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German Studies

German Studies at Converse can prepare you with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes to be an effective local and global citizen, and give you that creative and competitive edge sought in our international workplace.

The German major or minor opens the door to many careers, including international business and banking, government, education, or law. Converse’s German degree will cultivate your understanding of cross-cultural aptitude and sharpen your ability to think critically and to communicate clearly.

Degrees Offered

  • Bachelor of Arts in German Studies
  • Minor in German Studies

About the German Studies Program

Offering both a major and minor, Converse’s program in German Studies is designed to give students a wide-ranging and highly personalized introduction to the language, literature, and culture of German-speaking Central Europe since 1750—and to the increasingly multicultural and transnational contexts that define these cultures today. This student-centered program is committed to the core curriculum of national literatures and cultures, while simultaneously pursuing interdisciplinary projects in fields such as aesthetics, film studies, intellectual history, and sound studies.

  • Close, individual attention and guidance throughout a student’s course of study
  • Intellectually stimulating coursework
  • Dedicated and caring faculty
  • Internship, research, and study-travel opportunities

We encourage students to:

  • Explore their own values while developing a deep appreciation for those of others;
  • Cultivate a deeper understanding of human diversity while recognizing the common humanity of all;
  • Hone the analytical skills needed for a complex, multilingual world.

Campus Clubs

  • Phi Sigma Iota (International Foreign Language Honor Society)

Study Travel

Faculty and students during study travel in Germany

Study-travel and study-abroad experiences are an integral part of a student’s academic career. German Studies majors have traveled to Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Slovakia, and have studied at the Humboldt University in Berlin and the Leuphana University in Lüneberg.

Learn more about study-travel opportunities at Converse.

German Studies provides students with a fully integrated Cultural Studies-oriented program: language, literature, and culture are taught as a continuous whole in a broad interdisciplinary context. By studying the art, history, literature, philosophy, and politics of the Germanic world in a communication-focused, technology-rich setting, German Studies students attain both linguistic and cultural proficiency.

In lower-division language courses, students focus on developing fluency, grammatical competency, and cultural literacy through the use of authentic texts. In upper-division literary and cultural studies courses, students learn how to describe, analyze, and interpret a variety of Germanic texts in their historical and socio-cultural contexts, while further refining their linguistic fluency and accuracy.

Sample Courses

  • Seminar on German Literature: Dark Romanticism
  • Seminar on German Film: Early Germanic Horror Film
  • Seminar on German Film: Time Magazine’s Top Berlin Wall Films
  • Seminar on German Culture: Berlin, Metropolis
  • Seminar on Beethoven and the Age of Revolution

View the German Studies Major requirements.

View the German Studies Minor requirements.

Course Offerings & Academic Catalogs

What are common careers in German Studies?

  • Education
  • Civil service
  • Diplomacy
  • Social work
  • Library science
  • Translation/interpretation
  • Journalism/broadcasting
  • Public relations
  • Sales/consulting
  • Mission work
  • Any career that requires you to be a creative and critical thinker, cross-cultural communicator and global citizen

What are German Studies grads doing?

In recent years, two graduates from the German Studies program have been awarded the J. William Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to teach English in Germany. Our alumni are working in a myriad of roles including:

  • Freelance Writer and Copyeditor
  • Health Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • High School Social Studies Teacher, Spartanburg District 5
  • Inventory Analyst, Amazon
  • Middle School Social Studies Teacher, Laurens District 55
  • Professor of Education, Michigan State University
  • Senior Editor, Babcox Media
  • Quality Data Analyst, KBR

Grad Schools

  • Professional Training Program, Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theatre
  • Public Health: Epidemiology, Emory University
  • Medieval Studies, National University of Ireland, Galway
  • Communication and Rhetoric, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
  • Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, University of Edinburgh
  • Library and Information Science, University of Southern California
  • Secondary Teaching: Languages, University of Melbourne

Next Steps

  • Request info Connect with us Opens new window
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Department News

Converse Announces 2025 Faculty Tenure & Promotions

In recognition of their commitment to teaching, scholarly and/or creative achievements, and service, the Converse University Board of Trustees has awarded promotion and tenure to three faculty members. Converse University …

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Converse Celebrates High-Impact Experiential Learning at 2023 RISE Symposium

Converse held its second annual RISE Symposium during the week of April 10, 2023.  Open to all undergraduate, graduate and Converse II students, the RISE symposium empowers students to share …

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Converse Wins Outstanding Delegation Award at International Model NATO

By Joe Dunn For the 18th consecutive year, Converse took the Outstanding Delegation Award at International Model NATO during the February 2023 conference in Washington, DC. With an award in …

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Programs

Converse offers over 100 majors, minors, certificates, and graduate programs across 2 campuses and online.

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