Dutch

This course consists of fourteen meetings of two hours each over block 1 and block 2. The main focus of this course is communication, students learn the basic words and grammar needed to interact with Dutch people. Course participants learn to use common greetings and useful expressions; how to introduce themselves; simple grammatical constructions and words; tell the time in Dutch; understand train announcements, and train timetables, and how to navigate the public transportation system; order meals and drinks in restaurants and cafés; make payments and request the bill; and become more familiar with the Dutch culture.  The class uses the book “Start.nl” as the main material, however, homework relies on the digital learning environment in Canvas. During class meetings, students have the opportunity to ask questions of the teacher and to practice communication with fellow students. After class, students are expected to dedicate about 1 hour per session for homework. The class includes a field trip to experience Dutch specialties and practice language skills. Assessment includes a mid-term and final exam, two assessments in order to assess your communicative skills. The final score consists of 3 notes: in-class participation, the mid-term assessment, and the final exam.

The course is about Dutch art – with an emphasis on painting. Since the Middle Ages, the Netherlands has played a pivotal role in the history of European art and culture. Dutch and Flemish artists were the first to use oil paints, the first to visually document the lives and cultures of ordinary people, and the first to produce art for a free market. Painters such as Van Eyck, Brueghel, Bosch, Rubens, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Mondrian are counted among the great masters of history. Their art embodies qualities that are believed to be typical for the country, such as a devotion to truthfulness, attention to detail, and a love of textures. But there were many more artists whose works are still considered among the most important in history – if only because they were the first to notice the mundane things nobody else had paid attention to, such as the beauty of a still-life or the wonders of a cloudy sky. From the late Middle Ages through the Renaissance and the Baroque to the modern era, Dutch artists have tried to come to terms with ever-changing principles and conceptions regarding the world around them and have been constantly improving techniques to visualize it. The results of their efforts are the subject of this course. The course mostly follows a chronological order. In the first lecture, the (religious) significance of art in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the Baroque is introduced. In the following lectures, students are given an overview of the development of Dutch art from the Middle Ages to the modern era. The course includes tours to various museums in Mauritshuis and the Hague. 

This course is for people with no prior knowledge of Dutch. Once you've completed this course you will be able to: present yourself; ask for and provide personal details; talk about daily activities; talk about your hobbies; talk about your family; and get around in a shops.

The language section of the course helps students develop and improve the skills and strategies necessary to successfully manage most uncomplicated oral and written tasks and social situations which may be confronted within daily life in the Netherlands. The culture & society section provides a basic understanding of present-day Dutch society and culture. Through reading articles covering Dutch culture, students learn to understand the Dutch way of approaching and discussing cultural and society issues.

Format
During the language section, the classroom language is Dutch. The main activity is the use of Dutch in a variety of oral and written communication tasks. The instructor provides input, instruction, and explanations.
In the culture section, topics on Dutch society and culture are introduced and discussed. Reading materials on Dutch culture are studied in English and/or Dutch.
Students are expected to give a presentation in English.

Country of tulips, windmills, bicycles, and canals, with friendly and open-minded people. There must be more to the Netherlands than is being suggested by such stereotypical images. This course explores peculiarities, intricacies, and dynamics of Dutch culture and society in a global context.
The course provides various perspectives on contemporary Dutch society and culture, discusses themes such as national identity, toleration, ethnic diversity, and the echo's of two world wars in the previous century. Each theme is presented within a historical dimension and includes case studies from Dutch literature, architecture, film, or painting. With reference to the concept of "cultural memory", narratives about the past featuring in today’s realities are explored. The course is designed for international exchange students, to familiarize them with Dutch society and culture as they find it during their stay in the Netherlands.

This beginning Dutch language course covers both Dutch language and culture. The language part of the course helps to develop the basic skills and strategies necessary to successfully handle uncomplicated oral and written communication skills. These may occur in a variety of social situations one could encounter in daily life in the Netherlands. The main purpose of the culture and society part of the classes is to provide a basic understanding of present-day Dutch society and culture. Attention is given to various issues pertaining to Dutch culture and society today. Through culture presentations covering the culture of the Netherlands and the Dutch given by the students themselves and group discussions, students learn to understand mainly the inside perspective, in other words the Dutch way of approaching and discussing cultural and society issues. After completing this course students are able to orally communicate and understand uncomplicated speech about various topics beyond the most immediate needs; engage in basic conversation about a variety of topics such as personal history, personal experiences, study, and university life; and participate in simple conversations. After completing this course students are able to communicate and read written communication in simple texts in various general domains; and write in an uncomplicated form on a variety of familiar topics, personal topics, general events, and concrete descriptions.