Achieve fluency in German language, literature and culture—spanning disciplines in the humanities and social sciences and through firsthand experience studying abroad.
As a German Studies major or minor, you will become fluent in German language, literature and culture.
You will study across disciplines, learning about German history, literature, fine arts, music, cinema, international relations and architecture. Expand your studies through associated humanities and social sciences courses.
Become well-versed in everything from philosophers Nietzsche and Marx and the writings of Rilke and Kafka to WWII and the Holocaust and European Union issues.
Students are encouraged to study abroad and live in Oldenborg Center for one year. Many receive Fulbright grants or other prestigious international opportunities after graduation.
The program is coordinated with the Scripps German department and has joint activities with the Pomona Russian program.
What You’ll Study
- Advanced conversation
- Courses in German culture, society and politics
- Composition and creative writing
- Great works of German literature
- Senior thesis or exam
Learning at Pomona
Short Story: Die Künstlerin
In the fiction short story Emma Paulini ’21 wrote in German, Die Künstlerin, a teen travels back in time to meet her great-grandmother and learn about the origins of her family’s artistic talents—and how to break a family curse.
Schönbrunn Palace
Andi Chaloult '20 studied Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria, which she describes as a "baroque beauty."
I love studying German and its capacity to reveal new pathways to learn about the past and present, express myself, and consider ideas from unique vantage points.