German is the third most studied foreign language in the world, and, at UWM, we offer more than just instruction in language. In addition to German fluency, students learn how to apply that fluency by studying German culture, literature, customs, and history.
Wisconsin has a strong German heritage and many students find it both professionally useful and personally satisfying to explore the State's German influences. Many may come into college having already taken German in high school. Students can take a placement test to determine their starting course and may be able to earn retroactive credits if they place above the level of GERMAN 101.
Fluency in German can provide a career advantage in all types of industries where Germany and other German-speaking countries are leaders: finance, marketing, manufacturing, politics, government work, electronics and technology, chemical and biochemical, environmental science, and architecture. At UWM, language students receive an education in not just language fluency but also in the culture surrounding that language. Context matters in communication, and we believe it is important for students to understand the history, literature, and customs of native speakers of German in order to successfully apply their fluency.
Students are encouraged to participate in UWM's well-established study abroad program. Destinations are available in more than 70 sites around the world and vary in length from a few week immersion, to semester-long, to even a full year. Because of the complexities of planning a study abroad experience, students are encouraged to start planning early in sophomore year. Most students engage in study abroad during the second half of sophomore year or during their junior year.
Course of Study – Bachelor of Arts Degree
Complete 120 credits including 75 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 75 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered above 300) courses.
The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major. The College also requires that students complete at least 30 credits overall in residence at UWM. For additional residency and transfer credit limitations, see L&S Undergraduate Policies and Regulations.
Students are also required to complete University-wide General Education Requirements and the specific L&S requirements listed below.
To complete a major, students must satisfy all the requirements of the major as stated in this catalog. Students who declare their majors within five years of entering the UW System as a degree candidate may satisfy the requirements outlined in any catalog issued since the time they entered. Credits used to satisfy the major also may be used to satisfy other degree requirements.
University General Education Requirements (GER)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Oral and Written Communication | ||
| Part A | ||
| Achieve a grade of C or better in the following course: | ||
| ENGLISH 102 | College Writing and Research (or equivalent) | |
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as OWC-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Quantitative Literacy | ||
| Part A | ||
| Earn at least 3 credits with a grade of C or higher in one of the following courses or an equivalent course, or achieve a placement code of at least 30 on the mathematics placement test (or other appropriate test, as determined by the Mathematical Sciences Department) | ||
| Mathematical Literacy for College Students II | ||
| Contemporary Applications of Mathematics | ||
| Introduction to College Algebra | ||
| Algebraic Literacy II | ||
| Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning 1 | ||
or PHILOS 111 | Introduction to Logic - Critical Reasoning | |
| College Algebra | ||
Or equivalent course | ||
| Part B | ||
| Course designated as QL-B; may be completed through a major-specific course requirement | ||
| Arts | ||
| Select 3 credits | 3 | |
| Humanities | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Social Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credits (at least two courses including one lab) | 6 | |
| UWM Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| Complete Foreign Language Requirement through: | ||
Two years (high school) of a single foreign language | ||
Two semesters (college) of a single foreign language | ||
Or equivalent | ||
| UWM Cultural Diversity Requirement | ||
| One course from the Arts, Humanities, or Social Sciences must also satisfy UWM's Cultural Diversity requirement | ||
- 1
Math 111 and Philosophy 111 are jointly offered and count as repeats of one another. Students cannot receive credit for both courses.
College of Letters & Science Requirements
The degree requirements in the College of Letters and Science build on the University General Education Requirements to provide a broad base of knowledge as well as an array of skills cited by employers as critical to professional success: critical thinking, problem solving, oral and written communication, ability to work well with others, and adaptability to change.
For the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), you must complete the UWM General Education Requirements as well as these L&S requirements: the International requirement, the Breadth requirement, and the Research requirement. The International requirement develops your potential for cross-cultural understanding in a globalizing world. The Breadth requirement ensures that you take classes in a wide variety of subjects, across humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. The Research requirement calls for you to build your critical thinking and oral and written communication skills through conducting an independent research project, usually in your major.
For the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) you will also complete the Language other than English requirement, to further develop your understanding of cultures through language.
I. Total Credits and Upper-Division Courses Requirement
Students must complete 120 credits including 75 credits in the College of Letters & Science and with 36 of the 75 credits in L&S upper-level (numbered above 300) courses.
