German Program
The German program at Notre Dame features small class sizes, close relationships with faculty, opportunities to do research and write a senior thesis, multiple avenues to study abroad in a German-speaking country, cultural events in the South Bend and Chicago areas, and much more!
Why study German?
After English, German is the most prominent language of world business, and one of the principal languages of the European Union. It’s also second only to English as a language of research, whether in the humanities, the social sciences, or in STEM fields.
Our faculty are leaders in their respective fields, who publish their work in high-impact journals and with well-regarded university presses. Several of our colleagues have also won college and university-wide awards for their teaching. Because ours is a very small department, you will get to know us on a day-to-day basis and profit from our full support in your academic and career development.
Explore more reasons to study German and learn more about the 97% of German alumni who find success after graduation.
In hindsight, it's amazing how much my German major helped me! Of course, it taught me German as a language. It's also why I left the country for the first time in my life. Learning German actually made me realize how much I love working with words, and how much I enjoy learning about other cultures and countries, which led me right into journalism. And once I became a journalist, it was only a matter of time before I wound up back over here!
Programs offered
We offer the following undergraduate programs for students interested in the German language:
- the major, the supplementary majors, and minor in German
- the major in international economics with a concentration in German
For students who cannot commit to a full program of language study we also offer:
All students enrolled in our programs benefit from robust financial support for study abroad during summers and the academic year, as well as from international internship opportunities arranged through pre-existing partnerships.
The data-heavy capstone project that I did for my international economics major taught me valuable skills which I leveraged as a professional asset while interviewing and searching for a career.