College of Arts & Sciences
Department of German
Department of German

SFS Proficiency Exam – April 23-25, 2025

Please sign up during the registration period on the glass door to ICC 468-A or by completing the Google Registration Form during the registration period. You will need to include your GUID, program/major, and year.

REGISTRATION: April 9-13, 2025

Once we know the exact number of examinees, you will be contacted on Monday, April 14, to provide your availability. The exam schedule will be sent by Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

Exam Questions: Dr. Marianna Ryshina-Pankova, ICC 466, ryshinam@georgetown.edu

Registration Questions: Courtney Feldman, ICC 468, cf663@georgetown.edu

Eligibility: The earliest opportunity to take the exam is at the end of the Advanced sequence, i.e., at the end of Advanced II or Intensive Advanced, but it is highly recommended that students complete at least one Level IV class (e.g., Text in Context, Issues and Trends) prior to sitting for the exam.

Exam dates: Generally, the exam will be offered at the beginning and end of the fall semester and at the end of the spring semester. Announcements will be sent to the German student mailing list and to SFS, MSFS, and MAGES programs.

Prior to the exam:

Examinee prepares a 4-5 minute well-structured oral presentation on a cultural, economic, or political topic related to Germany (no personal anecdotes, please). Presentation cannot be read. Only minimal notes allowed.

Student will check in 20 minutes before exam time slot with the department administrator to receive text articles for the exam.

Examinee then chooses one of three articles on current German events (on politics, economics, and culture) to summarize. Examinee has 15 minutes to read through text without the aid of a dictionary.

Structure of exam:

  1. The examinee briefly introduces him/herself to the two examiners (course of studies, stays abroad, special interests, etc.)
  2. The examinee summarizes the chosen article and answers questions relating to it
  3. Examinee gives a 4-5 minute well-structured oral presentation on a topic related to the cultural, economic, or political life in Germany (no personal anecdotes, please) and answers questions relating to it

Announcement of results:

Results are generally available on the next business day after the conclusion of all exams through the examinee’s Dean’s office. Undergraduates receive a pass/fail evaluation only. Graduate students receive a more detailed evaluation ranging from poor to excellent.