German Specialization
On this page:
- Required Coursework
- Current Course Offerings
- Critical Concentration Courses
- Current Critical Concentration Offerings
Other links:
Undergraduate Coordinator:
Dr. Eric Kligerman
206 Walker Hall
ekligerm@ufl.edu
352-392-9283
Overview
The German specialization of the Foreign Languages and Literatures major is not limited to knowing the language, but instead helps the student achieve multiple literacies. In the major, the study of language merges with the study of culture and includes:
- The works of German literature as well as German culture and civilization from the Middle Ages through the end of the 20th and the beginning of the 21st century
- German cinema
- The writings of ethnic minorities in German-speaking countries
- The terminology of business, economics, and the European Union
- Summer studies or full-semester studies at a German or Austrian university.
For many students, the curriculum is an enriching discovery of their own past: more than 60 million Americans are at least partly of German heritage. More Americans can trace their ancestry to Germany than to any other foreign country, and since the middle of the 20th century more Americans have lived and worked in Germany than in any other foreign country.
Requirements for the Major
The German specialization in Foreign Languages and Literatures consists of foundational language study at the lower division (1000 and 2000 level), and 33 credits of advanced language, theory, and culture study in the upper division (3000 level and above).
All coursework for the major must be completed with minimum grades of C. Up to 15 credits of 3000/4000-level courses can be transferred from another institution.
Ordinarily, students will need to have completed GER 2200 Intermediate German 1 by their fifth semester at UF to be able to complete the German major.
Required Foundation Coursework
Total depends on placement in language courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GER 1130 | Beginning Intensive German 1 | 5 |
| or GER 1125 | Discover German 1 | |
| GER 1131 | Beginning Intensive German 2 | 5 |
| or GER 1126 | Discover German 2 | |
| GER 2200 | Intermediate German 1 | 3 |
| or GER 2225 | Online Intermediate German I | |
| GER 2240 | Intermediate German 2 | 3 |
| Total Credits | 16 | |
Required Major Coursework
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| German Core Courses | ||
| Advanced Language and Culture | ||
| Select 6 credits: | 6 | |
GER 3470 | Advanced German Abroad | |
GER 3234 | Reading German Texts | |
GER 3401 | German Grammar Review | |
GER 3300 | Writing German Texts | |
GER 3413 | German Listening, Comprehension and Speaking | |
| Advanced German Major Elective Coursework | ||
| Select 18 credits (at least 6 credits with GER or GEW prefix at the 4000 level): | 18 | |
GER 3332 | Topics in German Film and Culture | |
GER 3440 | German in Business | |
GER 4482 | Cultural Identity and Intercultural Competence | |
GER 4930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | |
GET 3004 | Modern German Culture and Civilization | |
GET 3200 | Medieval Literary Culture | |
GET 3501 | History, Literature and Arts of Berlin | |
GET 3520 | Early German Cinema to 1945 | |
GET 3580 | Representations of War in Literature and Visual Media | |
GET 3930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | |
GET 4521 | Women and German Cinema | |
GET 4523 | New Cinema 1945 to the Present | |
GET 4930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | |
GEW 3930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | |
GEW 4730 | Modern German Literature | |
GEW 4731 | Contemporary German Literature | |
GEW 4750 | Women in German Literature | |
GEW 4760 | Communities Writing in German | |
GEW 4905 | Individual Work | |
GEW 4930 | Seminar in Germanic Languages and Literatures | |
| Critical Concentration | ||
| Although courses may appear in more than one group they may be counted toward only one group | ||
| Select 9 credits from one concentration: | 9 | |
Intensive Area Studies: German (Recommended for those planning to pursue careers requiring advanced level skills in German or graduate work in German Studies) | ||
Comparative Cultural Studies | ||
Film and Visual Culture | ||
Literary Studies | ||
Medieval and Early Modern Studies | ||
| Total Credits | 33 | |
No more than 3 credits can be earned in independent studies courses such as GEW 4905.
Overseas Study
The program recommends its summer program in Mannheim, Germany. Students can complete nine credits at the intermediate or advanced level depending on prerequisites met.
Placement
Students without prior German should take the GER 1130 and GER 1131 sequence (five credits each). An alternative manner of completing the basic language sequence in a single year is by taking the online German sequence GER 1125 and GER 1126, Discover German. These 10 credit sequences fulfill the college's language requirement.
Students with previous training in one of the languages should speak with the department.
Current Course Offerings (Fall 2025)
GER1125 - Discover German 1
First semester of a two-semester sequence that includes Discover German 2. In this innovative online course, students acquire basic skills in the German language and use the Internet as a resource to explore aspects of German culture and everyday life.
