Objectives
During the phase of early language acquisition, German courses build students’ language skills and intercultural awareness, while they consolidate language and cultural competence on the intermediate level. The upper-division Mastery of German course is geared toward perfecting the students’ German in preparation for the internationally recognized proficiency tests that are offered at LMU each Spring semester. Literature courses range from a general survey of German literature over the centuries to the study of specific genres, such as drama, the novella, and the German fairy tale. In addition to literary studies, the German section also offers a course on German film and two courses on German culture and civilization that provide an overview of German history, society, politics, arts, and sciences. For students interested in the language of business, the German section offers one business-related course.
German Placement and Proficiency Testing
Any student who has knowledge of or has had prior instruction in German in high school, community heritage language school, or at a college or university other than LMU must take the German Placement Exam.
This requirement includes students who have taken the AP German Language and Culture Exam in high school. Generally, a student who receives a score of 5 or 4 on the AP German Language and Culture Exam places in GRMN 2103 German 3 or higher. Course credit will be given for GRMN 2101 German 1 and GRMN 2102 German 2 once a student’s official scores have been received from the College Board. Final placement is conditional upon the instructor’s consent in consultation with the German coordinator. It is the responsibility of each student to ensure that the official AP scores have been sent to Loyola Marymount University.
To know when and how a student should take a language placement exam in German, please refer to the guidelines provided under Modern Languages and Literatures.
Once per year, in the spring, the German section offers general proficiency tests in German (B1, B2, and C1) for its graduating minors. The tests are internationally recognized and certify the language skills of the student to prospective employers in the public and private sector.
German Student Learning Outcomes
Students minoring in German will know:
- The principal aspects of the German language
- The principal aspects of the history of German literature and film
- The principal aspects of the history and culture of German-speaking countries;
Students minoring in German will be able to:
- Speak, understand, read, and write German in meaningful contexts
- Use the latest relevant applications in educational technology
- Read literary texts in German and discuss their content, techniques, and social significance
- Prove their advanced proficiency through an internationally recognized proficiency test;
Students minoring in German will value:
- German language, literature, and culture
- Expressing independent critical opinions
- Increasing intercultural awareness.
German courses at LMU foster communication with an understanding of other people as essential aspects of the education of the whole person. Students thus embark on a road of lifelong learning that will take them into a richer future.
Minor Requirements
- A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in all lower division German courses.
- A minimum grade of C (2.0) must be maintained in all upper division German courses.
The German minor consists of 20 semester hours beyond GRMN 2102 German 2:
Within this minor a professional German emphasis is possible, with GRMN 3716 Business German offered as an upper division course option for the business-oriented student.
The German GRMN 2101 German 1, GRMN 2102 German 2, GRMN 2103 German 3, and GRMN 2104 German 4 series is recommended for those who seek a basic speaking, writing, and reading knowledge of the language.
Lower division language courses (1000-2000 level) may not be challenged by exam. Students may be exempt from these courses by placing above that level through the LMU online Placement Exam for German. A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required in all lower division German courses.
Students of German are encouraged to take advantage of LMU’s semester abroad in Bonn, Germany (business, arts and communication track), to improve their language skills. Lower division elementary, intermediate, and advanced German language courses are available in Bonn on a regular basis.
German minors with a minimum GPA of 3.5 are eligible once per year for the Conrad Lester merit-based scholarship.
Students who need more semester hours to complete the German minor because of their language placement must take additional courses in the language. In the event that there are no courses in the language, students may take MDLG 3400 Linguistics, MDLG 4400 Applied Linguistics, or FNLT 4200 Comparative Cultures (provided it is related to language concentration). If additional classes are not available in the Modern Languages and Literatures Department, students may fulfill those credits with courses in the appropriate cultural studies areas, with pre-approval from the German Program Coordinator and the Department Chair.
