Majors & Minors

German

The German Program provides students with the tools and opportunities to become competent, confident, culturally literate citizens of our global society.

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Francis Mathieu

Associate Professor of French & Chair

Francis Mathieu

Associate Professor of French & Chair

German
German (Credit: Bildagentur Zoonar GmbH | shutterstock.com)

We form strong critical thinkers and writers who excel in their careers nationally and internationally thanks to the flexibility and quickness of mind gained from studying language, literature, culture and film.

German majors and minors tie their language studies to in-depth analysis of literature, culture and film. The German program’s curriculum integrates speaking, writing and culture into all courses, enhanced by faculty mentoring and interdisciplinary opportunities. Students of German are strongly encouraged to study abroad as part of their education. Graduates have won prestigious Fulbright Scholarships to teach in Austria and Germany. Other funding opportunities can internationalize your coursework and boost your global career.

The German Program also builds diverse perspectives through courses addressing historical contexts, the environment, transnational writing and the European Union. The Capstone experience encourages German majors to go into greater depth and prepare for sophisticated work in many fields. Alumni pursue Master’s and PhD degrees and careers in teaching, business, management, international affairs and public health. 



AFTER SOUTHWESTERN

Featured Alumni Stories

Southwestern Graduate Awarded Prestigious Boren Fellowship

Alumna will spend a year studying Mandarin in Taiwan.

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Claire Harding ’20

Solving Earth’s Problems from Space

German and physics double major Claire Harding ’20 interned with NASA and will be teaching English in Germany as a Fulbright English teaching assistant.

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Jennifer Gingrich Christianson ’99

SU alumna wins merit citation for German teaching

Jennifer Gingrich Christianson ’99, a German/music grad and current high school German teacher, was one of eight educators to receive the Goethe‐Institut/AATG Certificate of Merit at the recent annual convention of the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG).

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EXPLORE SOUTHWESTERN

German News

Traci Giuliano

At Work in the Classroom

Coming soon to a Southwestern University classroom near you: career-readiness skills and career exploration opportunities!

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Catherine Hiebel ’22 and Melina Boutris ’22

Two Seniors Receive Fulbright Awards for 2022–2023

Catherine Hiebel ’22 and Melina Boutris ’22 will teach English in Spain and Austria, respectively.

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Erin Osterhaus '09

Fulbright Alumna Erin Osterhaus ’09 Leverages Language Skills in Global Business

Osterhaus, a Spanish and French major and German minor, earned an English Teaching Assistantship in Germany through the U.S. Student Fulbright Program. She currently works in marketing for a global trade association and does freelance translation work.

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