Germanic Studies

This is an archived copy of the 2012-13 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalogs.uchicago.edu.

Catalog Home › The College › Programs of Study › Germanic Studies

Contacts

Undergraduate Primary Contact

Director of Undergraduate Studies and Departmental Adviser Florian Klinger
Wb 114

Email

Secondary Contact

Language Program Director Catherine Baumann
C 508
702.8008
Email

Administrative Contact

Departmental Administrator for German in the College Michelle Zimet
Cl 25F
702.8494
Email

Website

http://german.uchicago.edu

Program of Study

The program for the BA degree in Germanic Studies is intended to provide students with a wide ranging and highly personalized introduction to the language, literature, and culture of German-speaking countries and to various methods of approaching and examining these areas. It is designed to be complemented by other areas of study (e.g., anthropology, art history, comparative literature, economics, film studies, history, philosophy, political science, sociology).

Students in other fields of study may also complete a minor in Germanic Studies. Information follows the description of the major.

Program Requirements

Students majoring in Germanic Studies typically register for six German language courses at the second-year level and above, plus six courses in German literature and culture, including two literature or culture courses taken in German, and GRMN 29900 BA Paper. With prior approval of the director of undergraduate studies, students may count up to three relevant German-oriented courses from other departments in the humanities or social sciences toward the requirements of the major in Germanic Studies. Students must meet with the director of undergraduate studies to discuss a plan of study as soon as they declare their major and no later than the end of Spring Quarter of their third year. Students must have their programs approved by the director of undergraduate studies before the end of their third year.

BA Paper

The BA paper typically is a research paper of a minimum of twenty-five pages. While the paper may be written in either English or German, it must include a bibliography that makes ample use of German-language sources. Students must submit a proposal for their BA paper to their faculty adviser by the beginning of the eighth week of Autumn Quarter in their senior year. A first draft of the paper is due on the first day of Spring Quarter, and the completed paper must be submitted by the beginning of the sixth week of Spring Quarter.

Germanic Studies will accept a paper or project used to meet the BA requirement in another major, under the condition that original German sources are used. Students should consult with both chairs by the earliest BA proposal deadline (or by the end of their third year, when neither program publishes a deadline). A consent form, to be signed by both chairs, is available from the College adviser. It must be completed and returned to the College adviser by the end of Autumn Quarter of the student's year of graduation.

Summary of Requirements

Second-year German		300
GRMN 20100-20200-20300	Deutsche Märchen; Deutsch-Amerikanische Themen; Kurzprosa aus dem 20. Jahrhundert ^*
Third-year German		300
GRMN 21103-21203-21303	Erzählen; Drama und Film; Gedichte
Two courses in literature or culture taken in German		200
Four courses in German literature and culture ^**		400
GRMN 29900	BA Paper	100
Total Units		1300

*	Or credit for the equivalent as determined by petition.
**	Three may be courses in other departments and/or Languages Across Chicago courses

Grading

Students who are majoring in Germanic Studies must receive a quality grade in all courses taken to meet requirements in the major. Nonmajors have the option of taking courses for P/F grading (except for language courses, which must be taken for quality grades).

Honors

Honors are reserved for students who achieve overall excellence in grades for courses in the College and within the major, as well as complete a BA paper that shows proof of original research or criticism. Students with an overall GPA of at least 3.0 for College work and a GPA of at least 3.5 in classes within the major, and whose GRMN 29900 BA Paper is judged superior by two readers, will be recommended to the Master of the Humanities Collegiate Division for honors.

