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A new world opens up when you learn a foreign language and come to know a foreign culture on its own terms. The German program at Ohio State makes this experience exciting, with interesting courses, study abroad and internship programs and the German-speaking environment at the Max Kade German House on campus. As a student of German, you’ll become acquainted with a culture that is central to the history and civilization of the West and learn the language of a country that is an economic and political leader in today’s world. You’ll also develop key skills, such as critical analysis, spoken and written communication and intercultural communication, that will prepare you for a wide range of professional careers and graduate studies.
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In recent years, German majors have won Fulbrights, secured positions at BMW, Batelle, non-profits and been accepted by graduate programs and professional schools at universities in the United States and Germany. Pair German with another major to open doors, increase your earning potential, and benefit from a boost in marketability in fields like business, engineering, publishing, media, medicine, government, education, hospitality management and non-profits.
Said one student, "At the company I will be working for, we have already discussed plans of transferring to the Munich office within a few years.”
The Ohio State University Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures offers a comprehensive course of study that covers literary and cultural studies, intellectual history, and German for the professions as well as in-depth specializations that include film studies, aesthetic philosophy, gender studies, cognitive studies, minority literature, ecocriticism, second language studies, Germanic linguistics, Scandinavian Studies, and Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies. Said one student, “Learning about German culture has made me more tolerant of new cultures and ideas . . . This will help me to adjust to wherever life and my job take me.”
Students who study German learn to speak, read, write, and comprehend the German language, but they also learn much more. Courses help students develop their ability to express their ideas clearly and persuasively, analyze and interpret texts and images, communicate across cultural boundaries and evaluate information and conduct research. The flexibility of Ohio State’s German major also makes it easier to combine it with a second major such as history, international studies, business, journalism, political science, engineering, biology or another foreign language with German. Traditionally students majoring in German pursue a liberal arts program. Many use their liberal arts preparation as a stepping-stone to advanced study or professional preparation in fields such as medicine or law.