Class #27493
Instructor: Aicha Ouzia
Meet: Online
Credits: 5
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures German
Final Exam: 12/9/2025 @ 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/03/2025
First semester of a two-semester sequence that includes Discover German 2. In this innovative online course, students acquire basic skills in the German language and use the Internet as a resource to explore aspects of German culture and everyday life.
GER1130 - Beginning Intensive German 1
The first semester of the basic language sequence for beginning learners of German. Emphasis is on communicating in German through speaking, listening, reading, writing, and culturally related topics. Communication in German is enhanced by the use of various authentic texts, music, film, and other materials.
Class #23416
The first semester of the basic language sequence for beginning learners of German. Emphasis is on communicating in German through speaking, listening, reading, writing, and culturally related topics. Communication in German is enhanced by the use of various authentic texts, music, film, and other materials.
GER2200 - Intermediate German 1
Participants will improve their skills in the four basic areas (reading, writing, listening comprehension, speaking) by reviewing elements of grammar, particularly morphology (i.e., word forms), and by expanding vocabulary. Upon successful completion, students may go directly to Advanced German.
Credits: 3; Prereq: GER 1104 or GER 1126 or GER 1131, or the equivalent.
Participants will improve their skills in the four basic areas (reading, writing, listening comprehension, speaking) by reviewing elements of grammar, particularly morphology (i.e., word forms), and by expanding vocabulary. Upon successful completion, students may go directly to Advanced German.
Credits: 3; Prereq: GER 1104 or GER 1126 or GER 1131, or the equivalent.
GER2225 - Online Intermediate German I
Employs web-based learning resources to develop B1-level proficiencies via the reinforcement of speaking and listening comprehension, reading, and writing skills, and an exploration of selected cultural topics. For self-starters who are comfortable and successful working individually and in groups in an online learning environment.
Prereq: (GER 1130 and GER 1131) or (GER 1125 and GER 1126) or (10 university-level credits of beginning German) or the equivalent.
Class #23418
EEP EligibleAdd'l Course Fees: $27.99
Instructor: Willard Hasty
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 3
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures German
Final Exam: TBA
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/03/2025
Employs web-based learning resources to develop B1-level proficiencies via the reinforcement of speaking and listening comprehension, reading, and writing skills, and an exploration of selected cultural topics. For self-starters who are comfortable and successful working individually and in groups in an online learning environment.
Prereq: (GER 1130 and GER 1131) or (GER 1125 and GER 1126) or (10 university-level credits of beginning German) or the equivalent.
GER6060 - Beginning German for Graduate Students I
For graduate students from other departments who need to acquire a reading knowledge of German. Not open to graduate students in German.
Class #28581
EEP Eligible
Instructor: Willard Hasty
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 3
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures German
Final Exam: TBA
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/03/2025
For graduate students from other departments who need to acquire a reading knowledge of German. Not open to graduate students in German.
GET3200 - Medieval Literary Culture
Studies the German literary culture of the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages in its broader European context. Examines literary culture in relation to Latin literary traditions, as well as to other cultural domains such as the arts, architecture, theology, and politics.
Prereq: Minimum 15 credits earned in enrollment, test, or transfer credit.
Class #19339
EEP Eligible
Instructor: Valerie Hampton
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 3
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures German
Final Exam: TBA
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/03/2025
Studies the German literary culture of the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages in its broader European context. Examines literary culture in relation to Latin literary traditions, as well as to other cultural domains such as the arts, architecture, theology, and politics.
Prereq: Minimum 15 credits earned in enrollment, test, or transfer credit.
GET3201 - Early Modern Literary Culture
Studies the early modern literary culture of German-speaking regions of the Holy Roman Empire in the broader European context. Examines this culture’s relation to pan-European developments, including the Renaissance, Humanism, the Reformation, and developments in the arts, architecture, theology, and politics.
Prereq: sophomore standing or higher.
Class #23826
EEP Eligible
Instructor: Benjamin Guyer
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 3
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures German
Final Exam: TBA
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/03/2025
Studies the early modern literary culture of German-speaking regions of the Holy Roman Empire in the broader European context. Examines this culture’s relation to pan-European developments, including the Renaissance, Humanism, the Reformation, and developments in the arts, architecture, theology, and politics.
Prereq: sophomore standing or higher.
GET3520 - Early German Cinema to 1945
Historical overview of the most influential films of German classical cinema, including how they relate to the social reality of the 1920s and 30s.
