Learning another language fulfills the primary purpose of a university education: It prepares you to reason, analyze, solve problems, and communicate in a world of widely differing cultures. Within the Department of German and Scandinavian, students can choose a major focus in German Literature and Language, German Studies, or Scandinavian. Language instruction extends beyond German, but also includes Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, and Finnish.<br><br>More than 100 million people speak German as a first language, and it is the official language of six countries. More than one thousand companies based in German-speaking countries have subsidiaries in the U.S. In all of these firms there is a need for employees with an understanding of German language and culture.<br><br>Approximately 20 million people's mother tongue is a Scandinavian language, and notable Scandinavian literature spans a broad range from the beloved children's stories of Hans Christian Andersen to the modern crime novels by Stieg Larsson.<br><br>The UO Department of German and Scandinavian ranks among the top 10 colleges and universities in the number of students majoring in German. The UO also has the only program in Oregon in which students can get a major or a minor in Scandinavian. Classes are discussion-based with engaging activities designed to involve and engross students, with both group and individual writing assignments.