• College of Liberal Arts
• German & Russian
  • Program Information
    • Learning Outcomes
    • Course Descriptions
    • Fall Course Schedule
    • Spring Course Schedule
    • New or Changed Courses - Spring
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Program Information

The Department of German and Russian offers courses in language and literature. By following a carefully designed program, German and Russian students learn to communicate; to think and write critically; and to appreciate the literary, social, and cultural traditions of the language under study. The department is committed to the concept of foreign study and strongly encourages students to participate in overseas programs in Munich, Berlin, or Simferopol. Major and minor programs are offered in German; a minor is offered in Russian and students are sometimes able to complete a Russian major by completing a semester of study abroad.

Requirements for the German Major (8 Credits)

German majors are required to complete 8 credits of course work beyond the intermediate-level language courses, including Composition and Discussion, at least 1 credit in Civilization, 3 credits in Literature and a Senior Year Experience.

Core courses

• GERM 331 (W) German Composition and Discussion (1)
• GERM 333 Contemporary German Culture (1)

Three credits in German literature, from the following (3)

• GERM 340 Introduction to German Literature (1)
• GERM 430 History of German Thought (1)
• GERM 431 From the Enlightenment to Romanticism (1)
• GERM 432 Realism and Naturalism (1)
• GERM 433 Modern Literature (1)
• GERM 490 and 491 Reading and Conference (1)

Three additional credits in German, numbered 300 or above (3) including either

• GERM 496 Senior Seminar (1) or
• GERM 497 Literary Research (.5)

Requirements for the German Minor (5 Credits)

• GERM 232 Intermediate German II (1)
• GERM 331 (W) German Composition and Discussion (1)
• GERM 333 Contemporary German Culture (1)
• GERM 340 Introduction to German Literature (1)
• One additional German credit at the 400 level (1)

Requirements for the Russian Minor (5 Credits)

• RUSS 232 Intermediate Russian II (1)
• RUSS 233 (W; TH) Russian Culture: Russian Ways and Views of Russia (1) or
• RUSS 320 (W; IT; 4th Sem Lang Req) Introduction to Russian Literature in Translation (1)
• RUSS 325 (IT) Topics in Russian Literature (1)
• RUSS 331 Russian Composition and Discussion (1)
• RUSS 333 Russian Civilization and Culture (1)
• One additional RUSS credit numbered 300 or above or a credit from Willamette's semester abroad program in Simferopol or a RUSS credit numbered 300 or above transferred from an accredited program at another 4-year institution. (1)