http://uoregon.edu/~gerscan
Ian F. McNeely, Department Head
541-346-4051
202 Friendly Hall
1250 University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon 97403-1250
The Department of German and Scandinavian offers a range of courses and degree programs, from instruction in beginning German and Swedish through a wealth of general-education and advanced undergraduate and graduate offerings in the literatures and cultures of German-speaking and Scandinavian Europe. Students may earn a bachelor of arts (BA) or a bachelor of science (BS) degree with a focus on German language, literature, and culture; interdisciplinary German and Scandinavian studies; or Scandinavian. Minors in all three of these focuses are also possible, and many undergraduates pursue concurrent degrees with second majors or minors in other departments and programs. At the graduate level, the department offers the master of arts (MA) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) degrees in German. Our five-year combined BA/MA program is an excellent option for motivated students. Ours is the only program in the state of Oregon that grants a PhD in German.
Preparation
The department recommends that students intending to major in German have at least some high school German or its equivalent. With careful planning it is also possible to complete a bachelor’s degree in German by starting at the introductory level in our program. Our Scandinavian programs, which focus on Swedish, presume no prior knowledge of the language. Interest in the literature, film, history, art, politics, and geography of German-speaking and Scandinavian Europe is also helpful.
Careers
Students who graduate with a degree in German or Scandinavian typically enter a great variety of occupations, including but by no means limited to those with a direct connection to the languages and countries of Europe. Proficiency in a second language opens career opportunities in any number of fields that demand superior skills in oral and written communication, critical thinking and analysis, and intercultural understanding. The department’s alumni have found positions in media and communications, government and public service, international business and law, education and teaching, social services, and the travel and tourism industry. Many go on to graduate school in education, law, the humanities, and other fields. Particularly in combination with another major or minor, the career possibilities are limitless.
Study Abroad
The department encourages all its students to study abroad in Germany or Scandinavia, and provides a scholarship funding to majors (and some minors) who are interested in an approved study-abroad program. Interested students should contact the department or consult a Global Education Oregon advisor in the Office of International Affairs.
Germany
The department encourages students of German to study in Germany on one of the many UO-sponsored exchange programs. Possibilities include the yearlong Baden-Württemberg program and the intensive Heidelberg accelerated program during spring term. Study for one or two months in summer is also available in Berlin. Students may also study for one or two terms in Vienna. We encourage all students to study abroad or to attend summer school programs such as the Deutsche Sommerschule am Pazifik in Portland.
Students in University of Oregon overseas study programs enroll in courses with subject codes that are unique to individual programs. Special course numbers are reserved for overseas study. See Study Abroad in the Supplementary Academic Programming section of this catalog.
For more information, students should consult departmental representatives and the Global Education Oregon office. Students working toward a German major or minor must consult an undergraduate advisor before beginning any study abroad program in order to ensure that departmental requirements can be met.
German majors with a focus in language, literature, and culture must complete six courses on the UO campus, two of which must be 400-level courses with the GER subject code, unless they intend to graduate in absentia while enrolled through the Baden-Württemberg program. German majors with a focus on interdisciplinary German Studies must complete three courses on the UO campus, one of which must have a GER subject code.
Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden
Students in Scandinavian are strongly encouraged to spend a year studying in an exchange program at Denmark’s International Study Program in Copenhagen, at Copenhagen Business School, at Aalborg University in Denmark, at the University of Tampere in Finland, at the University of Bergen or the University of Oslo in Norway, or at the University of Uppsala in Sweden. For more information, consult departmental advisors in Scandinavian.
Faculty
Corinne Bayerl, senior instructor (16th- to early 18th-century French and German literature and philosophy; gender questions; history of pedagogy). See Comparative Literature.
Sonja Boos, associate professor (19th- through 21st-century German literature, culture, and film; critical thought). MA, 1997, Heinrich-Heine Universität Düsseldorf; MA, 2004, PhD, 2008, Princeton. (2013)
Kenneth S. Calhoon, professor (Enlightenment, Romanticism, literary and film history and theory). See Comparative Literature.
