The following areas of knowledge are central to the undergraduate degree in German Studies:

  • an awareness of the fundamental outlines of German history and culture;
  • familiarity with the history of modern German literature from 1750 to the present;
  • familiarity with cultural developments in modern German-speaking Central Europe, such as the arts, the cinema, and the architecture; and
  • the ability to critically examine such central issues as the Nazi era and the Holocaust, the roles of women, German attitudes toward non-Germans, German culture after reunification and their reflection in German literature, arts, and media.

In addition, students completing the degree in German Studies are expected to acquire:

  • the ability to read German at a level at which critical literary and cultural analyses can be performed;
  • the ability to write and speak German sufficiently to participate in critical discussions and write critical essays;
  • the ability to speak and comprehend German sufficiently for all situations in daily life, especially the business and professional sectors of German life.

Students must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and the major requirements listed below. Students who declared their major prior to the 2008 summer term may continue to fulfill the requirements which were in effect at the time they declared a major.

The major requirement in German Studies is 34 hours beyond GRMN 2010 (with grades of C- or above). Students design their own major in consultation with the undergraduate advisor and a faculty mentor. At least 18 hours taken toward the major must be completed at the 3000 or 4000 level. Students who test out of GRMN 2020 are required to complete 33 hours.
GRMN 4550 MUST BE TAKEN AT CU BOULDER

The department strongly recommends that all majors take part in study abroad. The University's program in Regensburg provides a full year of study abroad. The Berlin program offers an academic year and a summer study abroad opportunity. Please consult with the faculty advisor and visit the study abroad website at: http://studyabroad.colorado.edu/ for program specific information.

Students should consult the University catalog for further information on eligibility for the four-year guarantee. The concept of "adequate progress" as it is used here only refers to maintaining eligibility for the four-year guarantee; it is not a requirement for the major. To maintain adequate progress in German Studies, students should meet the following requirements:

  • Begin to study the language in the freshman year, or have received advanced placement credit.
  • In consultation with the major program advisor before the end of drop/add period in the first semester, plan a tentative schedule of courses to be taken over eight semesters.
  • Discuss progress toward the degree each semester with the major advisor.

Note: Although these requirements apply only in cases in which students are seeking to graduate under the terms of the four-year guarantee, they are good advice for all majors. Consult the program advisor about the major at any time.

GRMN 2020 Intermediate German 2 (4 hrs.) or 4 or
GRMN 2030 Intensive Intermediate German (5 hrs.) 5 hrs.
GRMN 3010 Advanced German 1 3 hrs.
GRMN 3020 Advanced German 2 3 hrs.
GRMN 4010 Advanced Grammar and Stylistics 3 hrs.

Students have the option of taking the exam Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache in GRMN 3020 and the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 in GRMN 4010.
** With the exception of GRMN 4010, German language courses may be taken either at CU or on the CU study abroad programs in Regensburg, Germany or Berlin, Germany. Students who are exempt from taking any of the above courses (and are not receiving transfer transfer credit for them) can make up the credits by taking any GRMN courses taught in German or English.  Substitutions need to be approved by the faculty advisor.

GRMN 4550* Senior Seminar 3 hrs.

(this course must be taken at CU-Boulder; prereq. for GRMN 4550 is GRMN 3020)  

and any six courses from Groups I and/or II. At least two courses taken below must be upper-division, and at least two must be in German. With the approval of the German Program faculty advisor, one course from another department may be taken in lieu of one of the courses below, provided that the course has a direct link to German Studies. With the exception of GRMN 4550: Senior Seminar, which must be taken at CU, any of these requirements may be taken on the CU study abroad programs in Regensburg, Germany, or Berlin, Germany.

GRMN 3030 Business German 3 hrs.
GRMN 3110 German Literature from the Avant-garde to the Postmodern 3 hrs.
GRMN 3120 German Literature from the Enlightenment to Expressionism 3 hrs.
GRMN 3130 Issues in German Philosophy and Literature 3 hrs.
GRMN 3140 Current Issues in German Literature 3 hrs.
GRMN 3150 Issues in German Politics and Literature 3 hrs.
GRMN 3520 Open Topics in the Cultural Context 3 hrs.
GRMN 3900 Independent Study 1-6 hrs.
GRMN 3930 Internship 3 hrs.
GRMN 4330 The Age of Goethe 3 hrs.
GRMN 4340 Seminar in German Literature 3 hrs.
GRMN 4450 Methods of Teaching German 3 hrs.

