EIU Department of
World Languages and Cultures

Why Choose German?

Germany's 83 million inhabitants make it the most populous European nation. Germany has the largest economy in the European Union and the fourth largest in the world. With knowledge of German, you can improve your employment opportunities. German is still a leading language of science, literature, art, philosophy and history. Learn German and get to know one of the great European cultures!

German Major
German Minor
Teacher Licensure in German
Teacher Licensure Minor, German

Faculty

Dr. Christiane Eydt-Beebe

Dr. Shelley French, Emerita

Check out the job opportunities for German speakers...

German is in demand! Check out the career videos at German companies in the US and in Germany such as Stihl, Lufthansa, Bosch, Volkswagen, BASF, and more.

https://www.justaddgerman.org/career-portal/career-opportunities-in-the-us/

Considering an internship? The German American Chamber of Commerce (GACC) in Chicago offers internship opportunities. Check out Internships at GACC Midwest.

https://www.gaccmidwest.org/en/services/apprenticeships-in-the-usa/

Spend a semester at one of our great partner universities in Würzburg or Lüneburg...

Would you like to experience a beautiful historic university town in the south of Germany? Then Würzburg is the place for you. Würzburg's Julius-Maximilians-Universität is one of Germany's oldest universities (founded in 1402) and located in the middle of the Franconian wine country in Bavaria (about 2 hours from Munich and 1 hour from Nuremberg).

German major Hannah Blevins (Senior) just returned from a year studying at Würzburg University in Germany. She thinks the year in Germany was the best year of her entire life. Hannah plans to return to Germany to teach English as a second language.

Favorite German word: Fingerhut.

Favorite German city: Würzburg...

"Würzburg is a great place because it is big enough to not feel suffocating but small enough to still feel homey. You can go out at night and be overwhelmed with suggestions of fun things to do. There is always something happening; a festival, a drink special at that bar or club you like. After a night out on the town you can wake up the next day, walk through the city, and have some coffee and a crepe next to the river while surrounded by vineyards. The architecture is beautiful (there are two castles there and the palace of an arch bishop), the people are friendly, and just like any place you visit the most beautiful things about Würzburg are hidden in the details. For instance, in the tiny flower boxes they place under every window or the cobble stone streets. I would recommend Würzburg to anyone. If you have the opportunity to go there, take it!"

Or would you rather study in the north of Germany? Spend a semester at Leuphana Universität in Lüneburg-- just 25 minutes (by train) south of Hamburg, the fascinating metropolis on the water (and second largest city in Germany) aka Das Tor zur Welt--The Gate to the World.

Danielle (Music Education; German) and Emily (German; Teacher Education) enjoyed Leuphana University, with its 9,000 students, located in vibrant and lovely Lüneburg.

Our Graduates ...

After graduating from EIU, Maria (German and English; double major) continued her studies in the Linguistics program (Graduate School) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Emily (Teacher Education, German; English minor) is now a German teacher at Lincoln-Way High School in Frankfort, Illinois. Besides spending a semester at Leuphana Universität in Lüneburg, she also received a DAAD summer course grant and spent a summer studying in Leipzig and Berlin.

Graduates Steven (German and Political Science; double major) and Emily (German, Teacher Education)

Upon graduation from EIU, Steven was commissioned as an Army officer. In this capacity, Steven used German to organize multinational medical and desert warfare training with German and French allies, while deployed to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. Steven achieved proficiency certification (B2) through both the Goethe Institute and the U.S. Army. German continues to create unique opportunities and experiences for him, both personally and professionally.

Favorite German city: Hamburg

Favorite German word: Doch!

Benefits of studying German...

• Fulfill your World Language requirement by taking Beginning German I and Beginning German II...
• Enhance your job marketability by adding a German minor to your current major:

• With 3 (sometimes 2) years of high school German: Students take Intermediate German I and II, and 4 classes (12 credits) on the 3000 and/or 4000 level.
• With 4 or more years of high school German: Students can be exempted from 4 to 8 credits Intermediate German. Students take 4 classes (12 credits) on the 3000 and/or 4000 level.

• Fulfill your General Education requirement (Humanities) by taking Intermediate German I and Intermediate German II...
• Fulfill your electives requirement in the Entrepreneurship Minor by taking

• German Culture and Civilization (WLG 3200) and German for Business (WLG 3330)

German Activities and Organizations

Get involved in our German Activities and Organizations!

German in the Community

Study Abroad in Germany!

Spend a semester—or even a year—in beautiful and historic university towns in Germany! Our partner universities are Leuphana Universität in Lüneburg and Julius-Maximilians-Universität in Würzburg. German classes and also classes (taught in English) in other subjects.
Study Abroad scholarships are available.

German Courses

(click here)

Some of our Topics Courses (3 credits each):

• German Film for Conversation
• German Legends and Fairy Tales
• Contemporary Forms of Communication
• Survey of German Film
• Advanced Grammar
• The Nazi Past in German Film (co-taught with History Dept)