German Studies, B.A.

Learn German in a highly communicative atmosphere and experience a multidisciplinary approach to the history, politics, society and culture of the German-speaking world.

Saint Louis University offers German studies students opportunities for summer, semester and yearlong study abroad programs that count toward degree options, primarily through the department’s affiliation agreements with the University of Heidelberg and its U.S. counterpart — Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio — the University of Frankfurt and the University of Stuttgart. Many German majors and minors take advantage of these study abroad opportunities to enhance their studies at SLU and in German, and especially their language skills, cultural competency skills and general knowledge.

Students who pursue a degree in German studies at Saint Louis University are:

• Intent on becoming conversant in German to enhance their global career opportunities in international and domestic business, marketing, law, translation, government service, news service, museums, the publishing industry or international studies.
• Interested in gaining cultural proficiency in German, thus expanding their horizons and acquiring new perspectives to view their own culture.
• Curious about language, rhetoric and communication.
• Looking to acquire German as a tool for graduate study in history, political science, library science and countless other fields.

Additional program highlights include:

• All learning is vigorous, takes place in intimate classroom settings and focuses on intercultural competencies that make students highly competitive in the job market.
• All instruction is in German and interdisciplinary, combining developing language proficiency with cultural, contemporary and historical, and literary and artistic study related to German.
• The German faculty covers a broad range of research expertise, ranging from medieval to contemporary and from the visual arts to literature and linguistics.

Curriculum Overview

Upper-division courses are taught in an intimate classroom setting, allowing for more significant classroom discussion and unique learning experiences. Students will also have opportunities for extracurricular engagements to strengthen their understanding of the German culture and language.

Fieldwork and Research Opportunities

Benefits of the German studies program also include internship and career opportunities. Department faculty assist students in finding internships both in the St. Louis area and abroad.

Careers

Students who graduate with a degree in German studies from Saint Louis University are prepared to work in many rewarding fields, including:

• Foreign service
• International business
• International law
• Scientific research
• Social service
• Translation
• Museum curation

Admission Requirements

Begin Your Application

Saint Louis University also accepts the Common Application.

Freshman

All applications are thoroughly reviewed with the highest degree of individual care and consideration to all credentials that are submitted. Solid academic performance in college preparatory coursework is a primary concern in reviewing a freshman applicant’s file.

To be considered for admission to any Saint Louis University undergraduate program, applicants must be graduating from an accredited high school, have an acceptable HiSET exam score or take the General Education Development (GED) test. 

Transfer

Applicants must be a graduate of an accredited high school or have an acceptable score on the GED.

Students who have attempted fewer than 24 semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must follow the above freshmen admission requirements. Students who have completed 24 or more semester credits (or 30 quarter credits) of college credit must submit transcripts from all previously attended college(s).

In reviewing a transfer applicant’s file, the Office of Admission holistically examines the student’s academic performance in college-level coursework as an indicator of the student’s ability to meet the academic rigors of Saint Louis University. Where applicable, transfer students will be evaluated on any courses outlined in the continuation standards of their preferred major.

International Applicants

All admission policies and requirements for domestic students apply to international students along with the following:

• Demonstrate English Language Proficiency
• Proof of financial support must include:
  • A letter of financial support from the person(s) or sponsoring agency funding the time at Saint Louis University
  • A letter from the sponsor's bank verifying that the funds are available and will be so for the duration of study at the University
• Academic records, in English translation, of students who have undertaken postsecondary studies outside the United States must include the courses taken and/or lectures attended, practical laboratory work, the maximum and minimum grades attainable, the grades earned or the results of all end-of-term examinations, and any honors or degrees received. WES and ECE transcripts are accepted.

Scholarships and Financial Aid

There are two principal ways to help finance a Saint Louis University education:

• Scholarships: Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, service, leadership and financial need.
• Financial Aid: Financial aid is provided in the form of grants and loans, some of which require repayment.

For priority consideration for merit-based scholarships, apply for admission by Dec. 1 and complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 1.

For information on other scholarships and financial aid, visit www.slu.edu/financial-aid.

1. Graduates will be able to communicate in culturally appropriate spoken German at least at the level of Intermediate-High proficiency according to the standards set by the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages, ACTFL.
2. Graduates will be able to communicate in culturally appropriate written German at least at the level of Intermediate-High proficiency according to the standards set by the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages, ACTFL.
3. Graduates will be able to present their research in a clear and organized manner in German that can be understood by native speakers not accustomed to interacting with the language of language learners.
4. Graduates will be able to name cultural differences and explain the target culture from a variety of cross-cultural perspectives.
5. Graduates will be able to apply the German language to make connections with other disciplines/fields of study.
6. Graduates will be able to read academic publications in German, to synthesize and incorporate the content constructively into their research projects.

German students must complete a minimum of 30 credits for the major.

Students who begin their study of German at Saint Louis University above the 2010 level must complete an additional course or courses at the 4000 level to fulfill the major total.

Continuation Standards

All German studies major courses must be completed with a grade of C or higher to count for the major and for the student to continue in the major.

Graduation Requirements

• Complete a minimum of 120 credits (excluding pre-college level courses numbered below 1000).
• Complete the University Undergraduate Core curriculum requirements.
• Complete major requirements: minimum 30 credits required.
• Complete remaining credits with a second major, minor, certificate and/or electives to reach the minimum of 120 credits required for graduation.
• Achieve at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average, a 2.00 grade point average in the major(s) and a 2.00 grade point average in the minor/certificate, or related elective credits.
• Complete department-/program-specific academic and performance requirements.
• Complete at least 50% of the coursework for the major and 75% for the minor/certificate through Saint Louis University or an approved study abroad program.
• Complete 30 of the final 36 credits through Saint Louis University or an approved study abroad program.
• Complete an online degree application by the required University deadline.

Roadmaps are recommended semester-by-semester plans of study for programs and assume full-time enrollment unless otherwise noted.  

Courses and milestones designated as critical (marked with !) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation. Transfer credit may change the roadmap.

This roadmap should not be used in the place of regular academic advising appointments. All students are encouraged to meet with their advisor/mentor each semester.  Requirements, course availability and sequencing are subject to change.

Program Notes

If a student places below GR 2010 Intermediate German: Language & Culture (third semester) on the Saint Louis University Placement Exam (SLUPE), the student would first take GR 1010 Communicating in German I and/or GR 1020 Communicating in German II, pending placement exam placement. If a student places above GR 2010 Intermediate German: Language & Culture on the SLUPE, the student would begin their coursework for the German major at either GR 3010 Communicating in Written German: The German Media or GR 3020 Communicating in Spoken German: Contemporary Issues and would take an additional GR 4xxx course to complete the 30 credits in the major.

It is very common for students majoring in a foreign language, German in this case, to have a second major.

Approved electives offered in other departments for German major: