Frequently Asked Questions

Courses & Registration

  • How do I receive a PTA number for a GER/RUS course? 
  • Please reach out to the instructor of the course first to receive permission to receive a PTA number. Then, forward the communication to the Undergraduate Program Advisor/Coordinator, Lindsey Parisius ([email protected]), who will issue the PTA number.  
  • How do I know which GER/RUS courses will be offered each quarter? 
  • Before Schedule Builder publishes the detailed schedule for the upcoming term, a tentative course schedule for the upcoming quarter can be found under the “Courses” tab on the Department of German and Russian website.  
  • How do I drop my GER/RUS class after the drop deadline? | How do I request a PTD? 
  • The Department of German and Russian does not have the authority to issue PTD numbers to drop GER/RUS or other courses after the drop deadline. Only a student's College Dean's Office has the authority to issue PTD numbers. PTDs can only be issued for extenuating circumstances. Go to the College of Letters and Science Late Actions webpage for information about their PTD policies and request process.   
  • How do I know if a course at another institution is equivalent to a GER/RUS course at UC Davis? 
  • ASSIST is a comprehensive online course articulation system for most California community colleges with University of California. Search ASSIST to see if a lower-division course at a California community college is equivalent to a course at UC Davis. If you plan to take a German or Russian course at another four-year institution or out-of-state institution, then please email the Undergraduate Program Advisor/Coordinator, Lindsey Parisius ([email protected]), with the course syllabus attached to request an evaluation for course equivalency. Your course information will be evaluated by faculty, and you will be notified of the result via email. 
  • How do I earn academic credits for special study, an honors thesis, or tutoring? 

  • Students who wish to enroll in special study (GER/RUS 98, 99,198, 199) or complete an honor’s thesis (GER/RUS 194H & 195H) must first identify and contact a faculty person whose academic expertise is related to their proposed project. If the faculty person agrees to sponsor the student’s research, special study project or honors thesis, then the Undergraduate Program Advisor/Coordinator, Lindsey Parisius ([email protected]), can issue a PTA number for academic credit.

    Students who wish to tutor for the Department of German and Russian (GER/RUS 197T) must contact the Undergraduate Major Advisor for German (Carlee Arnett, [email protected]) or Russian (Valeria Mutc, [email protected]) to express interest. Students selected to be tutors can request a PTA number from the Undergraduate Program Advisor/Coordinator, Lindsey Parisius ([email protected]). 

German & Russian Programs

  • What are the requirements for the German/Russian major/minor? 
  • The requirements for the German and Russian majors and minors can be viewed on the German and Russian Department website (German, Russian) or in the General Catalog.  
  • How do I declare German/Russian as my major/minor? 
  • You can declare German or Russian as either your primary major, second major, or minor by completing the “Change of Program Petition” form under the “Forms and Petitions” tab in OASIS.  
  • Can I take courses for my German/Russian major P/NP? 

  • Courses used for the German and Russian majors can be taken P/NP. The deadline to make courses P/NP in Schedule Builder is the 40th day of instruction. As long as you receive a P, the course can be used to fulfill a major requirement, and the course will fulfill any future prerequisites. If you elect to make a course P/NP, you will receive a P if you have a C- or higher and you will receive a NP if you have a D+ or lower.  If you are a double major and are planning to use a course to satisfy another requirement as well, please check if your other major and/or college has P/NP restrictions. In the College of Letters and Science there are limits on how many units can be taken P/NP overall. You can find out more about the P/NP restrictions here.   

    Department Recommendations:

    The decision to make a course P/NP is a personal one.  Although you can meet with an advisor to discuss your decision and options, you will ultimately need to make the best decision for yourself. Below are a few things to consider to help you make the best decision for you:  

    • - The Department of German and Russian does not recommend you take a majority of your major courses P/NP.  Even if you make a major course P/NP, you are still responsible for a strong understanding of the material.  It is better to create a balanced schedule with courses you are prepared to take rather than taking a difficult schedule and relying on P/NP. 
    •  
    • - If you think it is highly likely that you will fail the course, making the course P/NP can have some limited benefits. If you receive a NP, you will not receive units for the course, but it will also not impact your GPA. You will also have more flexibility when repeating the course as you can choose to repeat the course for a letter grade or P/NP. This is not the case if you need to repeat a course in which you received a letter grade. You can learn more about repeat policies here.  You can also learn more about how a NP or F may impact academic standing due to GPA and/or minimum progress issues here.  You should consult with an advisor if you think you are in danger of not meeting the standards for good academic standing.  
    •  
    • - Talk to your instructor. If you are concerned about your performance in a class, talk to your instructor about how best to get back on track. They may also be able to give insight into how your performance so far will impact your ultimate grade in the class due to the class curve, exam weights, historical student performance, etc. 
    •  
    • - Talk to your advisors. If your performance in a class or multiple classes is being negatively impacted by a serious personal issue, your mental or physical health, etc. there may be other options you may be eligible to receive including a late drop, an incomplete, a late P/NP, etc.  You can learn about the late drop and late P/NP policies in the College of Letters and Science on the Late Actions webpage. 
    •  
    • - Additional questions to ask yourself: 
      • -- What grade do you think you will receive?  
        -- How will this course impact your GPA if you don’t make it P/NP? 
        -- Will making this course P/NP allow you to spend more time on your other courses? 
        -- Are there other factors outside of class impacting your performance in the course?  
        -- Have you talked to your instructor? Or other support resources? 
        -- How will making this course P/NP actually impact my workload? 
  • Can I take courses for my German/Russian minor P/NP? 
  • Courses used for the German and Russian minors can be taken P/NP.  Not all courses for the minor can be taken P/NP because you need a minimum 2.00 GPA in all of the classes used for the minor. You should also check your college and major requirements to make sure they have no restrictions on taking courses P/NP. 
  • How do I know if I have completed all the coursework required for my German/Russian major? 
  • The Undergraduate Program Advisor/Coordinator for the Department of German and Russian can complete an official Degree Check for your major requirements. Please email them at [email protected] or schedule an appointment.  You can also complete an unofficial check online using the Degree Worksheets tool on OASIS.  The degree worksheets should not replace seeking verification from the German and Russian Undergraduate Program Advisor/Coordinator. Check in about the completion of major requirements early and often.  
  • How do I know if I have met all non-major requirements (GE, University, & College requirements) for graduation? 
  • In addition to your major requirements, to be eligible for graduation, an undergraduate student must meet all GE, university, and college requirements. You can request an official Degree Check from the College of Letters and Science by visiting virtual Express Advising. You can also view your remaining requirements on uAchieve, but uAchieve should not replace receiving an official check or consulting with your Letters and Science advisors.  

Study Abroad

  • I am interested in studying abroad. What do I need to do?

  • UC Davis offers several opportunities for German and Russian students to study abroad. These programs vary in length from a summer abroad, a quarter abroad, a full year abroad, and summer internships (both abroad and virtual).  Check out the Global Learning Hub study abroad programs for more details. Explore the pages for studying abroad in German and studying abroad in Russian to help narrow down your search. You can also make an appointment with a study abroad advisor to explore programs of interest in-depth and figure out which is the best option for you!

    During your planning phase, be sure to check in with your Academic Advisor to discuss your planned courses and whether they can be used toward your German or Russian major/minor.

  • How can I pay for studying abroad?
  • The advisors in the Global Learning Hub are a great resource for exploring ways to fund your study abroad opportunity. Browse their Scholarships and Funding page and make an appointment for financial aid advising through their website for additional support. 

Opportunities & Post-Grad

  • How can I find internship or employment opportunities? 

  • The Career Center should be your first resource on campus for support in finding internship or employment opportunities. Sign up for a newsletter on their website to receive updates about job listings, upcoming career fairs, and recruitment fairs. Create a Handshake account to browse and apply for on- and off-campus opportunities and register for Career Center workshops and events. You can also schedule a career advising appointment to explore your career options. Broaden your internship and job search by focusing on the skills and qualifications the companies and organizations are looking for, rather than the specific job titles.  

    You should also network with your peers and professors in the department - you would be surprised at the great insights you may gain from these relationships.