Germanic Studies

Admission and Degree Requirements

GER 401. Research in German Studies. 3 or 4 hours.

Capstone course with focus on research in a variety of areas under the umbrella of German Studies. Individual research projects and focused analysis of visual, written and oral texts. Advanced training in German language skills. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours for undergraduates, or 0 hours for graduate students. Majors and minors outside the Department of Germanic Studies may repeat this course to a maximum of 6 hours. Prerequisite(s): GER 211 or GER 212 or the equivalent. Recommended background: Credit or concurrent registration in GER 310.

GER 404. Yiddish for Reading Knowledge. 3 or 4 hours.

Preparation for the Graduate Proficiency Exam. Basic components of Yiddish grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary. Selected texts in the original language will be studied. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Does not satisfy the graduation requirement in foreign languages. Prerequisite(s): GER 211; or consent of the instructor or graduate standing.

GER 408. Introduction to Translation Theory. 3 or 4 hours.

The study of translation theory and its application to translating German texts of various types into English. Appropriate for students who want to become translators. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Area: language. Prerequisite(s): GER 212 or the equivalent, or graduate standing.

GER 411. The City as Cultural Focus. 3 or 4 hours.

Interdisciplinary study of urban culture with focus on German-speaking countries. Course Information: Same as CEES 411. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated up to 1 time(s). Taught in English. No knowledge of German required. Students who intend to use GER 411 toward a degree offered by the Department of Germanic Studies will do assignments in German. Area: literature/culture. Prerequisite(s): For majors and minors in the Department of Germanic Studies only: GER 212 or the equivalent or consent of the instructor.

GER 415. Business Practices in German-Speaking Countries. 3 or 4 hours.

Extensive practice in the writing of business correspondence and formal presentations. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): GER 215; or consent of the instructor.

GER 437. Contemporary Germanic Literature. 3 or 4 hours.

Literature of the German-speaking world since World War II, with emphasis on current issues and recent critical approaches to literature. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated up to 1 time(s) if topics vary. Area: literature/culture. Prerequisite(s): GER 211 or the equivalent, or graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

GER 438. The Faust Legend. 3 or 4 hours.

Discusses Goethe's Faust within the context of European and non-European literatures. Traces the origins, significance, and interpretation of the Faust figure. Course Information: Same as CEES 438. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Taught in English. Area: literature/culture.

GER 439. Gender and Cultural Production. 3 or 4 hours.

Issues of gender representation and gender politics examined through the use of theoretical texts or through the study of women authors. Course Information: Same as CEES 439 and GWS 439. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated up to 1 time(s) if topics vary. Taught in English. Students who intend to use GER 439 toward a degree offered by the Department of Germanic Studies will do assignments in German. Area: literature/culture. Prerequisite(s): GER 212 or consent of the instructor.

GER 448. Foundations of Second Language Teaching. 3 or 4 hours.

Provides an introduction to second language acquisition research and its implications for communicative language teaching. Emphasis is on creating activities to develop high school students' communicative abilities in speaking and listening. Course Information: Same as FR 448 and SPAN 448. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above; and consent of the instructor and three courses at the 200 and 300 levels.

GER 449. Teaching Second Language Literacy and Cultural Awareness. 3 or 4 hours.

Examines the nature of literacy as a reciprocal relationship between readers, writers, texts and culture. Students learn the practical and theoretical foundations of classroom teaching of second language reading and writing skills. Course Information: Same as FR 449, and SPAN 449. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Taught in English. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing or above; and consent of the instructor and three courses at the 200 and 300 levels.

GER 461. German Abroad. 0-17 hours.

Taken in a German-speaking country. Lectures, seminars, and practical work in German language, literature, and civilization. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 34 hours. Prerequisite(s): GER 104 or the equivalent, a 2.75 overall grade point average, a 3.00 grade point average in Germanic Studies, and approval of the department.

GER 487. Computer Assisted Language Learning. 3 or 4 hours.

An introduction to computer assisted language learning (CALL): the use of computer technology in second language reading and research. The effectiveness of CALL technology is assessed based on SLA theory and research studies. Course Information: Same as LING 487 and SPAN 487. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Taught in English. Extensive computer use required. Prerequisite(s): LING 483 or CIE 483 or GER 448 or FR 448 or SPAN 448 or GER 449 or FR 449 or SPAN 449; or SPAN 502 or FR 502 or the equivalent; and senior standing or above.

