THE GERMAN MAJOR

Students take Composition and Conversation I, Approaches to German Studies, three courses from the literature and civilization sequence, a Senior Seminar, and several elective courses to total at least 27 credit hours (8-9 courses total).

THE GERMAN MINOR

Students take Composition and Conversation I and Approaches to German Studies, plus at least one course in either civilization or literature and enough elective credits to total at least 14 credit hours (4-5 courses total).

STUDY ABROAD
All German majors are encouraged to study abroad. Valparaiso University offers two distinct study-abroad opportunities in Germany:

• Some students choose to study in Reutlingen for one semester under the guidance of a VU professor. Up to 20 students per semester may select this option.

• Others study for a full academic year at the historic University of Tübingen. Many German majors choose this option and enjoy the 5-week orientation sponsored by the University of Tübingen.

• Visit the Office of International Programs page for more details. 

CAREERS AND COMPLEMENTARY MAJORS FOR GERMAN MAJORS
Many students combine a foreign language major with a second major program. Some of the most common combinations are German and International Economics & Cultural Affairs (IECA); International Service; Modern European Studies; Political Science. VU recently began offering an option for students who want to combine Engineering with German through the VIEP Program -- Valparaiso International Engineering Program in German. Some students choose a Liberal Arts Business Minor if they are planning to enter the business world after graduation. If you plan to teach at the high school level, you will major in German and in Secondary Education.

SCHOLARSHIPS
The Department offers competitive scholarships of $1,000 for freshman students who will major in German. These merit awards are renewable three times for a total of $4,000 if the student remains a German major and makes satisfactory academic progress. Scholarship holders may have two majors. 

There are three steps to the application process.

Additionally, the Department offers several scholarships designated specifically for German students:

• The Professor Carol Petersen Scholarship is awarded to an incoming student majoring in French or German.

• The Reutlingen Semester Scholarship

• The Tübingen Orientation Scholarship

These scholarships are supported by the Made Kade Foundation and are available to sophomores, juniors and seniors who are studying in Germany through the VU study abroad program. 

• The Henry and June Giebel Scholarships provide financial assistance for students who spend a full year studying in Germany. Preference is given to future German teachers and VIEP-German students.

CAMPUS ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS OF GERMAN

There are numerous ways for students to use their German outside the traditional classroom:

• Maintain an above-average academic performance and be initiated into the Iota Rho chapter of Delta Phi Alpha, the national German honor society.

• Join Valpo's German Club; weekly gatherings have featured picnics, trips to Chicago's Weihnachtsmarkt, singing, film evenings, and cooking projects. Meetings are conducted in English, and only an interest in German culture is required.