Kenosha, the home of Carthage, is situated in an area settled by German-speaking immigrants, and many vestiges of the area's German, Austrian, and Swiss heritage remain. Kenosha's sister city is Wolfenbüttel, Germany, home to the world-famous Herzog-August Library, and the nearby cities of Milwaukee and Chicago offer Carthage students numerous opportunities to learn about and experience German culture first-hand. In recent years students have traveled to both cities with classes and on their own to enjoy German plays, art exhibits, films, lectures, ethnic neighborhoods, and architectural tours.
On campus, students enjoy a weekly German table and numerous concerts featuring music in German and by German composers. Two native German students provide students with access to the latest information on life in German today, especially the aspects of life and culture interesting to young people. Each year the department selects a German Fellow, who receives a small stipend and works closely with departmental faculty to enhance the academic and social aspects of our programs.
The Department of Modern Languages at Carthage offers both a major and a minor in German. Students of German will discover courses and a program that are student-centered and communicative and are aimed at helping students achieve a wide range of personal and professional goals. Beginning courses focus on the spoken language and are usually taught by native German speakers. In addition, students will be exposed to the cultures of the German-speaking countries from the first day of their first German course at Carthage. As they progress in their lingustic proficiency and move on to upper division courses even more emphasis is placed on culture--past and present-- including literature, film, achitecture, and art, as well as everyday life.
When coupled with the programs of supporting displines, the major and the minor in German will satisfy the needs of many students, including those who desire a broad liberal arts education with a multi-cultural dimension, those who wish to complete a teaching major or minor in German, those who intend to continue their language studies in graduate school, and those interested in government service, careers in international commerce and industry, or in other fields.
German is, after English, the most important language of business, culture, and commerce in Europe. With the growth of the European Common Market and the emergence of Eastern Europe into the realm of world trade, students who have studied the culture and language of the German speaking countries will have a definite advantage over other graduates as they pursue careers in this part of the world or in companies or organizations that do business with Europe.