Prereq: Minimum 15 credits earned in enrollment, test, or transfer credit.
Class #27134
EEP Eligible
Instructor: Barbara Mennel
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 4
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures German
Final Exam: 12/10/2025 @ 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/03/2025
Historical overview of the most influential films of German classical cinema, including how they relate to the social reality of the 1920s and 30s.
Prereq: Minimum 15 credits earned in enrollment, test, or transfer credit.
GET3580 - Representations of War in Literature and Visual Media
Study of the shifting cultural representations of war (literature/art) in the 20th century, focusing primarily on European history, culture and politics. Primary sources include Mann, Remarque, Boll, Celan, Grosz, and Kiefer.
Class #21688
EEP Eligible
Instructor: Eric Kligerman
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 3
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures German
Final Exam: 12/11/2025 @ 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/03/2025
Study of the shifting cultural representations of war (literature/art) in the 20th century, focusing primarily on European history, culture and politics. Primary sources include Mann, Remarque, Boll, Celan, Grosz, and Kiefer.
GET3930 - Variable Topics in German Studies: Kafka and Kafkaesque
Variable topics in German Studies in English translation.
Prereq: Minimum 15 credits earned in enrollment, test, or transfer credit.
Class #18097
Variable topics in German Studies in English translation.
Prereq: Minimum 15 credits earned in enrollment, test, or transfer credit.
GEW4930 - Seminar in Germanic Languages and Literatures
Variable topics dealing with specific issues in Germanic language or literature.
Prereq: Six credits of GER credit at the 3000-level.
Class #23906
Variable topics dealing with specific issues in Germanic language or literature.
Prereq: Six credits of GER credit at the 3000-level.
GEW6905 - Independent Study
Available by special arrangement. May be taken only once for M.A. credit.
Class #12590
---
Instructor: Eric Kligerman
Meet: Primary Classroom
Credits: 3
Department: Languages, Literatures & Cultures German
Final Exam: TBA
Class Dates: 08/21/2025 - 12/03/2025
Available by special arrangement. May be taken only once for M.A. credit.
Concentration Courses
9 Credits from one Concentration
Although courses may appear in more than one group, they may be counted toward only one group.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Intensive Area Studies: German | ||
| Recommended for those planning to pursue careers requiring advanced level skills in German or graduate work in German Studies | ||
| GER 3234 | Reading German Texts | 3 |
| GER 3330 | German Language and Culture 1 | 3 |
| GER 3332 | Topics in German Film and Culture | 1 |
| GER 3440 | German in Business | 3 |
| GER 4482 | Cultural Identity and Intercultural Competence | 3 |
| GER 4930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | 3 |
| GET 3200 | Medieval Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3501 | History, Literature and Arts of Berlin | 3 |
| GET 3520 | Early German Cinema to 1945 | 4 |
| GET 3580 | Representations of War in Literature and Visual Media | 3 |
| GET 4930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | 3 |
| GET 4521 | Women and German Cinema | 4 |
| GET 4523 | New Cinema 1945 to the Present | 4 |
| GET 4930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | 3 |
| GEW 3930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | 3 |
| GEW 4301 | Introduction to German Drama and Theater | 3 |
| GEW 4730 | Modern German Literature | 3 |
| GEW 4731 | Contemporary German Literature | 3 |
| GEW 4750 | Women in German Literature | 3 |
| GEW 4760 | Communities Writing in German | 3 |
| GEW 4930 | Seminar in Germanic Languages and Literatures | 3 |
| Comparative Cultural Studies | ||
