German

In the summer of 2010, the UVA Department of German will once again be offering its very successful intensive language program. With the completion of the 9 week course, students will have acquired intermediate proficiency in German and will have earned 12 credits, the equivalent of 2 full years of normal language instruction at the university level! No previous knowledge of German is required for the program.

Attendance in all three sessions (morning, afternoon, and evening) is required of all students, regardless of whether they are enrolled for credit or non-credit. Furthermore, every student, regardless of type of enrollment, must earn a passing grade in each class of the first half of the SLI in order to participate in the second half of the program.

Why learn German? While German may no longer be the most popular language among high school students, its status both in the academic community and in the professional world remains unsurpassed. In the fields of science, the humanities, politics and business, German is becoming more and more indispensable, and proficiency in it has the potential of opening doors to new and previously unconsidered opportunities in life!

Yet it is not just the usefulness of the language which makes it a good choice - you'll discover how fun and exciting a foreign language can be to learn! Previous participants in the German summer institute have consistently rated the experience as one of the most worthwhile and enjoyable of their academic careers.

Program Director, William C. McDonald
"Herr Mac'
A faculty member in the Summer Language Institute since its inception some two decades ago, W.C. McDonald is a full professor, trained both as a high school teacher of German and as a specialist in the German Middle Ages, Arthurian literature. He has an abiding interest in teaching German language, which is reflected during the school year in his UVa courses on grammar, composition and stylistics for rnajors and minors. An active scholar, he has written scores of articles in international journals on the Arthurian cycle, the Tristan-cycle, and on the intersection of the legends of King Arthur and Tristan and Isolde. Currently 'Herr Mac" holds an NEH Distinguished Teaching Professorship through the Teaching Resource Center on Grounds.

Student Comments:

• “SLI is an intensive program, but can also be a fun one. Herr Mac is absolutely an excellent professor, which makes it a bit easier to wake up at 8 in the morning to learn German for 8 hours.”
• “SLI was great, useful and fun…As happy as I am to go back home and see my family, I will miss UVa and the friends I have made here. I am also very thankful for all that I have learned at SLI.”