German, minor

German culture has shaped cultural heritage in Europe and the United States for hundreds of years. Currently, more than 120 million people around the globe claim German as their first language. German is the second most common language on the internet. It is the language of poets, philosophers, theologians and the sciences. More than 100 Nobel Prizes have been awarded to Germans in chemistry, literature, medicine, physics and more. German is the most widely spoken native language in Europe and the second most frequently spoken language in Europe. German is the official language not only of Germany, but it is also an official language of Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. It is the native language of many people in northern Italy, eastern Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, eastern France and regions of Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia and Romania.

Germany is on the frontline of new technologies. In addition to well-established companies ranging from Adidas to Volkswagen and Lufthansa to Siemens, Germany has emerged as the world’s leader in the field of wind and solar power production. Germany’s capital, Berlin – “the Silicon Valley of Europe” – is a hub for innovative startups. Germany annually hosts some of the largest international technology and trade fairs.

With classes ranging from introductory and intermediate language, to civilization, politics, literature and the arts, our German program is a great fit for both beginning and advanced speakers. You can even join one of our study abroad trips to get firsthand knowledge of the people, language and cultures of the German-speaking world.