German (GRMN)

GRMN 101. Elementary German I. 4 Units.

Introductory course emphasizing conversational skills. Students achieve control of the sound system and basic sentence structures of spoken and written German. Students must use the course material offered by the Online Language Learning Center in addition to class meetings.

GRMN 102. Elementary German II. 4 Units.

Continuation of GRMN 101, emphasizing conversational skills. Prereq: GRMN 101 or equivalent.

GRMN 201. Intermediate German I. 4 Units.

Emphasizes both language and culture and is taught in German. Review of grammar and usage of German while studying texts and videotapes which focus on contemporary life in Germany. Prereq: GRMN 102 or equivalent.

GRMN 202. Intermediate German II. 4 Units.

Continuation of GRMN 201; conducted in German. Study of texts and videotapes which focus on contemporary life in Germany. Prereq: GRMN 201 or equivalent.

GRMN 303. German Culture & Civilization. 3 Units.

Examines aspects of contemporary Germany, including political and social systems and cultural life through seminar discussions of texts, films, and other media. Along with oral presentations and essay tests, students must select a research topic of interest to the discipline and write an analytic essay in German on the topic. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: GRMN 202.

GRMN 309. Advanced Conversation I. 3 Units.

This course will develop students' oral production to improve their communication skills; therefore, the emphasis of the course is on advanced-level conversation produced by the students. Different than GRMN 311, GRMN 309 has one long, cultural "text" that is interwoven throughout the semester. Text is understood here in the critical sense of an object that may be "read" critically whether it is a work of literature or popular culture, and it will vary with the expertise of the instructor. This may be the 1950s-Austrian films of Empress Sissi as in the example below, or the several versions of the foundational saga of Switzerland William Tell, or the 21st-century German internet series "Dark." The inclusion of an extended text aims to help students make the jump from intermediate level discourse to advanced, that is from "I liked the film" to "Most of the film struck a chord with me, but not all." The starting point for the discussions and activities to be carried out will, consequently, either be the skills-based conversation from the text or the assigned segment of one of the protracted texts from German-speaking countries, which will provide students with a contextualized vocabulary and, at the same time, greater knowledge and understanding of German, Austrian, and Swiss history and culture. As in GRMN 311, key grammar points are reviewed to improve grammatical accuracy in oral production. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: GRMN 202.

GRMN 310. Advanced German Reading and Composition. 3 Units.

This advanced-level course focuses on reading and writing on the German-speaking world for students who have already studied intermediate German. Develops abilities to read authentic cultural texts, such as contemporary newspaper and magazine articles on current affairs; readings increase progressively in length and vary in genre. It also builds advanced writing skills through composition, such as summaries, reviews, opinion pieces, letters, short creative texts, and analytic essays. Includes instruction on use of English- and German-language research tools. Taught in German. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: GRMN 202.

GRMN 311. Advanced Conversation II. 3 Units.

Students work to improve fluency in spoken German. Topics include contemporary issues; current vocabulary is stressed. Students practice using speech appropriate to various situations and participate in topical discussions. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: GRMN 202.

GRMN 312. German Proficiency Through Drama. 3 Units.

Readings begin with single scenes and progress to full length radio plays and theater plays which gradually increase in linguistic difficulty and complexity of central themes. Introduction to the elements of drama such as dialogue, character and dramatic structure, as well as the genres of tragedy, comedy, and tragicomedy. Focus: effective communication of critical, interpretative, and analytic ideas in discussion and in writing. Prereq: GRMN 202 or equivalent.

GRMN 313. Intro to German Literature. 3 Units.

Introduction to German literature and the cultural issues it addresses. Readings include the main literary and folk genres (short texts or excerpts), gradually increasing in linguistic difficulty and complexity of central themes. They cover the major literary periods from the 18th to the 21st centuries. Focus: effective communication of critical, interpretative, and analytic ideas in discussion and in writing. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: GRMN 202 or equivalent.

GRMN 314. The Green Energy Transformation in Germany. 3 Units.

This seminar introduces students to the development and successes of green technologies in Germany. Students will examine the proactive development of renewable energy and energy conservation technologies, commonly referred to as Energiewende, which was started by the German Green movement and promoted by Germany's innovative renewable energy policies. They will explore questions such as the following: What are the implications of Germany's earlier success story of energy transition and climate action for the US and the rest of the world? What technological, engineering, economic, and political challenges does the energy transition face? What solutions are needed and can be explored and achieved? In the investigation, students will examine such important issues as globalization, resource finiteness, and sustainability challenges, including economic crises, climate change, energy insecurity, political instability, and global competition. Students may only earn credit for one of the following: GRMN 314 or GRMN 315. Counts as a Communication Intensive course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course.

GRMN 315. The Green Energy Transformation in Germany. 3 Units.

