Students learn to communicate in German through verbal interaction with instructors and classmates. Particular emphasis is placed on developing conversational and reading skills. Whereas the comprehension of spoken German is stressed in the classroom, basic concepts of grammar are regularly introduced and practiced outside of class in written homework assignments. An intensive language program accompanies classroom activities. Conducted in German. Prerequisite: German 1B or consent of instructor.

Reinforcement and further development of first-year language skills. Emphasis is placed on understanding and conversing in contemporary German. Thorough review of grammatical structures and systematic vocabulary building. Learning activities include reading and discussion of German culture and literature. Prerequisite: German 2B or consent of instructor.

The purpose of this course is to help students gain maximum proficiency in the reading of German in a short period of time. Fundamentals of grammar and the acquisition of vocabulary will be emphasized. Though the course is designed primarily for graduate students seeking to fulfill the foreign language requirements of their individual programs, undergraduates may take the course after consulting with the instructor. No prerequisite: German 97 does not fulfill any requirements nor does not prepare students for any higher level course in German.

Students can call the German Department at 824-6406 for more information. There will be an organizational meeting on Monday, April 2nd at 2:00PM in MKH 400D to discuss regular meeting times for the course.

The goal of this course is to help you engage in more sophisticated, more "native-like" verbal interaction. In this course you will learn to communicate appropriately in a wide range of social situations and employ effective communication strategies. In particular, we will explore the many nuances of expression inherent to different 'contexts' of language use, such as providing and receiving information, expressing feelings, narrating events, obtaining and providing advice, making demands and complaints, and expressing personal opinions. For each of these categories we will also examine the distinctions between formal and informal contexts. Prerequisite: German 2C or the equivalent or consent of the instructor.

After the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the end of the Cold War, Germany entered a new phase and became the political entity now commonly known as the Berlin Republic. Eighteen years after unification, the seminar sets out to illuminate the factors that have shaped the cultural landscape of this New Germany, by providing both historical and literary perspectives. The course will be organized around three key terms: integration, normalization, and globalization. We will analyze recent works of fiction and some films in categories established by these terms. Questions to consider: How do texts by East German artists deal with integrating the legacies of the former GDR into a united Germany? How are transnational, non-ethnic German writers embedded in the cultural landscape? How does the memory of two dictatorships shape contemporary discourse to this day? Can these problematic legacies ever be historicized? What does a globalized, neo-liberal economy mean for the cultural marketplace, and how does it shape its aesthetic products?

Some background reading in English, all primary texts in German. Discussions in German. Students will complete weekly writing assignments and write a final paper.

The goal of this course is to offer students an overview of some of the major authors and works of German literature that are significant (1) in their own right, (2) for the German literary tradition, and (3) because of their relationship to English and American literature. We will explore a variety of periods (Enlightenment, Romanticism, Poetic Realism, Modernism) and genres (drama, novella, novel, opera, poetry, and film).Readings: Mozart/Schikaneder, The Magic Flute; Goethe, Faust; E.T.A. Hoffmann, Tales; Wagner, Tristan and Isolde; Kafka, The Metamorphosis; Thomas Mann, Death in Venice; Rilke, Duino Elegies; Grass, Cat and Mouse and the film of The Tin Drum.

Assignments: Regular short writing assignments on all of the texts; take-home midterm; final essay.