German

532 Anderson Hall
215-204-1760
www.temple.edu/fgis/Home/

Louis Mangione, Chair
347 Anderson Hall
215-204-8247
mangione@temple.edu

Anthony Waskie, Faculty Advisor
215-204–5452
awaskie@temple.edu

Colleen Knapp, Administrator
811 Anderson Hall
215-204-6752
knappco@temple.edu

German is a major world language spoken in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, as well as in some communities in the United States. Whether you are interested in literature, music, theater, film, or art, German culture is a rich and exciting tradition. Temple’s German program provides broad linguistic, cultural, and practical experiences to prepare students to participate meaningfully in the German-speaking world.

The German major and minor help students achieve their learning goals, whether they want to go on to use German to communicate with friends in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland; to engage in business with German partners; to work in government or in the media; or to participate in German culture.  They develop skills in reading, writing, and oral communication while acquiring a rich understanding of the literature, cinema, history and culture of the German-speaking world.

Students who study German at Temple find that the program prepares them to do well in whatever they choose upon graduation; the German major is a good preparation for a career that requires analytical thinking and communication skills in general, which includes the domains of education, business, government service, travel, and tourism. It is a good major or second major for students planning to attend law school or medical school. Studies have shown that learning a foreign language helps raise scores on the LSAT, GRE, and MCAT examinations. This course of study also proves valuable to anyone who plans to work for a multinational corporation.

The German courses are often small, allowing students to get to know one another and their professors well. The program helps prepare students enrolled in the Fox School of Business to acquire a special language certificate including a special course on German in the business world. Outside of class, students can share conversations and activities informally or with the University German Society. In addition, they can publish their creative work in Temple’s annual literary magazine for world languages, In Other Words.

Summary of Degree Requirements

1. University Requirements

• Math 0701 (4sh) and/or English 0701 (4sh), if required by placement testing.
• All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses as part of the major. See below for a list of the specific courses required for your major.
• Students must complete requirements of the General Education (GenEd) Program. See the General Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for more details.

2. College of Liberal Arts Requirements

• Completion of a minimum of 123 credits, including: 90 credits in CLA/CST courses, 45 credits of which must be at the upper level (numbered 2000-4999). For Humanities majors, 6 upper level credits must be earned in the Social Sciences: African American Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, Asian Studies, Criminal Justice, Economics, Environmental Studies, Geography and Urban Studies, History, Jewish Studies, Latin American Studies, Mathematical Economics, Neuroscience: Systems, Behavior and Plasticity, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Women's Studies , or any department in the College of Science and Technology.

• A minimum GPA of 2.0, cumulatively, in all CLA/CST coursework, and in the major.
• Only courses in which a student receives a grade of at least C- can satisfy GenEd, major, minor, or CLA Foreign Language and Global Studies requirements.

3.  Foreign Language/Global Studies Requirements

1) All students must complete the second level of a foreign language;

2) All students must complete at least one course from the GenEd World Society category; and

3) All students must complete one of the following options:

• Third level of a foreign language (Note: German 1003 completes this requirement); 
• Demonstrated proficiency in a foreign language;
• A second General Education World Society course;
• Study Abroad at an approved program; or
• Take one Global Studies course from the list on the CLA College Graduation Requirements page.

4. Major Requirements: Ten courses in German (30 s.h.)

• Specifically Required Courses: German 1003, 2001, 3096, 3201, 4296
• Electives in Major: 5 German courses at the upper level, numbered 2000-4999. 

5. General electives vary according to a student's individual program of study. Consult your academic advisor for more information.

Requirements for the Major

• Prerequisites: German 1001 and 1002, with a minimum grade of C or equivalent placement.
• Course levels are incremental in skills and content. Courses must be taken sequentially or in some instances may be taken concurrently. Students who initially place beyond German 1003 may begin with German 2001 or at the 2000-level, as appropriate.
• All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses. The specific writing-intensive courses required for this major are listed below and are identified by "WI" in the Attribute column.

Distinction in Major

To be considered for Distinction in the German Major, students must:
(1) Complete the requirements for the concentration in German with a GPA of at least 3.50;
(2) Have an overall GPA of at least 3.25;
(3) Be recommended to the chair of the department by the German faculty advisor after consultation with the German department faculty.

Requirements for the Minor

Prerequisites: German 1001 or equivalent placement with a minimum grade of C.

Requirements for the Special Foreign Language Certificate in German

Study Abroad

Students declaring a major or minor in the department are strongly encouraged to study abroad. Temple University has programs at the universities of Hamburg, Tübingen, and Leipzig in Germany. Courses completed in these programs may be credited toward the German major or minor and in partial satisfaction of the CLA Global Studies requirement.

Students interested in Study Abroad should discuss their plans with the faculty advisor in German early in their academic program.

Suggested Semester-by-Semester Plan

Please note that this is a suggested academic plan. Depending on your situation, your academic plan may look different.