French or German focus for International Studies?

Applying to College
1

<p>I'm a prospective international studies major, and I can't choose between focus languages. I know that regionally I am drawn to Europe, but I am torn between French and German.</p>

<p>My high school doesn't offer German classes, but I did take 4 years (up to AP) in French and I love it. I really understand the linguistics of the language even though I'm nowhere close to fluent. On the other hand, I have fallen in love with German culture and I would love to study abroad/ even live in Berlin, Germany or Vienna, Austria. However, I don't know any more than a few phrases in German, at best.</p>

<p>Help!!!</p>

2

<p>I have lived in both linguistic areas and learned the languages there, though I had studied a little in the US. Both languages are useful, but I think more people use French worldwide. The German economy is obviously healthier, but France as a society is fully functional (as compared to, say, Italy).</p>

<p>It really depends on what you want to do and your personal preferences. To be honest, I think that Germany is kind of boring and far less pleasant a place to live than France, but that’s just me. (I have lived in France for about 16 years, but travel for work a lot into Germany, where I lived for 1 year.) Much more of the French culture feels truly European, as Germany was transformed after WWII and is like a simplified copy of the US in certain ways.</p>

<p>If you would like an interesting cultural book to read, though it is dated, I would suggest In Bluebeard’s Castle, by George Steiner. He describes what I feel is amiss in German culture.</p>

3

<p>GERMAN :-D</p>

4

<p>I think there’s something to be said about pursuing a new, exciting passion. I’ve spoken German for most of my life and have traveled there a couple of times. I really love it!! I would say it depends on what your most comfortable with experience wise, and which culture you find yourself to be drawn to the most. </p>

5

It may be past the time for you making a decision, but I have to speak up in favor of German. I took two years in high school, was a high school foreign exchange student to Germany for a year, then minored in German in college. I’m clearly a fan :slight_smile: I found German incredibly easy to learn–if you’re adept at English, you’ll find German familiar. A lot of the grammatical constructions are identical, as are many of the words (English is a Germanic language). The one sticking point for a lot of people with German are the adjective endings. Basically every noun in the German language is assigned a gender & form of the word “the” that comes before it. There are 16 possible variations of the “the” and which one you use depends on the gender of the noun and how you’re using it in a sentence. It can be complex and confusing, but once you get it, it totally makes sense! (beats conjugating verbs, in my opinion!) So, for example, the word mother, or “Mutter” is feminine, so it would be “die Mutter” (the mother) or “meine Mutter” (my mother). In the sentence “Das ist meiner Mutter” (that is my mother), you add an ‘r’ to the end of “meine,” indicating the feminine possessive tense. YOU GET USED TO IT, I PROMISE. There are memorization devices and everything!

Otherwise, I find German a cinch, and loved living there. Berlin is amazing. Truly. Plus, if you already know French, you’ll be adding a third language to your repertoire! Then you can not only use your French language skills to your advantage in your major, but can add German skills to it. Think of all the in-language (sans subtitles!) documentaries & books/articles you’ll be able to read! Historically and culturally there’s a lot to chew on in German history and contemporary culture; speaking the language helps a lot.

6

It´s great to read such a chorus of praise about the German language :smiley:
If someone has more/interesting questions about study in Germany I would be
happy trying to help, especially if it´s a question regarding engineering (I´m a
mechanical engineer - a German Dipl.-Ing. Maschinenbau - www.fh-bingen.de).

Some more interesting about Germany and it´s language.

  1. German is the most widely spoken language in Europe. More people speak German as their native language than any other language in Europe. It's no wonder, since Germany's 83 million inhabitants make it the most populous European nation. But not only the residents of Germany speak German. It is also an official language of Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein. And it is the native language of a significant portion of the population in northern Italy, eastern Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, eastern France, parts of Poland, the Czech Republic, Russia, and Romania, as well as in other parts of Europe. While learning German can connect you to 120 million native speakers around the globe, remember that many people also learn German as a second language. It is the 3rd most popular foreign language taught worldwide and the second most popular in Europe and Japan, after English.
  2. Germany has the 3rd strongest economy and is the #1 export nation in the world. Germany has the third largest economy in the world and is the economic powerhouse of the European Union. In 2007 -- for the 5th year in a row and despite the strength of the euro currency -- the Germans were world champions in exports. The country exported 940 billion US dollars worth of goods, just ahead of the US exports. From cars to machinery and industrial equipment, from pharmaceuticals to household goods, German businesses earn 1 in 3 euros through export, and 1 in 4 jobs depends on exports. The competiveness and desirability of German products on the market are indicated by the country's substantial trade surplus, which reached 162 billion euros (209 billion dollars) in 2006 and continues to grow every year. And don't forget that Switzerland, another German-speaking country, has one of the highest standards of living in the world.
  3. Knowing German creates business opportunities. Germany's economic strength equals business opportunities. Multinational business opportunities exist throughout the European Union and in the Eastern European countries, where German is the second most spoken language after Russian. Companies like BMW, Daimler, Siemens, Lufthansa, SAP, Bosch, Infineon, BASF, and many others need international partners. The Japanese, who have the 2nd most powerful economy in the world, understand the business advantages that a knowledge of German will bring them: 68% of Japanese students study German.

