Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree with a Major in German Studies
Program Learning Outcomes for the BA Degree with a Major in German Studies
Upon completing the BA degree with a major in German Studies, students will have:
- Expertise in literary and film analysis and theory.
- Understanding of the historical and political contexts of German culture.
- German Studies specific oral and writing skills.
- German Studies specific research knowledge.
Requirements for the BA Degree with a Major in German Studies
For general university requirements, see Graduation Requirements. Students pursuing the BA degree with a major in German Studies must complete:
- A minimum of 10 courses (30 credit hours) to satisfy major requirements.
- A minimum of 120 credit hours to satisfy degree requirements.
- A minimum of 8 courses (24 credit hours) taken at the 300-level or above.
- A maximum of 4 courses (12 credit hours) from study abroad or transfer credit. For additional departmental guidelines regarding transfer credit, see the Policies tab.
German Studies at Rice is a research-centered and undergraduate-focused program with internationally renowned faculty. Courses are offered in both German and English. The program covers German history, literature, and culture, from the seventeenth century to the present, with a strong emphasis on Germany’s role in a wider European and transatlantic context. Particular departmental strengths are in the areas of modern intellectual history, 18th- to 20th-century literature and philosophy, film and media studies, as well as political theory. The close connection between research and teaching lies at the core of the curriculum. For more information please see the Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures website: https://cultures.rice.edu.
The courses listed below satisfy the requirements for this major. In certain instances, courses not on this official list may be substituted upon approval of the major’s academic advisor or, where applicable, the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies. (Course substitutions must be formally applied and entered into Degree Works by the major's Official Certifier.) Students and their academic advisors should identify and clearly document the courses to be taken.
Summary
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours Required for Major in German Studies | 30 | |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the BA Degree with a Major in German Studies | 120 | |
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements 1 | ||
| GERM 263 | SECOND YEAR GERMAN I 1 | 3 |
| GERM 264 | SECOND YEAR GERMAN II 1 | 3 |
| GERM 301 | THIRD YEAR GERMAN I 2 | 3 |
| GERM 302 | THIRD YEAR GERMAN II 2 | 3 |
| Elective Requirements | ||
| Select 4 elective courses from departmental (GERM) course offerings at the 300-level or above 3 | 12 | |
| Select 2 elective courses from departmental (GERM) course offerings at the 400-level or above 3 | 6 | |
| Total Credit Hours Required for the Major in German Studies | 30 | |
| Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements * | 59 | |
| University Graduation Requirements * | 31 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Footnotes and Additional Information
| * | Note: University Graduation Requirements include 31 credit hours, comprised of Distribution Requirements (Groups I, II, and III), FWIS, and LPAP coursework. In some instances, courses satisfying FWIS or distribution requirements may additionally meet other requirements, such as the Analyzing Diversity (AD) requirement, or some of the student’s declared major, minor, or certificate requirements. Additional Credit Hours to Complete Degree Requirements include general electives, coursework completed as upper-level, residency (hours taken at Rice), and/or any other additional academic program requirements. |
| 1 | Both GERM 263 and GERM 264 may be replaced by an eight-week intensive summer language course at the University of Leipzig, Germany. The Leipzig Summer Program course counts toward the German Studies major at Rice with 6 credit hours. For more information, see the Opportunities tab. |
| 2 | GERM 301 and GERM 302 may be replaced by two four-week summer language courses at the University of Leipzig, Germany. For more information, see the Opportunities tab. |
| 3 | To fulfill the remaining German Studies requirements, students must complete a total of 6 additional courses (18 credit hours) from departmental (GERM) course offerings at the 300-level above, including at least 2 courses (6 credit hours) at the 400-level. Up to 2 courses (6 credit hours) may be completed from the program's course offerings in English (see course list below). Please note: any elective course from departmental (GERM) course offerings at the 300-level may be replaced by a GERM course at a higher level. |
Courses Offered in English
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GERM 322 / HUMA 322 | MARX, FREUD, EINSTEIN: FOREBEARERS OF MODERNITY | 3 |
| GERM 324 / HUMA 324 | BERLIN: RESIDENCE, METROPOLIS, CAPITAL | 3 |
| GERM 325 / HUMA 325 | MODERN GERMAN WRITERS: KAFKA | 3 |
| GERM 326 / HUMA 372 | THE GERMAN FAIRY TALE: OLD AND NEW | 3 |
| GERM 327 | GERMAN EXPRESSIONISM IN EUROPEAN CONTEXT: HISTORY, LITERATURE AND FINE ARTS | 3 |
| GERM 333 | NIETZSCHE: PHILOSOPHY, POLITICS, HISTORY | 3 |
| GERM 336 | NATIONAL SOCIALISM AND FILM | 3 |
| GERM 338 / HUMA 373 / SWGS 361 | NEW GERMAN FILM: HITLER'S CINEMATIC CHILDREN | 3 |
| GERM 339 / HART 398 | FROM EXPRESSIONISM TO FASCISM: ART AND FILM IN GERMANY | 3 |
| GERM 340 / HUMA 340 | WALTER BENJAMIN: AESTHETICS, HISTORY AND POLITICS | 3 |
| GERM 345 / HIST 355 | FROM DEMOCRACY TO DICTATORSHIP: GERMAN HISTORY, 1890-1945 | 3 |
| GERM 352 | POLITICS OF THE FLESH IN GERMAN LITERATURE, THOUGHT AND FILM | 3 |
Policies for the BA Degree with a Major in German Studies
Enrollment
Students who arrive at Rice with Advanced Placement (AP) credit in German of 4 or 5, or who have passed the International Baccalaureate (IB) with a 6 or 7 in German, should enroll in any course at the 300-level or 400-level. All other students should take the placement exam administered by the Center for Languages and Intercultural Communication (CLIC) and will be assigned to courses at the appropriate level. Any 200-level course in German can be replaced by a higher-level course.
