2025-2026 Academic Catalog

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Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages

German Major

Program Curriculum

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Degree Core Requirements
First Year Experience
RLCL 1004	Introduction to Religion and Culture (or an FYE course completed in another major)	3
Language
(e.g., oral, written, interpretive)
GER 3126	German Oral Proficiency ¹	3
GER 4154	Advanced Composition and Stylistics ²	3
Other Language-Program-Specific Courses
(e.g., literature, culture, linguistics)
GER 3204	Culture of the German-Speaking Countries ²	3
GER 3xxx or GER 4xxx ³		3
Select at least two of the following:		6
GER 4304	Age of Goethe ²
GER 4314	Studies in 19th-Century Literature ^2,4
GER 4324	Studies in 20th-Century Literature ^2,4
GER 4334	Special Topics in German Life, Literature, and Language ^2,4
Subtotal		21
Major Requirements
GER 3105	Grammar, Composition and Conversation ^2,5	3
GER 3106	Grammar, Composition and Conversation ^2,5	3
GER 3305	Topics in German Culture and Literature ^2,6	3
GER 3306	Topics in German Culture and Literature ^2,6	3
Subtotal		12
Free Electives
Select remaining credit hours needed to satisfy the 120 credit hour degree requirement		42
Subtotal		42
Pathways to General Education
Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse
Select six hours in Pathway 1f		6
Select three hours in Pathway 1a		3
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities
Select six hours in Pathway 2		6
Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences
Select six hours in Pathway 3		6
Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences
Select six hours in Pathway 4		6
Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking
Select six hours in Pathway 5f		6
Select three hours in Pathway 5a		3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts
Select three hours in Pathway 6a		3
Select three hours in Pathway 6d		3
Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States
Select three hours in Pathway 7		3
Subtotal		45
Total Credits		120

¹: Students who do not place into or out of GER 3126 German Oral Proficiency are strongly advised to take GER 3125 German Oral Proficiency, which is designed to enable students to achieve the level of oral proficiency required for entry into GER 3126 German Oral Proficiency. For most students, the hours represented by GER 3125 German Oral Proficiency will be in addition to the minimum of 33 hours required for the major.
²: These courses required for the German major have prerequisites. Please refer to the Undergraduate Course Catalog or consult your advisor for information about prerequisites.
³: Major elective credit for GER courses taught in English (e.g., GER 3474 Topics in German Cinema) may be awarded with the approval of the instructor and the German advisor. A maximum of two such courses may be counted for major credit.
⁴: Variable-content courses; may be repeated for credit with different content.
⁵: May also count toward Pathways Area 1.
⁶: May also count toward Pathways Area 2.

Satisfactory Progress Toward Degree

By the time a student majoring in German has completed 72 semester credits (including transfer, advanced placement, advanced standing, credit by examination, and course withdrawal), the student must have completed satisfactorily (a "C" or better in each required course in the major) the following courses in German: GER 3105 Grammar, Composition and Conversation or GER 3106 Grammar, Composition and Conversation, GER 3204 Culture of the German-Speaking Countries, GER 4154 Advanced Composition and Stylistics (if not offered in senior year) and one of the following: GER 3305 Topics in German Culture and Literature, GER 3306 Topics in German Culture and Literature.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation Requirements and Notes

Total Credit Hours Required: 120 credit hours are required for graduation.
Total Overall GPA Required: Overall GPA requirement to graduate is 2.0.
In-Major Credit Hours Required: Students must earn 33 credit hours for the German major regardless of initial course placement.
In-Major Grade and GPA Required: All courses listed above under “Common Degree Core” and “Major Requirements” are considered in-major courses. A minimum grade of “C” is required in each of these courses and an average of 2.0 in all in-major courses is required for graduation.
AP, IB, and Study Abroad Credit: AP placement exam credit, IB diploma credit, or study abroad credit may be used to satisfy certain requirements for the major; please see your German advisor.
Courses not Counting towards the Major: GER 3125 German Oral Proficiency and GER 4964 Field Study.

Transfer Credit

Although students may transfer no more than 18 of the last 45 credits of coursework, a waiver may be requested for students participating in study abroad programs. A form titled “Authorization to Take Courses Elsewhere” must be filled out and signed by the student, Global Education Office, German advisor, and the undergraduate academic dean’s office before the student departs on the study abroad program.
Those who are transferring to Virginia Tech from a two-year school can transfer only 50% of the required graduation credits to Virginia Tech.
Students may transfer all German credit earned abroad, but at least 25% of the German major (a minimum of 3 courses), including one of these five courses: GER 4154 Advanced Composition and Stylistics, GER 4304 Age of Goethe, GER 4314 Studies in 19th-Century Literature, GER 4324 Studies in 20th-Century Literature, and GER 4334 Special Topics in German Life, Literature, and Language, must be taken at Virginia Tech.

Foreign Language Requirement

Students who did not successfully complete at least two years of a single foreign, classical, or sign language during high school must successfully complete six semester hours of a single foreign, classical, or sign language at the college level. Courses taken to meet this requirement do not count toward the hours required for graduation. Please consult the Undergraduate Catalog for details.

College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences
Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages
Major in German
4-Year Pan (Roadmap)
Total of 120 credit hours needed for graduation

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall Semester		Credits
RLCL 1004	Introduction to Religion and Culture	3
Pathway 5f - Quantitative and Computational Thinking-Foundational		3
Pathway 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences		3
Pathway 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
Pathway 4 - Reasoning in Natural Sciences		3
Pathway 5f - Quantitative and Computational Thinking-Foundational		3
Pathway 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences		3
Pathway 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Second Year
Fall Semester
GER 3105	Grammar, Composition and Conversation (Pathways: Discourse-Foundational)	3
Pathway 5a - Quantitative and Computational Thinking-Advanced/Applied		3
Pathway 6a - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts		3
Pathway 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
GER 3106	Grammar, Composition and Conversation (Pathways: Discourse-Foundational)	3
Pathway 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States (if not already completed)		3
Pathway 6d - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts		3
Pathway 1f - Foundational Discourse		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Third Year
Fall Semester
GER 3306	Topics in German Culture and Literature (Pathways: Critical Thinking in the Humanities)	3
Pathway 1f - Foundational Discourse		3
Pathway 1a - Discourse-Advanced		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
GER 3305	Topics in German Culture and Literature (Pathways: Critical Thinking in the Humanities)	3
GER 3204	Culture of the German-Speaking Countries	3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
GER 4154	Advanced Composition and Stylistics	3
Select one of the following:		3
GER 4304	Age of Goethe
GER 4314	Studies in 19th-Century Literature
GER 4324	Studies in 20th-Century Literature
GER 4334	Special Topics in German Life, Literature, and Language
GER 3XXX course or GER 4XXX course		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
GER 3126	German Oral Proficiency	3
Select one of the following:		3
GER 4304	Age of Goethe
GER 4314	Studies in 19th-Century Literature
GER 4324	Studies in 20th-Century Literature
GER 4334	Special Topics in German Life, Literature, and Language
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
	Total Credits	120

¹ If necessary, student may take the Intermediate German sequence, GER 2105 and 2106, or GER 2114 (a six-hour accelerated Intermediate German course) before taking GER 3105. GER 2106 or GER 2114 are prerequisites for GER 3105.