Maria Krol
Associate Teaching Professor of German & Russian
(305) 348-4916
krolm@fiu.edu
DM 488A
The Certificate in German Language and Culture provides students with a broad knowledge and cultural foundation necessary for understanding the cultures and societies of the German speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxemburg and Liechtenstein). One cannot really understand the culture without being exposed to the languages that are shaping it, and one cannot understand the political and economic dynamics of a society without knowing its cultural foundations. The cornerstone of the Certificate is an expertise in German language and culture. The Certificate is designed with an interdisciplinary perspective exposing students to the world of German speaking countries through history, political science, philosophy, religion, music, cinema, arts and architecture.
The Certificate in German Language and Culture is available to degree-seeking students and it is awarded by the Department of Modern Languages at FIU.
Around the world, German is the third most commonly taught foreign language and after English the second most popular in Europe and in Japan. It is a leading language of science, literature, arts, philosophy and history. The knowledge of German is very important for increased employment opportunities – Germany is a major player in the European Union; it has the largest economy in the European Union and the third largest in the world. A combination of German knowledge with other specialties such as business and economics, engineering, medicine, legal training or bio-chemistry, opens wide career opportunities for the young people today, both in Europe as well as in the USA, with the high presence of German companies in this country. The students at FIU realize that their studies of German language and culture complement many other fields such as: journalism, international relations, political science, as well as arts, literature, architecture, philosophy, religion, music and film. The courses in German language and culture leading towards the Certificate would also complement other certificates such as European Studies Certificate and Certificate in National Security Studies offered at FIU.