| ABT 3500 | Arabic Culture | 3 |
| ABT 4131 | The Qur'an as Literature | 3 |
| ARA 3510 | The Arab Woman | 3 |
| CHI 3403 | Chinese Calligraphy | 3 |
| CHT 3500 | Chinese Culture | 3 |
| CHT 3510 | All the Tea in China | 3 |
| CHT 3513 | Taoism and Chinese Culture | 3 |
| CZT 3564 | Modern Czech Culture and Society | 3 |
| FRT 3004 | Monuments and Masterpieces of France | 3 |
| FRT 3561 | Women in French Literature and/or Cinema | 3-4 |
| FRT 4500 | East-West Encounters | 3 |
| GET 3003 | German Culture and Civilization 1 | 3 |
| GET 3004 | Modern German Culture and Civilization | 3 |
| GET 3200 | Medieval Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3201 | Early Modern Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3501 | History, Literature and Arts of Berlin | 3 |
| GET 3580 | Representations of War in Literature and Visual Media | 3 |
| GET 3930 | Variable Topics in German Studies (German Fairy Tales) | 3 |
| GEW 4401 | Cities as Cultural Centers | 3 |
| HAI 3930 | Topics in Haitian Language and Culture | 3 |
| HAT 3503 | Haitian Culture and Literature in Translation | 3 |
| HAT 3564 | Haitian Culture and Society | 3 |
| HAT 3700 | Introduction to Haitian Creole Linguistics | 3 |
| ITT 3431 | Italy and Pilgrimages | 3 |
| ITT 3443 | Dante's Inferno (English) | 3 |
| ITT 3540 | Murder Italian Style: Crime Fiction and Film in Italy | 3 |
| ITT 3541 | Gangsters and Godfathers: Italian Mafia Movies | 3 |
| ITT 3700 | The Demolition of Man: Italian Perspectives on the Jewish Holocaust | 3 |
| ITT 3930 | Special Topics in Italian Literature and Culture | 3 |
| JMT 3500 | Jamaican Creole, Reggae, and Rastafari | 3 |
| JPT 3500 | Japanese Culture | 3 |
| JPT 3521 | Monsters and Horror in Japan | 3 |
| JPT 3702 | Japanese Visual Culture | 3 |
| JPT 4502 | Japanese Folklore | 3 |
| JPT 4510 | Representations of Japan's Modern Empire | 3 |
| RUT 3443 | War and Peace | 3 |
| RUT 3500 | Russian Cultural Heritage | 3 |
| RUT 3501 | Contemporary Russian Culture and Society | 3 |
| RUT 3503 | Violence and Terror in the Russian Experience | 3 |
| RUT 3504 | Russia Today | 3 |
| RUT 3506 | Creative Lives: Writers, Artists, and Extraordinary People | 3 |
| RUT 3514 | Russian Fairy Tales | 3 |
| RUT 3530 | Russia's Struggle with Nature: Legacies of Destruction and Preservation | 3 |
| RUT 3600 | The Twentieth Century through Slavic Eyes | 3 |
| RUT 3601 | The Culture of the Cold War | 3 |
| RUT 4450 | Russian Modernism | 3 |
| VTT 3500 | Vietnamese Culture | 3 |
| YOT 3500 | Yoruba Diaspora in the New World | 3 |
| Film and Visual Culture | ||
| CHI 4930 | Special Topics in Chinese Studies | 3 |
| CHT 3391 | Chinese Film and Media | 3 |
| CHT 3523 | Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the New Global Cinema | 3 |
| FRT 3520 | French Cinema | 4 |
| FRT 3561 | Women in French Literature and/or Cinema | 3-4 |
| FRT 4500 | East-West Encounters | 3 |
| FRT 4523 | European Identities, European Cinemas | 4 |
| GET 3520 | Early German Cinema to 1945 | 4 |
| GET 3580 | Representations of War in Literature and Visual Media | 3 |
| GET 4521 | Women and German Cinema | 4 |
| GET 4523 | New Cinema 1945 to the Present | 4 |
| GET 4930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | 3 |
| HBR 4930 | Special Topics | 3 |
| ITT 3521 | Italian Cinema | 4 |
| ITT 3540 | Murder Italian Style: Crime Fiction and Film in Italy | 3 |
| ITT 3541 | Gangsters and Godfathers: Italian Mafia Movies | 3 |
| ITT 3930 | Special Topics in Italian Literature and Culture | 3 |
| JPN 4930 | Special Topics in Japanese Studies | 3 |
| JPT 3391 | Introduction to Japanese Film | 4 |
| JPT 3521 | Monsters and Horror in Japan | 3 |
| JPT 3702 | Japanese Visual Culture | 3 |
| RUT 3524 | Russia through Film | 3 |
| RUT 3601 | The Culture of the Cold War | 3 |
| SSA 4930 | Special Topics in African Studies | 3 |
| Literary Studies | ||
| ABT 3130 | Arabic Literary Heritage 1 | 3 |
| ABT 4131 | The Qur'an as Literature | 3 |