If you’re looking for employment in the United States, knowing German can give you great advantages. German companies account for 700,000 jobs in the United States, and US companies have created approximately the same number of jobs in Germany. All other things being equal, the job candidate with German skills will trump the one without such skills every time. Most surveyed companies in the United States would choose someone with German literacy over an equally qualified candidate.

  1. Germans are innovators. From Gutenberg's printing press to Hertz' discovery of electromagnetic waves, from Ehrlich's development of chemotherapy to Einstein's theory of relativity, to Brandenburg's creation of the MP3 digital music format, throughout history Germans have proven themselves time and again to be great innovators. That trend continues today. 4 of the world's 10 most innovative companies are located in Germany and at 12.7% of the world's patent applications, the country ranks 3rd in the world. Consequently, 200,000 businesses introduce new products on the market each year.

As a nation committed to research and development, Germans are on the frontline of new technologies. Germany exports more high-tech products than any other country except the U.S. and more than 600 firms are active in the cutting-edge field of biotechnology. 115 of these are located in Munich alone. The east German city of Dresden has become Europe’s microchip center with its more than 765 semiconductor firms.

Given the Germans’ commitment to innovation, it is perhaps not surprising that two-thirds of the world’s leading international trade fairs take place in Germany. These include CeBIT, the world’s largest trade fair for information and communications technology, and the IFA consumer electronics trade fair.

Comparison between USA and Germany (Deutschland)
B.S. / Mechanical Engineering (B.Eng. / Mechanical Engineering)
USA (Deutschland)

Connecticut (Rheinland-Pfalz)

Boston (Bingen am Rhein “www.fh-bingen.de”)
8 terms (12 weeks of practical experiance + 7 Semester)
Required Courses
Calculus / Math (Mathe)
Numerical Computation (Numerische Simulation)
Physics (Physik)
Physics Lab (Physik Labor)
Chemistry (Chemie)
Engineering Mechanics (Technische Mechanik)
Mechanics/Strength of Materials (Festigkeitslehre)
Material Sciences (Werkstoffkunde)
Material Sciences Lab (Werkstoffkunde / Labor)
Computer-Aided Design (CAD)
Fluid Mechanics (Strömungslehre)
Thermodynamics (Thermodynamik)
Foreign Language (Fremdsprache = English)
Electrical Engineering / Electronics (Elektrotechnik / Elektronik)
Electrical Engineering / Electronics Lab (Elektrotechnik / Elektronik Labor)
Measurement & Control Engineering (Mess-, Steuer-, Regelungstechnik)
EDV / Computing for Engineers (EDV)
Design (Konstruktionslehre)
Manufacturing / Product Engineering (Fertigungstechnik)
reciprocating engines (Kolbenmaschinen)
fluid-flow engines (Strömungsmaschinen)
Project Work (Projektarbeit)
Bussines/Engineering Management (Betriebswirtschaftslehre)
Finite Elements Method (FEM)
Combustion Engines (Verbrennungsmotorentechnik)
Elements of Mechanical Design (Maschinenelemente)
Machine Tools (Werkzeugmaschinen)
Dynamics (Physik III)
Mechatronics (Mechatronik)
Automation Engineering (Automatisierungstechnik)
Lightweight Construction (Leichtbau)
Automotive Engineering (Fahrzeugtechnik)
thesis (Thesis)

Extract of the oldest ( Technical !!! ) Universities with a good reputation:

216 Fachhochschulen (University of applied science)
[ that´s where I studied !!! On both Universities]

Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes 1807 [ 1927/46 ]
“www.htwsaar.de”

Fachhochschule Bingen 1897 (University of Applied Science)
“www.fh-bingen.de”

108 Universitäten (University)

Technische Universität Braunschweig 1745 [ 1862 ]
member of TU9 the “Germ. Ivy League of Technical University”

Technische Universität Berlin 1770 [ 1879 ]
member of TU9 the “Germ. Ivy League of Technical University”

Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) 1825
member of TU9 the “Germ. Ivy League of Technical University”

Technische Universität Dresden
member of TU9 the “Germ. Ivy League of Technical University”

Universität Stuttgart 1829
member of TU9 the “Germ. Ivy League of Technical University”

Technische Universität München 1868
member of TU9 the “Germ. Ivy League of Technical University”

RWTH Aachen 1870
member of TU9 the “Germ. Ivy League of Technical University”

Technische Universität Darmstadt 1877
member of TU9 the “Germ. Ivy League of Technical University”

Universität des Saarlandes (Saarbrücken) 1948
“www.uni-saarland.de”

7

Staying in France for some time might be nice, but living in france… meh imo

8

From a practical point of view, French opens more international doors, since it is widely spoken in Western Africa - a major area of development and competition for most industries; it’s extremely useful for Canada (so if you’re thinking of anything petroleum/gas and related energy companies, it’s either French or Arabic - French is WAY easier although Arabic is really interesting.)
I know Georgia Tech has a study abroad program for engineers in France.

Meriks: you feel that way because as a kid you’ve lived in France and are used to the countr, now want to live elsewhere. Most Americans would love to live in France (not forever perhaps, but certainly a couple years. :p).