Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

You are here: Home » German » Course Offerings » Courses Spring 2013
Document Actions

Courses Spring 2013

Notice: This item is marked as outdated.

 


Elementary & Intermediate German Language Courses

 

GERMN 101: Elementary German I (3 hours, 3 credits)
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
01
Tues & Fri
9:45-11:00am
1357
Wicker
509B West
02
Tues & Fri
11:10-12:25pm
1358
Kasprzyk
509B West
03
Mon & Thurs
1:10-2:25pm
1359
Anderson 509B West
Click here for course description.

 

GERMN 102: Elementary German II (3 hours, 3 credits)
Prereq: GERMN 101 or equivalent
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
01
Mon & Thurs
9:45-11:00am
1360
Merolle 509B West
02
Tues & Fri
9:45-11:00am
1361
Kasprzyk 611 West
03
Mon & Thurs
2:45-4:00pm
1362
Strohmeier 509B West
51
Tues & Thurs
5:35-6:50pm
1363
You 611 West
Click here for course description.

 

GERMN 103: Intensive Elementary German I & II (6 hours, 6 credits)
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
51
Mon, Tues, Wed & Thurs 5:35-6:50pm 1364 Zimmerman 509B West
Click here for course description.

 

GERMN 201: Intermediate German I (3 hours, 3 credits)
Prereq: GERMN 102 or 103 or equivalent
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
01
Mon & Thurs
1:10-2:25pm
1365
Merolle 611 West
Click here for course description.

 

GERMN 202: Intermediate German II (3 hours, 3 credits)
Prereq: GERMN 201 or equivalent
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
01
Mon & Thurs
9:45-11:00am
1366
KuhnOsius
611 West
02
Mon & Thurs
4:10-5:25pm
1367
Nicolai
509B West
Click here for course description.

 

GERMN 203: Intensive Intermediate German I & II (6 hours, 6 credits)
Prereq: GERMN 102 or 103 or equivalent
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
01 Mon, Wed & Thurs 11:10-1:00pm 1368 Beckett 611 West
Click here for course description.


Advanced German Language, Literature and Culture Courses: Level I

(What is the difference between Level I and Level II courses?)


GERMN 302: Advanced German Conversation & Composition (3 hours, 3 credits)
Prereq: GERMN 202 or 203 or equivalent. Fulfills requirement GER 3/A.
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
01 Mon & Thurs
9:45-11:00am
1370 Zimmerman 109 East
Click here for course description.

 

GERMN 320.57: Erich Kaestner (3 hours, 3 credits)
Prereq: GERMN 202 or 203 or equivalent. Fulfills requirements GER 3/A and PD/D.
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
01 Mon & Thurs 4:10-5:25pm
4451 KuhnOsius 611 West
Click here for course description.

Advanced Courses Conducted in German: Level II

GERMN 339: German Drama from Naturalism to Present (3 hours, 3 credits)
Prereq: GERMN 202 or 203 or equivalent GER 3/A. PD/D
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
51 Mon & Wed 5:35-6:50pm
4452 Anderson 611 West
Click here for course description.
GERMN 350 Austrian Literature (3 hours, 3 credits)
Prereq: One course numbered from GERMN 320 to 359 or equiv. GER 3/A, PD/D
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
51 Mon & Wed 7:00-8:15pm 4453 Nicolai 611 West
Click here for course description.
GERMN 385.04: Advanced German Through Translation (3 hours, 3 credits)
Prereq: Two courses above GERMN 300 or equivalent (excluding courses in English translation). GER 3/A, PD/D
Section
Days Time Code Instructor Room
01 Mon & Thurs 2:45-4:00pm 4598 Anderson 1441 West
Click here for course description.

 

Course in German Literature & Civilization (Conducted in English)

 

GERMN 241: German Fairy Tales (3 hours, 3 credits)
Fulfills requirements GER 2/C and PD/D and Writing.
Section
Day Time Code Instructor Room
01 Saturday
8:10-11:00am
1369
Titze 611 West
02 Mon & Thurs 9:45-11:00am 4450 Titze 611 West
03 Mon & Thurs 9:45-11:00am 5570 Strohmeier 406 West
Click here for course description.

 


What is the difference between Level I and Level II advanced courses?

The advanced German literature courses are divided into two levels. We expect students to take at least two literature courses at Level One (I) before proceeding to Level Two (II). If you are in any doubt which course you should take, please consult the Chairperson of the Department. All courses are conducted in German.

Level I courses are intended for students who have recently completed GERMN 202 or 203 and who only have limited experience in discussing German literature in German, orally and in writing. They are not intended for native speakers.

Level II courses are intended for advanced students who have taken a number of 300 level German language and literature courses and who may be interested in going on to use the German language professionally. They are thus meant to help students move to the highest level of the undergraduate program and beyond. Students enrolled in Level II courses have the opportunity to take the Goethe exams B2 and C1, the professional certificates of advanced language competence administered by the Goethe Institute. The exams are given each spring, and a fee set by the outside agency will be charged.

