Why Study German at the U of I?

Knowledge of German can help you in three areas: careers, personal growth, and travel. This knowledge can improve your chances of finding jobs in fields like international transportation (flight attendant, travel agent, tour guide, hotel manager), communications (reporter, interpreter, public relations officer), foreign trade and banking (banker, international lawyer, overseas sales manager, marketing analyst), government (foreign service officer, employee with international organizations, interpreter), teaching, and library services.

Knowledge of the German language and an understanding of the culture can be invaluable in understanding your own history, since German-speaking people have been the largest ethnic group among American immigrants. You can also gain new insights and perspectives and enlarge your horizon by discovering a culture other than your own. Learning German or any foreign language is an enriching experience. There is no better way to develop self-awareness and an understanding of other people.

Knowing the German language and culture of the German-speaking countries will enrich your travel experiences and can help you communicate in other parts of the world (e.g., countries in eastern Europe like the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and the Balkan countries).

The department offers specialized courses in Business German and an option "German and Commercial Studies" to prepare students for careers in international business. The American Association of Teachers of German has designated the department as one of six centers nationwide to support the teaching of business German and to administer tests for the international diploma in business German.

The College of Engineering offers academic-year programs in Germany at the Technical Universities of Munich and Darmstadt, where engineering students spend an academic year taking German language and culture courses along with engineering courses where credit can be transferred to Illinois. The College of Engineering also offers an International Minor in German Studies that permits students to obtain a minor in German along with their major degree in engineering.

In preparing for job hunting, the Career Development and Placement Center at Illinois can provide excellent service and advice.