What Undergraduate Programs Does the Georgetown Department of German Offer?

The Georgetown Department of German offers undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue a German major or minor through an internationally recognized curriculum. According to the department, the undergraduate program is designed to help students become "competent and culturally literate users of German" while engaging with the German-speaking world in an interdisciplinary context.

Undergraduate Program Options

At the undergraduate level, the department's curriculum supports two main paths:

• German major — a fuller course of study within the department
• German minor — a more focused complement to another major

Both options sit within a program the department describes as "internationally recognized," and both are built around the same core goal: developing language competence alongside cultural literacy.

What the Curriculum Emphasizes

The department frames its undergraduate experience as more than language acquisition alone. Its stated approach blends:

• Language proficiency — becoming a competent user of German
• Cultural literacy — understanding the German-speaking world in context
• Interdisciplinary study — exploring German language, literature, and culture within Georgetown's broader academic environment

The department also notes that its mission includes incorporating diversity at all levels of the curriculum, and that students are equipped to engage with the German-speaking world "both academically and professionally."

Learning Beyond the Classroom

The department states that it fosters intellectual life outside the classroom by inviting speakers and hosting an annual Max Kade professor from a German-speaking country, alternating between a scholar and a writer-in-residence. These events complement the formal curriculum for undergraduates in the major or minor.

How to Learn More

The department provides a dedicated undergraduate program page for students who want details on requirements and coursework. For general matters and undergraduate concerns, the department lists Professor Mary Helen Dupree, Department Chair and Director of Undergraduate Studies, as the contact. Prospective students can also subscribe to the department's email list for information on events and activities related to the study of German language and literature.

If you are considering the major or minor, the most reliable next step is to review the undergraduate program page directly and reach out to the Director of Undergraduate Studies with specific questions about requirements and planning.