German Language and Literature Course Descriptions

German Language and Literature
Course Descriptions

Language and literature courses numbered 300 and above in a given language have, unless otherwise stated, 202 in that language as a prerequisite.

GERM 101 Elementary German I 3 Credit Hours
Introduction to vocabulary, grammar, syntax, idiom, and culture. Development of skills critical to foreign-language mastery: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Course conducted primarily in German. Practice with tapes required.

GERM 102 Elementary German II 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: GERM 101 or placement
Progress in vocabulary, grammar, syntax, and idiom. Increased emphasis on student communication. Course conducted primarily in German. Practice with tapes required.

GERM 201 Intermediate German I 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: GERM 102 or placement.
Completion of basic grammar and syntax. Increased emphasis on reading, idiomatic usage. Course conducted in German. Practice with tapes required.

GERM 202 Intermediate German II 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: GERM 201 or placement
Expansion and fine tuning of grammar. Literary texts serve as basis for discussion and substantial composition. Course conducted in German. Upon successful completion of the elementary and intermediate courses, students will be functional in a German-speaking country, i.e., they will be able to converse socially, read newspapers and magazines, enjoy a movie, order meals, and shop.

GERM 203 Intermediate German I Abroad and
GERM 204 Intermediate German II Abroad Each Semester 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: GERM 102 (or equivalent) and permission of instructor.
Taken in lieu of GERM 201 and 202. Intensive study of grammar, development of communicative skills while in residence in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Offered only as a component of summer program in Europe.

GERM 301 Advanced German Conversation 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: GERM 202/204 with a grade of "C" or better or permission of the department head
Required of all German majors and minors. Not open to students with native-level proficiency. Expansion and practice of communicative skills in situational contexts from colloquial to formal. Extensive use of sound and video recordings. Student interviews and presentations.

GERM 302 Advanced German Composition 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: GERM 202/204 with grade of "C" or better or permission of department head
Required of all German majors and minors. Practice in formal writing: reviews, essays, correspondence. Study of styles of writing in exemplary texts. Practical experience with translation.

GERM 303 German Civilization and Culture 3 Credit Hours
Survey of civilization and culture up to 1945, with emphasis on values, thought, institutions, and art. Films, slides, recordings, field trips.

GERM 304 Postwar German Society and Culture 3 Credit Hours
Study of society and culture since 1945, focusing on political division and reunification, economy, and art (particularly New German Cinema).

GERM 307 Business German 3 Credit Hours
Serves as a business elective. Introduction to the language of economics, corporations, commerce, and banking. Practical experience with business translation and correspondence. Preparation for the Prüfung Wirtschaftsdeutsch International.

GERM 390 Special Topics in Language and Literature 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: GERM 202/204 and permission of instructor
Study of language and literature while in residence in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Emphasis on current usage in speech and print. Discussion and composition based on activities and readings. Offered only as a component of summer program in Europe.

GERM 391 Special Topics in Landeskunde 3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: GERM 202/204 and permission of instructor.
Study of society and culture while in residence in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Emphasis on interaction with host community. Theater, concerts, films, excursions, and museum visits. Special projects tailored to student need and interest. Offered only as a component of summer program in Europe.

GERM 421 German Literature up to the Reformation 3 Credit Hours
Survey of significant authors, works, genres, and movements from the earliest monastic texts through Luther's age, examined in their social and cultural context.

GERM 422 German Literature from the Baroque to Classicism 3 Credit Hours
Survey of significant authors, works, genres, and movements from ca. 1500 to 1800, with emphasis on the Englightenment, Sturm und Drang, and classicism.

GERM 423 German Literature of the Nineteenth Century 3 Credit Hours
Survey of significant authors, works, genres, and movements, with emphasis on romanticism, Biedermeier, Junges Deutschland, poetic realism, and naturalism.

GERM 424 German Literature of the Twentieth Century 3 Credit Hours
Study of select authors, e.g., Schnitzler, Thomas Mann, and Brecht, from the Jahrhundertwende to the present.

GERM 450 Undergraduate Seminar: Studies in Special Topics 3 Credit Hours
Study of a single author or select topic in Germanic philology or culture. Students may register for this course more than once if the topic has changed.