German 101 is an introductory course for students who have not previously studied German. The course focuses systematically on the development of all four basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), while emphasizing content and meaning at all levels and in all spheres of the language acquisition process. The unique combination of a weekly group lecture and individual hourly recitation sections is intended to ensure that the course work corresponds to the cognitive and intellectual level of adult language learners.
The weekly lecture period is devoted to chapter quizzes and presentation of basic points of grammar, as well as linguistic and analytic strategies. Students learn not only the German language itself, but also about language and the language learning process more generally. During the weeks in which there are no chapter quizzes, a portion of the lecture period included presentations on culture, history, economics, philosophy, music, and literature. Thus, students are presented with the immediate intellectual applications of their foreign language study and are prepared to take advantage of the developing language opportunities at U of M, such as the specialty 232 courses, LAC courses, and the expanding German Studies program. In the recitation sessions (meeting on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays) students practice conversational skills, drill grammar, discuss reading selections in German, and participate in a variety of activities that stretch linguistic ability, as well as intellectual curiosity. By the end of the term students have a firm foundation in some of the fundamental elements of German grammar and are able to understand and respond appropriately to a variety of texts and basic conversational situations. Students develop analytic skills and strategies crucial to language learning and success in other academic fields. Cost:2 WL:1
The night section (M Th 7-9) will be coordinated with, but taught separately from the day sections, which will allow non-traditional night students to be able to attend both evening lecture and recitation sections.
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103. Review of Elementary German. Assignment by placement test or permission of department. No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 100 or 102. (4). (LR).
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. Although this class focuses intensively on grammar review and vocabulary development, course work systematically addresses all four basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) so that students are sufficiently prepared for more advanced university courses both within and outside of the German department. By the end of the term, students will have a firm foundation in the fundamental elements of German grammar and will be able to understand and respond appropriately to a variety of German texts and conversational situations. Students will also develop analytic skills and strategies crucial to language learning and success in other academic fields. Most importantly students will find that studying German in a university setting will not only be intellectually stimulating and fun, but will become useful in a number of ways throughout their academic careers. Cost:2 WL:1
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205. Conversation Practice. German 102 or 103. (1). (Excl). Offered mandatory credit/no credit.
In this course, you will practice situations in which you need to ask for information, express opinions, summarize important details, and formulate arguments. The topics cover: current events, everyday situations, German etiquette, and important cultural information. The materials for the class will come from German websites as well as various materials from the instructor. His class is open to students who are at a German 221, 231, or 232 level and those who intend to participate in the junior-year abroad program. Student previously enrolled in a 300 or 400 level conversation course may not register for 205 or 206. Course requirements are: active class participation, thorough preparation, and oral presentations.
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221. Accelerated Third Semester German. Placement test. No credit granted to those who have completed 230 or 231. 4 credits granted to those who have completed German 102 or 103. (5). (Excl).
This course combines an intensive review of basic grammar with more advanced practice in the four basic language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). Substantial emphasis will be placed on providing a firm grammatical base, and on reading, discussing, and writing about authentic German texts from a variety of fields ranging from natural and social science to history, literature, 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 from classic texts by Nietzsche, Kafka, etc., independently, so that they will be able to pursue their own specific interests in German 232 and beyond. Requirements include daily homework assignments (reading, writing, learning vocabulary, etc.), regular attendance, video assignments, three in-class tests, and a final examination. Cost:2 WL:1
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Section 004 - Second Semester German for Music Students. This course combines a completion of the grammatical overview begun in German 101 with practice in the four basic language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking/singing). Topics include music and musicology, including music theory, reading, enunciating, discussing and writing about German opera libretti and song texts, reading and discussion of German music historical texts and correspondence of and anecdotes concerning noted German musicians. Requirements include daily homework assignments (reading, writing, vocabulary, etc.), regular attendance, video assignments, several quizzes, two oral presentations, and a final exam. Music students only or permission of instructor. Cost:2 WL:1 (Bailey)
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231. Second-Year Course. German 102 or 103, or the equivalent (placement test). No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 230 or 221. (4). (LR).
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. Course requirements include daily homework assignments (reading, writing, learning vocabulary, etc.) regular attendance, video assignments, three in-class tests, and a final examination. Instruction is in German and English. Cost:2 WL:1
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232. Second-Year Course. German 221 or 231 or the equivalent (placement test). No credit granted to those who have completed or are enrolled in 230 or 236. (4). (LR). Some sections of German 232 address special topics, e.g., music, philosophy, science, current political issues, etc.
Second course of a two-term sequence in intermediate German. The second-year program is designed to increase students' proficiency in understanding, speaking, writing, and reading German. Students are expected to increase the level of accuracy at which they can understand German texts and express themselves in their area of interest. The language of instruction is German. Please note that each section of this course addresses a special topic. See individual descriptions of the sections for topics and course requirements.
