Declaring a Major or Minor

Students wishing to declare a German major should obtain a “Declaration of Major” form from the Dean’s office. Students who already have a major in another discipline are welcome to choose German as their second major. 

To make an appointment, please send an email to Prof. Peter C. Pfeiffer, Chair of the German Department, at peter.pfeiffer@georgetown.edu. He will then assign you an advisor and sign your declaration of major form. Signed forms should be returned to the Dean’s office. The website for the College of Arts and Sciences has more information on declaring a major or minor.

German Major: Requirements

10 German courses (unless placement requires additional language study) consisting of:

  • GERM-2011 [GERM-111] Intensive Advanced German: Stories and Histories (Level III) or GERM-2002 [GERM-102]
  • GERM-3000 [GERM-152] Text in Context (Level IV) or GERM-3001 [GERM-153] Mitten in Europa
  • Recommended but optional: one additional Level IV course; GERM-3000–GERM-3999 [GERM-150–GERM-199]
  • Electives to make a total of 10 courses (preferably GERM 3002-GERM-4499 [GERM-200–GERM-499]), one of which may be a GERM course taught in English (including GERM-2500, GERM-2750, GERM-2751, or GERM-2760 [GERM-043, GERM-130, GERM-131, or GERM-230])

Major electives must be approved by faculty advisor.

Students with AP credit and an adequate placement exam score may need less than 10 courses to fulfill the requirements for the major. [See separate section on AP credit for more information.]

German majors are strongly encouraged to take an additional foreign language.

German Minor: Requirements

Students majoring in other subjects are welcome to minor in German. Eighteen credit hours taught in German above Intensive Basic German (GERM-1011 [GERM-011]) or Introductory German II (GERM-1002 [GERM-002]) are required, nine of which need to be at a level above GERM-3000 [GERM-150]. Students also have the option of taking one GERM course taught in English and counting it towards the minor (including GERM-2500, GERM-2750, GERM-2751, or GERM-2760 [GERM-043, GERM-130, GERM-131, or GERM-230]).

Please visit the College’s bulletin for more information. If you have further questions, please contact Prof. Pfeiffer.

NOTE: Courses taken through the Georgetown summer program at Trier apply toward the Major or Minor.