Overview: The Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures aims to provide a well-rounded liberal arts education, and, keeping with this mission, the German language courses prepare students not only for linguistic competence and proficiency but also offers them learning opportunities to inquire about and become knowledgeable in cultural issues that involve German-speaking countries as well as their own native culture(s).   The language courses enable students to apply critical thinking into their language learning process in order to become aware of various new strategies in the acquisition of German.

Philosophy: The teaching philosophy of the German language program at Penn State has its core principle in a student-centered communicative instructional approach.   Grammar and vocabulary are acquired not as separate entities but rather within situational contexts that imitate or reflect real-life cases.   Aiming to create an atmosphere for natural interaction, the German classroom is accordingly composed of a large variety of German-language materials that include art (film, music, theater), literature, television, printed and visual press, and the web.   A multitude of discourse methods, such as casual conversation, formal presentations, dramatic performances, e-mail exchanges, analytical essays and web-publications, help students to develop and enhance their communication skills and to apply these skills in real-life situations outside the classroom.

Objectives: The primary objectives for the study of German language at Penn State include acquiring skills in communication, interpretation and cultural awareness.

Courses: The elementary German program at Penn State, GER 001, 002 and either GER 003 or GER 008 , is based on a four 4-unit course system, with one of these units being spent entirely in a media room where students receive computer-mediated instruction in German.   The intermediate program, GER 201 or GER 208 consists of the same course system but students receive two units of computer-mediated instruction during which various activities take place toward the acquisition and advancement of students' writing (e.g., web-Logs) and speaking skills (e.g., chat-rooms).

For detailed information on the German Language Program, please contact the director, Dr. Hülya YILMAZ, at HNU1@psu.edu, or see the following links:

• University Foreign Language Policy
• Departmental Proficiency Test in German
• Extra-curricular Activities
• Resource Links

For details on obtaining a major or minor in German, please contact Dr. Hülya YILMAZ at hnu1@psu.edu. For information on the Study Abroad Program, please contact Professor Richard Page at brp3@psu.edu.

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