Here is the roadmap for a German Studies major to graduate with honors, which requires a total of 12 units of upper-division courses with honors credit (see the regular major requirements).
Honors Requirements
Core
3 or more units in courses contracted for honors or in graduate-level courses, such as:
- GER 301, 302, 300/303, 310, 311/313, 315 when taught by faculty.
- GER 312 War, Death, and the Hero: Medieval Epics: Beowulf, Nibelungenlied, and Rolandslied
- GER 320 History of Tolerance from the Middle Ages to the Eighteenth Century and Beyond.
- GER 325 History of German Cinema
- GER 327 Recycling Culture: Environmentalism Made in Germany
- GER 371 Contemporary German Culture
- GER 373 Women's Fictions in Twentieth Century Germany
- GER 375 The Birth of the Modern: Culture and Politics in turn-of-the-century Vienna
- GER 376 German-Jewish Writers
- GER 379 Religion in German Culture
- GER 380 The Middle Ages: The Enigmatic Precursor to Modern Europe
- GER 411 Dealing with the Past
- GER 412 Tales of Love
- GER 416 "Minority" Views in German Culture
- GER 420 Topics in German Culture
- GER 422 When African Americans came to Berlin
- GER 430 Crossing Borders/Crossing Cultures
- GER 440 Images of Jews and Judaism in German Culture
- GER 450 Constructions of Identity
- GER 455 Music and German Literature
- GER 459 German Politics
- GER 461 The Task of the Translator
- GER 475/575 Advanced German Usage
- GER 480/580 Applied Linguistics for German as a Foreign Language
- GER 496/596 Milestones in German Literature and Culture
Elective
3 units of an Honors course, such as HNR 400: The Multilingual Subject
Thesis
6 units of GER 498H: Thesis (the criteria for completion of the thesis or equivalent courses which supply the thesis credit need to be fulfilled separately from all other work in the major).
German Major with Honors Complete!
Hurra! Du hast's geschafft!
More about the Honors Thesis
The Senior Honors Thesis in German Studies is the culmination of an independent, critical, and innovation research project conducted under the guidance of a professor in the department. The thesis should address a topic not covered in regular coursework, and should reflect the student's own interests. For two semesters while completing their thesis, students enroll in GER 498H. It is a requirement of the honors college that the 6 units be distributed over two semesters. Students are responsible for identifying a German Studies faculty member who will serve as their thesis advisor. All professors in the department are usually available to work with Honors students on theses, depending on the subject and nature of the project. Students should aim to find an advisor by the end of the spring semester of their junior year. By the end of the second semester of thesis work, students are expected to submit the following items to their advisor and to the Honors College.
- A specifically formatted title page with your advisor's signature
- A signed library release form
- An abstract of no more than 200 words in English
- A thesis paper of ca. 20 pages
Please see the Honors College website for further details about these requirements.
Examples of Past Honors Theses
- Alexandrea Johnson, "'Mach Platz für uns!': Nostalgie und Zeitgenössigkeit als Charakteristika einer Generation in der Musik von Apache 207 und Provinz" (Joela Jacobs, advisor)
- Ciara Daniels, "Der kulturelle und institutionelle Umgang mit Hassideologien in Deutschland und den Vereinigten Staaten: Ein Vergleich der Herangehensweisen und deren Effektivität als Erinnerungsstrategien" (Joela Jacobs, advisor)
- Nicole Rochon, "Language and Immigration Ideology: The Construction of Language Education Policy for Minority Languages in Arizona and Germany" (Chantelle Warner, advisor)
- Caitlin Gannon, "The Emergence of the Modern Woman in German Literature of the 1920s: Gilgi and Frieda Lead the Way to Emancipation" (Barbara Kosta, advisor)
- Kathleen Harmon, "Ingeborg Bachmann" (Barbara Kosta, advisor)
To find a fitting advisor, look at our faculty profiles for research areas, or contact honors faculty advisor Barbara Kosta.
Get Involved!
Enhance your Honors experience by attending the German Films series, the German Student Club with activities throughout the academic year, participation in Department Colloquium Series, service as a departmental ambassador, membership in Delta Phi Alpha, participation in local conferences focused on teaching German language and culture, teaching at local elementary schools, and study abroad.