German - B.A.

Full Description

The Bachelor of Arts degree in German provides instruction designed to develop competence in oral and written communication; insights into language form, usage and meaning; and knowledge of German literature, cultural history and contemporary issues. Additionally, students are introduced to basic skills in German-to-English translation.

The flexibility of the major makes it easy for students to combine with a second major, such as the History, International Studies or Political Science major or another foreign language major.

Students wishing to teach may combine the German major with the Education minor to prepare for multi-age (K–12) teacher licensure in Ohio.

Admission Requirements

The university affirmatively strives to provide educational opportunities and access to students with varied backgrounds, those with special talents and adult students who graduated from high school three or more years ago.

First-Year Students on the Kent Campus: First-year admission policy on the Kent Campus is selective. Admission decisions are based upon cumulative grade point average, strength of high school college preparatory curriculum and grade trends. Students not admissible to the Kent Campus may be administratively referred to one of the seven regional campuses to begin their college coursework. For more information, visit the admissions website for first-year students.

First-Year Students on the Regional Campuses: First-year admission to Kent State’s campuses at Ashtabula, East Liverpool, Geauga, Salem, Stark, Trumbull and Tuscarawas, as well as the Twinsburg Academic Center, is open to anyone with a high school diploma or its equivalent. For more information on admissions, contact the Regional Campuses admissions offices.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency unless they meet specific exceptions. For more information, visit the admissions website for international students.

Transfer Students: Students who have attended any other educational institution after graduating from high school must apply as undergraduate transfer students. For more information, visit the admissions website for transfer students.

Former Students: Former Kent State students or graduates who have not attended another college or university since Kent State may complete the reenrollment or reinstatement form on the University Registrar’s website.

Admission policies for undergraduate students may be found in the University Catalog.

Some programs may require that students meet certain requirements before progressing through the program. For programs with progression requirements, the information is shown on the Coursework tab.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

1. Perform language tasks at intermediate high and advanced low levels of proficiency as described by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Proficiency Guidelines. Proficiency, in ACTFL terms, is understood to describe a range of qualities rather than an absolute norm and will vary according to task type, language function, topic, skill (listening, speaking, reading, writing) and so forth.
2. Contribute to most informal and some formal conversations with sufficient accuracy, clarity and precision to convey their intended message without misrepresentation or confusion.
3. Read a wide variety of texts written for native speakers of German and not edited or adapted for non-native speakers.
4. Compose routine social correspondence and write cohesive summaries, narratives and descriptions of a factual nature in German.
5. Demonstrate an historical knowledge of German history and culture and understand the diverse nature of culture throughout the ages.
6. Discuss cultural differences, distinguishing between fact, opinion and stereotypes.
7. Communicate effectively and sensitively to diverse ethnic and cultural groups.
8. View concepts, issues, events and themes from the perspectives of diverse ethnic and cultural groups.
9. Esteem diversity.
10. Maintain an ongoing assessment of their own cultural values and behaviors.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

Students who already have some proficiency in German through high school study should take the German Placement Test prior to their first advising appointment so they can enroll in the correct course(s). Students who have completed three or four years of high school German should see a German advisor for placement. Students lacking in sufficient proficiency for the first major courses (GER 31201 and GER 31211) can reach it by taking courses in the prerequisite sequence (GER 11201, GER 11202, GER 21201 and GER 21202) based on their placement score and high school training.

²

A minimum C grade must be earned to fulfill the writing-intensive requirement.

Graduation Requirements

• All students in the German major must take the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview, ACTFL Writing Proficiency Test and the German Outcomes Assessment Test, prior to being cleared for graduation. Information about the exams can be found on the ACTFL Website and the Language Testing International (LTI) website, the exclusive licensee of ACTFL.

Program Note

• Some courses in the Department of Modern and Classical Language Studies are offered on a rotating basis, and course availability may change at any time. Please see the program coordinator or your academic advisor for course planning.

Foreign Language College Requirement, B.A.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete 14-16 credit hours of foreign language.¹
To complete the requirement, students need the equivalent of Elementary I and II in any language, plus one of the following options²:

1. Intermediate I and II of the same language
2. Elementary I and II of a second language
3. Any combination of two courses from the following list:

• Intermediate I of the same language
• ARAB 21401
• ASL 19401
• CHIN 25421
• MCLS 10001
• MCLS 20001
• MCLS 20091
• MCLS 21417
• MCLS 21420
• MCLS 22217
• MCLS 28403
• MCLS 28404

¹

All students with prior foreign language experience should take the foreign language placement test to determine the appropriate level at which to start. Some students may start beyond the Elementary I level and will complete the requirement with fewer credit hours and fewer courses. This may be accomplished by (1) passing a course beyond Elementary I through Intermediate II level; (2) receiving credit through one of the alternative credit programs offered by Kent State University; or (3) demonstrating language proficiency comparable to Elementary II of a foreign language. When students complete the requirement with fewer than 14 credit hours and four courses, they will complete remaining credit hours with general electives.

²

Certain majors, concentrations and minors may require specific languages, limit the languages from which a student may choose or require coursework through Intermediate II. Students who plan to pursue graduate study may need particular language coursework.

Roadmap

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Kent Campus