German

The German undergraduate major introduces students to a range of cultural phenomena in German-language contexts and from different historical periods. Our majors learn about literature, film, migration, philosophy, and history, within the structure of a humanistic discipline and with an emphasis on critical thinking, writing, and analysis. Many German majors and minors pursue opportunities to study abroad; and a substantial proportion of our majors complete a second major in a STEM field. 
Students are challenged to gain fluency in the German language, study major works of literature, film, and other forms of cultural production in their original language, and to venture abroad to German-speaking countries. The knowledge, experience, language fluency, and analytical skills acquired through the German major prepares our graduates to pursue careers in law, business, higher education, and public service; and our many STEM double-majors appreciate the German department’s smaller courses and tightly knit community, along with the opportunities our major affords to pursue international goals in German-speaking countries after graduation. 
If students choose to major or double major in German at Berkeley, they will enjoy opportunities to take small-group seminars taught by world-class professors and highly qualified graduate student instructors.

Declaring the Major

To declare the German major, please contact the Department of German. For details regarding the prerequisites, please see the Major Requirements tab on this page.

For students transferring from another institution, see Nadia Samadi, the Undergraduate Academic Advisor.

Honors Program

Students with at least a 3.5 GPA in all upper division courses taken to fulfill the requirements of the major and a 3.3. GPA overall are eligible for admission into the honors program. Candidates for honors in German need to apply to the undergraduate faculty adviser for admission into this program, ideally early in the fall semester of their senior year.

Students in the honors program are required to complete satisfactorily, within their senior year, an honors thesis under faculty supervision. The paper, consisting of 35 pages or more, may grow out of any upper division course, independent study, or directed research and is evaluated with a letter grade. It is the responsibility of the student to ask a faculty member to supervise the thesis. Normally thesis work is spread over two semesters. For the first semester, the student should enroll in GERMAN 199: Supervised independent study with their thesis director (2 units; Pass/Fail). In the second semester, while writing the thesis, the student enrolls in GERMAN H196 (4 units with letter grade). If the work is to be completed in one semester, the student may enroll in H196 for 4 units. This requires the approval of the supervising faculty and the honors committee. The student is required to attend three workshops at the beginning of the fall semester. Honors students are also expected to present their research in a series of undergraduate research colloquia during the semester for feedback on work in progress. For information regarding these workshops and colloquia, please see the German Department's website.

Those who have completed the program will graduate with honors (3.65) high honors (3.75), or highest honors (3.85) in the major depending upon their final GPA in all upper division courses taken to fulfill the major requirements. The grade of the honors thesis is added to the GPA for this purpose. The decision to award high or highest honors rests with the departmental honors committee.

To enroll in the German Honors Program and obtain an application, please contact Nadia Samadi.

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