German at Vanderbilt has been offered since the University’s founding in 1865. It entails the study of past and present cultural conditions in German-speaking countries such as Austria, Germany, and Switzerland within the framework of a liberal arts education. The study of German thus shares in the goals of a humanistic education; that is, it seeks to expand the studentÂ’s intellectual horizons, to foster critical thinking, to further cross-cultural understanding, and to promote more effective written and spoken communication. These skills, especially when combined with knowledge of a foreign language and culture, have proven to be an asset in a wide range of professions in academia, commerce, industry, and government.

The major and minor in German at Vanderbilt offer course work primarily taught in German and are designed to prepare students for success and satisfaction in life. This is done through refinement of German-language skills, through exposure to intellectual, cultural, and literary currents from the Middle Ages to the present, and through cross-disciplinary course work in history, philosophy, music, and the visual arts. To enable the student to achieve his or her desired level of language and literature proficiency, class size remains small to accommodate frequent group interaction. A German-language residence hall, social activities, and film and lecture series offer additional opportunities for skill development. Additionally, all students are encouraged to participate in the Vanderbilt-in-Regensburg program and in a summer-study-abroad program.

The Department offers two major tracks: a concentration in German Language and Literature and a concentration in German Studies. The first emphasizes proficiency in speaking and writing German and offers more advanced work on transcultural understanding through an appreciation of German contributions to world literature and culture. The second major shifts the focus to a broader notion of culture, one which emphatically includes such neighboring disciplines as history, political science, and philosophy. Since this major is designed to accommodate student desires to work effectively with German materials in the neighboring disciplines, language, literature, and interdisciplinarity are equally stressed. Majors in this track are drawn not only from German, but also from the related disciplines. When combined with a second concentration in such areas as history, economics, or music, either major is especially valuable.

Given GermanyÂ’s economic strength, its leading role in the European Union, its rich intellectual heritage, and historically strategic geographical position between East and West, familiarity with its language and customs enhances oneÂ’s opportunities in government, business and communications. Whether you are continuing or just beginning your language and culture study, you are invited to consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies for German or with the Co-Directors of German Studies about options open to you.

The German faculty prides itself in taking a special interest in the student’s progress, providing individual advice and encouragement in their studies both within and outside the Department. For this reason we regularly teach in the Freshman Seminar Program, in the Humanities and Honors Programs, in Women Studies, Film Studies, and European Studies. Over the years students have praised members of the German faculty for their effectiveness as teachers and for their accessibility outside the classroom. Faculty teaching and research interests gravitate to intellectual and cultural developments since the eighteenth century: e.g., Enlightenment, Weimar Classicism, Romanticism, Realism, fin-de-siècle, Weimar Republic, Holocaust, Post-1945 cultural developments in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Representative thematic foci include the nexus of philosophy and literature, gender issues, cultural politics, and the history of print media. The tenured and tenure-track faculty is listed below. A fuller description of individual faculty interests, as well as of other faculty fully integrated in the Department, is available on the Department’s web site.

Angela H. Lin, Assistant Professor of German. Ph.D., Princeton, 1999. Romanticism; nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century cultural studies; critical theory; opera; music and literature; Austrian literature.

Recently Offered Courses
Business German; German Film; German Literature of the Middle Ages; Philosophy – History – Literature; Women at the Margins: German-Jewish Women Writers; Beyond Good and Evil: Nietzsche and Ethics; Romanticism; Music, Myth, and Modernity: Reading Richard Wagner; The Uncanny: Freud, Kafka, Nietzsche; Pioneers of Modernism: Brecht, Rilke, Kafka; Representations of the Holocaust.

Honors Program
For motivated and qualified students, honors is a desirable opportunity. To take honors in German or German Studies, candidates complete six hours of 300-level courses, study a semester at a German-speaking university, write an honors thesis, and pass an oral examination during the last semester. Honors students have gone on to successful careers.

Erika Ann Doerhoff (1999), "The Museum and Collecting in Theodor FontaneÂ’s Stechlin"

Mark Russell Pettus (2000). Honors Thesis: "Der Humanist und die Anziehungskraft der Vergangenheit: Thomas Manns Doktor Faustus"

After Vanderbilt
"So, what can you do with a major or minor in German?" This legitimate question is uppermost in any studentÂ’s mind. Few majors actually go on to graduate study in Germanics, yet a major or minor in German is a valuable aid in a wide range of academic disciplines such as biochemistry, engineering, music, philosophy, religious studies, and zoology. Moreover, as one of the global languages, a knowledge of German can enhance career opportunities. At the very least, the study of German fosters global understanding. More than 60 million Americans claim German heritage; 20 million people in the world currently are learning German as a foreign language. Indeed, German is the most widely spoken language in Europe, is an official language in seven countries, and it is frequently used in business and science not only in Europe, but also in Russia and parts of Asia. 750 major American firms do business in Germany, while 1100 German companies do business in the U.S. Some recent German majors include:

Andrew B. Flake (B.A., German & Political Science, 1996), Vanderbilt Law School

Lee Henricks (B.A., 1996), after working for several years now pursuing her MBA at VanderbiltÂ’s Owen School of Business and Management.

Shefali Gandhi (B.S./B.A., German & Biology, 1997), Washington University School of Medicine

Heidi S. Smith (B.A., 1999), teaches English in Japan while pursuing studies in Japanese.

Natalia Anna Mielczarek (B.A., German & Communications, 1998), Graduate Studies in Journalism at the University of Missouri.

Erika A. Doerhoff (B.A., German & Philosophy, 1999), Fulbright to Germany 1999-2000, Graduate Fellowships for advanced study of Germanics at Cornell University.

William J. Coloric (B. A., 2000), Sales Representative for Jaguar of America

Mark Adam Hunter (B.A., German & European Studies, 2000), Program Assistant to the German Marshall Fund of the US, Washington DC.

Mark Russell Pettus (B.A., German & Russian, 2000), Fulbright Fellowship to Russia 2000-2001.

Erika Bree Zielke (B.A., German & European Studies, 2000), Commissioned as 1^st Lieutenant, stationed in Germany .

Sara Grace Boronow (B.A., B.Mus, German & Music – Cello Performance, 2001), Graduate Study at the Rice University School of Music.

Catherine Ruth Magill (B.A., Linguistics & Minor in German, 2001), Fulbright Teaching Award to Austria 2001-2002, followed by study of medicine at U of Pittsburgh or Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Susan Schroeder (B.A., B.Mus; German & Music – Violin Performance, 2001), Graduate Study at University of Michigan School of Music.

Alexander Taylor (B.S., Chemistry & Concentration in German), Fulbright to Basel, Switzerland, then graduate studies in chemistry at Harvard University.