Honors Majors & Minors

Requirements

Majors and minors in the Honors Program are expected to fulfill the minimum requirements for course majors above and be sufficiently proficient in spoken and written German to complete all their work in the language. All majors and minors in honors are strongly advised to spend at least one semester of study in a German-speaking country. Candidates are expected to have a B average in coursework both in the department and at the College.

Honors Major Preparations

The honors major requirements are identical to the course major requirements. All honors majors must include GMST 020 and GMST 091 or GMST 092 in their course of study. In addition:

  • Honors majors in German studies take three seminars, two taught in German and one taught in English from an affiliated program. In consultation with the German studies coordinator, two advanced courses in German studies (such as GMST 054 and a second special topics course, GMST 091 or GMST 092) may be taken in lieu of one seminar.
  • Honors majors participate in the external examination process required of all Swarthmore honors students and the Senior Honors Study process explained below. (Total: Minimum of 8 credits - 6 credits for seminars + 1 credit for GMST 091 or GMST 092 + 1 credit for GMST 020)

Honors Minor Preparations

Honors Minors prepare for their examination in German studies by following the minimum course minor requirements. All honors minors must take one seminar taught in German for their honors preparation and complete Senior Honors Study (described below). (Total: 5 credits)

Senior Honors Study (SHS) and Mode of Examination

For SHS, students are required to present an annotated bibliography of criticism-articles or books-concerning at least five of the texts in each seminar offered for external examination. Students are required to meet with the respective instructor(s) of the seminars being examined by Feb. 15 to discuss their planned bibliography and to meet with the instructors for a second time when the approved bibliography is handed in by May 1. The annotated bibliography, which carries no credit, will be added to course syllabi in the honors portfolio. The honors examination will take the form of a 3-hour written examination based on each seminar and its SHS preparation as well as a 1-hour oral panel examination based on the three written examinations for majors or a 30- to 45-minute oral examination for minors.