Language Courses
Literature & Culture Courses
SAS Core Goal Courses:
Intermediate German I 01:470:131
Intermediate German II 01:470:132
Enchanted Worlds 01:470:285
Introduction to German Studies 01:470:275
Introduction to Literary and Cultural Analysis 01:470:301
Big Bang: The Literature of Chaos and Order 01:470:364
Marx, Nietzsche, Freud 01:470:371
Language Courses
Elementary German 101 (4 cr)
01:470:101:02
T6 Th67 (T 4:30-5:50pm, Th 4:30-7:30pm), Academic Building East Wing 2200
This course will introduce students to the language and culture of German-speaking countries, using both prepared and authentic materials with theme-related vocabulary and grammatical structures. Students will have the opportunity to practice listening, reading, writing, and speaking in German through in-class activities and homework assignments. The program of the course corresponds to the Level A1 (Beginner) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a widely accepted European standard for language proficiency.
By the end of the semester students will be able to:
- understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type
- introduce themselves and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people they know and things they have
- interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.More specifically, students will be able to:
- talk about themselves, their families, and their origins
- talk about weather and clothing
- order food and drinks in a restaurant or a café, discuss food and cooking, use cooking recipes
- discuss different living situations, talk about houses, rooms, etc.
- talk about their time and make appointments
- orient themselves in a German-speaking urban setting and ask for directions
- talk about things that happened in the past;
- talk about professions, job, study, recreation, and daily life
- talk about some major landmarks and places of interest of the German-speaking countries
- talk about health and health issues
- express their intentions, obligations and necessities.
No prerequisites. This course is taught in German with some explanation of grammar points in English. Not open for credit to students who have had two or more years of secondary school German. Students of 101 are strongly encouraged to enroll in Elementary German Lab 103.
Elementary German 101 (4 cr) - Hybrid Section
01:470:101:03
TF2 9:50-11:10am, Scott Hall 121
This section of Elementary German I is offered in the hybrid format, which combines face-to-face and online instruction. Instead of 3 meetings a week, the class will meet face-to-face for two 80-minute sessions per week, and a substantial portion of material will be covered online.
This course will introduce students to the language and culture of German-speaking countries, using both prepared and authentic materials with theme-related vocabulary and grammatical structures. Students will have the opportunity to practice listening, reading, writing, and speaking in German through in-class activities and homework assignments. The program of the course corresponds to the Level A1 (Beginner) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a widely accepted European standard for language proficiency.
By the end of the semester students will be able to:
- understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type
- introduce themselves and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people they know and things they have
- interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.More specifically, students will be able to:
- talk about themselves, their families, and their origins
- talk about weather and clothing
- order food and drinks in a restaurant or a café, discuss food and cooking, use cooking recipes
- discuss different living situations, talk about houses, rooms, etc.
- talk about their time and make appointments
- orient themselves in a German-speaking urban setting and ask for directions
- talk about things that happened in the past;
- talk about professions, job, study, recreation, and daily life
- talk about some major landmarks and places of interest of the German-speaking countries
- talk about health and health issues
- express their intentions, obligations and necessities.
No prerequisites. This course is taught in German with some explanation of grammar points in English. Not open for credit to students who have had two or more years of secondary school German. Students of 101 are strongly encouraged to enroll in Elementary German Lab 103.
Elementary German 102 (4 cr) - Hybrid Section
01:470:102:01
Alexander Pichugin
MTh3 11:30-12:50pm, Scott Hall 115
Not open for credit to students who have had two or more years of high-school German. Such students should enroll in German 121, unless they have placed into a higher-level German course.
This section of Elementary German 2 is offered in the hybrid format, which combines face-to-face and online instruction. Instead of 3 meetings a week, the class will meet face-to-face for two 80-minute sessions per week, and a substantial portion of material will be covered online.
This course will continue introducing students to the language and culture of German-speaking countries, using both prepared and authentic materials with theme-related vocabulary and grammatical structures. Students will have the opportunity to practice listening, reading, writing, and speaking in German through in-class activities and homework assignments. The program of the course corresponds to the Level A2 (Elementary) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a widely accepted European standard for language proficiency.By the end of the semester students will be able to:
- understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).
- communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
- describe in simple terms aspects of their background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.More specifically, students will be able to:
- understand non-fiction texts on some topics, including classified ads
- talk about migration, backgrounds, and languages, compare cities and countries
- talk about families and everyday life, about city and country life
- describe people
- talk about travel
- talk about leisure, hobbies and interests, as well as holidays and traditions
- talk about media
- talk about inventions, products and goods
- organize a trip to a theater, etc.
- talk about professional life
- leave a message on the phone
- express emotions and react to them using language
The course is taught in German with some explanation of grammar points in English. Students of 102 are strongly encouraged to enroll in Elementary German Lab 104.
German for Travel (1 cr)
01:470:103:01
T3 11:30-12:50pm, Scott Hall 119
This course will introduce students to the language and culture of German-speaking countries focusing on the language competencies particularly relevant in travel situations.
By the end of the semester students will be able to speak about themselves in general and as travelers, ask basic questions about travel, discuss their travel interests and express likes and dislikes, speak about German-speaking countries and their inhabitants, orient themselves in means of transportation and accommodations used in Europe, purchase tickets and book hotel rooms on German-language websites.
The course is taught in German with some explanation of grammar points and cultural references in English. Not open to students who have completed 01:470:102, 01:470:121, or the equivalent.
German Conversation (1 cr)
01:470:104:01
Th4 1:10-2:30pm, Honors College S124
This course will introduce students to the language and culture of German-speaking countries focusing on the language competencies particularly relevant for oral communication in everyday situations.By the end of the semester students will be able to:
- speak about themselves;
- ask basic questions;
- share basic information about their families and relatives;
- speak about their studies;
- speak about objects relevant to everyday situations;
- speak about the weather;
- express likes and dislikes.The course is taught in German with some explanation of grammar points and cultural references in English.
German for Reading Knowledge (3 cr) - Hybrid Section
01:470:105:01
M8 7:40-9:00pm, Frelinghuysen Hall A4
This course, taught in English and German, is intended for undergraduate students without previous knowledge of the German language. The course develops basic reading competencies in German. The texts read in the course are chosen from the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences.
By the end of the semester students will be able to:
- apply specific reading strategies to reading a text in German;
- read a text in German with correct pronunciation;
- recognize some grammar phenomena and apply this knowledge to understanding;
- apply some basic passive vocabulary to reading German texts;
- efficiently use online and paper-based dictionaries.
German Intensive Review (4 cr) - Hybrid Section
01:470:121:01
Alexander Pichugin
MTh3 11:30-12:50pm, Scott Hall 115
(121 is for students with two or more years of high-school German who do not place into German 131.)
Not open to students who have taken 01:470:101-102.
This section of German Intensive Review is offered in the hybrid format, which combines face-to-face and online instruction. Instead of 3 meetings a week, the class will meet face-to-face for two 80-minute sessions per week, and a substantial portion of material will be covered online.
An intermediate reinforcement course. Practice in speaking, reading, and writing German; extensive grammar review; cultural topics. Prepares students to take German 131.
Intermediate German I (3 cr)
01:470:131:01
TTh4 1:10-2:30pm, Campbell Hall A1
01:470:131:02
MTh2 9:50-11:10am, Campbell Hall A4
Prerequisite: 01:470:102, 01:470:108, 01:470:121, or placement.
The first semester of Intermediate German further develops students' German language skills with an emphasis on conversation and composition based on everyday situations, aspects of culture, contemporary German short stories, and review of major grammatical points. Students will strengthen their listening, reading, and writing skills, as well as cultural competency by discussing a variety of cultural topics and themes in the German-speaking world, including personal and community life, media, travel, and art. Fulfills SAS core goal AH q.
Intermediate German II (3 cr)
01:470:132:01
TTh6 4:30-5:50pm, Hardenbergh Hall B6
Prerequisite: 01:470:131 or placement.
In this course students will further develop their competencies in German language and culture of the German-speaking countries on the intermediate level, using both prepared and authentic materials with theme-related vocabulary and grammatical structures. Students will have the opportunity to practice listening, reading, writing, and speaking in German through various in-class activities and homework assignments. Using a variety of media, such as written texts, video, and audio clips, students will explore the course’s five major themes: Climate and Environment; Social Behaviors; Generations; Migration; Europe.
The program of the course corresponds to the Level B1.2, which is the first half of Level B1 (Intermediate) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), a widely accepted European standard for language proficiency. By the end of the course sequence, students will be able to understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.; deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken; produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest; describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
The course is taught in German with some explanation of grammar points in English.
Fulfills SAS core goal AH q.• Understanding the nature of human languages and their speakers.
Advanced German II (3 cr)
01:470:231:01
MW5 2:50-4:10pm, Campbell Hall A1
In German.
This course explores 20th century German culture, literature, and politics through an examination of the city of Berlin. Drawing on film, literature, and audio features we will focus on the following topics: Expressionism and Dada, Cabaret in the Golden Twenties, resistance against the Nazis, 1968 movement & left wing terrorism, the Berlin Wall & GDR protest culture, and contemporary Berlin scene. An emphasis will be placed on written exercises, listening and reading skills developing the ability to discuss and argue opinions, as well as a thorough review of grammar. All readings, discussions, and written works are in German. Prerequisites: German 132 or placement test.
