student at chalkboard — Students learn German by doing: reading, speaking, writing, and discourse. Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97

Program Overview

German

Program Type: Major, Minor

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Department: German Language and Literatures

German literature and German studies allow students to immerse themselves in the rich language and literature of the German-speaking world. Our courses ask students to reflect on the nature and value of literary, cinematic, and artistic works as part of a larger inquiry into the meaning of life.

Why Study German at Oberlin?

Study Away Programs

Language-based Residence Hall

Variety of Programs

lounge area of Max Kade House — The lounge in Max Kade House is often the space where students studying German meet for meals, games, parties, discussions, and other social activities. Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97

German House

Max Kade House, officially known as Deutsches Haus or German House, is a Program House for students who want to learn and speak German. The house can accommodate 35 students, who along with a resident faculty member and two teaching assistants, have opportunities to engage in social, cultural, and academic activities—in German.

Sample Courses

GERM 203 - Intermediate German 4 credits
GERM305 - Conversation and Composition 4 credits
GERM 311 - Enlightenment to Classicism 4 credits
GERM 353 - Afro-Germans through Art, Literature, and Film89 4 credits

Curriculum and requirements

German Faculty

Our faculty are both scholars and teachers who devote their careers to making important contributions to their disciplines through writing and research. Their areas of special interest include West German literature and film, postwar narratives, baroque and romanticism, Yiddish literature, and German Jewish literature. They are committed to undergraduate education and teach everything from first-year seminars to advanced language courses.

Explore Faculty within German