German
With over 97 million native speakers, German is the 2nd most widely spoken language in Europe. In addition, Germany is an economic powerhouse of Europe, a major political player in the European Union, and the 3rd largest economy in the world. Austria and Switzerland were also ranked the 8th and 14th strongest economies in the EU in 2022, so if you can speak German, you'll have many career opportunities waiting for you. Furthermore, because of its strong environmental movement, Germany is also an innovator in renewable energy. German is also an excellent language if you’re preparing for a career in international business and finance, economics, law, engineering, education, music, and art, as well as academic careers in history, philosophy, psychology, art history, political science.
Course Types and Course Levels Offered
We offer elementary- to advanced-level grammar-based courses, conversation-based courses, as well as literature and culture/civilization courses.
| Contact |
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| Chair Dr. Vic Fusilero |
| Phone: (818) 947-2822 |
| Email: @email |
| Office Location Foreign Languages, Room 105 |
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Department Student Drop-In Hours Individual Instructor Drop-In Hours email instructor for availability |
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Department |
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Pathway |
Programs
This degree provides solid foundation in the study of German for those wishing to continue their education in languages. Students will be able to demonstrate effective skills in the four major areas of language study (reading, writing, speaking, listening comprehension) and demonstrate knowledge of the global society and the role of Germany, the German language, and German-speaking culture in the contemporary world.
This degree is an alternative to the individual language majors of French, German, Italian, and Spanish, and is especially suitable for those students with prior instruction in a foreign language. The student must complete Semester 4 or higher in a primary language (French, German, Italian, or Spanish), demonstrating effective skills in the four major areas of language study (reading, writing, speaking, listening comprehension) in that language, as well as cultural proficiency. The student must also complete two sequential courses in a secondary language (German, Italian, Spanish, or French), demonstrating a minimum of advanced elementary language and cultural knowledge in that language.
Resources
World Languages and Cultures - Clubs and Events
To enhance your study of world languages and cultures, check out the World Languages Film Forum events.
Every semester the Department of World Languages and Cultures screens movies as part of the semester's curriculum for our enrolled students. Please contact your instructor for more information.
Start Learning a World Language
First Steps
Want to begin learning German at Valley? Take these easy steps to enroll as a Valley College student:
If you’re already a Valley Student and want to study German, take these easy steps:
1. If you’ve already previously studied German, make an appointment to take the German Prerequisite Challenge.
2. Register for your classes! If you’re a complete beginner, enroll in German 1. That’s it!
If you’re a high school student, and want to study German at Valley College, take these easy steps to sign up:
1. You will need to enroll as BOTH a “(i) New Student” AND a “(ii) High School Student (9-12) or a “Elementary/Middle School Student (K-8). You can find the enrollment information here: LAVC Admissions K-12
2. If you’ve taken German before, you’ll need to take the German Prerequisite Challenge.
3. Register for your classes! If you’re a complete beginner, enroll in German 1. That’s it!
You’ll need to be a currently enrolled Valley College student to take our language classes. To sign up for classes, you’ll need to apply and enroll: LAVC Admissions
at Valley College. After you’ve finished enrolling, you can then sign up for your language class!
Prerequisite Challenge
If you’d like to take German at Valley and you have previous experience with the language, you can enroll in a higher-level course by first taking the German Prerequisite Challenge. This process will make sure that you’re enrolled in the appropriate level to begin your language study at Valley.
You’ll have to take the Prerequisite Challenge if you already have some experience with German, for example, you’ve previously studied the language it or you are a native or heritage German speaker.
If you don’t have any experience with German, you don’t have to take the Prerequisite Challenge, and you can enroll in German 1.
One of our full-time faculty members. Please email the following instructor to make an appointment for the German Prerequisite Challenge:
German: Dr. Vic Fusilero: @email
1. The Prerequisite Challenge will assess your speaking, listening, reading, and writing proficiency in the language and usually takes at least 30 minutes.
2. There are different levels of the Prerequisite Challenge, depending on the level that you are planning to enroll in. For example, if you’d like to enroll in Level 4, you will be taking the Prerequisite Challenge to enroll in Level 4 of your chosen language. If you are unsure which level you are at, the faculty member will gladly advise you of your current approximately level and administer the appropriate level Prerequisite Challenge.
3. The Prerequisite Challenge cannot be taken to receive credit for a course.
Full-time Faculty
| Name | Contact Information |
|---|---|
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Dr. Vic Fusilero |
Faculty Profiles
- Pronouns: he/him
- Degrees: B.A. Comparative Literature, Princeton University; M.A. Germanic Languages, University of California, Los Angeles; Ph.D. Germanic Languages, University of California, Los Angeles
- Courses: Elementary German I, Elementary German II, Intermediate German I, Intermediate German II, Advanced German I, Advanced German II, Intermediate German Conversation I, Intermediate German Conversation II, Advanced German Conversation I, Directed Study: German
- Roles: German Division Coordinator; Department Chair; Member, LAVC Academic Senate
- Fun Facts: Avid swimmer and hiker. Love learning various languages. Enjoy world and domestic travel.