 Course Descriptions
Elementary German (50:470:101 and 102).
Requires two lab sections: chose one from each of 50:470:103 and 104.
This is the basic introduction to the German language. It provides crucial
communicative skills and a solid foundation for further study in German,
as well as an introduction to German culture.
Elementary German assumes no prior knowledge of German, no prior experience
with another foreign language, and no knowledge of grammar terminology.
It is for beginners, or students who had no more than about two years of
German in high school.
Study of a foreign language through at least the 102 level is required
for graduation under the 2003 and subsequent catalogs.
Students who have had three years of German in high school may not take
101 for credit; students who have had more than three years in high school
may not take 102 for credit. Incoming students will be placed according
to the results of a proficiency exam. For more information, see http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/dept-pages/forlangs/lang_requirement.html.
Intermediate German (50:470:131 and 132).
Requires one lab section (50:470:134).
The course provides a complete review of German grammar. In addition,
reading texts are discussed in German. Fifteen to twenty minutes in each
meeting are reserved for conversation about any topic that comes up. This
prepares students for the next higher course, Conversation and Composition.
Students who have had two or more years of high school German should normally
enroll in this course.
German Conversation and Composition (50:470:203
and 204)
Conducted completely in German, this course covers material about everyday
life. In addition, political events, literature, and a wide variety of
topics are discussed.
Advanced Grammar and Stylistics (50:470:301)
Can anyone make sense of German gender? What are all those cases for,
again? How does the endings system work? What is the subjunctive? How do
I use the passive voice? These are some of the questions that will be answered
in Advanced Grammar.
The course provides a comprehensive review of German grammar, with special
emphasis on areas that tend to be problematic, as well as an introduction
to the concept of stylistic registers and practice in writing in different
styles. This is where you get the chance to relearn all the things you didn’t
quite master in Elementary and Intermediate, or have halfway forgotten. It’s
also the place to finally really learn some things like the subjunctives
and the passive, which you have surely been exposed to, but perhaps only briefly.
And this course will also introduce you to some grammatical fine points that
you probably never even thought of. But it will also provide some degree
of an introduction to understanding better why things are the way they are
and how you can explain them. And finally, it will provide some understanding
of how the German language is used differently in different contexts, and
how informal conversation is different from a literary text, which is in
turn different from a business letter or a scholarly book. (This last aspect
will be developed much more fully in the Spring semester in the new course
Communication in German Media.)
German Culture and Civilization (50:470:340)
(Taught in German.)
A study of cultural, social and sociological structures and phenomena in
modern Germany. Emphasis is given to such aspects as stereotypes, the multicultural
society, the environment, communication, the family, generational conflicts,
the job market, and German cultural developments (visual arts, literature,
music).
Germany Today (50:470:401) (Taught
in German.)
Starting with a short review of the history of World War II, this course
treats the formation and development of the two Germanys, East and West,
from 1949-1990, and their unification. Topics treated are Germany's geography,
the individual German states or "Länder" and their regional differences,
the German constitution and the Law, political parties, the German Congress
or "Bundestag," and Germany's chancellors and presidents from 1949-1990.
In addition, the course treats German politcal and economical developments
and their significance for Europe and the world.
German Literature in English Translation (50:470:261):
Fall 2004
Stories of knights and ladies, magic rings, mighty warriors, and heroic
quests: no, this course does not study modern fantasy literature or Hollywood
blockbusters, but German literature of the Middle Ages. Taught entirely
in English, the course traces developments in literary history, and introduces
students to some of the greatest works of German, indeed of European literature. Partially
fulfills Rutgers Camden language requirement under pre-2003 catalogs; satisfies
Literature Requirement (4.b.) under 2003 and subsequent catalogs.
German Literature in English Translation (50:470:261 and 262)
Taught entirely in English, these courses provide a survey of German
literature from the Middle Ages through the present. Balanced reading selections
trace developments in literary history, and introduce students to the works
of acclaimed German authors. In the fall semester, the course (261) generally
focusses on earlier literature from the Middle Ages up into the early 19th
century. In the spring, the course (262) generally focusses on more modern
literature of the 19th and 20th centuries. Partially fulfills Rutgers Camden
language requirement under pre-2003 catalogs; satisfies Literature Requirement
(4.b.) under 2003 and subsequent catalogs.
German Cinema in English Translation I: Beginnings
through 1945
Course taught in English. Surveys the history and development of German
cinema from the beginnings through the end of World War II. The course consists
mainly of the viewing and discussion of selected films, including classics
such as Nosferatu (the best Dracula movie) and M (the psycho-thriller
starring Peter Lorre). Partially fulfills Rutgers Camden language requirement
under pre-2003 catalogs; satisfies Literature Requirement (4.b.) under 2003
and subsequent catalogs. Also counts towards the Film Studies minor.
German Cinema in English Translation II: 1945 to
present
Course taught in English. Surveys the history and development of German
cinema from the end of World War II to the present through the viewing and
discussion of selected films. Includes a vareity of cinematic repsonses
to the war and the Nazi past (The Tin Drum, The Boat), as
well as the films of the "New German Cinema" and others. Partially
fulfills Rutgers Camden language requirement under pre-2003 catalogs; satisfies
Literature Requirement (4.b.) under 2003 and subsequent catalogs. Also counts
towards the Film Studies minor.
German 447: German Literature from 1850 to the present
This course will serve as an introduction to the study of German literature
in German. Students will develop their reading, writing, speaking, and
listening abilities in German, as well as learning something about the German
literature of the later 19th and 20th centuries. The course is intended
for students who have completed 470:132, Intermediate German, or the equivalent.
It may be taken at the same time as 470:305, German Conversation and Composition.
All German majors and minors who have completed Intermediate should take
this course.
German 447 will begin with short, relatively simple readings, and proceed
to longer and more difficult texts. The work of the course will consist
of the readings, class discussions (in German, although English will be allowed
when absolutely necessary), and a variety of written and oral assignments.
German 448: German Literature from 1850 to the present
Conducted entirely in German, this course will survey important writers
of 20th-century German literature and the cultural and philosophical movements
they represent.
Individual Studies in German (50:470:353 and 493)
Advanced individual study of predetermined topic. Normally limited to
German majors with junior or senior standing. By permission only.
Readings in Special Fields (50:470:458)
Advanced independent study of predetermined topic. Normally limited to
German majors with junior or senior standing. By permission only.
Honors in German (50:470:495)
For senior German majors writing honors theses. By permission only.
Survival German (50:470:392)
Intense conversation course. Assumes no prior knowledge of German, but
may be usefully taken by students who know some German as well as by raw
beginners. Sample topics to be covered include: pronunciation tips, menus
and ordering food, numbers, telling time, money, asking directions to a particular
site such as a hotel or railroad station, arranging for a room or buying
a railroad ticket, and situational exchanges for the more advanced student.
For more information or registration materials, contact the Winterim Office
at (856) 225-6098 or visit the website: http://winterim.camden.rutgers.edu.
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