GERMAN
	UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

Course Materials ONLINE Follow this link for some of our course materials available online.

On January 5, 2006, President Bush announced a National Security Language Initiative (NSLI), a plan to further strengthen national security and prosperity in the 21st century through education, especially in developing foreign language skills. According to the Center for Applied Linguistics, only 31% of American elementary schools (and 24% of public elementary schools) report teaching foreign languages. 79% of those schools focus on giving introductory exposure to a language rather than achieving overall proficiency. Only 44% of American high school students are enrolled in foreign language classes as reported by the 2002 Digest of Education Statistics. Of those students, 69% are enrolled in Spanish. The National Security Language Initiative stresses the need for the study of additional foreign languages.

Studying German at the University of Alabama constitutes not only a significant contribution to international education, but it will be more and more of advantage for your future career. Whether you plan to go into business, education, music, engineering, science, or almost any other field, knowledge of the German language can be an important skill when entering the job market.
Need more reasons why learn German? Read on.

Bachelor of Arts
Undergraduates at the University of Alabama may choose to pursue either a minor, major, or double major in German. The minor and major each require 21-23 and 32 hours of German credit, respectively. Double majors are open to virtually all fields.

Undergraduate Advisor for German: Dr. Douglas Lightfoot

Requirements for the German track of the Foreign Languages and Literature Major
A German major requires 32 hours in German courses, distributed as follows:
6 hours of intermediate language courses (GN 201 and GN 202);
6 hours of civilization/culture courses (GN 371 and GN 372);
6 hours of literature courses (GN 403 and GN 404, or GN 403 or GN 404 and an additional 3-hour literature course);
14 additional hours of German courses, which must include GN 361.

A minimum of 12 hours at the 300 or 400 level must be earned on this campus. Not more than 4 credit hours from GN 205 and GN 206 combined can be applied to the minimum number of hours required for completion of the German track.

Students enrolled in the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration may pursue a dual major program combining the German track of the foreign language major and international business. German track requirements for the dual major program vary slightly from the above description. See Curriculum III in the section of the catalog devoted to the programs of the Culverhouse College of Commerce and Business Administration.

Study abroad is strongly encouraged for students studying German.

For any further information regarding undergraduate studies in German at the University of Alabama, please contact the undergraduate advisor Dr. Douglas Lightfoot.

If you are interested in finding out more about minoring or majoring in German, or about pursuing graduate studies in German, simply talk to any German professor or contact the program advisors.

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