First-Year Courses in German (Division 379)
This page was created at 7:57 AM on Wed, Oct 4, 2000.
Open courses in German
Wolverine Access Subject listing for GERMAN
Take me to the Fall Term '00 Time Schedule for German.
To see what first-year courses have been added or changed in German this week go to What's New This Week.
German 101. Elementary Course.
Prerequisites & Distribution: All students with prior coursework in German must take the placement test. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in German 100 or 103. (4). (LR).
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hmr/101/Kursseite.html
German 101 is an introductory course for students who have not previously studied German. Few things are more fun and exciting than learning a new language for the first time, and we hope students will approach the course in this spirit. The course focuses systematically on the development of all four basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), and aims to do this by taking advantage of the cognitive advantages adult language learners have over children. This means focusing on material that will engage learners' interest, creativity, and sense of humor, as well as on the development of effective language learning strategies.
The course will include in particular a series of videotaped lectures by distinguished University of Michigan German studies faculty on culture, history, economics, philosophy, music, linguistics, and literature, televised over UMTV, which will give students a taste of how they can eventually take advantage of the wide range of language opportunities at the University of Michigan, such as the specialty 232 courses (see below) and the subsequent sequences of courses in areas of study ranging from Business and Science, to Literature and Philosophy.
By the end of the term, students will have a firm foundation in some of the fundamental elements of German grammar and will be able to understand and respond appropriately to a variety of texts and basic conversational situations.
German 101. Elementary Course.
Section 007 Music Students Only.
Instructor(s): Daniel Richards
Prerequisites & Distribution: All students with prior coursework in German must take the placement test. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in German 100 or 103. (4). (LR).
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hmr/101/Kursseite.html
This section is intended specifically for Music students and is open to others only by permission of the instructor. It will follow the same basic syllabus and philosophy described above for the "regular" 101 sections, but we will use every opportunity to set the course in a musical context and take advantage of students' musical abilities.
German 103. Review of Elementary German.
Prerequisites & Distribution: Assignment by placement test or permission of department. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in German 100, 101, or 102. (4). (LR).
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hmr/103/Kursseite.html
German 103 provides a review of the fundamental components of the German language for students who have had prior German language instruction before entering the University of Michigan. The course focuses systematically on all four basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), and aims to take advantage of the cognitive advantages adult language learners have over children. This means focusing on material that will engage learners' interest, creativity, and sense of humor, as well as on the development of effective language learning strategies.
The course will include in particular a series of videotaped lectures by distinguished University of Michigan German studies faculty on culture, history, economics, philosophy, music, linguistics and literature, televised over UMTV, which will give students a taste of how they can eventually take advantage of the wide range of language opportunities at the University of Michigan, such as the specialty 232 courses (see above) and the subsequent sequences of courses in areas of study ranging from Business and Science to Literature and Philosophy. By the end of the term, students will have been exposed to all the essentials of German grammar, which will then be reviewed and extended in the third and fourth terms. Students will be able to cope with a variety of conversational situations and written texts. In particular, they will have the necessary "survival skills" for a visit to a German-speaking country, as well as a foundation for doing intellectual work in German.
German 171/Hist. 171. Coming to Terms with Germany.
German Literature and Culture in English
Section 001 Germany and Europe in the 1990s.
Prerequisites & Distribution: (4). (HU).
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This course will look at the problems and politics of contemporary Germany through the prism of history. By looking at previous political regimes which governed Germany just in the 20th century absolute monarchy, unstable liberal democracy, totalitarian fascism, stable liberal democracy, bureaucratic communism the course will shed light on the vicissitudes of the "German Question" and its importance for European politics as a whole.
German 180. First Year Seminar.
German Literature and Culture in English
Section 001 The German Language and Culture in the United States.
Prerequisites & Distribution: Only first-year students, including those with sophomore standing, may pre-register for First-Year Seminars. All others need permission of instructor. Taught in English. No knowledge of German is required.(3). (HU).
First-Year Seminar,
Credits: (3).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~rqueen/TEACHING/180
Between 1700 and 1950 over 7 million German-speaking immigrants came to the
United States. What happened to their culture and language once they got
here? In this seminar, we will explore the experience of German immigrants
to the United States, looking especially at the social, political, and
historical processes that affected the maintenance and loss of the German
language and German culture in the United States. The seminar will include
fieldtrips to towns such as Frankenmuth, MI. The course will be based
primarily on discussion and brief lectures. Students will produce regular
short written assignments and two 6 page essays. No knowledge of German
is required.
German 180. First Year Seminar.
German Literature and Culture in English
Section 002 Literature and Culture of War in Germany.
Prerequisites & Distribution: Only first-year students, including those with sophomore standing, may pre-register for First-Year Seminars. All others need permission of instructor. Taught in English. No knowledge of German is required.(3). (HU).
