The German program provides students with a contemporary understanding of German culture and a fluid grasp of conversational and written German. Courses are balanced between German literature and cultural studies and language-based courses that foster a comprehensive understanding of Germany’s past and present. German majors are required to spend one or two semesters in either Germany or Austria.

The study of a foreign language is the study of how to communicate (share information) with a speaker of the target language. It is also the awareness of societal, geographical, and cross-cultural differences so that students appreciate important periods in that country’s history and culture. Successful University of Redlands graduates in German can present, receive and exchange written and oral information with sufficient accuracy, clarity, and precision so that with sympathetic native speakers of German, the intended message is generally conveyed without misrepresentation or confusion. They are also aware of society and culture so that they can function as successful visitors or residents of German-speaking countries.