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German Courses

The goal of German 1001 is to develop the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing) in a cultural context with a focus on spoken German. The course will enable you to communicate in German about everyday topics, including friends and family, housing, daily routine, leisure…
German 1002 continues to develop the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) in an authentic cultural context. The course will enable you to communicate in German about everyday topics such as education, leisure activities and travel and present information about German-…
German 1110 develops the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) in an authentic cultural context. The course will enable you to communicate in German about everyday topics, including your family, yourself, your everyday routine, shopping, education and recreational activities…
German 2001 continues to develop the four language skills in a cultural context. It also reviews and expands upon the basic grammar covered in first-year German classes. By the end of this course you should have: increased your ability to communicate about topics of general interest orally and in…
German 2002 continues to develop your language skills in a cultural context. It also reviews and expands upon the basic grammar covered in first-year German classes and in German 2001. By the end of this course you should have significantly enhanced your knowledge of cultural issues, increased your…
German 2140H continues to develop the four language skills in a cultural context. It also reviews and expands upon the basic grammar covered in first-year German classes. By the end of this course you should have: increased your ability to communicate about topics of general interest orally and in…
This course explores German literature as a window onto central themes and developments in German and Austrian society, culture and history in the 19th and 20th centuries. The focus is on realistic fiction as testimony to the lived experience of daily life, place, social class, gender, national…
This introductory cultural studies course acquaints you with central social, cultural and political issues of post-war Germany. Our textbook is designed as a course for foreigners wishing to become German citizens. We are therefore becoming familiar with pertinent aspects of German culture from…
    How do current trends in science and technology in Europe's largest economy compare to those in the United States? How can the Digital Revolution proceed in an equitable and ethical way? How can technology build a more sustainable world? Become a more competent speaker and writer of German…
This content-based course aims to enhance students’ knowledge of contemporary (Post-wall) German culture and to improve their German language skills though class, small group and partner discussions; working with texts of various genres; essay writing; vocabulary expansion; as well as grammar…
This course explores the history and culture of the Germanic world from the Bronze Age up until Charlemagne. Emphases include Roman-Germanic confrontation, the Nordic mythology of the Vikings and their relationship to early Germanic pagans, the Christianization of the Germanic tribes as well as the…
In this course we read, interpret, and work creatively with some of the classic texts in medieval German literature: heroic epic, Arthurian romance, and the poetry of Minnesang. Explores the deep origins of modern notions of heroism and romantic love in an era that was both unimaginably violent and…
This course provides an overview of the differences between German and English grammar, with a focus on not only the individual study of the core linguistic modules of phonetics/phonology, morphology and syntax, but also the interaction between those modules, especially in bilinguals. Balancing the…
We will look at key texts by German and Austrian writers from about 1800 to 1914, looking at how writers positioned themselves in terms of nationhood and empire. German-speaking writers reacted to the Napoleonic wars and their aftermath, the French 1830 revolution, the uprisings of 1848, and the…
This course will introduce students to the literature, art, music and the central social, cultural and political issues of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a period in German literary and cultural history known as the Romantic Age. It is designed to provide an introduction to the important…
This course is a review of grammar, idioms, and vocabulary, providing practice in translating moderately difficult technical and non-technical German texts into correct English. Satisfies language requirement for graduate students. No prior German needed.  Does not apply to the major or minor in…
  Review of grammar, idioms, and vocabulary; practice in translating moderately difficult technical and non-technical German texts into correct English. Does not apply to the major or minor in German or language certificates. Satisfies language requirement for graduate students.
Offered annually as part of our Study Abroad in Freiburg program during the summer semester. This couse consists of selected contemporary topics in the culture, civilization, language, or literature of German-speaking countries. Taught in English.
Whether it's an Indian orphan in the mid-19th century or a chatty shadow or a nun with a secret in the Bavarian Alps– literature allows us to experience the world from different and therefore often strange perspectives. In real life we are physically constrained; even our empathy has its limits.…
Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) was one of the twentieth-century’s most influential playwrights, known in particular for his theory of the epic theater. His writings have been translated into more than 40 languages and his plays continue to be performed all over the world. In addition to his success on…
In this course, we will read representative texts written by women authors after 1945, as well as view and discuss films by women filmmakers. We will aim to interpret and understand these works in light of their historical context-- the postwar period, the task of Vergangenheitsbewältigung, the…
How do societies remember? What do societies, groups, and individuals choose to remember and forget, and why? How are memories and family stories passed down through the generations? Taking these broad questions as our guide, this seminar centers more specifically on public acts of remembrance in…
This course explores the Berlin Wall as a site of history and imagination within the context of postwar politics, culture, and everyday life. We will discuss the events leading to the construction of the physical border, life with the Wall, the fall of the Wall and the persistence of mental “walls…
This course provides a cross-cultural (Germany-US) exploration of current perceptions and interactions of authorities (e.g. police) with the public through an examination of laws and regulations. We take a close look at crime and morality in popular media such as television crime dramas. We also…
Over the course of the semester, we will concern ourselves with the topic of heritage languages. A heritage language is acquired in the home, but spoken in a community, region, or country where it is not the majority variety. In part, the topic focuses on the social circumstances surrounding a…
The main aim of this course is to introduce undergraduate students to the history of German film. At the same time, we will address the social, political, economic, demographic changes and shifts in Germany of the 20th/21st century. The class will ask questions in relation to these changing…
The course consists of three parts: an examination of traditional stories, including fairy tales, followed by an analysis of contemporary picture books, and finally a close reading of Michael Ende’s Unendliche Geschichte as a neo‐romantic tale. The readings are in roughly chronological order, but…
This course investigates the contributions of Jews and Jewish culture to the German-speaking world. The focus is on how Jewish writers, thinkers, and artists portray their experiences and identities. We will read texts and view films that reflect the responses of Jews (and non-Jews) to…
Taking Goethe's late autobiographical writing Dichtung und Wahrheit as point of departure, this course explores the life and work of Goethe, focusing on dramatic, novelistic, and poetic genres for which he is renowned and considering their aesthetic, historical, and cultural implications. Taught in…
The goal of this course is the study of the sociohistorical processes and linguistic developments in German, concerning the establishment of the modern standard language. As such, we will study language shift and language change from both a diachronic and synchronic perspective. The standard…
In German cultural and literary history, fairy tales are much more than nice, little stories for children that feature cute, talking animals and princesses who marry princes and live happily ever after; they are important texts about German cultural history and they may even give us a glimpse into…
Independent study and research under the direction of individual faculty members. Repeatable for maximum six hours credit.   
In this course, you can expect to refine your command of spoken and written German, developing a more sophisticated range of vocabulary and expressions. A significant part of class time is spent on developing speaking skills. The course investigates three major areas of German culture and society:…
Germany has a long tradition in magic and the occult sciences, whether through its practitioners or its representation in literature. Some of the more well-known historical figures of German-speaking origin who were involved in one way or another in the occult sciences or occult societies include…
This course familiarizes students with major developments in German-speaking theater. We will read several of the most enduring and well-loved plays in the German language, with special attention to their dramatic aspects as well as the specific cultural and historical contexts in which they were…
An in-depth study of major texts from the German cultural and literary traditions, going from the Enlightenment to twentieth-century critical appraisals of that very same Enlightenment tradition. Authors considered include Kant, Mendelssohn, Goethe, Hoffmann, Rilke, Kafka, Kracauer, Simmel, Brecht…
This course focuses on literary and cinematic representations of the Holocaust from postwar to contemporary Germany. The course aims to broaden students’ knowledge of the Holocaust and intends to provide them with a more profound understanding of the complex moral, historical, and aesthetic issues…
Review of grammar, idioms, and vocabulary; practice in translating moderately difficult technical and non-technical German texts into correct English. Does not apply to the major or minor in German or language certificates. Satisfies language requirement for graduate students.
