UGA went live with its February Discover feature this week, which has an article on UGA's foreign language programs that includes a section with our department head, Dr. Martin Kagel! Recognizing the value of foreign language fluency for students pursuing careers in engineering, UGA recently has begun offering a five-year course of study leading to a dual degree in German and one of six engineering fields: mechanical, biological, agricultural, civil, electrical or computer systems. “Many people erroneously understand language study simply as a way of acquiring requisite linguistic skills. What we offer, however—and because of UGA’s strength in German studies we can—is cultural study that equips students with the skills to negotiate intercultural environments in today’s global economy,” said Martin Kagel, A.G. Steer Professor and head of the department of Germanic and Slavic studies. “Students need deep knowledge and understanding of the culture they are dealing with. When you are sitting at a table with German executives or work in a lab of a German subsidiary here in the U.S., you need to understand how Germans think, how they view the issue, question or product at hand within their own value system and what the implicit expectations are for you.” The full article can be found at the link below:
