Bachelor of Arts
German Language and Literature
Gain a competitive edge in nearly any industry with a German bachelor’s degree in language and literature at Oakland University.
Mastery of another language can uniquely enhance any career, from communications and marketing to engineering and medicine. Speaking more than one language can not only make you a more effective communicator in the workplace, but it could also potentially help you earn more, according to U.S. News & World Report. Gain language and communication skills and more at Oakland through our Bachelor of Arts in German Language and Literature program. The undergraduate coursework features a challenging curriculum that will help you learn transferable job skills you can easily apply to any number of careers.
Mastery of another language can uniquely enhance any career, from communications and marketing to engineering and medicine. Speaking more than one language can not only make you a more effective communicator in the workplace, but it could also potentially help you earn more, according to U.S. News & World Report. Gain language and communication skills and more at Oakland through our Bachelor of Arts in German Language and Literature program. The undergraduate coursework features a challenging curriculum that will help you learn transferable job skills you can easily apply to any number of careers.
Bachelor’s Degree in German: The Oakland University Advantage
At Oakland, our undergraduate German degree program teaches you to apply skills, language, and cultural knowledge in the real world through a variety of opportunities. These include studying abroad, classroom discourse, literature reviews, and other assignments that focus on contemporary topics.Throughout our bachelor’s degree program in German language and literature, you’ll not only gain new cultural perspectives, but also develop highly sought-after job skills that will help you excel personally and professionally. These include the ability to solve problems, critically analyze and synthesize information, use language as a valuable tool to enhance your future job opportunities, and others.
Oakland’s German degree in language and literature also offers you:
- Opportunities to study abroad. As a German language and lit major at Oakland, you’ll have the opportunity to gain hands-on learning experiences through study abroad while working toward your German bachelor’s degree. For instance, a one-semester exchange program at the University of Oldenburg allows undergraduate students to learn with native German speakers and live on campus in a dorm. This allows for a fully immersive experience, which is different from typical international exchange programs offered at other colleges and universities.
- Knowledgeable faculty. At Oakland, your German classes are taught by dedicated, full-time professors who get to know you, your interests, and your talents. This allows them to tailor their teaching styles and class offerings to your needs. Not only are our professors experts in German literature and beyond, but they have also graduated from top-tier teaching programs, including institutions such as Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This brings tried and true teaching methods and first-hand knowledge to our classrooms.
- Academic options. In addition to the German language and literature bachelor’s degree option, we offer a Modified Major in German for students majoring or minoring in fields such as engineering, STEM, communications, business, humanities, and linguistics. The Modified Major program enables you to graduate faster than average with a dual German degree and another area of study with just 24 credits at the upper level toward the second degree.
- Invigorating extracurricular activities. Earning your undergraduate German degree in language and literature doesn’t have to be all about studying. You can join other German majors in several groups and events on campus, including the weekly German Conversation Hour, a German Club, Modified Major Promotion Events, study abroad info sessions, and more.
What Can You Do With a German Degree in Language and Literature?
Fluency in more than one language can enhance your job marketability and give you an edge in just about any career. In Michigan, for instance, businesses and organizations in the engineering field are constantly in search of engineers with advanced German language skills so they may work abroad. Oftentimes, companies will pay for these classes, too. Fluency in German is also becoming more critical in other STEM fields and medicine. These are just a few examples of what can you do with a German degree.
Language skills can also help prepare you for graduate studies. Graduates of Oakland’s German degree in language and literature have been admitted into top-tier graduate schools such as Washington University in St. Louis, University of Tennessee, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), and Humboldt University of Berlin. Those who have gone into the workforce after graduation now hold jobs in a wide range of career fields, including:
- Law
- Marketing
- Global Humanities
- Automotives
German Degree in Language and Literature: What You’ll Learn
As a German major at Oakland, your bachelor’s degree can be whatever you’d like to make of it. In addition to required undergraduate courses, we have a wide array of electives that complement our German language and lit major. For example, you could explore topics in formal reasoning, global perspectives, natural science, or technology.
Your German bachelor’s degree courses will go beyond language studies to take a critical look at the most current cultural and political discourses of mainstream media in German-speaking countries. For example, Advanced German Conversation delves into 12 contemporary topics concerning German culture, including refugee crisis, the gentrification of major cities such as Berlin, poverty, and environmental movements.
Other courses you’ll take to earn a bachelor’s in German degree include:
- Great Works in German Literature
- German Composition
- German Culture
- European Literature
If you’re interested in online German degree programs, the bachelor’s degree in German language and literature at Oakland may be able to meet your needs. Some of our general education and elective courses are available online.
Bachelor of Arts in German Language and Literature Program Resources
- Major requirements
- Minor requirements
- Department of Modern Languages and Literatures - German
- College of Arts and Sciences
Programs Related to the German Degree in Language and Literature
Not sure if a German bachelor’s degree in language and literature is the best fit for you? Good news: OU offers more than 130 bachelor’s degree programs, so you’re sure to find a program that is.
Check out these other undergraduate degree programs and contact our admissions team if you have any questions or need more information.