Rutgers Home
German Department Home
The Department of German, Russian, and East European Languages and Literatures
   
  Degree Opportunities in German
  Departmental Honors Program
  German Honors Societies
  German Club
  Essay Awards
  Study Abroad Options
  External Scholarships for Study Abroad
  German Residence Halls
  Goethe Institute's Zertifikat Deutsch
  Fellowship Opportunities for Graduate School
  Contact Information

 
  Degree Opportunities in German  
       
       
    Major Opportunities  
   
The department offers two options for completing the major. The option in Language and Literature (curricular option 470) trains students to attain linguistic proficiency and a broad knowledge of German literature and culture. The interdisciplinary German Studies (curricular option 470A) option additionally enables students to broaden and deepen their interests in another academic field.
 
       
   
Note: 12 of the credits comprising the major must be completed in courses taught by the Rutgers University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Students do not normally receive credit toward the major for taking courses below a level at which they have already received a grade of C or higher. Courses with a grade of D are not counted toward the major.
 
     
    Minor Opportunities  
    The department offers two options for completing the minor, corresponding to the two available majors. Each minor comprises 18 credits, as approved by the department. At least 9 of these credits must be received from the Rutgers University Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Students do not normally receive credit toward the minor for taking courses below a level at which they have already received a grade of C or higher. Courses with a grade of D are not counted toward the minor.  
       
    Language and Literature Major (curricular option 470)  
       
    ***POLICY CHANGE AS OF 11/07/07: There has been a change in department policy regarding the requirements for the Language and Literature Major and Minor.  Effective immediately, one upper-level course in English will count toward the German degree, as long as a reasonable portion of the written work for the course is completed in German. The instructor will determine appropriate guidelines for each course.  
       
   

This major comprises 30 credits, as approved by the department, at the 200 level or above and taught in German. At least half of these credits must come from courses on literature, civilization, or film. A minimum of 18 credits must be received at the 300 level or above.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENT: 30 credits taught in German at the 200-level and above.

  • At least 18 of these credits must be on the 300/400 level.
  • Up to 12 of these credits can be on the 200 level.
  • At least 15 credits must be Literature, Civilization, or Film courses.
 
       
    Language and Literature Minor (curricular option 470)  
       
    ***POLICY CHANGE AS OF 11/07/07: There has been a change in department policy regarding the requirements for the Language and Literature Major and Minor.  Effective immediately, one upper-level course in English will count toward the German degree, as long as a reasonable portion of the written work for the course is completed in German. The instructor will determine appropriate guidelines for each course.  
       
   
Credits for the minor in German language and literature must be received at the 200 level or above and in courses taught in German. For students beginning their college German below the 200 level, one course in intermediate German (470:131 or 132) may be counted toward the minor. At least nine credits must be received at the 300 level or above.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENT: Six 3-credit courses (18 credits) taught in German.

  • At least 9 credits must be on the 300/400 level.
  • No more than 9 credits can be on the 200 level.
  • If you start in college below the 200 level, you may substitute an Intermediate German course (131 or 132) for one of the 200 level courses.
 
     
    German Studies Major (curricular option 470A)  
       
   

This option may be fulfilled either by taking most courses within the German program (for a German studies literature or film major), or by combining the study of German language and culture with other fields (such as history, art history, religion, philosophy, music), which offer courses with a substantial German content. The major comprises 36 credits arranged in the following manner: a set of core courses in German language (at any level), culture, and history; and a coherent set of at least 15 credits to be selected from the German studies course list with the written approval of the undergraduate director. Courses not included in the German studies course list may be considered toward the major at the discretion of the undergraduate director and the participating department.

All German studies majors must complete the equivalent of 01:470:232 Advanced Conversation and Composition II; 3 credits (conducted in German) on contemporary German culture; 3 additions credits on the 300 or 400-level offered by the German program in either German or English; and 6 credits in German history. MINIMUM REQUIREMENT: 36 credits in German language and culture.
  • All German studies majors must complete the equivalent of 01:470:232
  • 3 credits (conducted in German) on contemporary German culture.
  • 3 additional credits on the 300 or 400-level offered by the German Program in either German or English
  • 6 credits in German history.
  • At least 15 additional credits within a single area of concentration, taught either in the German Program or in other units (such as history, art history, religion, philosophy, music) that offer courses with a substantial German content.
 
       
    German Studies Minor (curricular option 470A)  
    The German Studies minor comprises courses taken either within the Department of German, or selected from the German studies course list (available on the department website) with the approval of the German studies adviser. Courses not included in the German studies course list may be considered toward the minor at the discretion of the undergraduate director and the participating department. All German studies minors must complete the equivalent of 01:470:232 Advanced Conversation and Composition II. At least 9 credits must be received at the 300 level or above, either in German or English.  
       
