Whether you want to try something for the first time, or dive deep into your area of study, our courses offer you the opportunity to shine a light on what interests you. 

Please note: The Course Catalog should be used for all official planning. 

GER - German Studies

GER 101: Beginning German 1

The first course of a two-term sequence that introduces students to the basics of German. Students practice the four skills of speaking, writing, reading, and listening all within a German cultural studies context.
Units: 6

GER 102: Beginning German 2

A continuation of German 101. Students build on their language proficiency with continued practice in the four skills of speaking, writing, reading, and listening all within a German cultural studies context. PREREQUISITES: GER 101 or the equivalent
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 101 or the equivalent

GER 191: Directed Study in German

Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 1 TO 98
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 195: Internship in German

An opportunity for students to apply their German language skills in business, government, and the non-profit sector on the regional, national, and international level. Arranged in collaboration with and supervised by a member of the department. Includes readings, discussion, report, and/or portfolio. Advance consultation and application required. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 2 OR 3
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 201: Intermediate German I

Further development of the four basic skills with an emphasis on increasing the student’s ability to understand literary as well as non-literary texts of increasing difficulty. PREREQUISITES: GER 102 or the equivalent
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 102 or the equivalent

GER 202: Intermediate German II

Special emphasis on building reading and writing skills, expanding vocabulary, and developing cultural knowledge of the German-speaking countries. Cultural units may include “literary and art history, the environment, multiculturalism and diversity, and politics. PREREQUISITES: GER 201 or the equivalent
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 201 or the equivalent

GER 276: Grim(m) Stories? Comparative Fairy Tales in Translation

The course focuses on tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, but it will also include works from broader continental contexts (Africa, Asia, Europe) and more modern adaptations. Students will be introduced to various interpretative approaches (e.g. feminist, Marxist, psychoanalytic, postcolonial, structuralist) that will enable them to analyze tale types, themes, and motives across cultures. Taught in English. Course will count toward the humanities general education requirement for BA and BA/BMus students.
Units: 6

GER 278: Introduction to German Film (in English)

With its pivotal role in the inauguration of the cinema, knowledge of German film is critical to an understanding of the history of film. Considered as one of the most accessible aesthetic forms, the moving image pervades our everyday lives, and yet we seldom think of what we do as "reading" films. Throughout this course, students will be introduced to the practice of reading German films using three structuring lenses: 1) film and cultural history, 2) formal and generic elements, and 3) film criticism.
Units: 6
Also listed as Film Studies 278

GER 285: Advanced Composition and Conversation

This course follows GER202. Students improve and refine writing, speaking, and cultural analysis skills through the study of a variety of written texts (e.g. poetry, drama), films, and visual art. The discussion-based course allows students to acquire deeper knowledge of the language, history, and culture of the German-speaking countries. Students prepare grammar exercises, essays, presentations, and other assignments that expand students engagement with German cultural studies. PREREQUISITES: GER 202 or consent of instructor
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 202 or consent of instructor

GER 290: Berlin: Experiencing a Great City (in English)

This course introduces students to one of the world’s great cities. Classwork includes the history, culture, and literature of Berlin as well as preparations for a series of day-long walking tours of the city that students will conduct themselves for their classmates with the help of a guidebook. In addition, students will conduct comparative research on some aspect of life in the U.S. or Germany. Students must complete both the classroom portion of the course and the Berlin trip to receive credit. Taught in English. Not open to students who have previously received or need to receive credit for GER 389.
Units: 2 OR 4
Also listed as Global Studies 290

GER 312: Reading Texts and Contexts

This course serves as an introduction to German cultural studies and prepares students for upper-level course work in the major and minor. Students encounter the objects, methods, and theories of the interdisciplinary field German Studies, from film and literature to material culture; genre analysis to the close reading of poetry; and New Historicism to critical whiteness studies. The course is conducted primarily as a discussion seminar. PREREQUISITES: GER 285 or consent of instructor
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 285 or consent of instructor

GER 355: The Holocaust in German Culture (in English)

This course focuses on literary responses to the Holocaust, but it also deals with film and the issue of commemoration. After a discussion of the difficulty of representing the Holocaust, the course examines the Holocaust’s role in the construction of German-Jewish identity and its impact on post-war German culture. Taught in English. German majors and minors may participate in a two-unit tutorial in which discussions and some course readings will be in German. PREREQUISITES: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor
Units: 6
Also listed as Global Studies 355
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or consent of instructor

GER 357: Film in Germany (in English)

