German

This is a special studies course involving an internship with a corporate, public, governmental, or private organization, arranged with the Study Center Director or Liaison Officer. Specific internships vary each term and are described on a special study project form for each student. A substantial paper or series of reports is required. Units vary depending on the contact hours and method of assessment. The internship may be taken during one or more terms but the units cannot exceed a total of 12.0 for the year.

This is an advanced level German course, level B2. This course is for students who have completed a minimum of three semesters of university level German. By the end of this course, the student has acquired the following competencies: Listening comprehension: understanding with some ease any materials provided in classes (presentations, press reviews, varied range of audio and video recordings: newsflashes for example); recognizing different points of view being exchanged and even differentiate the attitude of different speakers. Spoken expression: intervening spontaneously in discussions and debates and responding to the spoken contributions of other students; expressing ones self in clear, well-structured text, expressing points of view at some length; present documents (press reviews, graphic documents) in a comprehensible way while developing a personal argument; communicating with greater confidence on familiar topics. Reading comprehension: independently reading a variety of extended texts of descriptive, explanatory and interpretative nature from a variety of domains; identifying the important components of a fairly long text with a relatively complex logical order. Written expression: writing clear and detailed texts on a wide range of topics in a variety of styles; producing a personal, organized, and argued response to a specific topic in the form of a report, essay, or summary.

Students practice and improve all four main language skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—in a highly communicative classroom setting. Students’ knowledge of grammar and vocabulary is systematically reviewed and expanded through an emphasis on speaking and communicating in German. The course covers the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their fields of specialization.

Students practice and improve all four main language skills—speaking, listening, reading, and writing—in a highly communicative classroom setting. Students’ knowledge of grammar and vocabulary is systematically reviewed and expanded through an emphasis on speaking and communicating in German.

This course is designed for students who can understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their fields of specialization. The goals of the course are to enable students to interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible without strain for either party; to produce clear, detailed texts on a range of subjects; and to explain a viewpoint on a specific issue, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various perspectives or options.

In this course, students encounter and work with a variety of German sources to refine their linguistic skills. It reviews and deepens students' knowledge of German grammar with an increasing focus on stylistics in both oral and written speech. Special emphasis is on practicing the subjunctive (“indirekte Rede”) while studying and producing journalistic texts about the city of Berlin. This course also includes practical tasks, such as conducting interviews, writing blog posts, and rehearsing a play.

The course is an exploration of the nature of the German fairy tale as a literary genre and institution. It examines its historical origins in the late 18th century, its cultural significance for Germany, the formalistic elements and thematic features developed in the German fairy tale over time and its dissemination in literary and pop culture in the contemporary world.

This is an introductory German course for students with no prior knowledge of the language. Based on a communicative and task-based approach, it develops proficiency in oral and written communication skills while providing students with knowledge and understanding of the societies and cultures of German-speaking countries. Students develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through a variety of stimulating activities. Vocabulary is presented in the context of culturally significant issues.

This is an independent research course with research arranged between the student and faculty member. The specific research topics vary each term and are described on a special project form for each student. A substantial paper is required. The number of units varies with the student’s project, contact hours, and method of assessment, as defined on the student’s special study project form.

This course explores the literary tradition of German women writers, focusing on primary texts by contemporary women writers from the 20th and 21st centuries, with an additional focus on Berlin. The course examines modern German culture, society and the gender politics that create the frame of reference for understanding literary texts.