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German Studies

Study the language while exploring the history, politics, literature, film, theater, graphic novels, and culture of German-speaking regions.

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Program Overview

What can you do with a German Studies degree from a liberal arts college?

German Studies helps you build language skills while exploring the cultures, histories, and ideas of German-speaking regions. From beginning language courses to advanced seminars, you'll study German through literature, film, theater, graphic novels, social media, history, politics, and cultural analysis.

At Wooster, you'll learn in a close-knit program led by two experienced professors and supported each year by a Fulbright Teaching Assistant from Germany or Austria. With individual advising, mentoring, and opportunities to connect German with other areas of study, you'll develop the language skills, cultural understanding, and research experience to pursue your own questions.

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Language & Culture

Build your German skills while studying the histories, texts, media, and cultural traditions that shape German-speaking regions.

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Close Mentorship

Work closely with German professors who guide your coursework, research, study abroad planning, and Independent Study.

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Global Experience

Explore semester study abroad options, faculty-led TREK programs in Germany, and research opportunities beyond Wooster.

The Wooster Advantage

Why Study German at Wooster?

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Learn in a close-knit program where professors provide individual advising, mentoring, and guidance.
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Practice German beyond class through Stammtisch lunch tables and Kaffeestunde coffee hours in Luce Residence Hall. 
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Connect with a Fulbright Teaching Assistant from Germany or Austria each year.
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Travel with professors through three-week summer TREK programs in Germany, offered by German faculty on a rotating basis.
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Publish your creative work in Stimmen, the annual German literary magazine.
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Combine German with another major in fields such as history, political science, communication studies, anthropology, chemistry, physics, or gender studies.
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Featured Courses

Explore German language, culture, history, and contemporary life.

  • German Film and Society
    Study German-speaking societies through film and visual storytelling.

  • Food and Morals
    Explore how food connects to culture, values, ethics, and everyday life.

  • German Comics and Social Justice
    Examine graphic novels and comics as ways to understand social questions and cultural change.

  • Green Living and Sustainability
    Study environmental ideas and sustainability through a German Studies lens. 

  • Cultural Geography of Berlin
    Explore Berlin as a city shaped by history, culture, politics, and memory.

  • Museums and Monuments
    Consider how public spaces, museums, and monuments shape cultural memory.

  • Fairytales, Folklore, and Other Stories
    Study traditional and modern stories and the cultures that produced them.

Academic Opportunities

Take your German Studies work further.

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Independent Study

Every German major completes an Independent Study with one-on-one mentorship from a professor. One chapter is written entirely in German, giving you the opportunity to bring together language skill and original research.

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Double Majors & Shared Research

German majors often combine the program with another area of study. For double majors, Independent Study topics may bring two fields together, with guidance from advisors in both areas.

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Research Beyond Wooster

Students can apply for Copeland funding to support Independent Study research beyond campus. German Studies students have used this support to conduct research in Germany and in U.S. archives.

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Faculty Research Projects

Students may work with German professors on research projects, including digital archives, transcription, translation, and tools such as Transkribus.

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Ready to Explore German Studies at Wooster?

Build your language skills, ask your own research questions, and learn in a program where professors know your interests and help you pursue them.

Career Opportunities

German Studies graduates use their language skills, research experience, and cultural understanding in many fields.

Wooster German majors have pursued careers and graduate study in education, law, library science, museums and archives, editing and translation, foreign service, international business, international service organizations, biology, chemistry, medicine, and German Studies.

German minors have continued into graduate school and careers in journalism, the natural and social sciences, and service-oriented work. Some graduates have also received Fulbright Teaching Assistantships in German-speaking countries after graduation.

 

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Where Our Alumni Go

German Studies alumni have worked or served in roles and organizations including:

  • Collections Librarian, University of Akron
  • Moving Images Librarian, Library of Congress
  • Assistant Professor of Biology, University of Northern Colorado
  • Place-Based Climate, Mobility & Economic Development
  • Omega Music
  • Bell, Moore & Richter Law Firm
  • Case Western graduate student in pharmacology
  • HCL Tech senior market analyst
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Meet Your Professors

German Studies is led by two experienced professors who work closely with students in courses, advising, research, study abroad planning, and Independent Study. The program's small size creates a strong community of German learners and gives you regular opportunities to connect with professors beyond the classroom.

Each year, a Fulbright Teaching Assistant from Germany or Austria also joins the program, bringing another perspective to language learning and campus activities.

Beth Ann Muellner

Beth Ann Muellner

Professor of German Studies; Department Chair of German Studies
Mareike Herrmann

Mareike Herrmann

Professor of German and Russian Studies
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Connect With Our Professors

Have questions about German Studies, study abroad, Independent Study, or combining German with another major? Our professors are happy to help you explore the program.  
Schedule a Conversation