Section 001 - The German Conception of History. This 232 section focuses on the German discourse of History. Our goals in this class will include: to maintain and improve your German language skills, to provide access to the basic concepts of history in the German language, and indeed to cover significant ground in German historical thought from the dawn of the modern era to the present. The section will be enhanced by an experimental computer application which contains all of the texts we will be reading along with several others. The texts are situated in a network or "web" which allows readers to move freely among reading assignments, glossaries, biographical and bibliographical material, timelines, illustrations, and other explanatory materials. The web also provides linkages between reading assignments, so that a specific historical concept, such as "Nation," can be traced through texts from the Enlightenment to Post-Wall Germany. The computer module is user-friendly and you will have guidance throughout the course in using it to its full potential. Grades will be determined according to class attendance and participation (one-third), bi-weekly quiz scores (one-third), and written assignments (one-third). (Achilles)
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Section 002 - Contemporary German Society. This section will explore contemporary geographic, economic, social, political, and cultural aspects of Germany. After a very brief look at significant points leading up to the second World War, we will concentrate on the situation since the end of World War II with the two German states, putting special emphasis on the period since the Reunification of 1990. These aspects of Germany will be highlighted by special consideration of the situation of the foreigners who have come to Germany since shortly after the end of World War II, first as guest workers (Gastarbeiter) and later as refugees and asylum seekers (Flüchtlinge und Asylanten). We will examine various genres and media presentations such as prose, film, poetry, newspaper, and magazine articles, radio plays, and television. Students will also write a number of essays and three exams. Grammar will be reviewed according to the needs of the class. The language of instruction is German. Cost:1 WL:1 (VanValkenburg)
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Section 003 - Mathematical and Scientific German. In this course we will spend several weeks each reading, discussing, and actually doing some basic Math, Computer, Physics, Astronomy, and Biology work in German (just as Einstein learned to do these things in English...). The necessary vocabulary and grammar will be provided along the way. This should be easier than it perhaps sounds, because the technical terms are usually very similar in German and English, and there is a clear context for guessing the meaning of unknown words. No background in math or science is assumed. Grades will be based on participation, homework, quizzes, and exams. Cost:1 WL:1 (Anderson)
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Section 004. See Section 003. (Rastalsky)
Section 005 - Classics of German Literature. This section will focus on a number of works by important authors from the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth century. We will read and discuss examples of several genres: a drama, several stories, and poems. Students will be responsible only for understanding the texts; additional information on the background of the works will be furnished by the instructor, who will depend on the participants to ask questions. Naturally, the primary thrust of the course will be to provide the students with works that are interesting enough to stimulate them to improve their German speaking and writing skills by discussing the readings. There will be no surprise quizzes. Instead, there will be a schedule of short papers, a midterm, and final. (Cowen)
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Section 006 - German Crime Stories: Literature and Popular Culture. In this class, we will examine the representation of crime in various texts and genres, with a view to establish some characteristic features of these genres. In particular, we will try to establish what sets "serious" crime "literature" apart from "popular" crime fiction and crime journalism, so that this course will constitute a serious and entertaining introduction to the question "What is literature?" Friedrich Dürrenmatt's novel Der Richter und sein Henker will constitute the main part of this course. We will read stories by other "serious" writers (Max von der Gruen, Guenter Kunert, Wolfdietrich Schnurre) and by "popular" writers from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. We will read newspaper articles and compare their approaches to crimes that caught people's attention. Towards the end, we will discuss Doris Doerrie's movie "Happy Birthday, Tuerkel!!" Be prepared to read, write, and talk a lot. One brief presentation, three short essays, one midterm, one final, some grammar, some fun. Cost:1 WL:1
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Section 007 - German Music Texts: Third Semester for Music Students. This course is designed to increase students' proficiency in understanding, enunciating, singing, and speaking and writing about German texts set to music (opera libretti and song texts). The Fall 1997 course will place special emphasis on texts of Schubert songs. The language of instruction is German. Requirements include daily homework assignments (grammar as needed, reading, writing, articulation exercise, vocabulary, etc.), regular attendance, several quizzes, two oral presentations, and a final examination. For music students only or permission of instructor. Cost:2 WL:1 (Bailey)
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305. Conversation Practice. German 232. (1). (Excl). Offered mandatory credit/no credit. This course does not satisfy the language requirement. May be elected for credit twice.
