Secondary Field

Requirements for German Studies as Secondary Field

German Studies as a secondary field consists of six or seven courses, including:

  • 20a and 20b (or place out)
  • 2-3 further courses (see details)
  • 2 courses on 100 level or above

Two of the courses must be at the 100-level or above.

Three of the courses (beyond German 20) must be ones in which all texts are read in German.

Students who place out of German 20 have completed two courses towards the concentration and need not substitute with additional coursework.

Up to two GenEd courses regularly offered by faculty in the department may count toward the secondary field. However, only one class can count towards both GenEd and the secondary field. Freshman seminars taught by members of the department count toward the secondary field. Courses should be selected from those listed and cross-listed under Germanic Languages and Literatures in the Courses of Instruction. Appropriate substitutions may be made with permission of the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS).

In consultation with the DUS, all levels of less commonly-taught Germanic languages (e.g., Swedish, Danish, Dutch, Icelandic, Norwegian, Yiddish) may be counted toward the secondary field.

With the exception of one approved freshman seminar (which must receive the grade of SAT), all courses must be taken for a letter grade and cannot be taken Pass/Fail; a grade of B- or better is required for these courses to count towards the secondary field.

Harvard Summer School courses and study abroad courses may be counted upon approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies.