Established in 1890, the department offers a broad range of courses on German literature and culture and is designed to provide students with a solid grounding in their areas of interest. Particular strengths include German literature from the eighteenth century to the present. Faculty members pride themselves on the individual attention they give to their students. While the departmental faculty represents a spectrum of different approaches, the program includes an emphasis on literary and critical theory as well as a concern with reading texts in social and historical context. Students are encouraged to add an interdisciplinary dimension to their studies by pursuing related course work in other departments and programs, especially Comparative Literature and Society.