German

• Students who place directly into, and complete, a course higher than level 203 may count the retroactive credit they earn for 203, but no other retroactive credit, toward the minor.
• Students who plan to teach German with an individualized major in German should consult the German faculty and the education department to discuss options.
• If you are taking an AP course, you may receive credit in German at Valpo. Whether you are in an AP course or not, you will still have the opportunity to earn retroactive credit for your high school work. All incoming freshmen take our German Placement Exam, which places you into the correct course. After you pass that course, you’ll earn four to eight retroactive credits, plus four credits for the Valpo course itself.

When you look through the student profiles, you’ll see that you can combine German with just about any major.

Students interested in earning a secondary teaching license can combine an individualized major in German with a minor in Education. Talk to German and Education faculty members for details.

Students in the College of Engineering can combine a German minor with an Engineering major in the VIEP-German program and gain experience studying and working in German, with the support of Valpo German scholarships.

Study Abroad can fit into almost any student’s schedule.

Valpo offers three distinct study abroad opportunities in Germany:

You can study for a full year at the university in Tübingen, where you take an orientation course and then launch right into real courses in German at the university.

You can spend a semester at our study center in Reutlingen. Check out the Reutlingen Study Abroad blog!  When you have a free day be sure to take some of these ten great “Short Trips from Reutlingen.”

If you are an organ student, you can study for a semester in Rottenburg at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik.

You can take advantage of a wide variety of activities that will enhance your learning and are fun besides.

• German Club
• Grillfest – kick-off picnic
• Trips to the Chicago Lyric Opera
• Theaterfest – hosting area high schools for theatrical presentations and performance
• Kaffeestunde (coffee, cookies, and conversation)
• Interaction with exchange students from Germany, including the Josef Eberle Exchange Students
• Exhibits, film festivals and lectures, like those given by Josef Eberle Visiting Scholars
• Homecoming activities (the German House has won the “Spirit Stick” several times!)

• NEW SCHOLARSHIP: Josef Eberle Scholarships can be awarded annually to three incoming German minors. The award is $2,500 per year and is renewable each year, doubling in the fourth and final year (for a total of $12,500 over four years), as long as the student makes regular progress in the German minor and maintains a B- average in German and overall. This scholarship is added to existing financial aid and can be combined with the other Valpo scholarships for German students. Students who apply by February 22, 2025 will be notified of their status by March 1, 2025. However, the application will remain open until three scholarships have been awarded.
• Valpo’s Henry and June Giebel Study Abroad Scholarships are available to all German minors who study abroad in Germany for a semester or longer, as long as they have lived in the German House and maintain a B- average or higher. These scholarships are added to existing aid. They normally cover travel costs and additional expenses; they also cover housing costs on year-long programs. They can provide support as well for students before they go abroad and after they return.
• The John and Dorothea Helms Endowed Scholarship is awarded every year to a student minoring in German ($1,000, one time only, normally in the first or second year). Students are nominated for these scholarships.
• German House Residency Scholarships are available to German minors who live in the German House while enrolled in a German course. They are added to existing aid.
• Valpo German students may apply for other scholarships through entities such as the state of Baden-Württemberg and Delta Phi Alpha (the National German Honor Society). Valpo German faculty members advise students about applying for these scholarships when they become eligible.

Our Kaffeestunde takes place on the ground floor of the Kade-Duesenberg German House and Cultural Center (822 Mound Street).

During the 2025-2026 academic year, we will meet on the following Fridays, 4-5 PM:

September 5 & 19

October 3 & 17 (and special 25th anniversary reception on Thursday, October 30: RSVP to join us!)

November 14

December 5

January 23

February 6 & 20

March 6 & 27

April 10 & 24

May 8

German speakers at all levels are welcome.

Parents: In the Kinder lernen Deutsch program, your child in grade 2, 3, or 4 will be introduced to the German language and culture through fun activities, games, and songs. Both beginners and children with previous exposure to German are welcome.

Kinder lernen Deutsch is taught by Valpo undergraduate students of German, who are supervised by Dr. Timothy Malchow, Professor of German.

This year, the program takes place Tuesdays, 4-5 PM, in the Kade-Duesenberg German House and Cultural Center on the campus of Valparaiso University (822 Mound Street in Valparaiso). The 2025-2026 dates are:

• September 23, 30
• October 7, 21, 28 (no program on Oct. 14 for VCS fall break)
• November 4, 11, 18
• January 20, 27
• February 3, 10, 17, 24 (parents invited to the celebration on the last day)

Cost: $75 (cash or check made out to Valparaiso University, to pay at the start of the first day of the program). If your child normally receives a free or reduced lunch at school due to your financial situation, contact the Director to discuss discount options: tim.malchow@valpo.edu

Health Information: We want everyone coming to Kinder lernen Deutsch and everyone going home again to be healthy. If your child feels ill or has not been in school due to illness, your child should stay home.

Space is limited, so register soon.

Twenty-first Annual Theaterfest:
Thursday, April 10, 2025

Valparaiso University German faculty and students invite you to participate in Theaterfest, where your students can showcase their theatrical and German skills, meet German students from other high schools, and have a glimpse into what university-level German students are like.

FAQS:

• When: Thursday, April 10, 2025, 9 am – 1 pm (arrival beginning at 8:15 am; event starts at 9:00 am)
• What: Drama competition: 10 – 15 minute dramatic scenes memorized and presented in German. Scenes could be adaptations or excerpts from plays in German, dialogues written for language learners, or original works composed by the students and/or the instructor. Memorization is encouraged, but a prize may be awarded in a separate category for students who read from scripts.
• Where: Valparaiso University: in the Center for the Arts.
• Who: High School students of German from northwest Indiana schools. One school may enter up to three performances in the competition, but teachers in larger programs may contact Tim Malchow about the possibility of bringing more.
• Why: Let’s show our students that they aren’t alone in their study and use of German. There is a whole community learning and using German every day! This event addresses all five “Cs” and all of the standards!

Your responsibility:

• Register by February 15. We need a headcount by this date so that we can order lunches and make preparations. To register, send an email (tim.malchow@valpo.edu) with your name, your school, the total number of students you will bring, and the title of each performance. For each performance, indicate whether the students are Intermediate (German II-III) or Advanced (German IV-V). You may bring a maximum of three groups to perform (or contact Tim Malchow about possibly bringing more or other requests).
• Obtain permission from your school to attend. Arrange transportation to Valpo.
• Collect $13 registration fee per student (includes lunch). (German instructors and students on reduced or free lunch are our guests.) These funds can be brought with you to Theaterfest.
• Rehearse your students! Check the Judges Sheet (PDF) to share our criteria with your students.

Valpo’s responsibility:

• Organize event logistics and welcome your students.
• Plan for a box lunch for everyone.
• Arrange for Valpo student hosts and judges.
• Hand out awards.