The cognitive skills of beginning German students in high school and college outstrip their linguistic ability in the target language. In a proficiency-based curriculum, students communicate about familiar matters and everyday culture although they are intellectually prepared to consider more complex cultural issues. As a result, deeper culture is introduced in English or reserved for advanced courses. This paper argues that deeper culture can be introduced into a proficiency-based program from the beginning. A review of the research on teaching culture precedes a description of the model of Kulturexkurse. The appendix includes a sample teaching unit and other illustrative material.