Information and Departmental Plan of Study
Incoming students with previous experience in German will be placed into the appropriate level of the sequence by means of an online proficiency test administered prior to course registration. Makeup tests will take place during orientation week.
Students with some knowledge of German but without SAT Subject or AP test scores must have their proficiency measured by the online placement test administered by the Registrar. Sophomores and upper-level students may take the test as well, but must do so according to the test's availability during Orientation as indicated by the Registrar.
Advanced Placement/SAT
A student who took the SAT ST German (or German "with listening") or the AP German exam with test scores of SAT ST 760 or AP 5 will satisfy the A.B. language requirement and be eligible for placement in 200- or 300-level courses, as well as participation in the Summer Study Abroad Program, the Summer Work Program, and the Berlin Consortium for German Studies.
Prerequisites
The requirement for admission to the German Department (link is external)is a satisfactory working knowledge of German demonstrated by the completion of GER 107, an SAT Subject Test score of 760, a 5 on the Advanced Placement test, or successful completion of the Department Proficiency Exam. Students considering majoring in German are encouraged to contact the director of undergraduate studies at any point to discuss a plan of study.
Early Concentration
Qualified students may begin departmental work in sophomore year under the following plan:
- Recommended introductory courses: GER 207, 208, 209, 210, or 211
- Independent work beginning in the second sophomore term
- Meetings with the director of undergraduate studies for individual discussion of the student's plan of study and independent work
This plan permits students to devote themselves to their major interest before their junior year. They can advance when ready and as swiftly as possible. An early start gives students a wider choice of courses and seminars in their junior and senior years and enables them to start work on the senior thesis before their final year at Princeton.
Program of Study
The department offers six areas of concentration, or tracks, within the major, each requiring a total of nine departmental courses–the Junior Seminar (GER 300) and eight additional courses as specified below.
1. German Literature
This track focuses on the major periods and forms of German literature with emphasis on literary and historical analysis. Students will satisfy the general University requirement of eight departmental courses by taking a minimum of five courses in the department (at least three of which should be 300-level courses) and a maximum of three cognate courses in related humanities departments such as philosophy and religion.
2. German Philosophy and Intellectual History
This track concentrates on philosophy, political and cultural theory, or particular intellectual movements and epochs in German-speaking contexts. Students are required to take a minimum of five courses in the German department (at least three of which should be 300-level courses) and a maximum of three relevant cognate courses in history, European cultural studies, or philosophy.
3. Media and Aesthetics
Designed for students who wish to focus on art, film, dance, music, sound technology, and/or media theory broadly conceived, this track requires a minimum of five courses in the German department (at least three of which should be 300-level courses), and a maximum of three relevant cognate courses in art and archaeology, film, music, philosophy, European cultural studies, architecture, and the Program in Visual Arts.
4. German Linguistics
This track concentrates on the history and structure of the German language. Majors who select this track are required to take the following courses: LIN 201 Introduction to Language and Linguistics or a comparable course in linguistics; GER 505 History of the German Language; and either GER 506 Second Language Acquisition and Pedagogy or GER 316, with the same title. In addition, students will take at least three courses in German literature and culture and two cognate courses pertaining to linguistics.
5. The Study of Two Literatures
This plan of study normally consists of five upper-level courses in the German department (at least three of which should be 300-level courses), and three upper-level courses in a second literature. Students who have not completed the language preparation for the second literature may enroll in this track provided that they satisfy that language requirement during their junior year.
6. Joint Program in German Culture and Politics
In cooperation with the Department of Politics, students may combine a concentration in German intellectual history with a concentration in German/European politics and/or political theory. In this track, four courses will be taken in the German department (at least two of which should be 300-level courses) and four cognate courses in German/European politics or political theory will be taken in the Department of Politics (at least two of which should be 300-level courses). Recommended departmental courses are GER 207, 208, 211, 306, 307, 309, and 324. Recommended cognates in politics include POL 210, 230, 240, and 385. The senior thesis may focus on any political topic with a substantive German-related component. Upon graduation, a letter will be issued by the German department certifying completion of a program in German cultural studies with a concentration in politics.
Language Requirements
For areas 1 to 5, at least three, and for area 6, at least two of the departmentals should be courses taught in German. For areas 1 to 5, one of these three may be a course taught in English for which there is an appropriate German-language component. This option is available for all courses taught in the German department, but also for some courses in other departments. Students should consult with the course instructor regarding the German-language component at the beginning of the semester and submit the agreed-upon plan to the director of undergraduate studies for approval by the end of the second week of classes.