 

 

Course Descriptions


GERMN 101: Elementary German I

This course is for students without prior knowledge of German. It focuses on the basic linguistic and cultural abilities needed to function in German-speaking countries. The instructor will emphasize active student participation (speaking, listening, reading, writing). Regular attendance and daily homework are necessary to succeed in this course.
Exam Format: written quizzes, midterm and final exams
Textbook: Access to German: Jägerbuch I, ISBN 0-07-285376-x

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 


GERMN 102: Elementary German II

This course continues the work of GERMN 101. It broadens linguistic and cultural abilities for basic communication in a German-speaking environment. The instructor will emphasize active student participation (speaking, listening, reading, writing). Regular attendance and daily homework are necessary to succeed in this course.
Exam Format: written quizzes, midterm and final exams
Textbook: Access to German: Jägerbuch II, ISBN 0-07-3019364

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 


GERMN 103: Intensive Elementary German I & II

This course is intended for students with no prior knowledge of German.  It covers in ONE semester the material normally covered in two semesters, in GERMN 101 - 102. It focuses on the basic linguistic and cultural abilities needed to function in German-speaking countries. The instructor will emphasize active student participation (speaking, listening, reading, writing). Regular attendance and daily homework are necessary to succeed in this course.
Exam Format: written quizzes, midterm and final exams
Textbook: Access to German: Jägerbuch I and II, ISBN 0-07-285376-x and ISBN 0-07-3019364

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 


GERMN 201: Intermediate German I 

This course is the third in a four-semester sequence and continues the linguistic and cultural introduction to German. Review and practice of elementary grammar; introduction of advanced forms. Reading and discussion of selected texts. The instructor will emphasize active student participation (speaking, listening, reading, writing). Regular attendance and daily homework are necessary to succeed in this course.
Exam Format: written quizzes, midterm and final exams
Textbook: Access to German: Jägerbuch III, ISBN 0-07-24397-8

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 


GERMN 202: Intermediate German II

Continued broadening of abilities in speaking, listening, reading, writing. Reading and discussion of selected literary texts. Strong emphasis on active student participation. Regular attendance and daily homework are important elements in this course. Completion of this course fulfills the Hunter College foreign language requirement.  Students at this level will normally be tested by both written and oral examination.
Exam Format: written quizzes, midterm and final exams
Textbook: Access to German: Jägerbuch III, ISBN 0-07-24397-8, Additional handouts.

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 


GERMN 203: Intensive Intermediate German I & II

This course covers in ONE semester the material normally covered in TWO semesters, in GERMN 201 and GERMN 202. Instruction in the four basic skills is continued. Advanced grammatical forms are introduced. Selected literary texts are read and discussed. The class involves a considerable investment of time. Please consult the Chair of the Department for further advice about this accelerated course.
Exam Format: written quizzes, midterm and final exams
Textbook: Access to German: Jägerbuch III, ISBN 0-07-24397-8, Additional handouts.

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 


GERMN 302: Advanced German Conversation & Composition

The course is designed to develop the conversational and compositional skills. There will be intensive practice of contemporary spoken and written German with emphasis on vocabulary and idiom, and on active mastery of grammatical forms. Audio material will be used to strengthen comprehension skills. Regular preparation in writing is required for group work and class dialogues. The course prepares the students to take the examination for the Zertifikat Deutsch, the professional certificate of basic language competence administered by the Goethe Institute. Fees charged by the Goethe Institute will be announced to students at the beginning of the term.
Exam Format: written quizzes, midterm and final examinations, online portfolios of written, aural and oral work.
Textbook: Themen neu Zertifikatsband, ISBN 3-19-301523-7, handouts/reading packet provided by instructor. A small copying fee may be charged.

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 

GERMN 320.57: Erich Kaestner

Erich Kästner is one of Germany’s major 20th-century authors.  He grew up under the Kaiser, served in World War I, became a literary ‘shooting star’ of the Weimar Republic, was not allowed to publish under the Nazis (who burned his books), and ended his life as grand old man of letters in West Germany.  He is known for his classic children’s books, his biting satires, his uproariously funny adult novels, and his political commentary.  His writings have a light touch and accessible language which work well for students beginning their study of German literature.  Reading list: An assortment of Kästner’s poems; Emil und die Detektive; Drei Männer im Schnee; Die verschwundene Miniatur; Die Konferenz der Tiere.  Time permitting, we will watch some film versions of his books.
Texts:
Required to buy:1. Emil und die Detektive (ISBN 9783791530123); 2. Das doppelte Lottchen  (ISBN: 9783791530116) (Both books: Cecilie-Dressler Verlag: 3. Drei Männer im Schnee (dtv Taschenbücher 11008; ISBN-13: 978-3-423-11008-2); 4. Die verschwundene Miniatur dtv Taschenbücher 1009; ISBN 978-3-423-11009-9). The total cost for the books will be around ($55.00). The instructor will organize the book orders. If you want to order your own books, please be aware that there are many abbreviated, simplified, and annotated editions of the books. Make sure you buy a copy with an unabridged text (there are many used copies around).
Course requirements and exam format:
Class attendance and participation with individualized speaking assignments, weekly or bi-weekly papers of a length of 1 or 2 pages (with language corrections), mid-term and final examinations.

