German Studies (GRMN)

German Studies provides an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to the study of German language, the analysis of artifacts of German culture – literature, art, music, film, etc. – and the use of German for special purposes, for example, in a business setting.

Coursework in the discipline combines the achievement of greater language proficiency in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, and listening with a basic knowledge of German culture and methods of critical interpretation. There have been major thinkers in almost every field from physics to philosophy, economics, or psychology who were German-speakers, and today, Germany contributes significantly to political, cultural, and economic developments in Europe. German Studies also furthers critical thinking skills while fostering cross-cultural understanding.

The German Studies program has as its goal that all majors achieve an intermediate-high to advanced-low proficiency in the areas of linguistic and cultural knowledge. This means German majors can communicate not only about daily needs but that they also can understand and articulate positions on social, literary, or cultural topics with a reasonable amount of linguistic accuracy. This is to say that as students progress through the major, they learn various theoretical approaches to the interpretation of cultural artifacts and must, therefore, keep working on their German language skills to acquire the vocabulary and syntax necessary to express more complicated ideas and concepts. In general, students’ comprehension skills, reading, and listening, are further developed than their production skills, speaking and writing, when finishing the major. Additional aspects inherent to this goal include increasing students’ understanding of the way in which cultural artifacts, literature, film, theater, music, art, advertising, etc., are embedded in a historical context that determines gender, class, and race relations within the target culture(s). Simultaneously, comparisons and contrasts are made in regard to the learners’ own cultural background(s) in order to foster cross-cultural understanding.

All German Studies majors will work on developing their skills in writing by taking at least two writing-intensive courses (W2) in the major: GRMN 204 German Conversation and Composition and GRMN 230 Introduction to German Studies. In addition, every course in the major will include a variety of writing assignments, reaction papers, arguments in regard to a specific question, and/or research papers. In every course a student takes at Bucknell that counts toward the major, students will give at least one oral presentation (either individually or in a group). All of the courses that count toward the major are discussion-oriented so students get plenty of opportunities to develop their abilities to articulate their interpretation of the material at hand, to ask questions of others, and to respond to questions. The oral and written work will require students to consult online German resources, scholarly journals, and other print materials. In GRMN 230 Introduction to German Studies, students will receive discipline-specific instruction on how to locate, to evaluate, and to use scholarly information in the field of German Studies. These skills will be reviewed and refined in other 200 and 300-level courses.

A major in German may provide the basis for graduate work within the field. Moreover, German is considered a useful second language in many disciplines in the humanities, such as philosophy or art history. In combination with other majors, such as economics, international relations, or management, a German major can prepare one for a career in international business or law, or in the foreign service.

Major in German

The major in German consists of the equivalent of seven full-credit courses plus one .25-credit Culminating Experience course at the GRMN 104 level and above. Four of these courses must meet specific requirements:

Courses not applicable to the major:

The Culminating Experience in German Studies can be fulfilled by either:

• writing an honors thesis in German Studies, or
• enrolling in a .25 course in their senior year that results in a presentation at the annual German Studies mini-conference.

German majors are strongly urged to participate in a study abroad program approved by Bucknell’s German Studies program. The benefits of such a total immersion experience in attaining linguistic and cultural proficiency cannot be overemphasized. Many abroad programs also offer internship experiences. Students interested in study abroad should consult the faculty of the German Studies program at the earliest possible date.

All majors who meet the requirements set by the Honors Council and who wish to earn honors in German are encouraged to do so. Students interested in writing an honors thesis should contact a German faculty member early in the second semester of their junior year to discuss the process and to define a topic.

German majors and minors should supplement their study of German with work in other languages, European history, art history, music, philosophy, or work in European political science and economics.

Students planning to teach German at the secondary level should consult with the German Studies program and Bucknell’s Department of Education as soon as possible.

Minors in German

German Minor

The minor in German consists of the equivalent of five full-credit courses at the GRMN 101 level or above. There are no other specific course requirements for the minor. Students interested in minoring in German should consult a German studies program faculty member for the appropriate sequencing of courses.

Courses that may count toward the minor in addition to any of the other GRMN courses:

German minors also are strongly encouraged to participate in an approved study abroad program.

Majors in German Studies will be able to:

1. Speak, read, write, and understand German at an “Advanced-Low” level as defined by the proficiency criteria of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (“ACTFL guidelines”). [University Educational Goals: 3, 7, 9]
2. Demonstrate familiarity with cultural artifacts produced in German-speaking countries from the 19^th to the 21^st century.  [University Educational Goals: 3, 4, 5, 9]
3. Demonstrate the ability to adapt to a living/learning/work situation in a German-speaking country. [University Educational Goals: 2, 3, 4, 5, 9]
4. Demonstrate competency in written and oral communication through the production of analytical texts and presentations supported by structured arguments that demonstrate knowledge of the historical context and use appropriate forms of textual, cultural and visual analysis and evidence. Such texts and oral presentations will respect disciplinary norms for evidence and citation. [University Educational Goals: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9]
5. Demonstrate the ability to synthesize learning from within and outside German Studies in order to develop a global view of the discipline and how the knowledge and skills it promotes can be applied beyond Bucknell. [University Educational Goals: 2, 3, 6, 9]

Minors in German Studies who begin in German 101 will be able to:

1. Speak, read, write, and understand German at an intermediate-mid level according to ACTFL guidelines. [University Educational Goals: 3, 7, 9]

Minors in German Studies who begin in German 103 will be able to:

1. Speak, read and write, and understand German at an intermediate-high level according to ACTFL guidelines. [University Educational Goals: 3, 7, 9]

Faculty

Professors: Katherine M. Faull (Co-chair), Peter Keitel (Director)

Associate Professor: Bastian Heinsohn

Assistant Professor: Rebekah Slodounik