D. Gantt Gurley, associate professor (Scandinavian literature and folklore, Old Norse literature, Jewish studies). BA, 1994, Bard College; MA, 2002, PhD, 2007, California, Berkeley. (2009)
Martin Klebes, associate professor (18th- to 21st- century literature, philosophy, critical thought). PhD, 2003, Northwestern. (2007)
Jeffrey S. Librett, professor (literature since 1750, theoretical discourses, Jewish studies). BA, 1979, Yale; MA, 1981, Columbia; PhD, 1989, Cornell. (2004)
Dawn A. Marlan, senior lecturer (German and European literature and culture from 1700 forward; modernist novel). BA, 1989, Bennington College; MA, 1991, PhD, 2000, Chicago. (2004)
Dorothee Ostmeier, professor (18th- and 20th-century literature, culture, philosophy). Staatsexamen, 1984, MA, 1985, Ruhr; PhD, 1993, Johns Hopkins. (2001)
Michael Stern, associate professor (Nietzsche, Kierkegaard,19th-century Scandinavian literature). BA, 1993, MA, 1995, PhD, 2000, California, Berkeley. (2001)
Matthias Vogel, senior instructor (second-language acquisition); language coordinator, German language programs; coordinator, German Global Scholars. BA, 1993, Johannes Gutenberg, Mainz; MA, 1996, Oregon. (2011)
Emeriti
Susan C. Anderson, professor emeritus. BA, 1978, North Carolina, Asheville; MA, 1981, PhD, 1985, North Carolina, Chapel Hill. (1986)
Alexander Mathäs, professor emeritus. Staatsexamen, 1981, Tübingen; MA, 1984, Oregon; PhD, 1990, Texas, Austin. (1996)
James R. McWilliams, associate professor emeritus. BA, 1951, MA, 1957, PhD, 1963, California, Berkeley. (1960)
Helmut R. Plant, associate professor emeritus. BA, 1957, Fairmont; MA, 1961, PhD, 1964, Cincinnati. (1966)
Karla L. Schultz, professor emerita. BA, 1967, Alma; MA, 1968, Washington (Seattle); MA, 1980, PhD, 1984, Oregon. (1987)
Ingrid A. Weatherhead, senior instructor emerita. BA, 1950, MA, 1951, Puget Sound. (1962)
Virpi Zuck, professor emerita. BA, 1964, MA, 1965, University of Helsinki; PhD, 1977, Wisconsin, Madison. (1974)
The date in parentheses at the end of each entry is the first year on the University of Oregon faculty.
German Studies Participating Faculty
Susan C. Anderson, German and Scandinavian
Corinne Bayerl, comparative literature
Sonja Boos, German and Scandinavian
Jack Boss, music
Kenneth S. Calhoon, German and Scandinavian and comparative literature
Joyce Cheng, history of art and architecture
Gantt Gurley, German and Scandinavian
Martin Klebes, German and Scandinavian
Lori Kruckenberg, music
Jeffrey Librett, German and Scandinavian (German Studies program director)
David M. Luebke, history
Alexander Mathas, German and Scandinavian
John McCole, history
Ian F. McNeely, history
Dorothee Ostmeier, German and Scandinavian
Stephen Rodgers, music
Marian Smith, music
Michael Stern, German and Scandinavian
Daniela Vallega-Neu, philosophy
Matthias Vogel, German and Scandinavian
Peter Warnek, philosophy
The Department of German and Scandinavian offers a bachelor of arts (BA) and bachelor of science (BS) degree with a major in German. Students may focus their studies by emphasizing German language, literature, and culture; Scandinavian; or German studies. The Department of German and Scandinavian also offers a combined bachelor of arts or science–master of arts degree in German. In this program, students complete the requirements for both degrees in a total of five years. For further information, see the Graduate Studies section.
Preparation
German majors and minors must demonstrate German language proficiency through successful completion of second-year German or a placement examination. Incoming students with experience in German must take the placement examination during registration week to help with proper placement.
Careers
A bachelor’s degree in German enables students to pursue careers in college and secondary teaching, international business, government and foreign service, tourism, and translation and editorial work. Recent graduates of the department have been successful applicants to schools of law and business as well as graduate programs in German, Scandinavian, linguistics, history, comparative literature, and international studies. Majors planning to pursue graduate studies are encouraged to write an honors thesis.
Major Requirements
Students intending to major with a focus in German language, literature, and culture or interdisciplinary German studies must first acquire proficiency in the German language, typically demonstrated by satisfactory completion of the third term of Second-Year German (GER 203) or a placement exam. Thereafter, students may begin to take upper-division courses taught in German.
The department does not accept a grade of C– or lower in any course used to fulfill requirements for a major in German.
