Assistant Professor
Ph.D., Harvard University
Baldwin Wallace University has discontinued the German major and minor. BW is no longer accepting applications for the German major as of spring 2024. BW will continue to offer courses in German. View majors.
Undergraduate Admission
(440) 826-2222, admission@bw.edu
OVERVIEW
The most widely spoken language in Europe, German is an outstanding major for students interested in the sciences, arts, business, education and social sciences.
It has been used for many of the Western world's most important works in philosophy, literature, music, art history, theology, psychology, chemistry, physics, engineering and medicine.
Baldwin Wallace's German program offers a practical approach to language study that connects it to real life. You'll learn about current events, literature, communication and sensitivities, cultural history and contemporary lifestyle of German-speaking nationalities.
The integrative program builds competencies in reading, writing, speaking and language comprehension.
Experiential learning is central to the program. You can take advantage of internships, independent study projects, service-learning activities and co-curricular involvement.
Germany, Austria and Switzerland are among the German-speaking countries where you can travel. BW's study abroad offers outstanding opportunities for year-long, semester-long and shorter immersion experiences.
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Enhance your studies by attending cultural events and culinary field trips, participating in a German language table (Kaffeestunde) and joining German Club. The annual BW Oktoberfest is one of the many events organized by the BW German Club each year.
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Dr. Christina Svendsen dancing to polka music at the Oktoberfest event.
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BW physics professor Peter Hoekje and his band Die Unpronounceables perform at German Club's Oktoberfest.
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BW students have many opportunities to participate in German Club events, allowing them to experience a bit of German culture on campus.
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Immerse yourself in German language and culture with BW's three-week seminar in Germany. Pictured, seminar students meet in the German capitol building complex (Reichstagsgebäude), in the Social Democratic Party's plenary meeting room.
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Enhance your studies by attending cultural events and culinary field trips, participating in a German language table (Stammtisch) and joining German Club. The annual BW Oktoberfest is one of the many events organized by the BW German Club each year.
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BW hosts events throughout the year that are popular with the local German-American community. The annual German Advent Vesper Service (Adventsfeier) is led by local Pastor John Hoyer, with readings and songs performed in German by BW students.
Career Opportunities
Government, education, business and nonprofit sectors seek individuals who are fluent in two or more languages. Examples of positions include:
- Teacher
- Arts-related manager
- Linguist/interpreter
- Foreign service associate
- Travel industry coordinator
- Bilingual executive
- Curator/archivist
- Import/export manager
Interested in becoming a teacher?
BW has an outstanding teacher education program.
Leading Language of Global Business
German-speaking countries have a strong international business presence. More than 1,100 companies have subsidiaries in the U.S. and over 2,000 American companies conduct business in German-speaking countries.
STUDY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE BOOSTS SKILLS
Benefits of learning a foreign language are multi-fold and include:
- Career marketability
- Effective oral and written communication
- Critical thinking and analytical reasoning
- Global awareness and intercultural competence
- Cultural appreciation
CURRICULUM
Offered as a major and minor, German blends comprehensive coursework with dynamic practical application.
It is an outstanding companion major or minor to other disciplines, including the fine arts, science, business, international studies, mathematics, psychology, political science, history and philosophy.
German courses are open to students of all majors. If you have previously taken classes in German in high school, you will be required to complete a placement test prior to registering for courses.
Within the Department of World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, BW offers a Spanish major and minor as well as courses in Arabic, Chinese, French and Italian.
The German major prepares students to:
- Communicate in languages other than English
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of other cultures
- Use foreign language in connection with other disciplines
- Demonstrate knowledge of the nature of language and culture
STUDENT EXPERIENCES
Our world-class faculty will help you make your educational experience everything you want it to be. Small class sizes and an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio mean professors get to know you and your interests.
Experiential learning bridges classroom study with real-world opportunities. You can enhance your studies through internships, fellowships, study abroad and a variety of co-curricular and other learning opportunities.
STUDENT CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS
Delta
Phi
Alpha
-
National
German
Honor
Society
To
qualify
for
membership,
the
student
must
be
of
at
least
sophomore
standing,
be
enrolled
in
a
German
course
beyond
the
intermediate
level,
have
a
cumulative
GPA
of
at
least
3.0
and
have
a
GPA
in
German
courses
of
a
3.333
(B+)
or
better.
German
Club
The
club
provides
an
opportunity
for
students
to
explore
and
learn
about
the
German
language
and
culture
outside
the
classroom.
Other
foreign
language
clubs
include
the
French
Club,
Italian
Club,
Middle
Eastern
Culture
Club
and
Spanish
Club.
Language
Tables
Language
tables
are
a
great
opportunity
to
practice
your
foreign
language
skills
outside
the
classroom.
All
language
levels
are
welcomed.
International
Film
Series
An
annual
event
on
campus,
the
International
Film
Series
showcases
films
representing
a
variety
of
cultures.
Evenings
of
Culture:
German-American
Kulturabend
Held
during
the
school
year,
the
events
highlight
the
present
day
German
instruction
at
BW
while
paying
tribute
to
the
institution's
German
heritage,
as
represented
through
the
union
of
Baldwin
University
and
German
Wallace
College.
ALUMNI SUCCESS
Yasmine White '21 is currently working as an au pair in Germany and plans to teach German at the high school level when she returns to the U.S. Yasmine received a degree in German and education. While at BW, she served as president of German Club and was also a part of the honors program.
Jacob Luther '21 is an assistant national bank examiner at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. He earned a degree in German and finance and received the Milton T. Baldwin Prize, the highest academic achievement at BW. At BW, he worked as an intern for the Center for Innovation & Growth and was treasurer of the German Club.
Katherine Brink '13 is industry analyst and copy editor for The Freedonia Group in Cleveland. At BW, Katherine worked as a course assistant and student consultant for BW's business plan clinic. She graduated from BW with degrees in German and English. She is from Strongsville, Ohio.
Leanora Lange '08 is processing and institutional archivist at Center for Jewish History in New York working with German language collections. Her translation and adaptation of Georg Büchner's "Woyzeck," entitled "Chop-Chop-Zig-Zag-Woyzeck," was performed at FringeNYC in 2015. She is from Newton Falls, Ohio.
FACULTY
Full-Time Faculty
Christina
Svendsen
Assistant
Professor
Ph.D.,
M.A.,
Harvard
University
Adjunct Faculty
Stephanie
Mauro
Lecturer
M.A.,
Philipps
University-Marburg