The Advanced German Studies Minor is aimed at students who already have an advanced language competence. The objective is that students develop a nuanced understanding of the German-speaking cultures. Students can choose from courses in German linguistics, literature, society and film.
German is the most commonly spoken first language in the European Union, being spoken by about 100 million people in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 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 which is reflected in Berlin having become a centre of global youth culture (“Berlin ist cool!”).
Learning Outcomes
- Students will have an understanding of modern history of the German-speaking countries and will be able to relate this knowledge to their own cultural background.
- Students will be able to read literary texts and understand German films in the context of German-speaking cultures and will be able to analyse and critique them.
- Students will be able to view German from a theoretical perspective and be able to identify underlying principles, such as form-meaning relationships and language structure, as these pertain to communicative effectiveness in spoken and written German.
- Students will be able to use the language for academic purposes, e.g. essay writing with referencing and class presentations.
- Students will be able to conduct a small research project on a topic related to the German language and associated cultures and to write a report on their project.
- Through language, students will be able to demonstrate intercultural awareness and communicative ability.
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Requirements
This minor requires the completion of 24 units, which must include:
A minimum of 12 units from completion of courses from the following list:
GERM2020 Postwar German Society
GERM2046 German Cinema
GERM2048 Spoken Interaction in German: Theory and Practice
GERM2110 Structure of German
GERM2112 Selected Topics in German Studies
GERM3020 Contemporary German Society
GERM3041 German Prose of the 20th Century
GERM3046 German Cinema
GERM3047 Images of 20th Century German Culture
GERM3048 Spoken Interaction in German: Theory and Practice
A maximum of 12 units from completion of courses from the subject area LANG Language Studies in German topics
A minimum of 12 units must come from completion of courses from the following list:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| GERM2020 | Postwar German Society | 6 |
| GERM2046 | German Cinema | 6 |
| GERM2048 | Spoken Interaction in German: Theory and Practice | 6 |
| GERM2110 | Structure of German | 6 |
| GERM2112 | Selected Topics in German Studies | 6 |
| GERM3020 | Contemporary German Society | 6 |
| GERM3041 | German Prose of the 20th Century | 6 |
| GERM3046 | German Cinema | 6 |
| GERM3047 | Images of 20th Century German Culture | 6 |
| GERM3048 | Spoken Interaction in German: Theory and Practice | 6 |
A maximum of 12 units may come from completion of courses from the following list:
Language Studies (LANG) courses in German topics
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