German Program

The UC Davis German program offers comprehensive and challenging programs in German language, literature, culture and thought from the Middle Ages to the present. Its distinguished faculty members conduct research on literary history, gender studies, critical theory, film studies, intellectual history, medieval studies, theater studies and linguistics, including second-language acquisition.

We have one of the most robust undergraduate German programs on the West Coast, offering a rich selection of courses in German and English as well as extensive study-abroad opportunities. We provide graduate students with a solid basis of scholarship while encouraging innovative and multidisciplinary pursuits. Each year, the German department also hosts a Max Kade Distinguished Visiting Professor from one of the German-speaking countries.

Russian Program

The UC Davis Russian program is designed both for students with no previous knowledge and for those who speak Russian at home (heritage speakers). Students will learn how to speak, understand, read, and write in Russian. Upper-division courses in literature and culture develop critical thinking, writing, textual analysis and oral presentation skills. We offer a wide variety of elective courses, including Russian film, the classic nineteenth-century writers (such as Dostoevsky), women in Russian culture and contemporary Russian culture. Courses in Russian history or politics taught in other departments also count toward the completion of the Russian major or minor. A Russian major combines extremely well with any number of other specialties, both in the humanities and social sciences and the STEM fields. Students receive personalized attention from highly motivated instructors in small classes.

Russia has an enormously rich cultural tradition—think Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov, Shostakovich and Eisenstein!—and a fascinating history. Its geopolitical significance cannot be overstated, and Russian has been designated a Critical Language by the U.S. Department of State. Knowing Russian gives students a distinct career advantage in a number of fields, including foreign affairs, international diplomacy and law. The Sacramento area is home to nearly 100,000 residents of the former Soviet Union, making Russian an important language for our region as well.