German Studies Program

Department of Modern Literatures and Cultures

Thomas Bonfiglio, Section Coordinator
Professor Bonfiglio
Associate Professor Bower
Director of German Language Program Sulzer-Reichel
Affiliated Faculty: Erik Craft (Economics), Ladelle McWhorter (Philosophy), Ilka Saal (English), Gary Shapiro (Philosophy), John Treadway (History), Hugh West (History)

This section contains information specific to the degree programs in German studies. For full information regarding departmental policies relevant to all the MLC degree programs, study abroad, and course sequencing, see the main page of the Department of Modern Literatures and Cultures.

Study Abroad

Study and travel abroad are strongly encouraged for all students. German studies students can take advantage of semester or year exchange programs in Konstanz and Münster, Germany, as well as the summer program in Berlin.

The Residency Requirement

For all German majors, at least 5.5 units of the 9.5 units required for the major must be taken on the University of Richmond campus. If the student participates in a study abroad program, at least one upper-level course in the major must be taken upon return from the program.

The German Studies Major

Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the major must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.70).

9 courses and a senior project (498-499) including

GERM 301 Conversation and Composition
GERM 311 Culture and Civilization
GERM 321 Introduction to German literature (18th-20th century)
Three 400-level courses in German
GERM 498-499 Senior Research Project I and II
Three additional courses selected from the list below (no more than two courses can be taken in a specific area; LAC in German required for all three courses) ART 318 Twentieth-Century Art ECON 210 The Economics of the European Union MLC 256 Psychoanalysis, Literaturem, and Culture MLC 340 European Romanticism MLC 350 Introductory Linguistics MLC 351 Contemporary Literary Theory MLC 360 Representing the Holocaust MLC 365 German Film in Context HIST 240 European Thought 1650-1850 HIST 241 European Thought since 1850 HIST 242 Modern Germany HIST 244 The Hapsburg Empire and After HIST 248 European Diplomacy from Bismarck to Hitler HIST 249 Twentieth-Century Europe HIST 399 Holocaust PHIL 272 Modern Western Philosophy PHIL 275 Marx, Nietzsche, Freud PHIL 336 Nineteenth-Century European Philosophy PHIL 339 Topics in Existentialism PHIL 344 Twentieth-Century Continental Philosophy PHIL 357 Nietzsche RELG 356 Renaissance and Reformation

Students are expected to fulfill all prerequisites necessary for courses within the major. Prerequisites do not count toward the major unless otherwise noted.

The German Major/International Business Option

(Earned in conjunction with a major in the Robins School of Business with an international business concentration.)

9 courses and a senior project (498-499), in addition to completing all requirements of the international business concentration for the business administration major, including

Five units in German at the 300 or 400 level
GERM 498-499 Senior Research Project I and II
One semester full-time study at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration (four courses)

The German major/international business option represents a joint project between the Department of Modern Literatures and Cultures in the School of Arts and Sciences and the International Business Program in the Robins School of Business. The curriculum includes a semester abroad at one of the University's partner institutions. There, students will continue their Robins School concentrations in classes with both local and other international students.

In order to prepare for the experience abroad, students in German will need to have completed at least German 202 on the Richmond campus; they must take at least one concurrent course in German while in Vienna.

Related Majors

Combined major in English and German literature
International Studies: Modern Europe
International Studies: World Politics and Diplomacy

The German Studies Minor

Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the minor must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.70). Up to three classes may be transferred in toward the minor. Minors must take at least one 400-level class on campus after studying abroad, regardless of whether or not they have sufficient credits to fulfill the minor requirements.

Five units, including

GERM 301 Conversation and Composition
GERM 311 Culture and Civilization
GERM 321 Introduction to German Literature (18th-20th century)
One 400-level course in German
One course from the following list, with LAC in German MLC 256 Psychoanalysis, Literature, and Culture MLC 340 European Romanticism MLC 350 Introductory Linguistics MLC 351 Contemporary Literary Theory MLC 360 Representing the Holocaust MLC 365 German Film in Context

Courses

GERM 101-102 Elementary German

GERM 201-202 Intermediate German

GERM 301 German Conversation and Composition

GERM 305 German Grammar and Composition

GERM 311 German Culture and Civilization

GERM 321 Introduction to German Literature

GERM 388 Individual Internship

GERM 389 Practice Assistantship

GERM 397 Selected Topics

GERM 402 Advanced German Conversation

GERM 404 Advanced Composition and Syntax

GERM 440 The Age of Idealism

GERM 452 Fin-de-siècle

GERM 465 Rebels with a Cause: Political Satire

GERM 471 Sexuality and German Society

GERM 472 Multiculturalism, Identity and Authorship in the German Context

GERM 495 Independent Study

GERM 497 Selected Topics

GERM 498 Senior Research Project I

GERM 499 Senior Research Project II

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