Literature and Culture Courses
Introduction to German Studies: 1900 - present
01:470:275:01
Dominik Zechner
MTh2 9:50-11:10am, Frelinguysen Hall A2
In English. No prerequisites.
What is German?
“Germany still does not exist. Except in the distress of not existing.” These two sentences, penned by French philosopher Philippe Lacoue-Labarthe in the latter half of the 20th century, seem scandalously reductive and yet they carry a truth that continues to unsettle: the term “Germany” is yet to be defined; as a word, name, or concept, “Germany” demarcates a precarious and contentious field of negotiations. Instead of relying on a set of given definitions, this course will thus operate under the presumption that it is quite difficult to find a coherent response to the question, “What is German?” Formulating an answer will require the investigation of a vast array of seminal literary, artistic, social, medial, political, and intellectual interventions made in the course of the past 120 years, juxtaposing canonical voices of the German tradition with non-canonical, marginal interventions from within and outside of Germany. Analyzing historical and political questions alongside social, aesthetic, and artistic phenomena, bringing together high and popular culture, this course performs an interdisciplinary inquiry open, with no pre-requisites, to first-year students and to anyone who might, as part of a well-rounded liberal arts education, seek basic familiarity with the rich and often quite vexed history of things German and their impact on Europe and the world. Taught in English. Fulfills SAS Core goals AHp, WCd.
Enchanted Worlds (3 cr)
01:470:285:01
01:470:285:02 (First years and sophomores)
Martha Helfer
MW4 1:10-2:30pm, Scott Hall 106
Enchanted Worlds
Fantasy, the Fantastic, and the Supernatural in German Literature and Thought
Meet devils and doppelgänger, sandmen and spider women, elf kings and alchemists, magicians, and marble statues that come to life! This course explores how fantasy, the fantastic, and the supernatural function as a site of cultural and aesthetic critique in German literature and thought from the Enlightenment to the early twentieth century. Readings include immensely creative and influential masterpieces of world literature. Emphasis placed on developing critical reading and writing skills.
No prerequisites. All readings and discussions in English.
This course satisfies SAS Core Curriculum Learning Goals AHp, WCd.
Contemporary German Media and Society (1.5cr)
01:470:299:01
T6 4:30-5:50pm, Honors College S120
Prerequisite: 01:470:102 or 01:470:121, or higher.
In German. If taken twice, 470:299 may be counted for three credits towards the major or minor.
The main goal of this course is to increase the students' cultural awareness through the study of the various media and their role in contemporary German society, while furthering the students' German language skills through consistent speaking, listening, reading, and writing. In this course, students will explore the traditional, modernized, and news media and the role they play in different realms of contemporary German society. Chosen topics of the course are crucial to understanding the modern German-speaking world and include themes such as social structure, politics, culture, and everyday life. Special attention is paid to cultural comparisons between Germany and the United States.
Introduction to Literary and Cultural Analysis: Diskurspop (3 cr)
01:470:301:01
Dominik Zechner
MTh3 11:30-12:50pm, Murray Hall 115
Contrary to the American cultural discourse, the German tradition has, for a long time, upheld a strong distinction between high and low culture. Starting in the 1960’s, however, we can discern a lineage of strong literary and musical interventions made to undermine and abolish this antiquated binary. Artworks which we may loosely associate with the term “pop” have successfully bridged the gap between the demands of aesthetic production under the conditions of what Adorno termed “cultural industry”––and a strong sensitivity for the profound intricacies of language and poetic expression. This course is designed to circumscribe the strangely elusive phenomenon of pop in the German context. The study of contemporary poetry and prose will go hand in hand with an intense examination of the lyrical genius of some recent German rock and pop music. We will be listening to Tocotronic, Element of Crime, and Blumfeld, while studying poetry, drama, and prose by Rolf Dieter Brinkmann, Nobel laureate Peter Handke, Christian Kracht, Rainald Goetz, and contemporary pop-literary superstar Sybille Berg. Put on your dancing shoes! This class is designed for students with a solid grasp of basic German vocabulary and grammar who wish to expand their knowledge of the language and culture through reading, discussion, and writing. Taught in German. Fulfills SAS core requirements AHp, WCd. 300-level German-language courses open to students who have either successfully completed German 232 or will be simultaneously enrolled in either German 231 or 232. May be repeated for credit.
Big Bang: The Literature of Chaos and Order (3 cr)
01:470:364:01
Nicholas Rennie
Crosslisted with Comparative Literature 01:195:364:01
TTh4 1:10-2:30pm, Scott Hall 214
In English. No prerequisites.
