German

Academics at Hanover:

At Hanover, you can develop your own pathway with German based on your interests. With major and minor options in German and German Studies, you can focus on advanced language acquisition and study abroad, or take interdisciplinary courses in the History, Music, and Philosophy Departments toward your degree.

If you would like to become a P-12 teacher, you can double major in German and Education and complete a teaching internship at a local school. The new “SPARK for German” program allows Hanover students to teach German to K-12 students in the Hanover/Madison area for credit or community service. German classes also count as electives in the Business Program and the International Studies Program. Connect German with your own interests! Our curriculum is based on an anti-racist approach and focuses on inclusive, intercultural and interdisciplinary topics to prepare you for global citizenship.

Overlooking the Ohio River on a foggy morning

The German Department collaborates with faculty across campus to offer current and innovative co-curricular activities and courses. In recent projects, students have translated letters by a German-American settler for use in a history class, and teamed up with the Theatre Department to put on a fairy tale play adaptation in German with English supertitles. In May 2024, students can take “ART 260 The Art and Design of German Life” or “CHE 243 Brewing and Fermentation” with faculty from Art and Design and Chemistry in Germany! Join the faculty-led German Club to participate in co-curricular language and cultural activities! German-speakers from across campus and our greater communities are welcome to attend events.

Come learn about the German language and cultures through films, fairy tales, literature, music, plays, poems, translations and more… and write and perform your own!

STUDY ABROAD

Eat, sleep and drink German for a full semester at Philipps Universität Marburg in Marburg, Germany. Short-term opportunities for language and culture study in Germany are also available during May Term.

ON-CAMPUS IMMERSION

A number of extracurricular activities provide opportunities for you to enrich your language and social experiences at Hanover. The German Club offers cooking events, coffee hours, walks on campus for German conversation, hiking days in German, German Immersion Weekends, a Reading Group and more. Collaborate with other student groups on campus to put on intercultural and cross-cultural events. Come share your ideas and interests in the German-speaking cultures.

WHAT DO GERMAN MAJORS STUDY?

German language
German conversation and culture
German literature and film
And other topics that interest you, including translation and German for the professions

Previous graduates’ career and professional placements have included:

Assistant to Director, Deutsche Telekom Incorporated (Chicago)
Secondary Language Teaching throughout the Midwest
English Teacher (Prague, Czech Republic)
McKinley Explorer (Holland)

Graduate school placements have included:

University of North Carolina
Brandeis School of Law
University of Louisville
College of William & Mary
New York University
University of Cincinnati

COURSES

Number

Name

Units

Description

GER 115 Beginning German I 1.00 An introduction to basic modes of communication in the target language. Emphasis is on everyday language while developing speaking, listening, reading and writing as well as introducing culture(s) of the target language. Partially satisfies the WL CCR.

GER 116 Beginning German II 1.00 A continuation of German 115. Prerequisite: Ger 115 or placement into 116. Partially satisfies the WL CCR.

GER 217 Intermediate German 1.00 Reinforcement and expansion of grammatical and phonological patterns. Emphasis given to developing speaking, listening, reading and writing skills as well as study of culture(s) of the target language. Prerequisite: Ger 116 or placement into 217. Partially satisfies the WL CCR.

GER 218 Advanced Intermediate German 1.00 Advanced study involving expansion and synthesis of knowledge and understanding of the target language and its culture(s). Prerequisite: Ger 217 or placement into 218. Partially satisfies the WL CCR.

GER 222 German Cinema 1.00 Taught in English, a survey course examining German cinema from its world-famous pioneers in the 1920’s to the contemporary film makers. Students with knowledge of German may choose to write papers in German. Counts toward the German major/minor and toward the Film Studies minor. Partially satisfies the LA CCR and satisfies W2 ACE.

GER 223 Cities and Regions 1.00 Taught in German. A cultural journey to several key cities and regions in order to acquaint the students with the rich heritage of German-speaking lands. This course continues students' development toward advanced language proficiency by reading and discussing a variety of texts from disciplines such as literature, music, philosophy, science, history, banking and industry. Prerequisite: GER 218. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Satisfies the S ACE.

GER 227 Off Campus German Conversation 1.00 Total immersion in a German-speaking country. Focus is on experiencing everyday life, travel to different places and practice oral communications and presentations. Offered spring term. Prerequisite: GER 218. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor.

