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Developing fluency in German language and culture represents a significant and important long-term investment in your professional future. Germany boasts the largest economy in the European Union (itself the largest in the world), is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies and is the largest exporter in the world. It's also a key trading partner with other European Union countries, as well as Japan, China and the United States.
Germany is emerging as a new regional superpower, with a significant influence in global politics. Being fluent in German language and culture will give you a competitive edge that many other American business professionals do not have and will open doors of opportunity with companies that are based in Germany or do business there.
The Business German Program at Elon University will help you take your career to the next level by giving you the linguistic and cultural skills you need to navigate German work environments and to communicate effectively in German with clients, business partners and colleagues. To download a brochure, click here.
At the heart of the Business German Program is the unique instructional approach that exposes you to Business German on the first day of language study at Elon. No prior knowledge of German is required. Alongside the regular coursework in lower-division German language and culture courses (German 121-222), students in the Business German Program will complete three short supplementary modules each semester that focus exclusively on business topics and that complement topics already being covered in the course. In addition, students in the program will meet twice a month for one hour language labs, which will be taught by German faculty and will allow for focused instruction, language practice and in-depth discussion of German business culture and practices.
Successful completion of the lower-division courses will prepare you for more advanced and challenging study in upper-division courses (German 321 and above). Coursework at this level is under development and will include focused, advanced-level study of German language and culture, to include business culture. Topics may include current events in German-speaking countries, advanced topics in German business culture, and the major national narratives familiar to most German business professionals (e.g. major works of literature, historical and political trends, and the like).
Students who complete all Business German Program coursework with an average grade of 83 percent (B) or better qualify to take the prestigious Zertifikat Deutsch für den Beruf (Certificate in Business German), the testing fee for which will be covered by Elon. The Zertifikat is offered through the German federal government and is internationally recognized by German companies as proof of business language proficiency. In order to gain a better understanding of German business culture, and to gain an edge on the job market, students who complete the German Business Program may also be placed in a domestic internship with a company that is based in Germany or does business there.
The following courses and internship experience constitute the Business German Program at Elon:
Students wishing to expand their study of the German language and culture may choose to pursue a minor in German Studies, which requires 4 semester hours above German 321. Please contact Dr. Windham or Dr. Neville if you are interested in pursuing a German Studies minor.
The Business German Program complements other programs and majors already in place at Elon and is a logical fit for students studying in these areas.
Select students will earn two degrees, a Bachelor of Science in International Business from Elon and a Bachelor of Science in International Management from ESB Business School in Reutlingen, Germany, all in just four years. Students in the program spend their first two years at Elon and their last two years in Germany. Elon provides comprehensive language and cultural training, including a specialized Business German component that emphasizes context-specific business language and culture, along with general education courses and introductory courses in business subjects. ESB provides upper level business courses and an extended internship with a firm in Germany.
Students can complete the program without having taken any German in high school. ESB Business School is ranked first among German schools for having the best business graduates by the magazine Wirtschaftswoche (their version of Business week).
For more information on this option, see the dual-degree factsheet or contact Dr. Thomas Tiemann, Director of Dual Degree Programs in the Love School of Business.
The study of international business at Elon University begins with a solid grounding in the traditional liberal arts and sciences and builds on the foundation provided by the core curriculum in the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (B.S.B.A.) degree. This preparation is an integral part of becoming an informed, responsible and capable business leader. The international business major advances that commitment and supports Elon’s educational mission by emphasizing the acquisition of business knowledge, the development of international management skills through hands-on learning and experiential activities, and the development of discipline, integrity and an ethic of service.
The curriculum includes courses in a common core representing the functional business disciplines in accounting, economics, management, marketing, and finance. International business students also complete a series of courses in international economics, management, and marketing as well as coursework with an international focus in the arts and sciences and a foreign language proficiency at the intermediate level. For more information, click here.
Elon offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in international studies. With faculty advice, each student can build a curriculum tailored to his or her interests and strengths. The foundation is built from coursework drawn from a range of subjects, including politics, economics, history, geography, literature, foreign language, religion, society and culture.
International studies is also an attractive option for students who want to double major. The program complements study in many disciplines, including foreign language, political science, history and communications. Because the curriculum draws on the expertise of a diverse interdisciplinary faculty, international studies students benefit from examining issues and ideas from a variety of perspectives. International studies majors also benefit from resources and staff in the Isabella Cannon Centre for International Studies, located on campus in Carlton Building.
International studies majors take courses focused on one region of the world. Most students elect to concentrate on one of four regions — Africa, Asia/Pacific, Europe or Latin America — although students and their advisers can develop coursework in other regions of the world. Faculty currently are developing a fifth concentration in Middle East studies. These courses cover art, history, philosophy, economics, literature, political science, religion and sociology. The senior seminar is a capstone experience that offers students practice in researching, writing and presenting a senior thesis that builds on their study abroad experiences, foreign language study and regional concentrations. For more information, click here.
Are you ready to take your career to the next level, to see Germany as very few American business professionals can, and to be a key player in a global business environment? Contact Dr. David Neville at (336) 278-5889 and Dr. Scott Windham at
(336) 278-5841 or email us at businessgerman@elon.edu. You can also download a brochure here.
