Overview
Michael Lipkin
Franziska Schweiger
The goal of Hamilton's German Studies Department is to examine from an interdisciplinary perspective the language, literature, culture, historical development and politics of German-speaking countries.
Students will learn to:
- communicate effectively in written and oral German
- demonstrate understanding of the literary, historical, and political events and works that shape German culture and society
- conduct multidisciplinary research in German Studies
German studies is an interdisciplinary concentration focusing on the language, literature, culture, historical development and politics of German-speaking countries. The concentration in German Studies consists of nine courses, which must include GERMN-200 and GERMN-310 (or equivalent from study abroad), a 400-level German seminar, GERMN-500 (Senior Project) and five courses from the list of approved courses. No more than three courses from departments outside of German may be counted. The Senior Project must incorporate German language sources and may be written in English or German. To attain honors students must have an average of A- or better in all coursework for the concentration, including the Senior Project. The German program also offers beginning German language (GERMN-110, GERMN-120), but only courses numbered 130 or above count toward the concentration. Semester- or year-long study abroad in a German-speaking country is strongly encouraged. In order to fulfill the Social, Structural, and Institutional Hierarchies Requirement, students must complete a 400-level seminar.
A German studies minor consists of five courses. Fifth-semester language proficiency (200) and one course in translation are required.
The following courses may be counted toward the concentration. With consultation of the program director, other courses might be approved as electives, particularly those taken on an approved study abroad program.
German language and literature courses: GERMN-130, GERMN-140
Other core courses (course specific prerequisites must be observed):
ARTH-284 Northern Renaissance Art
GOVT-214 Politics in Western Europe
GOVT-291 International Political Economy
GOVT-355 The European Union in World Affairs
HIST-117 Capturing Light and Time: Europe in Photographs, 1815-1968
HIST-212 Modern Germany: 1789 to the Present
HIST-224 Vienna: The Art of Empire
HIST-314 Nazi Germany
MUSIC-221 From Bach to Bartók
PHIL-463 Seminar in Metaphysics: Nietzsche