University of Mary Washington - Where Great Minds Get To Work

Majors, Minors, and Programs

Just an hour from Washington, D.C., UMW is a small school with growing diversity and passionate master teachers. Our liberal arts and sciences curriculum – with more than 60 majors, minors, and courses of study – will challenge your mind and let you explore.

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German

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If you’re passionate about learning spoken and written German, its literature, and its diverse cultures, the University of Mary Washington can help you attain mastery. Our program brings language and culture to life through small, intensive classes and fully equipped labs. At UMW, you’ll study with expert teachers, converse with native speakers, and take advantage of cultural events in nearby Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. UMW strongly encourages German majors to study abroad through our partner university in Erfurt, Germany, or in programs in Austria and Switzerland.

Degree Awarded

Students majoring in German who complete all requirements earn the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Modern Foreign Languages.

Areas of Study

UMW offers beginning and intermediate German; introduction to German literature; business German; German civilization; numerous advanced German literature courses; advanced grammar, conversation, and composition; seminars in German; individual studies; and for-credit internships.

Internships

Internships offer hands-on experience and course credit to juniors and seniors. Recent UMW German students have had internships with the U.S. State Department, the FBI, and Volkswagen USA. There also are internship opportunities abroad.

Honors

Students who have at least a 3.5 grade-point average in the French major and a 3.0 GPA overall by the beginning of senior year can apply to complete a research-based thesis for departmental honors. A three-member committee will hear the thesis defense and determine whether honors will be awarded.

An undergraduate research grant, awarded through the Office of Academic Affairs, may be available for travel and other thesis-related expenses.

Requirements

Major Requirements

Students complete eight courses on the advanced level, including two required courses in writing and speaking; one required course in literature and culture; and five electives in advanced literature, culture, or language.

Minor Requirements

The German minor requires 26 credits including core classes and three upper-level electives.

The minor in business German also requires 26 credits including a sequence of business or economics courses.

Scholarships

Eligible students can apply for scholarships to defray costs of faculty-led travel programs. Multiple awards are made each semester. Several scholarships also are available to help students spend a semester studying abroad.

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Special Majors

Students also have the option to design a special major that combines courses from two or more academic disciplines into a coherent plan of study. Special majors are developed with a faculty advisor and approved by a curriculum committee. Examples of some of the special majors UMW students have developed are journalism, digital media studies, Italian studies, linguistics, biochemistry, communication, arts management, and Latin American studies.

Honors Program

The undergraduate Honors Program offers advanced students the opportunity to engage in rigorous honors designated coursework, interdisciplinary seminars, strong internship experiences, extended research and creative projects, and community service as part of a supportive community of learners.

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