    Certificate of Proficiency in German  
     
   
The department awards a certificate of proficiency in German based on demonstrated ability to comprehend, speak, read, and write German as attested by a grade of B or better in 6 credits of work taken in courses conducted in German at or above the 300 level. Note: The German certificate is awarded only with, or subsequent to, the awarding of the baccalaureate degree in an approved major.
 
       
     
     
  Departmental Honors Program  
       
    To be a candidate for graduation with honors, a German major must have and maintain a grade-point average of 3.4 or better in German and a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or better. Conferral of honors is never automatic. Whether a candidate graduates with departmental honors depends on his or her total performance in German as measured by the recommendations of the faculty. Interested students are encouraged to apply at the department toward the end of their junior year or during the first week of classes in their senior year.  
       
    Language and Literature Major  
       
   
Students generally become eligible for honors by taking six credits of graduate courses (taken sequentially) with approval of the undergraduate director. Students may also: complete a senior honors thesis through their respective undergraduate college honors programs (this thesis should be submitted to a faculty member in German to be read and approved for credit); take six credits of 01:470:495,496 (in any of the following credit sequences: 3-3, 6-0, 0-6); take three credits of 01:470:495 or 496 and three credits of 01:470:491; or take any combination of the above courses totaling six credits. Whether a candidate graduates with departmental honors depends on his or her total performance in German as measured by the recommendations of the faculty.
 
     
   

German Studies Major

 
       
   
Students may receive honors either by completing a senior honors thesis through their respective undergraduate college honors programs (this thesis should be submitted to a German studies faculty member to be read and approved for credit); or by enrolling in 01:470:495,496 (in any of the following credit sequences: 3-3, 6-0, 0-6). Under the supervision of a faculty adviser, honor students will in either case pursue an independent research project that requires the use of German-language source material pertinent to the area of concentration, and may in the process earn up to six credits toward the German studies major.
 
       
     
     
  German Honors Societies  
       
    Delta Phi Alpha  
   

Qualified students are invited to join the National German Honor Society (minimum 9 credits taught in German, at the 200 level or above, with a German cumulative average of 3.5 and a general cumulative average of 3.0 or better). Students who believe they have fulfilled these requirements may at any time request that they be included in the Society's next induction (generally held in either March or April). Please e-mail your request to the Undergraduate Director in German.

 
       
    Phi Sigma Iota  
   
Qualified students are invited to join the International Foreign Language Honor Society. This requires completion of four or more courses in German, 2 at the 300 level or higher. The GPA for all foreign language courses taken at Rutgers must be 3.5 or better, minimum cumulative average 3.0. Visit the website of the Rutgers Chapter of Phi Sigma Iota.
 
       
     
     
  German Club  
       
   
Every year, the German Club organizes a campus Oktoberfest, Karneval, guest lectures, excursions to cultural events, and other activities related to German culture. To visit the German Club website, click here.
 
       
     
     
    Essay Awards  
       
    The Ralph J Ley Undergraduate Prize  
       
   

The undergraduate German program in the Department of Germanic, Russian and East European Languages and Literatures is pleased to offer two annual prizes for the best undergraduate papers written on any topic in German literature and culture at the 300-level or above.

These prizes are awarded in honor of two much-loved and admired former colleagues and teachers, Professors Johanna Ratych and Ralph J. Ley. The prize recipients are announced at the end of each academic year at the Department's spring reception.

The Johanna Ratych Undergraduate Prize for Best Essay in German is awarded for the best paper in German Studies written in German.

The Ralph J. Ley Undergraduate Prize for Best Essay in German Studies is awarded for the best paper in German Studies written in English.

Each award includes a certificate and a check in the amount of $100.

Submission requirements:

  • Nominations are made only by instructors, who may submit no more than one paper per class.
  • Essays must be at least 1,500 words (ca. 5 pages) long, typed, and double-spaced. Versions submitted should be the draft bearing the original comments and corrections of the instructor. Essays will be judged by the Prize Committee on the basis of: linguistic skill, overall organization, accuracy and originality.
  • Only papers written as part of the requirements for a course or independent study taught in, or cross-listed with, the German program (01:470 or 16:470) may be considered. The author must be fully registered and receiving a regular letter grade in the course.
  • The submitted work must be a photocopy of the original paper, including the instructor's comments and corrections. In preparation for submission, instructors are asked to retain copies of the best papers submitted each semester in their courses.
  • Each submitted paper for the Ley Prize must included a note from the nominating instructor indicating the individual student's German background (e.g. "Student previously took German 101 through German 232"; or "Student is native speaker of German").
  • Instructors of courses at the 100 and 200-levels are encouraged to contact their unit coordinators about making other awards to their strongest students.
 