At the center of this course are the two main courtly epics from the classical period of medieval German literature, Wolfram von Eschenbach’s P arzival , an influential version of the Holy Grail legend, and Gottfried von Straßburg’s Tristan und Isolde , one of the iconic stories of forbidden love (…
GRMN 4510 is a special topics course that offers a unique look at German culture and language. The course changes from year to year. The course will not be offered for Spring 2023, but you can see what a class is like in the course description below.  In the beginning, there is always the blank…
This course explores the literature of the Wilhelmine Empire (1871-1918), with a focus on realistic fiction offering a window onto the lived experience of Germans from different social classes in a rapidly modernizing Germany. Most of the stories concern young people in romantic relationships, around…
This discussion-based course emphasizes active participation in classroom discussion of current events topics and related activities. The expectation is that students enrolled in this course are interested in and aware of current events and that they will inform themselves about current events –…
This course revolves around three major areas of investigation pertaining to German culture and society: 1) Does freedom of choice really exist? Based on the movie Das Leben der Anderen we will discuss how personal relationships are influenced and possibly determined by societal and political…
Representative narrative texts from the classical period of Middle High German literature (c. 1150-1250). Focus on Arthurian romance as both the paradigmatic genre of medieval aristocratic self-representation and the prototype of the modern European novel.
At the center of this course are the two main courtly epics from the classical period of medieval German literature, Wolfram von Eschenbach’s P arzival , an influential version of the Holy Grail legend, and Gottfried von Straßburg’s Tristan und Isolde , one of the iconic stories of forbidden love (…
This course provides a comparative overview of the structural features of the Old Germanic Languages, including: Gothic, Old Norse, Old Saxon, Old English, Old High German, Old Low Franconian, and Old Frisian. The focus will be on both the linguistic differences resultant from language change; and…
This course provides a comparative overview of the structural features of the Old Germanic Languages, including: Gothic, Old Norse, Old Saxon, Old English, Old High German, Old Low Franconian, and Old Frisian. The focus will be on both the linguistic differences resultant from language change; and…
Significant works, authors, movements, genres, or topics in 18th-century literature and culture examined within their specific historical context.
Interpretation and analysis of works from the late 18th through early 19th centuries considered in their social, cultural, and historical contexts. Studies of individual authors, specific genres, significant topics, or literary constellations.
Identification and examination of the salient structural similarities and differences between German and English.
Significant works, authors, movements, genres, or topics in 19th-century literature and culture examined within their specific historical contexts.
What cultural, social, and political conditions gave rise to the fin-de-siecle spirit in the 19th and 20th centuries? Placing the phenomenon in a comparative context, this seminar explores the period's vibrant literature, its arts (Jugendstil), and the rise of crucial intellectual movements (…
Linguistic and sociolinguistic structure of modern German with relevant linguistic terminology. Emphasis on phonology, morphology, and syntax. Taught in English.
Broad overview of the development of Gothic horror literature in Germany from the 18th to the 20th century in its historical and cultural contexts. Study of 18th- and early 19th-century aesthetic theory, which inspired German authors of horror literature. 
Significant works, authors, topics, genres, or movements in 20th- and 21st-century literature examined within their specific historical contexts.
Study of the origins of modern standard German from the Indo-European parent language through proto-Germanic, Old and Middle High German, and the early modern period.
Methods for teaching foreign language and development of language skills in German. For teaching assistants in German and graduate students in German and Language Education. Taught in English.
Professional development in language pedagogy with a focus on enhancing teaching through technology. Assessment of how technologies can enrich student learning and be effectively integrated into syllabi and curricula.
Individual study, reading, or project under the direction of a project director.
History of German cinema; investigation of particular directors, periods, and styles; relationship between German and other national cinemas. The course includes a required weekly film screening.
Morphology, phonology, and history of the Gothic language based on extant texts. Emphasis on the development of earlier stages of the language and on its later language forms. Taught in English.
Phonology and grammar of the language, with extensive readings in the prose, epic and lyric poetry of the Middle High German era.
Intensive investigation of a subject or topic in German linguistics. Taught in English.
Intensive investigation of synchronic and diachronic variation in German. Taught in English.
Intensive investigation of a particular genre, theme, topic, or author.
Intensive investigation of a particular theme or topic.

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