About the Department
Hallo und willkommen,
We are delighted that you are interested in the German culture
and language and we would like to invite you to study German at
Berea College. As you know, learning German is a fun and rewarding
way to improve your communication skills, increase your global
awareness and prepare for an exciting job or career.
Why Study German?
Did you know that 200 million people speak German worldwide?
German
is the most widely spoken language in Europe and the official language
in six European countries: Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein,
Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium, and is spoken by significant
minorities in six more Central and Eastern European countries.
Over 20 million people are currently learning German as a foreign
language and since it is linguistically the most closely related
language to English, your study of German will help you improve
your communication skills in both languages.
Learning German can be your ticket for career advancement
in a competitive job market.
German is a key business language
in the expanding European Union. Germany is our largest trading
partner with more than 750 major US firms doing business in Germany
and 1100 German companies doing business in the US. Every year
hundreds of American students, Berea students included, complete
paid internships with German companies in the US and abroad.
Learning German will help you become a citizen of the
world.
German-speaking countries are among the most popular destinations
for American tourists and many German speakers spend their vacations
in the US. By learning German you can gain an insider’s view
of another culture and a new perspective on your own.
Berea College is an excellent place to learn German.
We offer
small classes with personal attention given to each student. Our
state-of-the-art digital language lab, with extensive holdings
of German music and cultural materials, as well as access to German
public television, provides ample opportunity for improving listening
and speaking skills. Also, the College library has a large collection
of German feature films that students can check out for viewing
in the residence halls. Numerous extra-curricular activities such
as German Club, student presentations, cultural excursions, game
nights and an international film night add opportunities to use
your German in an informal setting. Our students in intermediate
and advanced classes may work in the department tutoring beginning
students and assisting faculty members in creating an enriching
learning environment. Moreover, through generous grants from the
Department of Foreign Languages, German students benefit from participating
in study abroad programs in Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Regensburg,
Bregenz, Salzburg and Marburg, and Berea students have participated
successfully in Fulbright teaching assistantships and in paid internships
in Germany and Austria with major corporations, social service
institutions and in craft industries.
You, too, can explore exciting job opportunities, experience new
cultural perspectives and acquire powerful communication skills
by participating in the Berea German experience. For further information,
please call (859 985-3441 ) or e-mail us (
or
). We look forward to seeing you.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Dr. Jeanne Hoch and Douglas Newell Jones
|