First-Year Seminar,
Credits: (3).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This is a seminar that studies the literature and cultural representations of war from a country that has experienced and forced others to experience war in a way perhaps more massive than any other. Drawing upon poetry, drama, prose fiction, journalism, and philosophy, but also painting, film, and architecture, we shall examine the different ways war is represented the different values and hopes and fears that are attached to it from the Thirty Years War in the 17th century to the aftermath of World War Two and the Holocaust. Students will participate regularly through discussion and class presentations, and there will also be several written assignments.
German 205. Conversation Practice.
Prerequisites & Distribution: German 102 or 103. Students previously enrolled in a 300- or 400-level German conversation course may not register for German 205 or 206. (1). (Excl). Offered mandatory credit/no credit. May not be included in a concentration plan or minor in German.
Credits: (1).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
The objective of this course is to overcome the silence which you may experience when attempting to articulate everyday needs in German. In this course, you will hone your German conversation skills by learning basic idiomatic expressions and by building a fundamental vocabulary. In-class and out-of-class exercises will place you inside a bank where you may open an account or order checks (without financial allowances); you will find victuals on the food market or an apartment on the housing market; you will learn both to describe physical discomfort and to get your hair trimmed without physical discomfort.
In addition, newspaper or magazine articles along with films and music segments may illustrate the German cultural landscape at large. Active class participation, occasional vocabulary quizzes, and short oral presentations establish the course requirements.
German 231. Second-Year Course.
Prerequisites & Distribution: German 102 or 103, or the equivalent (placement test). No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in German 230 or 221. (4). (LR).
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~hmr/231/Kursseite.html
In this course, grammar and vocabulary from the first year will be reviewed and extended. Greater emphasis will be placed on reading German texts and talking and writing about them in German. Reading texts include both short literary works and non-fictional texts from a variety of fields ranging from history to science and the arts.
By the end of the course, students will be able to read and write about short texts from periodicals and textbooks, and classic texts by Nietzsche and others, independently, so that they will be able to pursue their own specific interests in German 232 and beyond. Course requirements include daily homework assignments (reading, writing, learning vocabulary, etc.) regular attendance, video assignments, tests, and quizzes.
Instead of a final examination, students will work in groups to produce short videos, which will be screened on the last day of classes. By the end of the course, students should be quite familiar with all the basics of German grammar, and be able to survive and converse fairly comfortably in a German-speaking country. In particular, they should be ready to embark on an introduction to the study in German of an academic discipline of their choice in one of the specialty 232 courses.
German 232. Second-Year Course.
Prerequisites & Distribution: German 221 or 231 or the equivalent (placement test). No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in German 230. (4). (LR). All sections of German 232 address special topics, <i>e.g.,</i> music, philosophy, science, current political issues, <i>etc.</i>
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
In this course, students complete the four-term introductory language sequence by selecting one of several "special topics" courses intended as an introduction to the study of an academic discipline, such as Music, Philosophy, History, or Science, in German. Students should emerge from the course prepared and motivated to do work (or read for pleasure) in German in this field throughout their academic career and beyond. Students are strongly encouraged to arrange their schedules so they can enroll in the section whose topic interests them the most, in order to get the maximum benefit from this course.
Interest in the course content is the most effective motivation for language study, and students can emerge from 232 with the genuine pride in what they are able to do with their German. More generally, by the end of the course, students will be ready to pursue an internship or study abroad in Germany, and are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the assistance offered by the German department and by the Office of
International Programs in this regard.
The special topics and course requirements for this term's sections are given below.
German 232. Second-Year Course.
Section 003 Mathematical and Scientific German.
Prerequisites & Distribution: German 221 or 231 or the equivalent (placement test). No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in German 230. (4). (LR). All sections of German 232 address special topics, <i>e.g.,</i> music, philosophy, science, current political issues, <i>etc.</i>
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This course serves as an introduction to the tools that are vital for pursuing further science-based work in German practical or academic. Recently, one of the reasons why students have taken this course has been to prepare themselves for summer internships available with German companies or for study abroad in technical and scientific fields.
In addition to reading various scientific articles, we will go on excursions to the Hands on Museum, and the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, students will have the opportunity to present some fun experiments in groups; there will be an elementary math lesson (or more if the class is interested) as well as presentations by other guest speakers, etc.
In addition, we will pause along the way to consider the nature of science and the cultural values that can underlie it, as well as the ethical implications that a rapidly increasing amount of technology and knowledge has on our society today. The necessary vocabulary and grammar will be provided along the way. No background in math or science is assumed. Grades will be based on participation, homework, quizzes, presentations/projects, and exams.
By the end of the course, students will be ready to pursue an internship
or study abroad in Germany, and are strongly encouraged to take advantage
of the assistance offered by the German department and by the Office of
International Programs in this regard.
German 232. Second-Year Course.
Section 004 Mathematical and Scientific German.
