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German - B.A.

Earn Your Bachelor’s in German from Kent State University

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

Read on to learn more about our Bachelor of Arts in German program.

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About Our Bachelor’s in German Degree Program

Kent State University's Bachelor of Arts in German offers students an immersive experience in the German language and culture, focusing on developing fluency in speaking, reading, and writing. The program explores key aspects of German literature, history, and contemporary issues, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of German-speaking societies. 

This degree prepares graduates for diverse career paths in education, translation, international business, and cultural exchange, as well as for further studies in fields such as linguistics and cultural studies. Students enhance their intercultural competencies, enabling them to engage meaningfully in global contexts.

Program Information for Earn Your Bachelor’s in German from Kent State University

Program Description

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.

Admissions for Earn Your Bachelor’s in German from Kent State University

Admission Requirements

Applications to the B.A. in German are not being accepted starting with the spring 2025 admission term.

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) by earning a minimum 525 TOEFL score (71 on the Internet-based version), minimum 75 MELAB score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score or minimum 48 PTE Academic score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive Program. 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's Academic Policies.

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 program's Coursework tab.

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Perform language tasks in German at the intermediate-high and advanced-low levels or above 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. Explain various facets of contemporary German-speaking cultures in depth in German.
  6. Analyze aspects of the linguistic, ethnic, racial, religious, cultural and social diversity within German-speaking countries and communities in German.
  7. Explain the historical and political context of German-speaking cultures.
Coursework
On This Page

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Prerequisite Requirements 1
GER 11201
ELEMENTARY GERMAN I
GER 11202
ELEMENTARY GERMAN II
GER 21201
INTERMEDIATE GERMAN I
GER 21202
INTERMEDIATE GERMAN II
Major Requirements (courses count in major GPA)
GER 31201INTENSIVE GERMAN GRAMMAR 3
GER 31211GERMAN COMPOSITION AND CONVERSATION 3
GER 31231TRANSLATION PRACTICE: GERMAN 1
GER 31240CONVERSATION FOR BUSINESS AND SPECIAL PURPOSES: GERMAN 3
or GER 41240 BUSINESS AND SPECIAL TEXTS: GERMAN
GER 31303INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN LITERATURE 3
GER 31421GERMAN CIVILIZATION 3
GER 41211ADVANCED GERMAN COMPOSITION AND CONVERSATION 3
GER 41216CONTEMPORARY GERMAN CULTURE (ELR) (WIC) 23
MCLS 21417MULTICULTURALISM IN TODAY'S GERMANY (DIVG) 3
or TRST 30230 APPROACHES TO TRANSLATION
German (GER) Upper-Division Electives (30000 or 40000 level)6
Additional Requirements (courses do not count in major GPA)
UC 10001FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Composition6
Kent Core Mathematics and Critical Reasoning3
Kent Core Humanities and Fine Arts (minimum one course from each)9
Kent Core Social Sciences (must be from two disciplines)6
Kent Core Basic Sciences (must include one laboratory)6-7
Kent Core Additional6
General Electives (total credit hours depends on earning 120 credit hours, including 39 upper-division credit hours)52
Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
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

Minimum Major GPA Minimum Overall GPA
2.000 2.000
  • 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

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.

Plan of Study Grid
Semester OneCredits
MCLS 21417
or TRST 30230
 MULTICULTURALISM IN TODAY'S GERMANY (DIVG)
or APPROACHES TO TRANSLATION
3
UC 10001 FLASHES 101 1
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 3
 Credit Hours16
Semester Two
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours15
Semester Three
GER 31201 INTENSIVE GERMAN GRAMMAR 3
GER 31231 TRANSLATION PRACTICE: GERMAN 1
GER 41211 ADVANCED GERMAN COMPOSITION AND CONVERSATION 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Elective 2
 Credit Hours15
Semester Four
GER 31421 GERMAN CIVILIZATION 3
GER 41216 CONTEMPORARY GERMAN CULTURE (ELR) (WIC) 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Electives 6
 Credit Hours15
Semester Five
GER 31211 GERMAN COMPOSITION AND CONVERSATION 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
Semester Six
GER 31303 INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN LITERATURE 3
German Business Course or Upper-Division Elective 3
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
Semester Seven
German Business Course or Upper-Division Elective 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Electives 9
 Credit Hours15
Semester Eight
Note: ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview, ACTFL Written Proficiency Test and Departmental Outcomes Assessment Test should be taken during this semester.  
German Business Course or Upper-Division Elective 3
Kent Core Requirement 3
General Electives 8
 Credit Hours14
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:120
Program Delivery
  • Delivery:
    • In person
  • Location:
    • Kent Campus

Applications to the B.A. in German are not being accepted starting with the spring 2025 admission term.

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries for Earn Your Bachelor’s in German from Kent State University

Graduates of Kent State’s B.A. in German are well-prepared for careers in education, translation, international business, and cultural exchange. The program’s comprehensive curriculum, which emphasizes language proficiency, literary analysis, and cultural studies, equips students with the skills to effectively communicate and engage with German-speaking communities. 

Graduates who earn their bachelor’s in German often pursue roles as German teachers, translators, cultural liaisons, and international relations specialists, contributing to fields such as education, diplomacy, and global commerce.

Foreign language and literature teachers, postsecondary

5.7%

faster than the average

30,600

number of jobs

$69,920

potential earnings

Interpreters and translators

20.0%

much faster than the average

77,400

number of jobs

$52,330

potential earnings

Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education

3.8%

about as fast as the average

1,050,800

number of jobs

$62,870

potential earnings

Additional Careers
  • Careers with an international component in any field, including business, science, technology, education, communication and government
Notice: Career Information Source
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.

Our Bachelor of Arts in German Language Provides You with Incredible Opportunities

If you are passionate about the German language and culture, Kent State University is the place for you. Discover all that our school has to offer students in the Bachelor of Arts in German program!

Study Abroad

While Kent will feel like just like home, we encourage all students to check out our study abroad program, which is part of the Office of Global Education. Students can participate in study abroad programs to enhance their knowledge and skills. Program locations include Berlin, Leipzig, Worms, and many more!

German Coffee Hour

One of our favorite aspects about the German department is the Kaffeestunde (German Coffee Hour). Kaffeestunde is sponsored by the German department and its faculty, with weekly sessions held during regular semesters that feature free refreshments. This German Coffee Hour is open to students learning the German language at any level, as well as friends of the German program.

This means that you will be able to interact with others who are also pursuing their German undergraduate degree, as well as those who have already been through the program, providing key networking opportunities.

The best part is that there is always a faculty member and a graduate student present so that students can practice their skills and learn more about the program. We encourage students to take advantage of this opportunity to further expand upon their abilities in the language.

Our Faculty and Staff

Dr. Geoffrey Koby is a full-time professor within the Bachelor of Arts in the German language. He specializes in translation, phonetics, foreign language, culture, and business-oriented German, and is an ATA-certified German to English and Dutch to English translator.

Students will also learn from a range of other professors, including our Associate Professor of German, Dr. Hildegard Rossoll. She is the faculty advisor of the Gamma Pi chapter of Phi Sigma Iota, an International Foreign Language Honors Society.

Be sure to introduce yourself to these talented instructors and others, as they will be leading your lectures as you work toward your undergraduate degree in German!

Apply to Our Bachelor’s in German Program Today!

If you are interested in enrolling in our Bachelor of Arts in German program, please apply today! We look forward to reviewing your application.

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