Here are just some reasons…among many others!

Heritage: The most common cultural background in the US is…German! Connecting to German connects you to much of the American past as well as the American present.

Education: Germany sponsors over 60,000 international exchanges each year. No other country invests so much in international education!

Communication: German is the most widely spoken native language in the European Union! Knowing how to communicate in someone else’s language is always a plus. And learning German will help you learn more about another major Germanic language: English!

Business: Germany has the largest economy in Europe and the fourth largest in the world. Well-known German firms and brands include: BMW, Volkswagen, Daimler, Bayer, BASF, Bosch, Siemens, Adidas, Puma, …and Birkenstock!

Tourism: Germans are the most widespread travelers (making up 10% of all global travel) and the biggest tourist spenders in the world. Make a new ski buddy - auf Deutsch!

Research: 1 in 10 books in the world is in German, German is one of the most prevalent languages on the internet, and German is the second-most commonly used language (after English) in science!

Cultural Riches: Luther, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Goethe, Freud, Einstein, just for starters….

Livability: Austria’s capital Vienna (home base for our faculty-directed study abroad program) was ranked by Mercer’s Index in 2014 (for the sixth straight time) as the world’s most livable city! Other German-speaking cities which made the Top 10: Zürich, Munich, Düsseldorf, and Frankfurt.

Sustainability & the Future: Germany produces 74% of its power from renewable energy sources, the highest percentage in the world! Learning German gives you a bright window to the sustainable global future!