GER 492. Internship in International Business. 0-12 hours.

Student placement in an international organization or firm in a German-speaking country or its U.S. subsidiary or division. Course Information: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated with approval. Approval to repeat course granted by the department. Prerequisite(s): GER 211; and consent of the instructor and a GPA of 2.00. Recommended background: Concurrent registration in GER 493 or registration in GER 493 in the semester immediately following.

GER 493. Internship Seminar: Business. 1-4 hours.

Academic component of the internship experience. Studies in the field of the internship and further investigation of related topics. Course Information: May be repeated with approval. Approval to repeat course granted by the department. A maximum of 3 hours of credit may be applied toward an undergraduate degree offered by the Department of Germanic Studies, and a maximum of 4 hours of credit may be applied toward a graduate degree offered by the Department of Germanic Studies. Prerequisite(s): GER 211 and credit or concurrent registration in GER 492 and consent of the instructor and a grade point average of 2.00.

GER 494. Educational Practice with Seminar I. 6 hours.

The first half of a two-segment sequence of practice teaching, including seminar, to meet certification requirements for teaching in grades six through twelve. Course Information: Graduate credit only with approval of the department. Prerequisite(s): Good academic standing in a teacher education program, completion of 100 clock hours of pre-student-teaching field experiences, and approval of the department. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Lecture-Discussion and one Practice.

GER 495. Educational Practice with Seminar II. 6 hours.

The second half of a two-segment sequence of practice teaching, including seminar, to meet certification requirements for teaching in grades six through twelve. Course Information: Graduate credit only with approval of the department. Prerequisite(s): Good academic standing in a teacher education program, completion of 100 clock hours of pre-student-teaching field experiences, credit or concurrent registration in GER 494, and approval of the department. Class Schedule Information: To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Conference and one Practice.

GER 500. German for Reading Knowledge. 4 hours.

Preparation for the Graduate Proficiency Exam. Basic components of German grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary. Selected texts in humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Course Information: Previously listed as GER 400.

GER 513. Germanic Culture from the Enlightenment to the 1848 Revolution. 4 hours.

Representative works and authors studied in a cultural context. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary.

GER 514. Germanic Culture from the Industrial Revolution to the Present. 4 hours.

Representative works and authors are studied in a cultural context. Course Information: May be repeated if topics vary.

GER 515. Film and Media Culture. 4 hours.

Explores the theory and history of film and other visual media. Emphasis will be given to the status of media texts in their cultural contexts, as well as to their function as components of modern social institutions. Course Information: Same as CEES 515. May be repeated. Taught in English. Students will be asked to watch films outside of class.

GER 531. Seminar in Special Topics. 4 hours.

In-depth study of a theme, genre or other element in Germanic literature and culture not confined to a single historical period. Topics vary. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 16 hours if topics vary.

GER 540. Topics in Contemporary Germanic Literature and Film. 4 hours.

Representations of German culture and society in contemporary literature and/or works of visual culture, studied in the context of major scholarly and public discussions. Course Information: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 hours of credit if topics vary. Taught in German.

GER 550. German Literary Studies: Texts, Contexts, Theories. 4 hours.

Theory and practice of the analysis of different genres of literary texts, different theoretical approaches to literature and discussion of literature in the context of literary historical and aesthetic perspectives. Course Information: May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Advanced German language proficiency.

GER 593. Internship Seminar: Academic Training. 4 hours.

Training in instruction of literature and culture courses at the college level. Students will be involved in a faculty-taught culture/literature course. Course Information: Restricted to graduate students in Germanic studies. Class Schedule Information: Students will attend the faculty-taught culture/literature class. To be properly registered, students must enroll in one Conference and one Discussion/Recitation.

GER 596. Independent Study for Graduate Students. 1-4 hours.

Independent study in the field of germanic studies. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

GER 598. Master's Thesis Research. 0-16 hours.

Independent research under faculty supervision on a topic approved by the Graduate Program Committee. Course Information: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Consent of supervising faculty member and committee approval.

GER 599. Ph.D. Thesis Research. 0-16 hours.

Independent research for the Ph.D. Course Information: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the department and consent of the instructor.

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