II. Language other than English Requirement
Students doing the BA must fulfill the language other than English requirement by either successfully completing the fourth semester of university work or equivalent in one language other than English, or by successfully completing the second semester of university work or equivalent in two languages other than English (including all world languages and American Sign Language).
Language courses (including American Sign Language) other than English taken in high school may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement. One year of high school language equates to one semester of college work. Proficiency tests approved by the Languages faculty may be used to satisfy all or part of this requirement.
Completion of the L&S Language Requirement also satisfies the university-wide Language other than English GER, but not vice versa.
III. International Requirement
To meet the International Requirement, students must successfully complete some three course (minimum 9 credits) combination of
- language other than English (not including American Sign Language) at 3rd semester level or above, and/or
- non-language courses with L&S approved international content (see Courses Approved for the L&S International Requirement for course options).
IV. Breadth Requirement
In addition to completing the University General Education Requirements, L&S students must complete the Breadth requirement.
The L&S Breadth requirement calls for 6 credits each in L&S courses designated L&S Humanities, L&S Natural Sciences, and L&S Social Sciences breadth. One of the L&S Natural Science breadth courses must be a laboratory or fieldwork course. These courses must be beyond and in addition to courses in those areas used to satisfy General Education Requirements.
Please refer to the list of Courses Approved for the L&S Breadth Requirement.
V. The Major
The College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work. Individual departments or programs may require higher GPAs for graduation. Some departmental majors require courses from other departments. Contact your major department for information on whether those credits will count as part of the major GPA. The College requires that students must complete in residence at UWM at least 15 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 or above) courses in their major.
Research Requirement
Within their majors, students must complete a research experience approved by the L&S faculty. A list of courses satisfying the research requirement in each major can be found here.
VI. The Minor
Students are encouraged to consider completing a minor, but it is not required. To complete a minor, the College of Letters and Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA in all credits in the minor attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all minor credits attempted, including any transfer work. The minor must contain at least 9 credits in upper-division (numbered 300 and above) courses.
Major Requirements
All majors are required to take an advanced language proficiency exam, normally during the semester in which they complete 24 credits in the major. The College of Letters & Science requires that students attain at least a 2.0 GPA on all credits in the major attempted at UWM. In addition, students must attain a 2.0 GPA on all major credits attempted, including any transfer work.
Majors must register with the program at the beginning of their candidacy.
The major requires a minimum of 30 credits. At least 18 of the 30 credits must be at the 300 level and above and taken in residence at UWM. No more than 18 credits will be accepted from study abroad.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required | ||
| GERMAN 204 | Fourth-Semester German | 3 |
| GERMAN 331 | German Grammar in Practice | 3 |
| GERMAN 332 | Presentation and Composition | 3 |
| GERMAN 333 | Texts and Contexts | 3 |
| GERMAN 334 | Introduction to German Studies | 3 |
| Select 1 course fulfilling the research requirement | 3 | |
| Select 6 credits from courses taught in the German program numbered between 470 and 488 | 6 | |
| Select 6 credits from courses in German at the 300-level and above; OR 3 credits from courses in German at the 300-level and above and 3 credits from pre-approved electives listed below | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
Research Experience
The College of Letters & Science requires students to complete a research experience in their major. Students fulfill this requirement in the context of the following courses. Depending on the course chosen, the research course can also count for the requirement for a 300-level and above course or for a course numbered between 470 and 488, but cannot count for both.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GERMAN 371 | German Phonetics | 3 |
| GERMAN 474 | German for Professional Purposes | 3 |
| GERMAN 475 | Seminar on the History and Structure of German | 3 |
| GERMAN 478 | Reading Older German Handwriting | 3 |
| GERMAN 483 | Seminar on German Studies: | 3 |
| GERMAN 484 | Seminar on Themes and Motifs in German Literature: | 3 |
Pre-Approved Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ARTHIST 205 | History of Film I: Development of an Art | 3 |
| ARTHIST 206 | History of Film II: Development of an Art | 3 |
| ARTHIST 357 | Rococo to Revolution: European Art, 1750-1850 | 3 |
| ARTHIST 364 | Modernism and the Avant-Garde, 1900-1960 | 3 |