GRMN 1601 * Germany Today 3 hrs.
GRMN 1602 * Metropolis and Modernity 3 hrs.
GRMN 1603 * Ethical Dilemmas in the Modern World (same as GRMN 2603) 3 hrs.
GRMN 1701 * Nature and Environment in German Lit. and Thought 3 hrs.
GRMN 2301 * Inside Nazi Germany 3 hrs.
GRMN 2501 * Twentieth-Century German Short Story 3 hrs.
GRMN 2502 * Representing the Holocaust 3 hrs.
GRMN 2503 * Fairy Tales of Germany 3 hrs.

GRMN 2601 * Kafka and the Kafkaesque

3 hrs.
GRMN 2603 Moral Dilemmas in Philosophy and Literature (same as GRMN 1603) 3 hrs.
GRMN 3501 * German-Jewish Writers: Enlightenment to the Present 3 hrs.
GRMN 3502 * Literature in the Age of Goethe 3 hrs.
GRMN 3503 German Film Through WWII 3 hrs.
GRMN 3504 Topics in German Film 3 hrs.
GRMN 3505 * The Enlightenment 3 hrs.
GRMN 3513 German Film and Society 1945 - 1989 3 hrs.
GRMN 3514 German Film and Society After 1989 3 hrs.
GRMN 3601 * German Women Writers 3 hrs.
GRMN 3702 * Dada and Surrealist Literature 3 hrs.
GRMN 4251 Marxism 3 hrs.
GRMN 4253 Philosophy of Language 3 hrs.
GRMN 4301 * Gender, Race, and Immigration in Germany & Europe 3 hrs.
GRMN 4501 Seminar: Literature in Cultural Context 3 hrs.
GRMN 4502 * Nietzsche: Literature and Values 3 hrs.
GRMN 4503 Issues in German Thought 3 hrs.
GRMN 4504 * Goethe's Faust 3 hrs.
JWST 4544 History of Yiddish Culture 3 hrs.
GSLL/HIST 1108 * Introduction to Jewish History 3 hrs.
GSLL 3401 Twentieth-Century European Film and Literature 3 hrs.

* = core course (see last page for a list of German Major core courses)

GRMN 4450 Methods of Teaching German 3 hrs.
GRMN 4460 High School German Teaching 6 hrs.
Other requirements as stated by the School of Education  

NOTE: GRMN 4450 and GRMN 4460 can be taken only after full admission to the teacher education program in the School of Education. Requirements for the Teacher Certification Program require more courses to be taken in German than the requirements for the German Studies major.

For the most current listing of core courses, visit http://www.colorado.edu/ArtsSciences/students/undergraduates/core_curric...

GRMN 1601 Germany Today Contemporary Societies
GRMN 1602 Metropolis and Modernity Literature and the Arts
GRMN 1603 Ethical Dilemmas in the Modern World (same as GRMN 2603) Ideals and Values
GRMN 1701 Nature and Environment in German Lit. and Thought Ideals and Values
GRMN 2301 Inside Nazi Germany Historical Context
GRMN 2501 20th-Century German Short Story Literature and the Arts
GRMN 2502 Representing the Holocaust Ideals and Values
GRMN 2503 Fairy Tales of Germany Literature and the Arts
GRMN 2601 Kafka and the Kafkaesque Literature and the Arts
GRMN 2603 Moral Dilemmas in Philosophy and Literature (same as GRMN 2603) Literature and the Arts
GRMN 3201 German and Russian Culture in Comparative Perspective Historical Context
GRMN 3501 German-Jewish Writers: Enlightenment to the Present Human Diversity
GRMN 3502 Literature in the Age of Goethe Literature and the Arts
GRMN 3505 The Enlightenment Ideals and Values
GRMN 3601 German Women Writers Human Diversity
GRMN 3702 Dada and Surrealist Literature Literature and the Arts
GRMN 4301 Gender, Race, and Immigration in Germany and Europe Human Diversity
GRMN 4502 Nietzsche: Literature and Values Ideals and Values
GRMN 4504 Goethe's Faust Literature and the Arts
GRMN 4550 Sr. Sem: Intellectuals and Academics in German Culture Critical Thinking
GSLL 1108 Introduction to Jewish History Historical Context

Advising

A&S Policy on Enrollment in Undergraduate Language Courses

German Club: Sponsors various cultural events.

German Film Series

Stammtisch: Informal German language conversational table. 

Kaffeeklatsch: Informal German language coffee hour. Held twice a semester in fall and spring.

There are several scholarship opportunities for the Regensburg program that you may be eligible to apply for:

  • CU-Boulder study abroad scholarship
  • Max Kade Scholarship
  • Goethe Club of Denver scholarship
  • DAAD Scholarship
  • Cliff Hall Scholarship (contact the Department)

Additional financial information and study abroad scholarship information with information on how to apply can be found on the Study Abroad Website under the Regensburg specific site.