Resources

Placement Test

Before taking a German language class, students are required to take the placement test including:

  • Anyone that has taken German before.
  • Those students who have missed a year or more in their language studies.
  • Students with AP credits.
  • Students who speak German in a non-classroom setting (e.g., native speakers, home use of German or extended stay in a German-speaking country such as study abroad).

If you have NEVER taken German, you can register directly for G101.

The placement exam for German is offered to students online throughout the year via the Canvas system. If you are an incoming student and don’t have access to Canvas already, contact lee_tessa@wheatoncollege.edu.

The placement test can be accessed here:

German Placement Test

Important Notes:

  • The exam is valid for one year. Take it only if you plan to study German this academic year.
  • Students should enroll in the appropriate language course as soon as possible after receiving the results of this placement test.
  • Registration in a course lower than the approved level is not allowed.
  • The German Department reserves the right to change the student’s placement if another course seems more appropriate.
  • Students may take the WebCAPE placement exam only once, unless asked to retake the exam by the Department.
  • Students with AP courses will receive credit for German, only after taking the placement test and successfully completing a 300-level course.
  • The German Placement Exam is to be completed in accordance with the provisions set forth in the Wheaton College Honor Code.

For placement questions, consult with Professor Tessa Lee (lee_tessa@wheatoncollege.edu) at the Department of German. A word of advice: Don’t panic; this is just an evaluation test of your German skills and won’t be entered into your Wheaton records. You’ll have plenty of time to finish this test; most students complete it in 30-40 minutes. After the first week of classes, if you feel your course placement isn’t right, come and see the Department Chair to discuss the matter.

Fellowships

DAAD: German scholarship program for undergraduate

The German Academic Exchange Service offers fellowships for anything from a three-week summer course to the entire year after you graduate.

Fulbright Fellowship

Wheaton’s many Fulbright winners are an excellent source of inspiration and advice. These past German major/minor students were awarded Fulbright teaching and research fellowships: Anna Venishnick ’02, Erin Tapley ’04, Courtney MacPhail ’05, Karin Seeber ’05, Janet Turkovich ’05, Jeremy Berger ’06, Lesley Dean ’06, Stefan Sirucek ’06, Julia Bolt ’08, Stefana Albu ’10, Lucy Cayard ’13,  Courtney Gilman ’15, Emma Wynne ’18, Chloe Van Dyne ’22

The German Marshall Fund of the United States

The German Marshall Fund (GMF) works closely with partner organizations to sponsor a range of fellowship and exchange programs designed to provide both broad cultural exposure and more targeted opportunities for learning about specialized policy issues.

Deutscher Bundestag: International Parliamentary Scholarships

The German Bundestag collaborates with the Humboldt University in Berlin to run its International Parliamentary Scholarships. The scholarships give well-qualified young people with a strong interest in politics from the USA, France, Israel and Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe the opportunity to gain first-hand experience of Germany’s system of parliamentary government.

Wheaton scholarships

Wheaton College offers assistance to students who are preparing applications for graduate scholarships and fellowship. Wheaton successfully nominates students each year to the major national competitions: Truman (public service), Fulbright (international), Rhodes and Marshall (study in Britain), Goldwater (science) and more. Look for posters concerning workshops and deadlines, and contact the Academic Advising for details about each competition.

Internships

The German Department of Wheaton has partnered up with Steuben-Schurz-Organization, the oldest German-American friendship society in Germany, to help students find internships in the public as well as private sectors in Germany. Students of all study-areas are welcome to apply. Learn more about USA Interns and other career opportunities including American Chamber of Commerce in Germany; German job sites; and German resumé for tips on how to write a German resumé and cover letter.

Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange is a full-year, work-study scholarship program providing American and German young professionals the opportunity to live, work, and study abroad.

Learning German, short-term

Visit The Goethe Institute.

Prizes and Awards

The Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Prize comes with a certificate and a book, and is awarded by the German Consul General to Boston upon recommendation by the German department  to students who demonstrated tremendous effort/improvement or excellence in their work in German classes.

The Hedda Korsch Prize comes with a modest monetary award and is usually awarded to a graduating senior who showed overall excellence in his/her work in German over the years.  Hedda Korsch was a dedicated professor of German at Wheaton from 1936 t o1956, and in whose name former German students  and past faculty members have established this prize in 1956.

Advanced Placement Credit

Applicants who have taken an advanced placement course in German language or literature and who score 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement Examination administered by the Educational Testing Service may receive up to two Wheaton graduation credits for this advanced work upon successful completion of a German class starting at the 300-level.  For all German AP exams (language and literature), a score of 4 earns 1 graduation credit and a score of 5 earns 2 graduation credits.  Foreign language (FL) curriculum substitution will be awarded, contingent upon successful completion of a 300-level German course. For more information go to the Registrar’s Office and fill out the appropriate form.

Honors Thesis

To apply to become a candidate for honors in German and German Studies a student must have an overall grade point average of at least 3.0 and at least 3.5 in the major, and submit an honors thesis proposal to the department for approval by the end of his/her Junior year. Candidates for honors complete at least two semesters of independent work (GER 500) beyond the usual major requirements for graduation, write a thesis (either in English or in German), and undergo an oral examination by a committee comprised of two members of the German faculty and one faculty member from another department who is chosen in consultation with the student’s thesis advisor. For more information, contact Professor Lee (lee_tessa@wheatoncollege.edu).

Transfer Credit

Students who wish to obtain credit for off-campus German courses will need to obtain approval from the chairperson of the department. Please adhere to the following criteria:
1. If you have taken German before (but not at Wheaton), you must take the placement exam (see above) to determine the appropriate level of the off-campus course.
2. Submit (to the chairperson of German) a copy of the course certificate that list the grade you received for that course as well as the level of that course (e.g. German 102 or A2, B1, etc.)
3. Submit also a copy of the syllabus (or description of the course) that outlines the textbook you covered during the course, meeting times, and course requirements. Remember: to receive full credit the course must meet a minimum of 39 class hours for a minimum duration of 3 weeks.

For more information about German credits, contact Prof. Lee (lee_tessa@wheatoncollege.edu).  For more information about transfer credits in general, contact the Registrar’s Office.

Research Tools

Fun Tools

  • Web Radio: list of hundreds (no kidding) of German radio stations
  • Practice German: grammar, vocabulary, cultural tidbits online
  • Der Spiegel: one of the most respected news magazines
  • Die Tagesschau: the most watched news broadcast

Stefana Albu ’10 won a Research Fulbright to Munich. Her word of advice: “Start thinking about it NOW