With Germany among leading nations in the automobile, engineering, chemical, and renewable energy industries, learning German creates professional and personal pathways for students to explore in the US–where companies like Daimler, Siemens, and Bayer are leaders–and in the German-speaking world. German being the most widely spoken language in Europe (100 million native speakers and about 55 million second-language speakers), there is ample opportunity for students to apply and extend their studies, interests, and careers with German. From biotech in Munich or “Silicon Saxony” in Dresden, or finance in Zurich and Frankfurt, to cultural diversity in Berlin as a major center for design and fashion, German opens new doors in your world.
German Studies at MIT engages students in the study of language at the intersection of contemporary culture, film, literature and the history of German-speaking countries. Students acquire communication and cultural competencies that allow them to engage actively in the German-speaking world. Personal attention in small group classes create engaging and rewarding experiences for each student. German Studies subjects prepare students for the opportunity to study, work, and conduct research in German-speaking and other global environments, whether through MISTI programs in Germany and Switzerland, or in a variety of future career options.
German Studies may be applied to the German major, minor, or Concentration. Learn more about requirements at the Academic Programs page. Advisors for these programs are below. Students uncertain what level of German language to take should refer to placement information. Information on transfer credit is available here.
German Concentration: Haohsiang Liao
German Minor/Major: Eric Goldberg
Global Languages German Studies group: Dagmar Jaeger | Emmalie Keenan | Mark Römisch
IAP 2022
| 21G.401 | German I |
| 21G.S07 | Special Subject: German Oral Communication: Online Immersion |
21G.S07 Special Subject: Online Immersion: German Oral Communication. This class focuses on conversational German. The class practices communication strategies for a variety of every day conversational situations as well as specific strategies such as how to present myself and my work in a professional and academic setting, how to take turns in a conversation and how to build an argument and give reasons for it. The focus will be on the use of high frequency vocabulary. There is plenty of opportunity to converse and present themes and topics relevant and current to the German-speaking world. There are two individual student-instructor conferences during the term. Taught via daily live Zoom sessions, pre-requisite: 21G.403 German III or equivalent, 9 credits. This class counts for the Minor in German.
Spring 2022
| 21G.401/451 | German I |
| 21G.402/452 | German II |
| 21G.403 | German III |
| 21G.404 | German IV |
| 21G.412 | Advanced German: Literature and Culture |
| 21G.414 | German Culture, Media, and Society |
| 21G.440 | The World of Charlemagne |
| 21G.057 | Gender, Race and Environmental Justice |
| 21G.058/418 | Race and Migration in Europe |
A note regarding the enrollment policy of Global Languages: Enrollment limited to 18 for pedagogical reasons. Preference will be given to pre-registered students, including pre-registered undergraduates who were cut from the same class the previous semester due to the enrollment cap. Please note that you have to attend the first day of class to maintain your preference level. As a general rule, preference will be given in the following order in case of over-enrollment: declared majors, declared minors, declared concentrators, first-years, sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students.