German Program

The German program at Notre Dame features small class sizes, close relationships with faculty, opportunities to do research and write a senior thesis, multiple avenues to study abroad in a German-speaking country, cultural events in the South Bend and Chicago areas, and much more!

Why study German?

Our faculty are leaders in German literary and cultural studies, who publish their work in high-impact journals and with well-regarded university presses. They have also won prestigious fellowships and external grants to support their ongoing work as scholars. Some of our faculty have served as editors of top journals, such as the German Quarterly. Finally, several of our colleagues have won college- and university-wide awards for their teaching. 

Studying German at Notre Dame can give you a competitive edge after graduation, but that's not the only benefit. Explore more reasons to study German and learn more about the 97% of German alumni who find success after graduation.

In hindsight, it's amazing how much my German major helped me! Of course, it taught me German as a language. It's also why I left the country for the first time in my life. Learning German actually made me realize how much I love working with words, and how much I enjoy learning about other cultures and countries, which led me right into journalism. And once I became a journalist, it was only a matter of time before I wound up back over here!

Programs offered

We offer the following undergraduate programs for students interested in the German language:

• the German major
• the major in international economics with a concentration in German
• the German supplementary major
• the German minor

Students who do not know German, but still want to learn about the German-speaking world, can enroll in several of our courses taught in English every semester.

Our undergraduate students often engage in research, working with a faculty advisor to conduct their own independent studies and write a senior thesis. Our honors track is ideal for students who plan to attend graduate school. Internships during the summer and the academic year are available to our students.

The data-heavy capstone project that I did for my international economics major taught me valuable skills which I leveraged as a professional asset while interviewing and searching for a career.