The BALAS in Germanic Studies serves to develop competence in German or Scandinavian languages and cultures. Students will gain familiarity with the structure of the language and its use in the context of business, contemporary culture, intellectual history, literature, and science.<br>In Germanic studies you'll receive solid training in all aspects of German and Scandinavian languages and an in-depth understanding of the cultures expressed in these languages. An option in German teaching is also available.<br>The department provides undergraduate students with excellent training in all aspects of German and Scandinavian languages and an in-depth understanding of the cultures expressed in these languages. Through varied course offerings, students have the chance to explore the history and structure of the languages and their multifaceted use in literature, culture, and business. They gain an understanding of the significance of the German and the Scandinavian traditions while developing their critical and analytical skills in those languages and in English. The well-established and highly successful Illinois in Vienna program provides a study-abroad opportunity that is optimally synchronized with the departmental offerings and requirements. Instructors in the undergraduate program have won departmental, college-wide, and campus-wide teaching awards. Our course offerings are supplemented by regular conversation groups in German and Scandinavian languages, the monthly Deutscher Filmabend, and by extracurricular events organized by the student-run Deutschclub. Membership in the local chapter of the national German honorary society, Delta Phi Alpha, is also possible. Students can obtain a Bachelor of Arts in one of the following tracks: German and Commercial Studies, Modern German Studies, Language and Literature, Language Studies, and Scandinavian Studies. We train future high school teachers of German, offering a B.A.T. degree. The department also offers a 5-year combined B.A./M.A. degree and a combined B.A.T./M.A. degree.