German

OFFICE: Storm Hall 224A
TELEPHONE: 619-594-6313 / FAX: 619-594-8006
E-MAIL: german.coord@sdsu.edu
WEBSITE: http://german.sdsu.edu

Chair: Clarissa Clò, Professor of Italian (B.A., University of Bologna, Italy; M.A., University of Cincinnati; Ph.D., University of California, San Diego)

German Program Director and Undergraduate Adviser: Kristin Rebien, Associate Professor of German (M.A., Universitat Leipzig, Germany; Ph.D., Stanford University)

Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty:
Mathias Schulze, Professor of German (Diplomlehrer, Teacher Training College Leipzig, Germany; Ph.D., University of Manchester, United Kingdom)

Lecturers:
Christine Guzman, M.A.
Felicitas Jaima, Ph.D.

Emeriti Faculty:
Erich W. Skwara, Ph.D., 1986-2010, Professor of Humanities and German
Mary M. Wauchope, Ph.D., 1989-2015, Associate Professor of German

Undergraduate Information

The Major

The German language is widely spoken in many countries today. It is also a primary language of scholarship in such diverse fields as art, chemistry, electronics, history, linguistics, medicine, military science, the natural sciences, photography, and physics.

Students who major in German will gain proficiency in German language skills, and the department offers a broad variety of courses designed to prepare majors for a number of careers after graduation. A major in German is also a good preparatory curriculum for graduate programs in such areas as international law, international trade, journalism, librarianship, and public administration.

A knowledge of German is a valuable asset in finding positions with government agencies, internationally oriented companies, media outlets, and the tourism industry, and as interpreters and translators employed by the federal government, international conferences, publishers, trade councils, and the United Nations.

The German major with an emphasis in German studies offers extensive preparation in the German language while providing students with a broad, interdisciplinary understanding of the history, culture, and society of the countries of Central Europe where German is spoken. This emphasis provides excellent preparation for careers as area specialists for private businesses and agencies or for positions at international organizations, with the federal government, or in cultural institutions.

Students majoring in German are strongly encouraged to participate in California State University International Programs (CSU-IP) and other approved study abroad programs in German-speaking countries. Students also have the option of pursuing a double major in another area of study.

Advising

All College of Arts and Letters majors are urged to consult with their department adviser as soon as possible; they are required to meet with their department adviser within the first two semesters after declaration or change of major.

Impacted Program

The German major and emphasis are impacted programs. To be admitted to the German major or emphasis, students must meet the following criteria:

Complete preparation for the major;
Complete a minimum of 60 transferable semester units;
Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.

To complete the major, students must fulfill the degree requirements for the major described in the catalog in effect at the time they are accepted into the premajor at SDSU (assuming continuous enrollment).
Major Academic Plans (MAPs)

Visit http://www.sdsu.edu/mymap for the recommended courses needed to fulfill your major requirements. The MAPs website was created to help students navigate the course requirements for their majors and to identify which General Education course will also fulfill a major preparation course requirement.

Graduate Information

General Information

The Department of European Studies offers advanced coursework in German. Graduate courses in German may be used to fulfill requirements for advanced degrees in other departments with the approval of the student’s graduate adviser.