Considering how the world began has always also meant wondering how it might end. In recent centuries, increasingly, it has also involved thinking about the position of human beings in a physical and moral universe whose structures can no longer be taken for granted. This course examines the ways a selection of writers and philosophers from the Renaissance to the present have represented dramatic upheavals in the physical universe as analogies for crisis and revolution in the realms of history, politics, psychology, science, and the arts. Fulfills SAS core goals AH o, p.
Marx, Nietzsche, Freud (3 cr)
01:470:371:01
Nicholas Rennie
Cross-listed with Comparative Literature 01:195:374:01 and Philosophy 01:730:344:01
TTh5 2:50-4:10pm, Milledoler Hall 100
Exploration of the work of three German-language writers who revolutionized modern philosophy, theology, psychology, aesthetics, social and political science, gender studies, historiography, literature and the arts. We will be reading and discussing a selection of key writings by Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud. Along with these we’ll examine a sampling of texts that were important for their work, and writings that later both reflected their influence and drew their ideas in new directions. In English. No prerequisites. Fulfills SAS core goals HST-1, AHo. Will next be offered in Fall 2022.
(Students who have completed Introductory German 101 or the equivalent, or who have Prof. Rennie’s permission, are encouraged to enroll in the 1-credit companion module “The Language of Marx, Nietzsche and Freud” (01:991:121:E1), which will focus on the original German-language concepts and formulations in select passages relevant to the principal themes of the main course “Marx, Nietzsche, Freud." Contact Prof. Rennie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information and/or to register.
Topics in German Literature and Civilization: Introduction to Middle High German (3 cr)
01:470:387:01
Meets with 16:470:516:01
Alexander Pichugin
M67 4:30-7:10pm, AB West Wing 4050
Taught in German. Course meets with 16:470:626:01.
This seminar introduces students to language, literature, and culture of the Middle-High German period (ca. 1050-1350). Students will analyze the phonology and grammar of Middle High German while reading representative texts of the period with a special emphasis on the popular epic (Song of the Nibelungs, Gudrun), court epic (Erec, Poor Henry, and Iwein by Hartmann von Aue, Parzival by Wolfram von Eschenbach, and Tristan by Gottfried von Strassburg), and Minnesang (courtly love poems by Friedrich von Hausen, Heinrich von Veldeke, Heinrich von Morungen, Reinmar von Hagenau, and Walther von der Vogelweide). 300-level German-language courses open to students who have either successfully completed German 232 or will be simultaneously enrolled in either German 231 or 232.
Topics in German Literature and Civilization: German TV in its Cultural Context (3 cr)
01:470:389:01
Alexander Pichugin
MTh2 9:50-11:10am, Scott Hall 219
In order to better understand modern German-language culture, it is crucial to explore the enormous role that television has played in shaping it over the past eighty years. This course invites students to explore the phenomenon of television in the German-speaking world, a medium that has grown from its modest origins in the 1930s to permeate private and public spaces with a never-ending flow of sounds and images. Students will examine both the emergence and development of German TV as a distinct medium, as well as its role as both the product and the shaper of a changing society.
In the first half of the semester students will look at the technological origins of television and the role Germany played in it, as well as briefly trace the history of its development in German-speaking countries. Approaching television from a media studies and cultural studies perspective, students will analyze its cultural and political impact, as well as its ongoing evolution in the German-speaking world. They will see how the development of television intersects with numerous other media, including radio, cinema, the novel, and even video games. They will explore the issues specifically related to the German-language context, such as the German dual system, media policies and their most recent changes, as well as some specifics of Austrian and Swiss television.
In the second half of the semester, students will investigate in more depths some television genres and formats most specific to modern German-language TV, such as newscasts, documentary and educational television, crime shows, reality shows, game shows, and television movies and series. Students will also study some forms of dramatic TV narrative—the stand-alone episode, the miniseries, a long serial narrative, and the web television series. Special attention will be given to the role these genres play in different realms of contemporary German society in connection to some topics crucial to understanding the modern German-speaking world, including social structure, politics, culture, and everyday life.
The course is taught in German. 300-level German-language courses open to students who have either successfully completed German 232 or will be simultaneously enrolled in either German 231 or 232.
Topics in German Literature and Civilization: Holocaust Literature in Translation (3 cr)
01:470:390:01
Jeffrey Shandler
TTh5 2:50-4:10pm, Miller Hall 106
This course examines different ways that people caught up in the Holocaust have told their life stories, or have had their stories told by others, in various media, from the immediate postwar years to the early 21st century. Examples include diaries, memoirs, works of visual art, poetry, graphic novel, documentary and feature film, video interviews. Course taught in English. No prerequisites.