Instructor(s): Eric Klingerman
Prerequisites & Distribution: German 221 or 231 or the equivalent (placement test). No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in German 230. (4). (LR). All sections of German 232 address special topics, <i>e.g.,</i> music, philosophy, science, current political issues, <i>etc.</i>
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This course serves as an introduction to the tools that are vital for pursuing further science-based work in German practical or academic. Recently, one of the reasons why students have taken this course has been to prepare themselves for summer internships available with German companies or for study abroad in technical and scientific fields.
In addition to reading various scientific articles, we will go on excursions to the Hands on Museum, and the Exhibit Museum of Natural History, students will have the opportunity to present some fun experiments in groups; there will be an elementary math lesson (or more if the class is interested) as well as presentations by other guest speakers, etc.
In addition, we will pause along the way to consider the nature of science and the cultural values that can underlie it, as well as the ethical implications that a rapidly increasing amount of technology and knowledge has on our society today. The necessary vocabulary and grammar will be provided along the way. No background in math or science is assumed. Grades will be based on participation, homework, quizzes, presentations/projects, and exams.
By the end of the course, students will be ready to pursue an internship
or study abroad in Germany, and are strongly encouraged to take advantage
of the assistance offered by the German department and by the Office of
International Programs in this regard.
German 232. Second-Year Course.
Section 005 Resistance in Nazi Germany.
Prerequisites & Distribution: German 221 or 231 or the equivalent (placement test). No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in German 230. (4). (LR). All sections of German 232 address special topics, <i>e.g.,</i> music, philosophy, science, current political issues, <i>etc.</i>
Credits: (4).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
Germany during the Third Reich was by far not the monolithic society which Nazi ideologues had envisioned. Despite an ever-tightening grip on the population opposition to the regime took on many forms, from civil disobedience to violent opposition. Moreover, such resistance originated from different backgrounds, political as well as religious. In this section we will explore the historical situation by analyzing first hand documents and by studying modern textbook narratives. A film portrait of "The White Rose," a students' resistance group, will serve as an introduction to the constraints of everyday life in a dictatorship. By investigating historical moments of resistance and opposition we will also become familiar with history as an academic discipline, its terminology, its sources, its writing, its methods.
German 325. Intermediate German.
Section 001 Murder, Ethics and the Law
Prerequisites & Distribution: German 232. (3). (Excl). May be elected for a total of six credits. May be elected more than once in the same academic term.
Credits: (3).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
What should we do with murderers? Kill them? Imprison them for life? Is
murder acceptable under certain circumstances? Is capital punishment
murder? What is the relationship between "duty" and murder? These and
similar questions will be pursued in this course on ethical and moral
issues and their relationship to the law. We will deal with ethics and
questions of personal responsibility under dictatorship (we will read
excerpts from the Eichmann and the Nürnberg trials, that deal with the
crimes committed under the Nazi Regime, as well as the trials of Honnecker
and Krenz, the disposed leaders of the former GDR). We will study in
depth Fritz Lang´s classic film M and read Friedrich Dürrenmatt's play Der
Richter und sein Henker (The Judge and his executioner).
German 325. Intermediate German.
Section 004 The Bauhaus and Its Public.
Prerequisites & Distribution: German 232. (3). (Excl). May be elected for a total of six credits. May be elected more than once in the same academic term.
Credits: (3).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This course examines the often vexed relationship between the Bauhaus and
its respective publics in Weimar, Dessau and Berlin, as well as the
broader German public outside of its various host cities. Using as our
textbooks, the series of Bauhausbuecher published between 1925 and
1931 which were understood to serve as a form of public outreach as much
as a pedagogical program we will also consider other dimensions of the
relationship between the Bauahus and the public: from performances and
festivals in Weimar and Dessau to the experimental Haus am Horn in
Weimar and the Toerten-Settlement in a working-class suburb of Dessau.
We
will give particular attention to the changing pedagogical and
sociopolitical objectives of the school, and to its relationship with the
German Communist Party and the National Socialist government that would
close the school and drive most of its masters and students out of
Germany. Readings by Walter Gropius, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Laszls
Moholy-Nagy, Kasimir Malevich, Theo van Doesburg, Piet Mondrian, others.
All readings in German; discussions in German and English.
German 350. Business German.
Section 001.
Instructor(s): Janet Van Valkenburg (jvv@umich.edu)
Prerequisites & Distribution: German 232. (3). (Excl).
Credits: (3).
Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.
This course introduces students to the language of business German and gives them insight into Germanys place in the global economy. While covering topics which are necessary and appropriate for students planning a career in international business, the course also teaches and practices the skills essential to function proficiently and appropriately in the world of German business. After an introduction to the geography and economics of the 16 German states, students concentrate on such areas of interest as: company structure and practices; finance and banking; industry; communication and transportation; ecology; and Germany in the European and global business worlds. Emphasis is placed on cultural aspects of Business German. Students are encouraged to understand and function appropriately within the framework and culture of the German business world.
This page was created at 7:57 AM on Wed, Oct 4, 2000.
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