Why Choose Germanic Languages & Literatures?

Source: https://german.fas.harvard.edu/undergraduate-program-overview Parent: https://german.fas.harvard.edu/

Why Choose Germanic Languages & Literatures?

Studying German or Scandinavian will enable you to

communicate in languages spoken as a native language by about 150 million people worldwide;
understand one of the world's richest traditions in literature, music, art and architecture, film and media, philosophy, social and political thought, theater, as well the dramatic historical upheavals and social transformations;
analyze and interpret cultural artifacts, think creatively and critically;
develop a global mindset and a multifaceted understanding of the world, and develop a more sophisticated understanding of traditions close to, but often strikingly different from, their own;
gain a competitive edge in a wide variety of careers, including international business or law, engineering, government and international affairs, economics and finance, medicine, and education, as well as for academic careers in such fields as history, art history, music, philosophy, political science, religion, as well as literature.

In addition, GLL students benefit from

many small classes and individualized study;
a highly favorable ratio of faculty to students enables the faculty to provide students with individual guidance and support;
faculty supervision of tutorial work and senior thesis;
several co-curricular and social events in a tight-knit community.

Why learn German?

German is the native language of over 100 million people worldwide. An official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein, it is also a native language for substantial populations in other parts of Europe, e.g., the South Tyrol (Italy), Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and beyond. Not only is German the most widely spoken first language in the European Union, it is also the third most studied foreign language in the world and in the United States.

Germany’s economy and strong role in the European Union yield business opportunities not only in Europe, but around the globe. The quality of German manufacturing makes its products highly desirable. Germany is known as the land of “thinkers and poets,” but technological advancement and cutting-edge work in the sciences and engineering are equally prominent hallmarks. With its numerous foundations and institutes, many of which support year-long research stays, Germany is committed to extensive cooperation, in every field, with innovators around the world. Many U.S. companies conduct extensive business in Germany. Thus, besides the intellectual rewards, if you know German, you will be a step ahead when embarking on a career.

Why Learn a Nordic Language?

Spoken by some 25 million inhabitants of northern Europe, the Scandinavian languages are official national languages in five countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, as well as the Åland Islands, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland. Famed for the Icelandic sagas and other heroic legacies of the Viking age, medieval Scandinavian literature is among the richest of the European Middle Ages. Modern Nordic culture boasts such internationally renowned writers and film-makers as Henrik Ibsen, August Strindberg, Knut Hamsun, Edith Södergran, and Lars von Trier.

More recently, Scandinavia has become known for its exciting detective and suspense fiction, as well as for its popular musical culture. The long histories of the Nordic countries as well as the social experiments they have undertaken provide students with excellent opportunities for cross-cultural perspectives.

Resources at Harvard and Beyond

Widener Library offers the most complete research collection in German and Scandinavian literatures, history, and civilization available in the United States. Valuable manuscripts and papers from the estates of such distinguished German poets as Hofmannsthal, Rilke, and Brecht and of such distinguished Scandinavian playwrights as Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg, can be found in Houghton Library together with manuscripts from medieval Germany and Iceland. A unique and important resource is the Busch-Reisinger Museum, the only museum on this continent dedicated to Germanic art. The museum, located within the Fogg Museum, was established at the beginning of this century by Kuno Francke, a distinguished professor in the German Department, with the intention of acquainting language and literature students with the artistic heritage of the German-speaking peoples. The Goethe-Institut Boston (170 Beacon Street) offers a wide variety of lectures, exhibitions, films, and concerts on all aspects of Germany and its present and past culture, and the Scandinavian Library (206 Waltham Street, West Newton) likewise hosts lectures, a Nordic film series, and a weekly coffee hour. Students can gain additional practice in conversation by attending the weekly German Kaffeestunde in the Barker Center, or German and Swedish tables held in the various Houses. Harvard is also home to the Harvard College German Club, the Harvard Undergraduate Austrian German Association (HUAGA), the Harvard College Scandinavian Society, and the Harvard Club of Sweden.