This content-driven German language course is taught in German and is designed to help students who have completed intermediate-level German (GRMN 202) and want to continue developing their German language and research knowledge and skills in German studies at higher and advanced levels. This course uses seminar-style instructional methods and focuses on developing students' disciplinary communication skills, i.e., language skills and proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing German in German studies. In the subject matter, this course aims at introducing students to the development and successes of renewable energy transition in Germany. Students will examine the proactive development of renewable energy and energy conservation technologies, commonly referred to as Energiewende, which was started by the German Green movement and promoted by Germany's innovative renewable energy policies. They will explore questions such as the following: What are the implications of Germany's earlier success story of energy transition and climate action for the US and the rest of the world? What technological, engineering, economic, and political challenges does the energy transition face? What solutions are needed and can be explored and achieved? In the investigation, students will examine such important issues as globalization, resource finiteness, and sustainability challenges, including economic crises, climate change, energy insecurity, political instability, and global competition. Students may only earn credit for one of the following courses: GRMN 315 and GRMN 314. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Counts as a Disciplinary Communication course. Counts as a Human Diversity & Commonality course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: GRMN 202 or equivalent.

GRMN 320. Topics in Narrative. 3 Units.

This course examines representative prose works (tales, novellas, short novels, letters, and essays) chosen to present reactions and impressions to social and aesthetic conditions in German-speaking countries and to introduce students to different styles and varieties of German prose. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Prereq: One 300-level GRMN course.

GRMN 326. Witches, Weddings, and Wolves. 3 Units.

Intensive study of German Folk Tales as collected and altered by the Brothers Grimm. The Maerchen as both children's and adult literature. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Prereq: One 300-level GRMN course.

GRMN 330. Topics in German Cinema. 3 Units.

This course has the following objectives: 1) View and comprehend 14 German movies; 2) discuss German language, history, and culture as well as film making as they are reflected in the German movies featured in this course; and 3) learn how to write film reviews on German movies in German and English. It provides an overview of German Cinema from the beginning to the present. Film selection representative of major directors, major periods (such as expressionism or The New German Cinema), particular themes from different historical perspectives, and literature in film. All films are in German. The course will be mainly taught in German. Counts as a Disciplinary Communication course. Counts as a Human Diversity & Commonality course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: GRMN 202.

GRMN 340. Topics in German Drama. 3 Units.

Overview of German drama from the beginning to the present. Explores German plays by applying different disciplinary approaches such as historical, cultural, and literary analyses. All plays are in German. Taught in German. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Prereq: One 300-level GRMN course.

GRMN 360. Topics in Major German Authors. 3 Units.

Concentrates on a specific author or small group of authors within an aesthetic or historical context, for example: Goethe, Heine, Bachmann, Junges Deutschland, or die Gruppe 47. Examines the breadth of themes and styles and may include literary, philosophical, biographical, and other kinds of texts. Readings and discussions in German. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Prereq: One 300-level GRMN course.

GRMN 365. German Literature in Translation. 3 Units.

Goethe defined "World Literature" (Weltliteratur) as "Intellectual Trade Relations" (geistiger Handelsverkehr). This course gives students the opportunity to study German literary works in translation and thus to trade intellectual relations with a literary culture previously unknown to them. Counts toward the German major only as a related course. No knowledge of German required. Offered as GRMN 365 and WLIT 365.

GRMN 370. Topics in Literary Periods. 3 Units.

Overview of German literary periods from the beginning to the present or individual periods. Explores German literary works in all three major genres from the historical, social, and literary perspectives. All works are in German. Taught in German. Recommended Preparation: Advanced German proficiency. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Counts as a Disciplinary Communication course. Counts as a Human Diversity & Commonality course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: GRMN 202.

GRMN 380. Topics in Advanced German Culture Studies. 3 Units.

Exploration of the culture of the arts, political culture, and the cultural self-expression of the German-speaking countries from their beginnings to the present. Focus: The cultural changes within certain historical periods. Examination of particular aspects such as culture as mass deception in fascist Germany and the GDR, the reflection of contemporary culture in literature and cinema, problems of cultural identity and multiculturalism, and the role of postmodern culture industry and the critical discourse today. Taught in German. Recommended Preparation: Advanced German proficiency. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Counts as a Disciplinary Communication course. Counts as a Human Diversity & Commonality course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: GRMN 202.

GRMN 395. Special Topics in German Literature. 3 Units.

An advanced seminar on German literature with a specific focus that transcends author, period or genre, probably but not limited to theme or motif, such as "Faust and Monsters." Recommended Preparation: A lower 300-level GRMN course prior to this seminar. Counts as a CAS Global & Cultural Diversity course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: GRMN 202.

GRMN 396. Senior Capstone - German. 3 Units.

The Senior Capstone in German is an independent study project chosen in consultation with a capstone advisor. The capstone project should reflect both the student's interest within German and/or German studies and the courses they have taken to fulfill the major. The project requires independent research using an approved bibliography and plan of action. In addition to written research, the student will also present the capstone project in a public forum that is agreed upon by the project advisor and the students. Counts as a Capstone Project course. Counts as a SAGES Senior Capstone course. Prereq: Senior student status and declared major in German.

GRMN 397. Honors Thesis I. 3 Units.

Intensive study of a literary, linguistic, or cultural topic with a faculty member, leading to the writing of a research paper in German. Limited to senior majors. Permit required. Prereq: One 300-level GRMN course.

GRMN 398. Honors Thesis II. 3 Units.

Continuation of GRMN 397. Limited to senior majors. Permit required. Prereq: GRMN 397.

GRMN 399. Independent Study in German. 1 - 3 Units.

For majors and advanced students under special circumstances. Permit required.