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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 knowledge of German culture and methods of critical interpretation. There have been major thinkers in almost every field, from physics to philosophy, economics and psychology, who were German speakers. In the 21st century, Germany contributes significantly to political, cultural and economic developments in Europe. German studies also furthers critical thinking skills while fostering cross-cultural understanding and cultural humility. 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. German majors can communicate in everyday life in a German-speaking country and can understand and articulate positions on social, literary or cultural topics with a reasonable amount of linguistic accuracy. As students progress through the major, they learn various theoretical approaches to the interpretation of cultural artifacts and progress in 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, theatre, 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 majors will work on developing their skills in writing by taking one writing-intensive (W2) course:  GRMN 204 Introduction to German Studies . In addition, every course in the major will include a variety of writing assignments, response papers, arguments in regard to a specific question, and/or research papers. In every course a student completes as part of 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 204 Introduction to German Studies , students will receive discipline-specific instruction on how to locate, evaluate and use scholarly information in the interdisciplinary field of German. These skills will be reviewed and refined in other 200-level and 300-level courses. A major in German pairs well with students who are studying engineering or business. In combination with other majors in the College of Arts & Sciences, such as economics, neuroscience, and international relations, a German major can prepare one for a career in international business, law or in the foreign service. 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 and art history.