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 

GERMN 339: German Drama from Naturalism to Present

This course is intended for students who have already completed GERMN 202 or 203. We shall read and discuss (and perform parts of) German dramas of the late 19th and 20th centuries.  Three dramas will be selected from among those written by such dramatists as Hauptmann, Wedekind, Brecht, Dürrenmattt, and Frisch.  Emphasis will be on close reading or texts, and analysis of form.  The cultural and historical background of the period will also be discussed. The course will be conducted in German.  It is not intended for native speakers of German.
Exam format:
Papers, ePortfolio
Textbook: Frank Wedekind "Fruehlingserwachen" 978-3-15-007951-5

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 

GERMN 350 Austrian Literature

In this course we will primarily take a look at Vienna at the turn of the century when it was the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the cultural capital of Europe. The days of the “Old Austria” were numbered, but intellectual life was at a peak. Writers, painters and scientists inspired and influenced each other in the literary salons where they met. Fin de Siècle-Vienna was the time when Sigmund Freud put forward his shocking ideas about the unconscious aggressive and erotic desires that – in their repressed and disguised form- reveal themselves in dreams and art.  Schnitzler’s plays and novellas brought women’s unconscious sexuality into the forefront of the cultural discourse through innovative use of the interior monologue. Klimt’s, Kokoschka’s, and Schiele’s provocative portraits of women expressing lust, desire and anxiety evoked scandals. In the arts and letters, the Vienna of 1900 was a byword for modernism. A city of massive contradictions, it had, for example, a large highly cultivated assimilated Jewish intelligentsia, and, at the same time, a powerful anti-Semitic political force. Its poets dealt in the most refined aestheticism and its masses lived in extreme poverty and squalor. Its bourgeoisie subscribed to severe standards of public morality, and its officer class was rigidly governed by codes of honor, but hedonism and sensualism, Angst and decadence, lay scarcely beneath the surface of what was essentially a disintegrating society. To depict the various sides of Viennese life around 1900, we will read plays and a novella by Schnitzler: Liebelei, Reigen, and Leutnant Gustl. We will also read Jugend einer Arbeiterin by the socialist Adelheid Popp, extracts from Sigmund Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams and Stefan Zweig’s autobiography Die Welt von Gestern. We will view at least one film version of a play by Schnitzler and talk about the art and architecture of the time as well as music. We will visit the Neue Galerie – the museum in New York City that is dedicated to German and Austrian Art of the beginning of the 20th century. 
Course requirements and exam format:
Students need to be active participants in class, involve themselves in close reading of the assigned texts and contribute to class discussion. The class will be held entirely in German. Students will write three papers (3-5 pages) or shorter texts more frequently, depending on their linguistic proficiency. Students will be graded on attendance and participation, papers, as well as midterm and final exams. 
Required Texts:
Arthur Schnitzler, Liebelei , Reigen, Fischer paperback ISBN 9783596270095 Leutnant Gustl, dtv edition, ISBN 9783423026598, Adelheid Popp, Jugend einer Arbeiterin, ISBN 3801200272.  Books (less than $30) will be ordered by the instructor, not through a bookstore. Students should have the same editions to facilitate class discussion and referencing.  Extracts from Stefan Zweig’s and Sigmund Freud’s texts will be provided as Xeroxed copies. Additional books in English providing historical background on the period will be put on reserve at the library.

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 

GERMN 385.04 Advanced German Through Translation

Students will build their upper-level language proficiency by translating from German into English.  We will discuss what it means to translate, as well as some theoretical issues of translation.  On the whole, however, the course will be structured as a workshop: our discussion of vocabulary and grammar, the intricacies of German and English, and the art and science of translation will be based heavily on the regular translation work students do with a variety of literary and non-literary texts.
Course requirements:
Attendance and participation, regular written translations, ePortfolio
Textbooks:
none

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 

GERMN 241 German Fairy Tales "W"

Fairy tales are known all over the world. The most famous European book of fairy tales is the one collected by the Brothers Grimm. These stories have entered our collective unconscious but are not easily explained. We shall look at various attempts at explaining what fairy tales are all about, look at older stories that served as models for the Brothers Grimm and study modern versions of the tales including a Walt Disney movie and "politically correct fairy tales." Students will read fairy tales, tell one that they know, and write three short papers, a midterm and final examination. All readings, discussions and written work will be in English. This course has a "W" designation.
Textbooks:
Jack Zipes, The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm, ISBN 978-0553382167  Joanna Cole, The Best-Loved Foktales of the World, ISBN 978-0318796482
Exam Format: written midterm and final exams     

Note: If you have previous knowledge of German, please contact the department for advice and placement before registering for classes.

 

« March 2024 »
March
MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
Go to full calendar…