GMST - German Studies Major

German Studies Requirements

Students are required to take a total of 11 credits, seven of which must be earned within the German studies section of the department of language and culture studies. Students counting both introductory German language courses (GRMN 101 and 102) toward the major must earn a total of 12 credits, eight of which in the German studies section. German studies requires a C or higher for a course to count toward the major.

Core courses:

• Students are required to take a total of 11 credits, seven of which must be earned within the German studies section of the department of language and culture studies. Students counting both introductory German language courses (GRMN 101 and 102) toward the major must earn a total of 12 credits, eight of which in the German studies section.

• Required courses are GRMN 201, 202, at least one 200-level course taught in English, two 300-level GRMN courses, and 401, which serves as the senior exercise; students may enroll in a second course, GRMN 200-level course taught in English, or LACS 299 in lieu of one 300-level GRMN course.

• GRMN 200-level taught in English may be applied toward the major if a substantial portion of the assignments is completed in German and the student meets regularly with the instructor.

• The remaining credits shall be earned in other departments with the major adviser’s approval and with no more than two credits chosen from the same department.

• As an alternative to the credits taken in other departments, students are encouraged to enroll in the Trinity-approved program with Baden-Württemberg (Heidelberg, Tübingen, Freiburg, Konstanz, and other universities), Trinity-in-Vienna or Trinity-in-Berlin summer. Courses taken in Baden-Württemberg or Vienna count toward the major with the condition that their content be relevant to German studies and approved in advance by the major adviser. For courses to be approved, they must require a substantial amount of reading and writing in German.

• The Writing Intensive Part II requirement in the German major is fulfilled by: Any GRMN 200-level course taught in English, any 300-level GRMN course, or GRMN 401. Senior Seminar: Special Topics.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Study away: To maximize exposure to German language and culture, students are strongly encouraged to spend a least one semester at the Trinity-approved program of study in Baden-Württemberg or at Trinity’s Global Learning Site in Vienna. Both study-away programs provide opportunities for language immersion at a major German university, as well as the chance to pursue independent study or community service while residing in a culturally and historically rich Germanic setting. For more information, visit the Baden-Württemberg website or the Trinity-in-Vienna website.

Honors: Students qualifying for honors in the German studies major must attain a cumulative average of A- or better in all courses required for the major, including GRMN 401. The topic for the final project for GRMN 401 will be agreed upon in consultation with the adviser.

Language Across the Curriculum: German studies majors are encouraged to take advantage of the Language Across the Curriculum opportunity and earn an additional .5 credit toward the major. In collaboration with a member of the department, students may select supplementary readings in German that complement one or more of the courses below. Enrollment in Language Across the Curriculum follows the guidelines for independent study registration.

Language and Culture Studies Requirements

Plan A major: Under this plan, students major in a single foreign language (French, German studies, Hispanic studies, Italian studies, or Russian). Please see listings and descriptions of respective majors. Credit acquired through the Language Across the Curriculum program may be applied to the cognate requirements. Students are also required to complete a project synthesizing coursework taken for the major. Except under exceptional circumstances, this project will be undertaken in the language section’s 401. Senior Seminar; it must be done at Trinity College. See full descriptions under individual language headings.

Plan B major: Under this plan, students may combine any two of the languages taught in the department of language and culture studies and the classical studies department. A minimum of seven courses in a primary language and five in a secondary language is required, as well as two courses in a cognate field or fields. A paper integrating the three fields of study—primary language field, secondary language field, and some aspect of the cognate field(s)—must be completed in one of the primary language upper-level courses. Except under exceptional circumstances this project will be undertaken in the primary language section’s 401 Senior Seminar, which must be done at Trinity College. See full descriptions under individual language headings.

Course work completed for the major under Plans A or B, or the minor, must receive C- or better, and students must demonstrate oral and written proficiency in the appropriate language(s). First-year students planning to take a language course (other than 101) must take the placement test, administered during first-year orientation.

Upper-level courses are conducted in the foreign language unless otherwise indicated.

Permission to major under Plan A or B or to opt for the language and culture studies minor must be obtained from the department chair.

Any student wishing to enroll for credit in a lower-level language sequence after having been granted credit for a course in the same language at a higher level must first obtain the written permission of the department chair.

All language skill courses may require extra lab or drill sessions at the discretion of the instructor.

Core courses: Please see listings and descriptions of respective majors.

Capstone/senior project: Students are also required to complete a project synthesizing coursework taken for the major. Except under exceptional circumstances, this project will be undertaken in the language section’s 401. Senior Seminar; it must be done at Trinity College. See full descriptions under individual language headings.

ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Study away: Majors and other students are urged to spend at least one semester abroad, or to enroll in a summer study-away program or a recognized summer language institute in North America. Special attention is called to the Trinity College programs in Berlin, Rome, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Vienna. The departmental contacts for these programs are, respectively, Professors Evelein, Del Puppo, Shen, Izumi, and Evelein. Brochures describing each of these programs in detail are available both through the department and the Office of Study Away.

Honors: Departmental honors are awarded to seniors who have maintained an A- average in all courses to be counted toward their major (including cognate courses). A minimum grade of A- is furthermore required in the senior exercise (401).

Language Across the Curriculum: In addition to majoring in a language through Plan A or Plan B, or choosing a minor, there is also the opportunity to apply language skills to a wide array of courses across the entire college curriculum through the Language Across the Curriculum Program.

This option is generally open to all students who have completed the intermediate level (fourth semester, or equivalent) in any foreign language currently taught at Trinity and who are enrolled in any course outside the department in which the instructor, in collaboration with a member of the language and culture studies faculty, approves a supplementary reading list in the foreign language. For example, those studying European history, the economy of Latin America, or Freud could do supplementary readings in French, Spanish, or German; those studying art history or modern theater might do further readings in Italian or Russian respectively. There are many other possibilities. Upon satisfactory completion of the assigned work, students will be awarded an extra half credit in the course in question. For further information, see any member of the department.

Courses designated with the LACS department prefix are conducted in English.