German Language, Literature, and Culture Focus
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 16 |
| 32 |
| Total Credits | 48 |
Of the requirements listed above, the following rules apply:
- Six courses must be taken in the UO Department of German and Scandinavian
- At least two courses must be 400-level courses with the GER subject code, and must be taken at the University of Oregon; one of the two must be in literature, culture, or theory
- One course may be taken pass/no pass
- Up to two courses taught in English may count toward the major
The following courses may not be used to satisfy major requirements:
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| GER 199 | Special Studies: [Topic] | 1-5 |
| GER 405 | Reading and Conference: [Topic] | 1-16 |
| GER 406 | Special Problems: [Topic] | 1-16 |
| GER 408 | Workshop: [Topic] | 1-16 |
| GER 409 | Practicum: [Topic] 1 | 1-4 |
Since all courses are not offered every year, plans should be made well in advance so that students can take prerequisites for 400-level courses. Specific questions should be addressed to departmental undergraduate German advisors.
Scandinavian Focus
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 4 |
| SWED 201–203 | Second-Year Swedish (or the equivalent) | 12 |
| 32 |
| Total Credits | 48 |
Of the requirements listed above, the following rules apply:
- Three courses must be taken in the UO Department of German and Scandinavian
- One literature or culture course may be taken pass/no pass
Majors in Scandinavian must be proficient in Swedish at the third-year level, demonstrated either by evaluation by the Scandinavian advisor or by successful completion of work beyond Second-Year Swedish (SWED 203). Typically, this will occur through independent study in Reading and Conference: [Topic] (SWED 405), work with supplementary texts in advanced Swedish as extra requirements in the department’s Scandinavian courses, and/or through study abroad in Scandinavia. Students should plan their course work carefully in consultation with a departmental undergraduate advisor in Scandinavian. They may also satisfy this requirement in Danish or Norwegian.
German and Scandinavian Studies Focus
Bachelor of Arts in German: German and Scandinavian Studies Focus
German and Scandinavian studies is a focus for the German major offered by the Department of German and Scandinavian.
Requirements
The German and Scandinavian studies focus requires second-year language proficiency. Of the 48 credits beyond second-year language, at least 24 must be in courses taught by the UO Department of German and Scandinavian; at least 44 must be taken for a letter grade.
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 1 | 16 |
| 16 |
| 16 |
| |
| Total Credits | 48 |
Approved Courses
- German (GER) and Scandinavian (SCAN) courses numbered 210–499
- Courses taken at a European university taught in German or a Scandinavian language above the second-year level
- Courses from the preapproved list, which count automatically toward the major and the minor: European Union History (EURO 415), German History: [Topic] (HIST 342), Europe in the 20th Century: [Topic] (HIST 428), Medieval Central Europe: [Topic] (HIST 436), 16th-Century European Reformations (HIST 441), , Modern Germany: [Topic] (HIST 443), , The Jewish Encounter with Modernity (JDST 213), The Music of Bach and Handel (MUS 351), History of Philosophy: 19th Century (PHIL 312), 19th-Century Philosophers: [Topic] (PHIL 453), Shadows of Modernity (PS 312), European Politics (PS 324)
- Other courses taken as part of an approved thematic pathway
Thematic Pathways. These are recommended course lists that include a significant number of approved course options beyond those on the preapproved list. Students are strongly encouraged to follow a thematic pathway, culminating in a capstone project, in consultation with a faculty advisor. Details are posted on the department’s website and are also available from the director of undergraduate studies.
Capstone Project. This is a piece of guided independent scholarly or creative work integrating knowledge acquired in courses for the major, typically as the culmination of a thematic pathway. It must be preapproved and either supervised or cosupervised by a faculty member in the department. This requirement typically will be met by a research paper of at least 15 pages or by a comparable scholarly or creative project in a 400-level course in an appropriate department, or through at least one credit of GER 401, 403, or 405; SCAN 401, 403, or 405; or SWED 401, 403, or 405. Work with non-English materials is strongly encouraged.
Double-Counting. Majors who seek an additional minor in either German or Scandinavian may count all credits for both. The same rule applies to minors who seek an additional major in either German or Scandinavian. Majors may not seek an additional major in either German or Scandinavian. The department encourages, and imposes no restrictions on, major or minor combinations with other programs.
Honors
To earn a bachelor's degree with departmental honors, a student must maintain at least a 3.50 grade point average (GPA) and write an honors essay or thesis approved by the departmental honors committee for 4 credits in Thesis (GER 403).
Minor in German
The German minor correlates well with studies that have an international or European concentration. It is particularly useful for students of international studies, international business, European history, medieval studies, sociology, political science, journalism, linguistics, art history, music history, other languages, theater, and related fields.