This course selects from 90 years of filmmaking in Germany. Films range from expressionism to Nazi propaganda and from escapist comedies to avant garde art. Learning to “read” German films critically also means finding out how to understand movies from Hollywood and beyond. Possible topics include “From Caligari to Hitler,” “German Literature as Film,” and “What Makes Lola Run.” Taught in English. German majors and minors may participate in a two-unit tutorial in which discussions and some course readings will be in German. May be repeated when topic is different.
Units: 6
Also listed as Film Studies 357

GER 361: Vampires, Monsters, and Man-Eaters (In English)

This course seeks to reveal the ways in which the question of monstrous difference is articulated in a variety of German “texts.” Its main goal is to examine the ways that representations of monstrousness are employed to stage complex public and private anxieties as well as to provide an expression of rebellion against various systems of hierarchy. Featured in the works of canonized authors as well as within the realm of popular culture, the representational functions of the monster can provide valuable insight into numerous aspects of German history and psychosexual relations.
Units: 6
Also listed as Film Studies 361, Gender Studies 361

GER 375: Novellen

Although Novellen developed as a literary form throughout Europe, it was particularly popular in Germany from the late 18th through the 20th centuries. This course introduces students to the Novelle as a form, to a variety of interesting works of literature and to the cultural, social and political developments in which Novellen were written and read. PREREQUISITES: GER 312
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 312

GER 378: Black Europe Resistance, Performance, & Self-Making (in English)

This course dispels racial myths of the European continent, introduces the Black Diaspora beyond the African American context, pushes the boundaries of belonging and national identity in Europe, and presents black individuals/collectives as historical agents and transnational actors on and beyond the continent. Course materials may consist of literature, poetry, music videos, film, and art. Assessments include short reflection papers, research papers, and oral presentations. Taught in English. German majors and minors may participate in a two-unit tutorial in which discussions and some course readings will be in German.
Units: 6
Also listed as Ethnic Studies 378, Global Studies 378

GER 388: German Drama

Study of German dramatic literature that may or may not culminate in a workshop performance of a play or portions of plays. Students will situate German plays in their literary, historical and cultural context and also perform short dramatic readings. Assignments may also include short essays and oral presentations. PREREQUISITES: GER 312
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 312

GER 389: Berlin: Experiencing a Great City

An introduction to one of the world's great cities. Classwork includes the history, culture and literature of Berlin and preparations for day-long walking tours that students will lead. Students will do some readings and discussions in German and write their comparative paper in German Students must completed both the classroom portion of the course and the Berlin trip to receive credit. Taught in English. Not open to students who have previously received credit for GER 290. PREREQUISITES: GER 312
Units: 2 OR 6
Also listed as Global Studies 389
Prerequisite: GER 312

GER 390: Tutorial Studies in German

Individual study arranged and carried out in close consultation with an instructor. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 1 TO 98
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 391: Directed Study in German

Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 1 TO 98
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 395: Internship in German

An opportunity for students to apply their German language skills in business, government, and the non-profit sector on the regional, national, and international level. Arranged in collaboration with and supervised by a member of the department. Includes readings, discussion, report, and/or portfolio. Advance consultation and application required. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 2 OR 3
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 399: Independent Study in German

Advanced research on a topic of the student’s choice, arranged in consultation with the department. Students considering an honors project should register for this course. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 1 TO 98
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 412: Literature and Social Problems

Few would question literature's status as art, but literary texts are often also locations where authors explore imaginary solutions to real social problems. Unlike political pamphlets or non-fiction accounts, literature lets readers experience various problems and issues as they impact the lives of individual characters caught in difficult situations, e.g., class, ethnic, and gender conflicts, ecological disasters. PREREQUISITES: GER 312
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 312

GER 415: From Caligari to Cabaret: The Culture of the Weimar Republic (1918-1933)

This course explores the aesthetic and cultural trends of the Weimar Republic (1918-1933), one of the most vibrant periods of German history. With particular emphasis on gender, race, and sexuality in modernity, we examine film, visual art, literary works, magazines, music and cultural phenomena such as the "new woman," the body beautiful, and the "Third Sex." Taught in German as a discussion seminar. PREREQUISITES: GER312 or equivalent
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER312 or equivalent

GER 416: Kinder- und Jugendliteratur

This course examines the development of the distinct genre of literature for children and adolescents since the 18th century. It combines the analysis of classic texts, e.g., Heidi or Karl May, with close readings of modern cult classics. PREREQUISITES: GER 312 or consent of instructor
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 312 or consent of instructor

GER 417: Deutsche? Demokratische? Republik?

