Department of German

• Why study German?
• Career Goals
• Academics
• Financial
• Admissions
• Contact

Ten reasons to study German:

1. Germany is the world's largest exporter.
2. The EU language with the largest number of native speakers is German.
3. 18% of the world's books are published in German.
4. Germany is home to numerous international corporations.
5. German is no harder to learn to speak and write than other languages.
6. German is the second-most commonly used scientific language.
7. German is the language of Goethe, Nietzsche and Kafka. Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Freud and Einstein also spoke German.
8. Speaking and understanding German will deepen your knowledge of the culture and improve your employment opportunities.
9. Learning German provides deeper insights into a region that plays a vital role in central Europe's intellectual and economic life and in its cultural history.
10. In many regions, Germans account for the largest percentage of tourists.

Source: American Association of Teachers of German 

CAREER GOALS

What sort of careers have past German majors pursued?

Students graduating as German majors have excelled as bankers,  administrators, graduate students, novelists, and art dealers. More information on career opportunities is listed here.

Who should apply to the German major at Georgetown ?

The Department of German encourages students with a strong interest in things German combined with an expansive liberal arts education to apply to be a German major at Georgetown.

Can German majors declare a double major?

Yes. German majors can declare a double major with any other discipline offered in Georgetown College and any of the minors and interdisciplinary minors (certificates) on campus. German majors, like all students in the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics,  may also do the equivalent of a major in the Business School (Business Coursework).

Do I need to have taken any German classes before applying to be a German major?

No. There are German majors who begin their study of German at Georgetown with little or no previous knowledge of German. However, you will need to make a convincing case for why you want to be a German major.  

What are this program's educational goals?

The Department of German's educational mission is to enable students to become competent and culturally literate users of German who can employ the language in a range of intellectual and professional contexts and who can also draw from it personal enrichment and enjoyment. It does so by engaging students with diverse content areas within an integrated curriculum whose pedagogies reflect the best available knowledge regarding the multiple links among language, culture, and ways of knowing.

The Department is nationally known for its undergraduate curriculum "Developing Multiple Literacies" and the special emphasis and attention we place on developing advanced German abilities.

Which courses would I need to complete?

Degree requirement information is listed here.

What financial resources are available for German majors?

Georgetown University has a proud tradition of offering need-blind admission, i.e., students are selected and admitted on the basis of their demonstrated academic potential irrespective of their financial status. The University will then make it possible for any of the admitted students to attend. In addition, the Department of German offers several fellowships to German majors.

Please e-mail the department at german@georgetown.edu with any questions.