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 1 | 28 |
| Total Credits | 28 |
The following courses may not be used to satisfy minor requirements:
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| GER 199 | Special Studies: [Topic] | 4 |
| GER 405 | Reading and Conference: [Topic] | 4 |
| GER 406 | Special Problems: [Topic] | 4 |
| GER 408 | Workshop: [Topic] | 4 |
| GER 470 | German for Reading Knowledge I | 4 |
| GER 471 | German for Reading Knowledge II | 4 |
Minor in Scandinavian
The Scandinavian minor correlates well with studies that have an international or European concentration. It is particularly useful for students of international business, European history, sociology, political science, theater arts, and art history.
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 12 |
| 24 |
| Total Credits | 36 |
Of the requirements listed above, the following rules apply:
- Three courses must be taken in the UO Department of German and Scandinavian
- One literature or culture course may be taken pass/no pass
Minors in Scandinavian must demonstrate basic aptitude in Swedish, demonstrated either by evaluation by the Scandinavian advisor or by successful completion of First-Year Swedish (SWED 103) with a grade of mid-C or better.
Specific questions about the Scandinavian minor should be addressed to departmental undergraduate advisors in Scandinavian.
Minor in German and Scandinavian Studies
The German and Scandinavian studies minor requires second-year language proficiency. Of the 24 credits beyond second-year language, at least 12 must be in courses taught by the UO Department of German and Scandinavian; at least 20 must be taken for a letter grade.
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 1 | 12 |
| 8 |
| 4 |
| |
| Total Credits | 24 |
Approved courses are described in the Bachelor of Arts in German: German and Scandinavian Studies Focus section above.
General-Education Requirements
The Department of German and Scandinavian offers many courses, including several taught in English, that satisfy university general-education requirements. See the Group Requirements and Multicultural Requirement sections of this catalog under Bachelor's Degree Requirements.
Kindergarten through Secondary Teaching Careers
Students who complete the bachelor's degree with a major in German are eligible to apply for the College of Education’s fifth-year licensure program in middle-secondary teaching, or the fifth-year licensure program to become an elementary teacher. More information is available from the department’s education advisors; see also the College of Education section of this catalog.
Some German courses may be applied to requirements for the certificate in second-language acquisition and teaching. See the Linguistics section of this catalog for a description of the certificate. More information is available from department advisors.
Graduate Studies
The graduate program in German offers the master of arts (MA) in German, either through a regular two-year program or through a combined BA-MA program that enables students to complete the requirements for both the BA and the MA in German in five years. The program also offers the doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree in German, for which applicants may apply either with a BA or an MA already earned. The requirements for the PhD include one year of graded course work past the MA level and a written dissertation. The MA degree prepares students for teaching German language and culture up through the secondary-school level (in conjunction with teacher certification), while the PhD degree, as the highest degree in the field, is generally expected for an academic career involving both research and teaching.
The graduate curriculum acquaints students with the history of German letters (with a primary focus on modernity since the enlightenment), places this history in a European context, and provides tools for a critical analysis of the literary, theoretical, and cinematic discourses involved. The program encourages comparative, theoretically oriented work.
Core Curriculum
Students take one course each term. These courses are grouped according to common themes to give the program a topical and critical coherence. Core courses are paired with seminars of related or complementary content, and students are encouraged to explore connections between courses.
In the first year, core courses address a specific genre (narrative, drama, and lyric). While their content may vary with the instructor, they are intended to present in general terms the history of the genre itself and of critical thinking about that genre. In the second year, core courses have less traditional themes and present a broader concept of textuality.
Beyond course work, the program features close mentoring, including guidance for developing portfolio papers that expand on writing done for courses, and, at the PhD level, a dissertation-writing colloquium in which students and faculty members join in responding to ongoing dissertation work by students in the program.
Students should consult the director of graduate studies in the German and Scandinavian department for more information on graduate programs or to seek waivers or substitutions of core courses. Information and application materials are also available on the department website.
Graduate Specialization in Translation Studies
Students may choose to complete a graduate specialization in translation studies. Translation studies examines the theory, description, and practice of translation, interpretation, and localization between languages and language-users. The specialization offers graduate students the opportunity to receive recognition for work in this complex academic discipline. For requirements, visit translationstudies.uoregon.edu/graduate-specialization.
Other relevant graduate certificate programs and graduate specializations with which students may supplement their PhD work in German include women’s, gender, and sexuality studies; nonprofit management; and new media and culture. For details, visit gradschool.uoregon.edu/academic-programs.