| ARTHIST 366 | German Painting, 1800-1933 | 3 |
| ARTHIST 465 | Dada and Surrealist Art | 3 |
| FILMSTD 205 | History of Film I: Development of an Art | 3 |
| FILMSTD 206 | History of Film II: Development of an Art | 3 |
| GEOG 330 | Europe: East and West | 3 |
| GERMAN 111 | German Life and Civilization: Part I | 3 |
| GERMAN 112 | German Life and Civilization: Part II: | 3 |
| GERMAN 145 | Views of Germany: | 3 |
| HIST 203 | The History of Medieval Europe: The Early Middle Ages | 3 |
| HIST 204 | The History of Medieval Europe: The High Middle Ages | 3 |
| HIST 241 | Women and Gender in Europe: 1350 to 1750 | 3 |
| HIST 248 | The First World War | 3 |
| HIST 249 | The Second World War in Europe | 3 |
| HIST 363 | Germany: Hitler and the Nazi Dictatorship | 3 |
| HIST 364 | The Holocaust: Anti-Semitism & the Fate of Jewish People in Europe, 1933-45 | 3 |
| HIST 371 | Topics in European History: | 3 |
| HIST 379 | Introduction to Jewish History | 3 |
| JEWISH 261 | Representing the Holocaust in Words and Images | 3 |
| MUSIC 211 | General History of Western Music I | 3 |
| MUSIC 212 | General History of Western Music II | 3 |
| MUSIC 246 | German and French Lyric Diction | 1 |
| MUSIC 307 | General History of Western Music III | 3 |
| MUSIC 311 | Music of the Baroque Era | 3 |
| MUSIC 312 | Music of the Classic Era | 3 |
| MUSIC 313 | Music of the Romantic Era | 3 |
| MUSIC 314 | Music since 1900 | 3 |
| MUSIC 377 | Song Literature I: Italy, Germany, France, Great Britain | 2 |
| PHILOS 435 | Existentialism | 3 |
| PHILOS 437 | Phenomenology | 3 |
| POL SCI 334 | German Politics and the New Europe | 3 |
| POL SCI 339 | European Integration | 3 |
| POL SCI 382 | Modern Political Thought | 3 |
German BA Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the German, BA Program will be able to:
- Communicate in and comprehend German at the “Intermediate High” level according to the proficiency guidelines set by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
- Compose and present effectively in German for informational and persuasive purposes.
- Interact in a culturally appropriate manner in everyday, professional, and academic settings in the German-speaking world.
- Accurately describe and discuss historical and contemporary documents and media of the German-speaking world in their cultural context.
- Accurately identify and explain the relationship between the products, practices, and cultural perspectives of the German-speaking world.
- Compare and contrast in a nuanced manner the products, practices, and cultural perspectives of the German-speaking world with those of their own and other world cultures.
- Engage intellectually and creatively with key themes and issues essential to understanding and navigating the contemporary German-speaking world.
Letters & Science Advising
During your time at UWM, you may have multiple members of your success team, including advisors, peer mentors and success coaches. Letters & Science students typically work with at least two different types of advisors as they pursue their degrees: professional college advisors and faculty advisors. L&S college advisors advise across your entire degree program while departmental faculty advisors focus on the major.
College advisors are located in Holton Hall (or virtually for online students) and serve as your primary advisor. They are your point person for your questions about navigating college and completing your degree. College advisors will:
- Assist you in defining your academic and life goals.
- Help you create an educational plan that is consistent with those goals.
- Assist you in understanding curriculum, major and degree requirements for graduation, as well as university policies and procedures.
- Provide you with information about campus and community resources and refer you to those resources as appropriate.
- Monitor your progress toward graduation and completion of requirements.
Faculty advisors mentor students in the major and assist them in maximizing their development in the program. You will begin working with a faculty advisor when you declare your major. Faculty advisors are an important partner and will:
- Help you understand major requirements and course offerings in the department.
- Explain opportunities for internships and undergraduate research and guide you in obtaining those experiences.
- Serve as an excellent resource as you consider potential graduate programs and career paths in your field.
Students are encouraged to meet with both their college advisor and faculty advisor at least once each semester. Appointments are available in-person, by phone or by video.
Currently enrolled students should use the Navigate360 website to make an appointment with your assigned advisor or call (414) 229-4654 if you do not currently have an assigned Letters & Science advisor. Prospective students who haven't enrolled in classes yet should call (414) 229-7711 or email let-sci@uwm.edu.
Accelerated Program Option
This program is offered as part of an accelerated graduate program. For more information, see Accelerated Graduate Degrees.
College of Letters and Science Dean's Honor List
GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.
Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction
Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.
Commencement Honors
Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).
Final Honors
Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.