The Department of German, Nordic, and Slavic is home to undergraduate programs in German, Scandinavian Studies, Russian, and Polish, as well as certificates in the Folklore program, Slavic Studies, and Languages and Cultures of Northern Europe. The department offers courses in the languages, linguistics, literatures, and cultures of these areas, both in the target languages and in translation. GNS provides instruction in more than a dozen languages, including Danish, Dutch, Finnish, German, Kazakh, Norwegian, Old Norse, Polish, Russian, Swedish, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Yiddish.

German Program

The German program affords students the opportunity to begin or continue their study of German and/or Dutch.

Knowledge of German provides access to a culture that for more than a millennium has been central to the history, economy, arts, and sciences not just of Europe but of Western civilization as a whole. In the contemporary world, German-speaking countries have Europe’s strongest economies and are playing an increasingly important role in world affairs. More Americans claim German ethnicity than any other, and German-speaking immigrants and their descendants have had an enduring impact on the history and culture of the United States. UW–Madison has been a leader in the field of German studies for more than a century. The university’s libraries are remarkable for the depth and breadth of their German-language holdings. 

Knowledge of Dutch provides access to a culture that has been an important force in world history since the Middle Ages. The language of more than 20 million inhabitants of the Netherlands and Flanders (Dutch-speaking Belgium), Dutch is also spoken in Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles. It is also an important second language in Indonesia. As major economic powers, Belgium and the Netherlands play a leading role in shaping the European Union. World-class research in the sciences and humanities is conducted at Dutch and Belgian universities, and both countries can boast of a cultural life in which art, music, and theater are all flourishing.

Opportunities for German and Dutch Students 

In addition to choosing from courses in culture, literature, linguistics, and German-American studies, German students can practice the language in various settings on campus, including the Stockwerk Deutsch Language House, which is located in Kronshage Residence Hall. Other opportunities include the German Club, Kaffeestunde, and Stammtisch. There is also a Dutch Table for students of Dutch. Many German and Dutch students participate on semester- or year-long study abroad programs in Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands administered through International Academic Programs, the School of Business, the College of Engineering, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The International Internship Program also connects UW–Madison students to a wide range of internships in German- and Dutch-speaking Europe.

Scandinavian Studies (Nordic)

The Scandinavian Studies Program provides the opportunity to learn a Scandinavian language or Finnish (modern Icelandic only occasionally). The literature, folklore, and culture of the Nordic countries are taught both in the original languages and in English translation. Partly in cooperation with other departments, courses in Scandinavian area studies are offered (history, social institutions, geography, art, archaeology). Students who major in the field may continue graduate studies toward an MA in Scandinavian philology, literature, or area studies, and toward a PhD in Scandinavian literature, philology, or folklore.

The program strongly encourages a junior-year abroad in a Nordic country; several exchange programs are available. Students who transfer to this university after a year abroad should contact the undergraduate advisor as early as possible to schedule a placement test.

Languages and Cultures of Northern Europe

The Languages and Cultures of Northern Europe certificate offers an opportunity to study the many diverse linguistic, cultural, and religious communities that have become part of Northern Europe as a result of international migration and pan-European economic integration. Students earning the certificate have maximum flexibility of choice in the culture they wish to study in depth, or if they want to take a comparative approach over the region. The certificate maps intellectually a complex and fascinating region of contemporary Europe—one which is marked not only by longstanding national cultures but also by an increasingly diverse and mobile populace.

If students wish, students may include language study in Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, or Yiddish as part of their course choices.

Russian

Russian is designated a critical language by the United States government. Russian is the seventh-most spoken language in the world and is among the six official languages of the United Nations. Russian speakers live not only in Russia, but in Central Asia, the Caucasus, Eastern Europe, including the Baltic states, and in Russian-speaking diasporas in the United States and throughout the world. Because Russian is so widely spoken in many countries throughout the world, it is an in-demand critical language for careers including government service, non-governmental organizations, science and scholarship, and some business sectors.

Students in the Russian major not only learn the Russian language but read Russian literature in both Russian and English and become familiar with Russian film and visual arts, theater and performing arts, and music.

The Russian major is designed to meet the needs of students who begin to study the language in college as well as those who began to study the language in high school or who grew up speaking or hearing Russian at home.

Russian majors are able to speak Russian in everyday and some work situations, read and listen to Russian-language news and media, and write for daily, academic, and some professional purposes. In addition, Russian majors gain an appreciation and a deeper understanding of the variety of places and cultures in which Russian is spoken, and of politics and foreign policy, history, and world-renowned literary and artistic traditions. 

Russian Flagship Program

The Russian Flagship Program offers students of any major the opportunity to achieve a professional level of competence in Russian. Students apply to the program directly. Residential and study abroad requirements, course options, and scholarship information are posted at Russian Flagship. To obtain more information about the Russian Flagship Program, students should make an appointment with a Russian Flagship advisor.

Polish

Polish is the most commonly spoken Slavic language of the European Union and the second largest Slavic language in the world, with over 50 million users across the globe. Poland has a unique and vibrant culture shaped by a millennium of artistic and intellectual innovation and struggles for political, social, and cultural independence. The country survived two world wars and half a century of communist rule to emerge as a regional leader in East-Central Europe, the fastest-growing economy in the European Union, and home to one of the most dynamic cultural scenes in the world. It is also a key NATO and U.S. ally in Europe. Polish diaspora is among the world’s largest, with major concentrations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and France. 

The Polish major offers courses in the Polish language, literature, culture, politics, and one of the most intricate, fascinating histories in Europe, providing the knowledge and skills for successful careers in business, politics, diplomacy, arts, translation, international law, environmental science, journalism, national security, tourism, and cultural services. 

Slavic Studies Certificate

In the Slavic Studies Certificate, students have the opportunity to pair strong language training in Russian or Polish with a contextual, integrative regional view to complement their studies in political science, international studies, business, history, or many other areas. Students gain a critically informed appreciation and understanding of the complex, interwoven nature of the region’s historical trajectories, politics, literature, and culture, with the flexibility to choose to focus on the area or culture of their special interest or take a comparative approach to the region as a whole. Topics include revolution and power, trauma and the politics of memory, the immigrant experience, adventure, folklore, the politics of laughter, and science fiction. 

Are you of Polish or Russian heritage, or do you just have a fascination with the region of the world in which these languages are spoken? Can you imagine using these languages in your future career or research? Discover the world that has survived the horrors of two world wars, given birth to some of the most powerful dissident movements in modern history, and inspired the world with its art, film, literature, and political thought. 

Folklore Certificate

The Folklore Certificate provides opportunities to explore the importance of everyday expressive culture—such as storytelling, sacred traditions, art, music, foodways, and festivals—to better appreciate human diversity, as well as understand the challenges of living together as local community members and citizens of the world. Students will gain fresh perspectives on race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class. They will come to recognize the artfulness in everyday life and community-based creativity in a global economy. Students will learn to navigate cultural communication and conflict within and across religious, geographic, and ethnic divides.  

Folklore courses are taught partly in cooperation with other departments and are cross-listed with classes in Gender and Women’s Studies, Anthropology Religious Studies, Art, Communications, Dance, African American Studies, Scandinavian Studies, and many others.

Students who earn a certificate in the field may work in museums, the business sector, archives, publishing, or many other areas.

Degrees/Majors/Certificates