Program Restrictions and Exclusions
Students pursuing the major in German Studies should be aware of the following program restriction:
- As noted in Majors, Minors, and Certificates, students may not major and minor in the same subject.
Transfer Credit
For Rice University’s policy regarding transfer credit, see Transfer Credit. Some departments and programs have additional restrictions on transfer credit. Requests for transfer credit must be approved for Rice equivalency by the designated transfer credit advisor for the appropriate academic department offering the Rice equivalent course (corresponding to the subject code of the course content). The Office of Academic Advising maintains the university’s official list of transfer credit advisors on their website: https://oaa.rice.edu. Students are encouraged to meet with the applicable transfer credit advisor as well as their academic program director when considering transfer credit possibilities.
Departmental Transfer Credit Guidelines
Students pursuing the major in German Studies should be aware of the following departmental transfer credit guideline:
- No more than 4 courses (12 credit hours) of transfer credit from U.S. or international universities of similar standing as Rice may apply towards the major.
Distribution Credit Information
The determination of distribution credit eligibility is done initially as part of the new course creation process. Additionally, as part of an annual roll call coordinated each Spring by the Office of the Registrar, course distribution credit eligibility is routinely reviewed and reaffirmed by the Dean’s Offices of each of the academic schools.
Faculty and leadership in the academic schools are responsible for ensuring that the courses identified as distribution-credit-eligible meet the criteria as set in the General Announcements. Students are responsible for ensuring that they meet graduation requirements by completing coursework designated as distribution-credit-eligible at the time of course registration.
Distribution courses from the Department of Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures are broad in theme and scope and provide students with a substantial inquiry into literature, art, media, history, thought, and/or politics, including specific national traditions, linguistic contexts, and historical periods. Such courses involve a broad and often interdisciplinary spectrum of knowledge, providing students with the tools for thinking critically about the formation of modern culture, its colonial past, and its national and linguistic traditions from antiquity to the present.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures website: https://cultures.rice.edu/.
Opportunities for the BA Degree with a Major in German Studies
Academic Honors
The university recognizes academic excellence achieved over an undergraduate’s academic history at Rice. For information on university honors, please see Latin Honors (summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude) and Distinction in Research and Creative Work. Some departments have department-specific Honors awards or designations.
Honors Program
German Studies offers an honors program for majors excelling in their studies. Honors work consists of two semesters of independent research under faculty supervision on a topic proposed by the student leading to a substantial essay (GERM 493 in fall, GERM 494 in spring). Outstanding seniors are presented annually with the Max Freund Prize.
The Leipzig Summer Program
The Department of German Studies strongly encourages intermediate-level students of German to attend an eight-week, intensive language course at the University of Leipzig's renowned Herder Institute. For the Rice student majoring in German Studies, this Leipzig course can be used to replace the sequence GERM 263 and GERM 264 or the sequence GERM 301 and GERM 302, and it will count as two courses (and 6 semester credit hours) of transfer credit. Through several generous endowments, the department offers the Leipzig Fellowships that can be used for travel, housing, and tuition expenses in Leipzig.
Details about the Leipzig Summer Program, including information about housing, can be found on the Study Abroad tab of the Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures website, or by visiting https://www.interdaf.uni-leipzig.de/. Students must apply directly to Leipzig-interDaF for course admission. For further information, contact the Program Advisor for German Studies, Astrid Oesmann, astrid.oesmann@rice.edu.
Additional Information
For additional information, please see the Modern and Classical Literatures and Cultures website: https://cultures.rice.edu/.