The German Studies concentration provides students the opportunity to explore the cultures of German-speaking countries from an interdisciplinary perspective. Students combine coursework in the German language with a selection of courses with appropriate cultural content in consultation with the program director.
Requirements for the German Studies concentration
The German Studies concentration consists of five (5) courses with cultural content from one or more German-speaking countries:
• Three courses in German at the level of 232 and above, at least two of which must be taught by a St. Olaf instructor;
• Two additional courses relevant to German Studies (art, culture, economics, history, politics, etc.) taken at St. Olaf or abroad, in German or in English;
• Maximum of two courses from a St. Olaf-sponsored study abroad program, at least one of which must be in German;
• One course may be taken S/U;
• The student’s proposed concentration must be approved by the director of the German Studies concentration.
German Studies Concentration Planning Rubric
Pre-approved St. Olaf Courses in English
These courses may count toward the German Studies concentration (max. 2 English-language courses) or the German major (max. 1 English-language course).
Education
346: Who Is My Neighbor? Ethics of Refugee and Immigrant Education*
Enduring Questions
218: Critics, Dreamers, Radicals
German
247: Germanic Fairy Tales and Folklore
249: German Cinema
263: Topics in German Arts (e.g., German War Film; Gender and Genre)
History
188: Sisters under the Swastika
191: Colonialism and Europe: 1492-present
210: Methods Seminar: European History
224: Ethics of Revolution: The Making of Modern Germany
299: Holocaust in Global Perspective (this topic only)**
320: Research Seminar: Modern European History
Linguistics
301: Germanic Multiethnolects
Music
241: Music History and Literature, I
242: Music History and Literature, II
Norwegian
260: Introduction to Germanic Linguistics
Nursing
260: Comparative Health and Wellness in Germany and Switzerland
Philosophy
233: Kierkegaard and Existentialism**
236: Modern Philosophy
241: Philosophical Theology**
374: Seminar in the History of Philosophy (when a German topic)
Political Science
113: Introduction to Political Theory
285: International Law
Religion
213: Lutheran Heritage**
214: Reformation Theology
303: History of Christian Thought II**
* Course must be taken with German LAC section in order to count toward GS concentration or German major
** Substantial research project must be on a German topic