
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| Minors, Cognates, and Second Majors | ||||||
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German can be taken in conjunction with a number of minors or cognates, among them other languages, History, English, Comparative Literature, Film, International Studies, Library Science, Business Administration, Education, Women Studies, Linguistics, etc. You can also double major in one of the above areas or get a double degree if the field is outside the College of Arts and Sciences. Likewise, German makes an excellent minor or cognate in conjunction with other majors. |
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| Study Abroad | ||||||
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All students pursuing a major in German are strongly encouraged to participate in a study abroad experience. At USC, we offer an intensive summer-study-abroad for four weeks in Wittenberg, a one-year or one-semester exchange program with the University of Bamberg, as well as other study and work opportunities that allow students to sample life in German speaking countries and learn the language. |
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| Faculty | ||||||
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The faculty at USC has an international reputation specializing in language teaching, business German, German linguistics, studies in film, literature and culture through the middle ages to the present, teaching methodology, and more. |
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| Career Opportunities | ||||||
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Students with a German major are preparing for a variety of careers ranging from business, international law, the hospitality and tourism industry to teaching and translating. They go to work for international airlines or one of the one-hundred-twenty German companies in South Carolina; they become teachers, translators, foreign operations secretaries, hotel managers, overseas shipping managers, communication specialists, travel guides, and more. The German major also provides an excellent foundation for graduate study in German literature, comparative literature, linguistics, English as a foreign language, international business, law, and other fields. |
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| Advisement | ||||||
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The German Program is committed to personal and conscientious advising. Each student is assigned a faculty advisor who makes certain that academic requirements can be completed in a timely manner. The advisor will help the student complement a career choice with the appropriate minor, cognate, or second major. Study-abroad can be planned into the student's undergraduate itinerary well ahead of time and credit transferred. Make an appointment with an advisor any time!
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| South Carolina Honors College | ||||||
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Students who qualify for participation in the South Carolina Honors College program often choose to pursue a major in German. Our curriculum allows students to take full advantage of all the academic opportunities provided in both colleges. German faculty members teach honors courses and serve as academic advisors for honors students. Our courses on German literary masterworks, on Germanic mythology, Wagner, Hitler or Goethe are popular with all Honors College students. |
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| Graduate Studies | ||||||
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The German major can continue his or her German studies in graduate school: 1. Our department offers an M.A. and an M.A.T in German. Additional Information Browse through our website for a complete schedule of courses . You can also obtain information on our exchange programs with the University of Bamberg, our Summer-Study-Abroad Program in the Lutherstadt-Wittenberg , scholarships, German Club , Stammtisch, and other activities sponsored by the department. Ready to complete an on-line undergraduate application ? For detailed information, contact:
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