German

If you want to major in German, Western Michigan University offers two options for you. The first is a language, literature and culture program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Arts and Sciences. The second is also a language, literature and culture program, but it leads to a teaching degree from the College of Education and Human Development.

Both options include a strong focus on German language and culture. Basic coursework covers fundamental, intermediate and advanced German, German life and culture, and German literature. To round out your program, you will choose electives with the help of your advisor. The education curriculum is similar to the arts and sciences curriculum, but provides additional training that will prepare you to teach German at the middle and high school levels.

Beyond the classroom

As a student in WMU’s German program, you will be strongly encouraged to take advantage of study abroad opportunities, including our own single-semester program in Bonn or yearling exchanges in Tübingen, Passau, Paderborn and Berlin.

The weekly German Table will give you a forum through which to practice your German in a laid-back, conversational setting and meet others who share your interests. The German Club, a registered student organization, runs the German Table and the German Film Series, and also hosts other events and activities that focus on German culture.

After you graduate

Recent WMU graduates with degrees in German are working in many different industries and types of organizations, including:

  • Airlines
  • Businesses and banks
  • Charitable organizations
  • Education, all levels
  • Hotels
  • International exchange programs
  • Media
  • Museums
  • Non-governmental organizations
  • State and federal government
  • Travel and tourism

Sample job titles include:

  • Artists
  • Authors
  • Cultural officers
  • Customs and immigration officers
  • Diplomats
  • English teachers in Germany
  • Filmmakers
  • Foreign correspondents
  • Guides
  • Intelligence specialists
  • International bankers
  • International development specialists
  • International environmental studies professionals
  • Interpreters and translators
  • Journalists
  • Language teachers
  • Librarians
  • Linguists specialists
  • Missionaries
  • Museum curators
  • Negotiators
  • Professors
  • Publishers

Career Outcomes

Where is this program offered?

  • Kalamazoo

Other programs of interest