In the years since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, both the promise and the problems of the German Democratic Republic have faded from memory. Indeed, the experience seems to have receded into the distant past. This course explores both the lofty goals and difficult circumstances of the DDR’s birth and its gradual decline and fall. The course pays particular attention to literary and filmic representations of hope and fear that the country engendered. PREREQUISITES: GER 312
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 312

GER 418: Topics in German Cultural Studies

Topics in German Cultural Studies allows for an in-depth examination of topics across time, for example, women’s writing or crime fiction, or it permits a detailed analysis of special topics, for example, Turkish-German culture in contemporary German film. May be repeated when topic is different.
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 312

GER 421: Grimms Märchen

This course examines the entire corpus of the Grimm’s fairy tales, from the well-known to the obscure. Students will learn to find structural similarities and to situate the tales in their historical, social and literary context. PREREQUISITES: GER 312 or consent of instructor
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 312 or consent of instructor

GER 422: Der deutsche Krimi: Narratives of Crime and Detection

In this course we will examine the development of crime and detective fiction in the German-speaking countries through close reading of several different media--novels, short stories, film, radio drama, television, and essays. PREREQUISITES: GER 312 or instructor approval
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 312 or instructor approval

GER 431: Topics in German-Jewish Studies

Study of German-Jewish authors, intellectual figures, and topics from the Enlightenment to the present. This course will examine the role of dual identities, issues of assimilation/acculturation, Jewish identification and the notion of Jewish self-hatred. Representative writers include Mendelssohn, Heine, Kafka, Freud, Benjamin, Celan, Becker, Hilsenrath, and Honigmann. May be repeated when topic is different.
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 312

GER 447: Migrants and German Culture

Despite a long-term refusal to open itself to immigration, Germany has become a nation of immigrants and asylum-seekers. The course focuses on how both literature and films, including works by and about minorities in Germany, have dealt with key cultural phenomena: multiculturalism, diversity, acculturation, assimilation, “majority culture,” and parallel societies. PREREQUISITES: GER 312 or consent of the instructor
Units: 6
Also listed as Ethnic Studies 382, Film Studies 447
Prerequisite: GER 312 or consent of the instructor

GER 462: Vampires, Monsters, and Man-Eaters

This course examines the borders of the human through the figures of the vampire, monster, and femme fatale in literature, film, and the visual arts. Featured in the works of canonized authors as well as within popular culture, “monstrousness” can provide valuable insights into numerous aspects of German history and psychosexual relations. Possible texts include the early vampire film Nosferatu, Wedekind’s Lulu tragedies, Patrick Süskind’s Das Parfüm, and paintings by H.R. Giger. PREREQUISITES: GER 312
Units: 6
Also listed as Gender Studies 362, Film Studies 362
Prerequisite: GER 312

GER 465: Topics in Contemporary German Culture

This course explores recent developments in German culture: recent literature, visual culture, music and other arts, as well as topics from politics and society. May be repeated when topic is different.
Units: 6
Prerequisite: GER 312

GER 590: Tutorial Studies in German

Individual study arranged and carried out in close consultation with an instructor. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 1 TO 98
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 591: Directed Study in German

Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 1 TO 98
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 595: Internship in German

An opportunity for students to apply their German language skills in business, government, and the non-profit sector on the regional, national, and international level. Arranged in collaboration with and supervised by a member of the department. Includes readings, discussion, report, and/or portfolio. Advance consultation and application required. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 2 OR 3
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 599: Independent Study in German

Advanced research on a topic of the student’s choice, arranged in consultation with the department. Students considering an honors project should register for this course. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 1 TO 98
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 600: Senior Seminar

This two-term course serves as the Senior Experience for German Studies majors. Students explore potential topics, develop the scope of their project, conduct research, write and revise, and review each other's work. By the end of the course, they will produce an independently researched scholarly or creative project demonstrating their knowledge of the discipline. The course is conducted primarily as a workshop. PREREQUISITES: Declared major in German
Units: 2 TO 4
Prerequisite: Declared major in German

GER 690: Tutorial Studies in German

Individual study arranged and carried out in close consultation with an instructor. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 1 TO 98
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 691: Directed Study in German

Directed study follows a syllabus set primarily by the instructor to meet the needs or interests of an individual student or small group of students. The main goal of directed study is knowledge or skill acquisition, not research or creative work. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 1 TO 98
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 695: Internship in German

An opportunity for students to apply their German language skills in business, government, and the non-profit sector on the regional, national, and international level. Arranged in collaboration with and supervised by a member of the department. Includes readings, discussion, report, and/or portfolio. Advance consultation and application required. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 2 OR 3
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.

GER 699: Independent Study in German

Advanced research on a topic of the student’s choice, arranged in consultation with the department. Students considering an honors project should register for this course. PREREQUISITES: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
Units: 1 TO 98
Prerequisite: To register student must complete the Student Initiated Course Form with consultation of supervising instructor.
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