| CHI 4930 | Special Topics in Chinese Studies | 3 |
| CHT 3110 | Chinese Literary Heritage | 3 |
| CHT 3123 | Pre-Modern Chinese Fiction in Translation | 3 |
| CHT 3124 | Modern Chinese Fiction in Translation | 3 |
| CHT 3302 | Tales of the Strange in Medieval Chinese Literature | 3 |
| CHT 3511 | Chinese Martial Arts Fiction | 3 |
| CHT 4111 | Dream of the Red Chamber | 3 |
| CHT 4603 | Journey to the West | 3 |
| FRT 3004 | Monuments and Masterpieces of France | 3 |
| FRT 3561 | Women in French Literature and/or Cinema | 3-4 |
| GET 3200 | Medieval Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3201 | Early Modern Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3501 | History, Literature and Arts of Berlin | 3 |
| GET 3580 | Representations of War in Literature and Visual Media | 3 |
| GET 3930 | Variable Topics in German Studies (German Fairy Tales) | 3 |
| GET 4930 | Variable Topics in German Studies | 3 |
| HAT 3503 | Haitian Culture and Literature in Translation | 3 |
| HBR 4930 | Special Topics | 3 |
| HBT 3223 | Identity and Dissent in the Hebrew Short Story | 3 |
| ITT 3431 | Italy and Pilgrimages | 3 |
| ITT 3443 | Dante's Inferno (English) | 3 |
| ITT 3540 | Murder Italian Style: Crime Fiction and Film in Italy | 3 |
| ITT 3700 | The Demolition of Man: Italian Perspectives on the Jewish Holocaust | 3 |
| ITT 3930 | Special Topics in Italian Literature and Culture | 3 |
| JPT 3100 | Tales of Kyoto | 3 |
| JPT 3120 | Modern Japanese Fiction in Translation | 3 |
| JPT 3121 | Contemporary Japanese Literature: Postwar to Postmodern | 3 |
| JPT 3140 | Modern Women Writers | 3 |
| JPT 3150 | Classical Japanese Poetry | 3 |
| JPT 3300 | Samurai War Tales | 3 |
| JPT 3330 | Early Modern Japanese Literature | 3 |
| JPT 3521 | Monsters and Horror in Japan | 3 |
| JPT 4130 | The Tale of Genji | 3 |
| JPT 4502 | Japanese Folklore | 3 |
| JPT 4510 | Representations of Japan's Modern Empire | 3 |
| PLT 3930 | Special Topics in Polish Studies | 3 |
| RUT 3101 | Russian Masterpieces | 3 |
| RUT 3441 | Tolstoy and Dostoevsky | 3 |
| RUT 3442 | Themes from Russian Literature | 3 |
| RUT 3443 | War and Peace | 3 |
| RUT 3452 | Russian Literature of the Twentieth Century | 3 |
| RUT 3503 | Violence and Terror in the Russian Experience | 3 |
| RUT 3506 | Creative Lives: Writers, Artists, and Extraordinary People | 3 |
| RUT 3514 | Russian Fairy Tales | 3 |
| RUT 3530 | Russia's Struggle with Nature: Legacies of Destruction and Preservation | 3 |
| RUT 3600 | The Twentieth Century through Slavic Eyes | 3 |
| RUT 3601 | The Culture of the Cold War | 3 |
| RUT 3930 | Variable Topics in Russian Studies | 3 |
| RUT 4440 | Pushkin and Gogol | 3 |
| RUT 4450 | Russian Modernism | 3 |
| SST 4502 | African Oral Literature | 3 |
| SSW 3303 | Swahili Oral Literature | 3 |
| SSW 4713 | African Women Writers | 3 |
| VTN 4930 | Special Topics in Vietnamese Studies | 3 |
| Medieval and Early Modern Studies | ||
| ARA 3510 | The Arab Woman | 3 |
| CHT 3110 | Chinese Literary Heritage | 3 |
| CHT 3123 | Pre-Modern Chinese Fiction in Translation | 3 |
| CHT 3302 | Tales of the Strange in Medieval Chinese Literature | 3 |
| CHT 3511 | Chinese Martial Arts Fiction | 3 |
| CHT 3513 | Taoism and Chinese Culture | 3 |
| CHT 4111 | Dream of the Red Chamber | 3 |
| CHT 4603 | Journey to the West | 3 |
| GET 3200 | Medieval Literary Culture | 3 |
| GET 3201 | Early Modern Literary Culture | 3 |
| ITT 3431 | Italy and Pilgrimages | 3 |
| ITT 3443 | Dante's Inferno (English) | 3 |
| JPT 3300 | Samurai War Tales | 3 |
| JPT 3330 | Early Modern Japanese Literature | 3 |
| JPT 3521 | Monsters and Horror in Japan | 3 |
| MEM 3003 | Introduction to the Medieval World | 3 |
| MEM 3300 | Castles and Cloisters: An Introduction to Medieval Communities | 3 |
| MEM 3301 | Palaces and Cities: An Introduction to Early Modern Communities | 3 |
| MEM 3730 | Studies in the Holy Roman Empire | 3 |
| MEM 3931 | Variable Topics in Medieval and Early Modern Studies | 3 |