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