GER 228 German Conversation 1.00 Intensive work in oral expression, focusing on practical situations and contemporary issues, by means of a variety of texts. Prerequisite: successful completion of 217 and permission of instructor. Ger 218 is recommended. May precede Ger 227, but may not be taken for credit after Ger 227. Partially satisfies WL CCR.

GER 243 Interdisciplinary Works 1.00 Taught in English. Students wishing for credit in German should register for 343. Examines the benefits of (and sometimes the consequences that result from) interdisciplinary projects in the German-speaking world. Offered with rotating topics on literature, music,philosophy, politics, science, technology and more. To include at least one artistic or literary discipline. Partially satisfies the LA CCR. Satisfies the W2 ACE.

GER 244 Intercultural Communication 1.00 Taught in German. Evaluates the communication that happens between and within cultures in literature, film and/or other media. Possible topics include the multilayered communities represented in cross-cultural relationships, fairy tales, between humans and animals, persons with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, and more, with sources representing the perspectives from one or more of those culture(s). Development of competence in written and oral expression through analytical, functional and creative writing exercises, group discussions, and oral presentations. Prerequisite: GER 218. Partially satisfies the LA CCR. Satisfies the CP ACE.

GER 245 Crossing Boundaries 1.00 Taught in German. Offered with rotating topics examining the boundaries (and the crossing of boundaries) in language, culture, genre, gender, race, class and/or societies in literary works from the German-speaking world. Builds critical reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Prerequisite: GER 218. Partially satisfies the LA CCR.

GER 248 German for the Professions 1.00 Taught in German. Builds reading, writing, translation, speaking,and listening skills using contemporary economics, business, non-profit organization and translation industry texts and conventions. To include units, presentations, and creative projects and analyses specific to enrolled students’ vocational interests. Students help research and design part of the curriculum. Prerequisite: GER 218. Satisfies the S ACE.

GER 322 German Film Studies 1.00 Taught in English, a survey course examining German cinema from its world-famous pioneers in the late 1920's to the contemporary filmmakers. Students will write papers in German. Counts for Film Studies minor. Students cannot receive credit for both 222 and 322. Prerequisite 218. Partially satisfies the LA CCR and satisfies W2 ACE.

GER 323 Advanced Cities and Regions 1.00 . Taught in German. A cultural journey to several key cities and regions in order to acquaint the students with the rich heritage of German-speaking lands. This course continues students' development toward advanced language proficiency by reading and discussing a variety of texts from disciplines such as literature, music, philosophy, science, history, banking and industry. Prerequisite: GER 218, and at least two more upper-division courses at the 200-level. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Satisfies the S ACE.

GER 343 Interdisciplinary Works in German 1.00 Taught in English. Readings, writings, and conversation group in German. Examines the benefits of (and sometimes the consequences that result from) interdisciplinary projects in the German-speaking world. Offered with rotating topics on literature, music, philosophy, politics, science, technology and more. To include at least one artistic or literary discipline.Prerequisite: GER 218. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Partially satisfies the LA CCR. Satisfies the W2 ACE.

GER 344 Adv. Intercultural Communicaiton 1.00 Taught in German. Evaluates the communication that happens between and within cultures in literature, film and/or other media. Possible topics include the multi-layered communities represented in cross-cultural relationships, fairy tales, between humans and animals, persons with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community, and more, with sources representing the perspectives from one or more of those culture(s). Development of competence in written and oral expression through analytical, functional and creative writing exercises, group discussions, and oral presentations. Prerequisite: GER 218, and at least two more upper-division courses at the 2##-level. Maybe repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Partially satisfies the LA CCR. Satisfies the CP ACE.

GER 345 Adv. Crossing Boundaries 1.00 Taught in German. Offered with rotating topics examining the boundaries (and the crossing of boundaries) in language, culture, genre, gender, race, class and/or societies in literary works from the German-speaking world. Builds critical reading, writing, speaking,and listening skills. Prerequisite: GER 218, and at least two more upper-division courses at the 2##-level. May be repeated for credit with permission of instructor. Partially satisfies the LA CCR.

GER 348 Adv. German for the Professions 1.00 Taught in German. Builds reading, writing, translation, speaking, and listening skills using contemporary economics, business, non-profit organization and translation industry texts and conventions. To include units, presentations, and creative projects and analyses specific to enrolled students’ vocational interests. Students help research and design part of the curriculum. Prerequisite: GER 218, and at least two more upper-division courses at the 200-level. Satisfies the S ACE.

Faculty

Alexis Smith Associate Professor of German 812-866-7209 smithal@hanover.edu View Profile