       
     
     
  Study Abroad Options  
       
    Summer Abroad in Germany  
       
   

The Rutgers University German Department is pleased to announce its new summer study program in Berlin, which was launched in 2004.

Courses in German language (from elementary through advanced levels) and German culture and history (offered in English) take advantage of the rich historical and cultural sites the capital of united Germany offers.

For complete details about this exciting opportunity, click here.

If you are interested,utgers.edu please contact Professor Michael Levine, the Undergraduate Director, at mglevine@rci.rutgers.edu and you will be kept informed of the program details as they become available.

 
       
    Semester and Year Abroad in Germany  
       
   

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences offers a program of junior-year studies at the University of Constance. Under the guidance of a resident director, students attend preliminary four-week intensive language sessions and then, in the course of the academic year, participate fully in the life of the university. Admission is open to majors in all disciplines. A working knowledge of the language (01:470:232 or equivalent) is necessary, since courses are conducted entirely in German. Interested students should apply early in the second term of their sophomore year by contacting the department or the Rutgers Study Abroad Program. Students may register for study abroad either for the academic year, or for the spring semester (the German "Sommersemester").

All majors (whether in German Studies or in German Language and Literature) are strongly encouraged to spend at least one term abroad at a German university, ideally as participants in the Rutgers program in Constance. Up to 18 credits (9 credits per semester maximum) may be credited toward the major from courses taken during study abroad. Such credits are assigned at the discretion of the Undergraduate Director of German on the basis of materials (transcripts, Scheine, syllabi, tests, quizzes, and graded papers) provided by the student after return to the U.S. Students studying in Germany are advised to remain in close contact with the Undergraduate Director of German during their studies in Germany. The German studies senior honors thesis option must be taken in New Brunswick.

 
       
     
     
    External Fellowships for Study Abroad  
       
   

External scholarships, such as those from Fulbright, DAAD (German Academic Exchange), and Rotary, can be the best way for many graduating seniors to spend a year at a university in German-speaking Europe. Our students who have received these and similar scholarships have found their experience abroad invaluable, and have benefited by being able to add these awards to their resumes.

The deadlines for many scholarships come early -- some of them before classes begin in September, others in the first weeks of classes: see the Rutgers undergraduate scholarships page http://fas.rutgers.edu/ugraded/scholarship/index.shtml for further information about programs and their deadlines. See also the "Funding" links at http://www.deltaphialpha.org/ for information about scholarships made available by the Delta Phi Alpha German Honors Society, as well as a downloadable application form.

Note also that some of the colleges at Rutgers University provide scholarships of their own, and that some of these moneys, in particular for study abroad, often go unspent because students fail to apply. Students should contact their college deans’ offices for more information.

Keep in mind that most scholarship applications require transcripts, a carefully written personal statement, recommendation letters, and additional materials. Putting an application together is not necessarily difficult, but it takes some time and thought. Students should contact faculty early on for advice and recommendation letters.

 
       
     
     
  German Residence Halls  
       
   

German Special Interest Housing is available in Leupp Hall on the College Avenue Campus to facilitate fluency in the spoken language and to help students become acquainted with the culture and customs of Germany amid congenial surroundings. Residents sign up for a 1.5 credit course called Contemporary German Media and Society (01:470:299).

If you would like to change your housing assignment before the Fall semester, you can easily move into German Special Interest Housing by contacting Debbie Francisco at the Rutgers College Housing Office at (732) 932-7017.

 
       
     
     
    Goethe Institute's Zertifikat Deutsch  
       
   

In cooperation with the department, the Goethe Institut (the international cultural agency of the Federal Republic of Germany) administers its examinations for the Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache each spring. For more information, go to their website in German or in English, or contact them at

Goethe Institut New York
1014 Fifth Avenue
New York, NJ 10028
Phone: (212) 439-8700
Fax: (212) 439-8705
 
     
     
  Fellowship Opportunities for Graduate School  
       
    Mellon fellowships provide a stipend of $17,500 for the first year of doctoral study and pay tuition and fees. Good health insurance is also provided. Click here for more information.  
       
   
 
 
     
     
    Contact Information  
       
   

The Undergraduate Director, Professor Michael Levine, may be reached at mglevine@rci.rutgers.edu.

 
       
    Department Administrator Stefanie Toye may be reached at (732) 932-7201 or at smallia@rci.rutgers.edu.  
       
     




© 2007 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.

All Rights Reserved.

Last Updated: 08/03/2007