German

Chairman and Associate Professor: FRED R. YANIGA
Associate Professor: STEPHEN P. NAUMANN
Assistant Professor: JEFFREY A. HERTEL

The study of German provides the student access to a rich cultural, literary and scholarly tradition. It enhances linguistic acumen, international literacy, and opens doors to commerce, industry and government. Hillsdale College’s German Department offers a curriculum, both on campus and abroad, that appeals to and supports a broad range of interests. Hillsdale German majors pursue careers in business, education, engineering, finance, law, journalism and intelligence services, as well as in art, literature, philosophy, film and music. 

A 12-semester-hour competency (through third-semester 201) level in German is required for the bachelor of arts degree and for certain preprofessional programs. This requirement may be satisfied only by successful completion of 201, or a higher level course, on the Hillsdale campus. 

Students who arrive with a 12-semester-hour competency, as determined exclusively by the Hillsdale College placement test, must take at least one course at Hillsdale College above the 201 level in German in order to satisfy the requirement.

No student may fulfill the B.A. degree language requirement by means of the placement exam alone.

If a student has more than four hours of Advanced Placement credit in German, or if a student has transferred or is expected to transfer more than four hours of German credit from another institution, said student is NOT eligible to take the CLEP exam in German for credit.

Satisfactory completion of two semesters of Freshman Rhetoric and the Great Books fulfills the bachelor of arts requirement in foreign language for students from non-English-speaking cultures who demonstrate literary competence in their native tongue.

Students pursuing German certification in elementary or secondary education are subject to catalog language of their year of entry.

The German Department offers to its students two study-abroad programs in Germany. Participation in the Würzburg summer program or Saarland University exchange program is strongly recommended to all students seeking a degree in German. Students majoring in international studies in business and foreign language must either participate in the Würzburg summer program, Saarbrücken exchange program, or another international study option approved by the German Department.