German

MajorMinor3YRBachelor of Arts

Your ticket to Global Fluency.

Studying German at Butler provides the linguistic fluency and cultural competence needed for a broad range of professions and post-graduate educational opportunities in today’s globalized world. Learning German primes you for success on a local and international level in business, science, and the humanities. Students in our program enjoy small classes—providing individualized attention and close interaction with dedicated, accessible, internationally active scholars—along with use of Butler’s student Modern Language Center and its wealth of movies, technology, tutoring, and lounge areas.

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Program Information

Curriculum

Small classes are led by internationally recognized and published faculty members. Our faculty members’ wide variety of linguistic and cultural expertise enriches the curriculum and keeps students connected to the global communities they represent. Sample courses in this program include:

GR200 – German Conversation
GR305 – Society and Politics Today
GR306 – Contemporary Culture: Music, Film, and Media
GR310 – German for Writing
GR 315 – German for Business
GR330 – Children’s Literature

See all Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures curriculum information

Three-Year Program

The German major can be completed in a total of three years. More information can be found here.

Program Benefits

Join us and take advantage of:

Small class sizes, in addition to working one-on-one with advanced-level German tutors, native speakers, and our internationally-recognized German faculty.

Strong ties to Indiana’s German-speaking community, including festivals and other exhibits celebrating Germanic culture and history.

Internships in the U.S. and abroad, scholarships, and opportunities to present research both on- and off-campus.

Study abroad opportunities in all German-speaking countries, including Butler-developed direct exchange programs and our annual faculty-led Spring Break trip to Berlin.

Use of our student Modern Language Center (MLC) and its wealth of movies, technology, tutoring, and lounge areas.

Meet Your Faculty

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Sarah Painitz

Associate Professor – German
Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

A native of Vienna, Austria, Sarah Painitz has taught at Wabash College and Butler University since completing her Ph.D. in Germanic Languages and Literatures at the University of Virginia. Her primary teaching and research interests…
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Michelle Stigter-Hayden

Senior Lecturer – German
Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

In my opinion, my teaching at Butler University encapsulates the best of both worlds: I am able to help students learn language and culture, think critically about important issues, and gain the skills they need to be successful at Butler and beyond.

Melissa Etzler

Senior Lecturer, German
Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures

Melissa Etzler received her Ph.D. in German with a Designated Emphasis in Film from the University of California, Berkeley in 2014 and her M.A. in German from California State University, Long Beach. Her dissertation, Writing from the Periphery: W. G….
View more about Melissa Etzler