The German Language & Culture Major is aimed at students developing a high level of competence in the German language as well as a critical understanding of a diversity of German-speaking cultures. Students can choose from courses in German language, literature, society and cultural studies, including film, gender, performance and Black German studies. Students are encouraged to study abroad and take advantage of exchange agreements with partner universities in Germany and Austria.
German is the most commonly spoken first language in the European Union. With a rich literary and philosophical heritage, German is a language of culture, science, technology, trade and international relations. This role has increased since Germany's reunification with Germany playing a leading role in European politics. Its capital Berlin boasts a dynamic art scene and has become a centre of global youth culture and the arts.
Learning Outcomes
- express viewpoints and develop arguments confidently in German, incorporating some complex sentence structures. Students can expect to achieve approximately B2 level or higher of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages);
- use the language for academic purposes, e.g. essay writing with referencing, class presentations, and research related to the German language and associated cultures;
- read, understand, and critically analyse German literary texts, films, and a range of print, visual and digital media in the context of German-speaking cultures;
- demonstrate an understanding of the modern history and cultures of the German-speaking countries; and
- demonstrate intercultural awareness.
Relevant Degrees
Requirements
This major requires the completion of 48 units, which must consist of:
A minimum of 12 units from completion of courses from the following list:
GERM3101 German Studies: Intermediate German 1
GERM3106 German Studies: Intermediate German 2
GERM3007 German Studies: Advanced German 1
GERM3008 German Studies: Advanced German 2
A maximum of 36 units from completion of courses from the following list:
GERM1021 German Studies: Introduction to German 1
GERM1022 German Studies: Introduction to German 2
GERM2103 German Studies: Continuing German 1
GERM2104 German Studies: Continuing German 2
GERM2114 German Cultural Studies*
GERM3051 German Literature and Culture*
GERM3114 German Cultural Studies Advanced*
*These upper-level thematic courses may each be taken multiple times, as they are offered with different topics in different semesters, e.g. Performance Studies, Black Germany, Germans and Indigenous Cultures, Gender in German Culture, German Film since the Wall, Berlin Stories, Contemporary German Society.
A maximum of 12 units from completion of courses from the following list, which must be completed in a German topic:
LANG3001 Translation across Languages: the translation of literary texts
LANG3002 Translation across Languages: specialised material
LING2013 Teaching Languages
HIST2226 Nazi Germany
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