The language component provides three to four hours of daily instruction in German grammar and conversation at a level appropriate to each student's proficiency. The language component carries two credits, with courses offered on several levels. Students are integrated in the regular language classes according to what level they placed into after taking the placement exam, and after an oral interview on campus before the summer session begins. Students in the German for Singers Program who placed into level 1, beginning German, will take courses with our regular beginning German students for three hours and will then have an additional hour of special language and culture training in the Singers program.

This is an integrated program consisting of four hours of classroom instruction and some work in the language laboratory. To develop the four skills, students take three basic courses: grammar review including composition and conversation segments, contemporary German culture and life, plus literature.

Required texts:
- Jamie Rankin and Larry D. Wells: Handbuch zur deutschen Grammatik (6th ed., 2015, Cengage Learning) (book, workbook, and lab manual);
- Friedrich Dürrenmatt: Der Besuch der alten Dame (Diogenes Verlag);
- Joachim Schote: ORIENTIERUNGSKURS - Grundwissen Politik, Geschichte Und Gesellschaft: Kursbuch (German Edition)/, (Cornelsen Verlag)