The goal of this course is to increase students' confidence in speaking on any topic and, therefore, the course will focus on a variety of topics ranging from practical language situations to current cultural events to areas of students' academic interests. Students will work on expanding vocabulary, finding synonyms and understanding/using varying spoken styles, which are necessary to appreciate life in German-speaking communities. The materials for the class will come from German websites as well as various materials from the instructor. This class is open to students who have completed and passed 232; concurrent enrollment in a 300-level course is encouraged but not necessary. Students who have previously participated in a 400-level conversation course may not register for 305 or 306. Course requirements are: energetic class participation, thorough preparation, e-mail in German with the instructor and fellow students, and oral presentations.
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325. Intermediate German. German 232. (3). (Excl).
German 325 or 326 is required for concentration in German. The course is primarily intended to improve fluency and accuracy in written and spoken German. A portion of each week is devoted to a systematic grammar review. The remaining class time is devoted to German conversation based on readings and topics chosen at the discretion of the individual instructor. A German essay of one or two pages is assigned approximately every week. One or more five-minute oral presentations may be required. See individual descriptions of the sections for topics and course requirements.
Section 001 - Contemporary German News. The goal of this course is to familiarize students with contemporary German politics and economics, and to enable them to read and discuss newspaper articles on these topics on their own. Readings will be taken from German newspapers and magazines, and from German articles on the Internet, supplemented as necessary by excerpts from textbooks on German politics and economics. Strong emphasis will be placed on the development of the vocabulary and grammar required to read such articles. Initially, the instructor will select readings and direct discussion; as the term progresses, students will choose and present some of the readings. Course requirements include regular reading assignments; a journal on these readings; weekly quizzes on vocabulary, grammar, and the content of the previous week's readings; a couple of group presentations; and a final exam. Cost:1 WL:1 (Ritter)
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Section 002. See Section 001. (Rastalsky)
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Section 003 - Verfilmte Literature. This course will be based on 4 or 5 pieces of German literature which have been made into films. After reading the selected literature, we will view the film. Class discussions and written assignments will be based on analysis, comparison and contrast of the written and filmed versions. Grammar and questions of written style will be reviewed according to needs of the class. The language of instruction is German. Cost:1 WL:1 (VanValkenburg)
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Section 004 - The German Language through Space and Time. The goal of this section of German 325 is to acquaint students with the discourse and methods of German dialectology and language history. We shall survey the historical development of German and its dialects from the beginnings to the present day, in the context of changing sociological, political, economic, and cultural environments. As we study the changes in vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar of German, we shall also examine illustrative texts from a variety of genres, translate the older ones into modern German, and compare their features with those of modern German. Then, toward the end of the course, we shall turn our attention to the divisions between East and West, between political Left and Right, between native and immigrant, between generations, and between genders, and how those divisions are reflected in language behavior. Our studies will fall into three areas: (1) readings from the textbook; (2) discussions of the illustrative texts; and (3) discussions of weekly homework problems. There will be weekly quizzes on the previous week's readings, frequent short papers on those readings, frequent oral presentations in class and a final exam. Review of grammar will be conducted as needed. Texts to purchase are Astrid Stedje, Deutsche Sprache gestern und heute, and a course pack consisting of illustrative texts, vocabulary lists, maps, and homework problems. Cost:2 WL:1 (Kyes)
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350. Business German. German 232. (3). (Excl).
This course introduces students to the language of business German and gives them insight into Germany's place in the global economy. The course is organized around major business and economic topics, such as: the geography of business in German; the European Union and Germany's roll therein; trade; traffic and transportation, marketing, industry; money and banking; and ecology. In addition to the basic text, students will read actual business, merchandising and advertising material, newspapers, and magazines. There will also be short videos on business and related topics. There will be three major exams, a number of short reports, papers, and projects and a final exam. The language of instruction in German. Cost:1 WL:4 (VanValkenburg)
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German Literature and Culture in English
Courses in this section do not require knowledge of German.
180. First Year Seminar. (3). (HU).
Section 001 - Dead Bodies And Livery Borders: The Haitian Revolution in Literature, History, and Film. The Haitian revolutions are a perfect example of the processes that take place when "land becomes property; territory is appropriated, frontiers and boundaries are drawn, and the reappropriations are eventually codified by law and then naturalized by repetition." (Deleuze) The analysis of textual operations that enact and illustrate the naturalization of geological into national bodies, the reduction of "human" to gendered, i.e., male bodies and the role (and rule) of the "law" therein will be at the core of this course. We will be reading primary historical texts (the colonial debates in the French National Assembly), historical (Geggus) and quasi-literary (Césaire) accounts of the revolution and of its protagonists (Toussaint l'Ouverture); watch movies such as BURN which not only represent and analyse the historical struggle for liberation (described in highly sexualized metaphors), but also read it as an allegory of the U.S. war against Vietnam; and read literary texts such as Heinrich von Kleist's Betrothal in Santa Domingo in which the supposedly liberatory human rights discourse of the French Revolution is challenged from a gender(ed) perspective. (Rast)