German
The German Program at Clemson University prepares students for a wide range of careers and graduate studies in the humanities, business, sciences, engineering, politics, diplomacy, law, and education. The success of our graduates tells us that knowledge of German language and culture gives students a competitive edge in today’s job market, both in the U.S. and abroad.
Why German?
- Become part of a vibrant German program with a range of interesting and challenging classes, numerous extra-curricular activities, great peers and approachable instructors. Additionally, we offer study abroad opportunities in German-speaking countries and help find internships with international German companies.
- New hires with serious German knowledge earn an average of 3.8% more salary in their first job. Assuming a modest 1% yearly salary increase, your German will be “worth $128,000” at retirement age. (Read the Economist blog)
- Germany is the largest member state of the EU, the largest economy in Europe and the third-fourth largest in the world. German companies like BMW, Dräxlmaier, Daimler, Siemens, and Bosch continue to consolidate their presence on the American market. Right now, there are over 90 German businesses in the Upstate of South Carolina alone, and foreign companies are estimated to have invested $29 billion in the Southeast since 1990. Germany is the third-largest trading partner for South Carolina and German investment in the state averages more than $1.1 billion (see more). BMW’s operation in Greer, SC, is the largest of all BMW plants in the world (yes, larger than its German plants).
- Germany is well-known for its research, and German universities have an international reputation for their high quality. German-speaking countries are famous not only for their tradition of innovation in the sciences to engineering, but also for their rich culture and legacy in art, music, and literature. Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Wagner, Mahler, and Schoenberg spoke and wrote German, as did Kant, Hegel, and Heidegger. Some of the most innovative artists currently live and work in Germany, like Gerhard Richter, Georg Baselitz, Rosemarie Trockel, and Anselm Kiefer. Romanticism and Bauhaus architecture (of Frank Lloyd Wright fame) began in Germany, and German operas continue to be a fixture at opera houses around the world
- Germany and its German-speaking neighbors remain popular travel destinations and offer a rich variety of attractions and landscapes, from the high mountains in the South to the beaches and dikes of Northern Germany, from big and vibrant cities like Berlin and Hamburg to the enjoyable student life of mid-size cities like Bamberg and Mainz. When studying German history, reading knowledge of the language is a minimum requirement. The Holocaust and World War II persist as an important field of historical research. Additionally, German history spans more than 2,000 years and fascinates generations from early artifacts of Germanic culture to more recent events, such as the Fall of the Berlin Wall.
- Finally, you can use German not only in Germany, but also in Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, as well as in 16 additional countries, including Namibia and Brazil. 118 million people in the world speak German as their first or second language. German can be a very precise and technical language, but more importantly, speaking it is simply beautiful.
What Does It Offer?
- a B.A. in Language and International Business that prepares students for careers in international business and combines German language study with business component (one semester study abroad and a one-semester long internship is required)
- a B.A. in Modern Languages major (German Concentration) that prepares students to work for non-profit organizations, (inter)national government and diplomatic agencies, the education sector, as well as preparation for graduate studies in the humanities, law, medicine, and education; the emphasis in this major is on the history, culture, philosophy, cinema, and literature of the German-speaking countries (one year study abroad is required)
- a German Studies Minor can easily be combined with any major offered at Clemson and aims to broaden your background; this minor is especially important suited for enhancing your critical thinking skills, allowing you to engage in global learning experiences. The German Studies minor requires GER 2010 and GER 2020 and 12 credits of 3000- and 4000-level GER courses. GER 3970, GER 4760, and GER 4970 may not be used to satisfy requirements for the German Studies minor
- a Minor in Technical German fully integrates into any Engineering major; running currently as a pilot program in Mechanical Engineering+German the minor will allow you the opportunity to use German early in your curriculum, as early as in your third semester, core courses that are required in your engineering major are taught in German; the minor also allows you to fulfill general education and other requirements by taking German classes; includes an international experiential learning component that requires an approved experiential learning program with a German partner university, and an immersive professional or technical experience in German like a paid internship with an international company. The Technical German minor will add a crucial component not only to any engineering major, but also to other technical fields, business, or the natural sciences, since students today’s have to demonstrate a global perspective in research, manufacturing, management, and human resources
- a Double Major in German that combines well with other B.A. degree programs to broaden the intellectual spectrum for high-achieving students (e.g. with a B.A. in Economics, Philosophy, History)
Contact information
Gabriela Stoicea
513 Strode Tower
stoicea@clemson.edu
Giving to German
Giving to German
Clubs
Faculty
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German Faculty
German
J Lee Ferrell, M.A.
BMW Principal Lecturer of German
Email: ferrell@clemson.edu
Office: 501 Strode
Phone: 864-656-3421
Susanne Masterson
Lecturer of German
Email: skmaste@clemson.edu
Office: 361 Humanities Hall
Johannes Schmidt, Ph.D.
Professor of German; Director of ML Program
Research Interests: Johann Gottfried Herder, Gotthold Ephraim Lessing, 18th century, German philosophy; Holocaust / Shoah studies
Email: schmidj@clemson.edu
Office: 704 Strode
Gabriela Stoicea, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of German and Interdisciplinary Studies
Faculty Representative on the CU Women's Commission
Research Interests: Science & Culture in the European Context; Body Studies; Gender & Sexuality Studies; History & Theory of the Novel; Epic Theater; German & East European Cinemas; Translation Studies
Email: stoicea@clemson.edu
Office: 513 Strode