Study Abroad

As early in their course of study as possible, interested students are encouraged to take advantage of one of the study abroad options that are available in the College. The five options are:

A program in Vienna, which is offered each Autumn Quarter, includes three courses of European Civilization, as well as German language instruction on several levels.
In the Autumn Quarter, an intensive language program in Freiburg is available to students who have completed the first-year sequence or an equivalent. Students in this program complete the second year of language study.
The College also co-sponsors, with the Berlin Consortium for German Studies, a yearlong program at the Freie Universität Berlin. Students register for regular classes at the Freie Universität or at other Berlin universities. To be eligible, students must have completed the second year of German language courses or an equivalent, and should have completed all general education requirements.
Third-year majors can apply for a Romberg Summer Research Grant to do preparatory work for the BA paper.
Students who wish to do a summer study abroad program can apply for a Foreign Language Acquisition Grant (FLAG) that is administered by the College and provides support for a minimum of eight weeks of study at a recognized summer program abroad. Students must have completed GRMN 10300 Elementary German for Beginners III or its equivalent to be eligible for FLAG support for the study of German. For more information, visit sitg.uchicago.edu .

More than half of the requirements for the major must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.

Proficiency Certificate

It is recommended that all students majoring in Germanic Studies complete the College's Advanced Language Proficiency Certificate in German as documentation of advanced functional ability in reading, writing, listening to, and speaking German. Students are eligible to take the examinations that result in the awarding of this certificate after they have completed courses beyond the second year of language study and subsequently have spent a minimum of one quarter abroad in an approved program; FLAG students are also eligible. For more information, visit college.uchicago.edu/academics-advising/academic-opportunities/advanced-language-proficiency .

Minor Program in Germanic Studies

Students in other fields of study may complete a minor in Germanic Studies. The minor in Germanic Studies requires a total of six courses in addition to the second-year language sequence (GRMN 20100 Deutsche Märchen/GRMN 20200 Deutsch-Amerikanische Themen/ GRMN 20300 Kurzprosa aus dem 20. Jahrhundert) (or credit for the equivalent as determined by petition). These six courses usually include the third-year sequence and three literature/culture courses. One of the literature/culture courses must be taken in German. Note that credit toward the minor for courses taken abroad must be determined in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies.

Students who elect the minor program in Germanic Studies must meet with the director of undergraduate studies before the end of Spring Quarter of their third year to declare their intention to complete the minor and must submit a form obtained from their College adviser. Students choose courses in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. The director's approval for the minor program should be submitted to the student's College adviser by the deadline above on the form.

Courses in the minor may not be double counted with the student's major(s) or with other minors and may not be counted toward general education requirements. Courses in the minor must be taken for quality grades, and more than half of the requirements for the minor must be met by registering for courses bearing University of Chicago course numbers.

The following group of courses would comprise a minor in Germanic Studies. Other programs may be designed in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. Minor program requirements are subject to revision.

Germanic Studies Sample Minor

GRMN 21103	Erzählen	100
GRMN 21203	Drama und Film	100
GRMN 21303	Gedichte	100
Three courses in German literature and culture		300

Minor Program in Norwegian Studies

Students in any field may complete a minor in Norwegian Studies. A Norwegian Studies minor will consist of the beginning language cycle (NORW 10100-10200-10300 First-Year Norwegian I-II-III) as the language component of the minor. Three additional courses are required to complete the minor. Students choose these courses in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. These courses may include:

20000-level Norwegian language classes and/or literaure classes
NORW 10400	Intermediate Norwegian I: Introduction to Literature	100
NORW 10500	Intermediate Norwegian II	100

Students who elect the minor program in Norwegian Studies must meet with the director of undergraduate studies before the end of Spring Quarter of their third year to declare their intention to complete the minor and must submit a form obtained from their College adviser. Students choose courses in consultation with the director of undergraduate studies. The director's approval for the minor program should be submitted to the student's College adviser by the deadline above on the form.

Minor program requirements are subject to revision.

German Courses

Language

First-Year Sequence

GRMN 10100-10200-10300. Elementary German for Beginners I-II-III.

This sequence develops proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking for use in everyday communication. Knowledge and awareness of the different cultures of the German speaking countries is also a goal.

GRMN 10100. Elementary German for Beginners I. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Autumn
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for quality grade.

GRMN 10200. Elementary German for Beginners II. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 10100 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for quality grade.

GRMN 10300. Elementary German for Beginners III. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 10200 or 10201, or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for quality grade.

GRMN 10201. Elementary German II. 100 Units.

This is an accelerated version of the GRMN 10100-10200 sequence intended for students with previous knowledge of the language.

Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter
Prerequisite(s): Placement or consent of language coordinator
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

GRMN 13100. Reading German. 100 Units.

This course prepares students to read a variety of German texts. By the end of the quarter, students should have a fundamental knowledge of German grammar and a basic vocabulary. While the course does not teach conversational German, the basic elements of pronunciation are introduced.

Terms Offered: Spring
Note(s): Prior knowledge of German not required. No auditors permitted. This course does not prepare students for the competency exam. Must be taken for a quality grade.

Second-Year Sequence

GRMN 20100-20200-20300. Deutsche Märchen; Deutsch-Amerikanische Themen; Kurzprosa aus dem 20. Jahrhundert.

GRMN 20100. Deutsche Märchen. 100 Units.

This course is a comprehensive look at German fairy tales, including structure and role in German nineteenth-century literature, adaptation as children's books in German and English, and film interpretations. This course also includes a review and expansion of German grammar.

Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 10300 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

GRMN 20200. Deutsch-Amerikanische Themen. 100 Units.

Issues may range from social topics such as family roles or social class, to literary genres such as exile or immigrant literature. Review and expansion of German grammar continues.

Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20100 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

GRMN 20300. Kurzprosa aus dem 20. Jahrhundert. 100 Units.

This course is a study of descriptive and narrative prose through short fiction and other texts, as well as media from the twentieth century, with a focus on grammatical issues that are designed to push toward more cohesive and idiomatic use of language.

Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20200 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

Third-Year Sequence

GRMN 21103-21203-21303. Erzählen; Drama und Film; Gedichte.

It is not necessary to take these courses in sequence, but all three are required for the major. These three courses serve as preparation for seminar-style classes. Students work with a variety of texts and learn to present and participate in instructor- and student-led discussions of relevant issues and topics. Student also write short essays and longer research papers. Work in grammar, structure, and vocabulary moves students toward more idiomatic use of German.

GRMN 21103. Erzählen. 100 Units.

This course develops advanced German skills through the study of narratives of various authors from different periods.

Terms Offered: Autumn
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20300 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

GRMN 21203. Drama und Film. 100 Units.

This course develops advanced German skills through the study of dramas and/or films of various authors/directors from different eras.

Terms Offered: Winter
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20300 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

GRMN 21303. Gedichte. 100 Units.

This course develops advanced German skills through the study of poetry of various authors from different periods.

Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): GRMN 20300 or placement
Note(s): No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade.

Literature and Culture

All literature and culture courses are conducted in German unless otherwise indicated. Students who are majoring or minoring in German and take courses taught in English are expected to do the majority of their course work in German.

GRMN 24013. Symbolic Economies: Marx, Freud. 100 Units.

How does Marx's understanding of capitalist economic relations stand with respect to Freud's understanding of what he referred to as the "libidinal economy" of the mind? How does Marx's understanding of surplus value relate to Freud's understanding of the drives (and vice versa)? In this course we will investigate these questions and, more generally, the peculiar ways in which Marxist and Freudian thought intersect around questions of value, labor, embodiment, and desire.

Instructor(s): E. Santner Terms Offered: Spring

GRMN 25013. The German Romantic Lied. 100 Units.

In the romantic genre of the German Lied, music and poetry meet with a precision, complexity and affective intensity unheard of since the times of medieval Minnesang. At the center of this undergraduate seminar is the relationship of Robert Schumann and Heinrich Heine and their cycle “Dichterliebe,” supplemented by Schumann’s rendering of other poets’ work (for example, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe or Joseph von Eichendorff). The larger context of Lied-making the class also seeks to explore is formed by pieces by Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelsohn Bartholdy, and Johannes Brahms. Readings and discussions in German.

Instructor(s): F. Klinger Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): CMLT 28610

GRMN 25413. Fairy Tales and the Fantastic. 100 Units.

This course will study fairy tales within the broader context of the history of childhood and practices of education and socialization. Therefore, we will address issues such as the varying historical conceptions of the child, and the role of adults – parents and pedagogues – in the shaping of fairy tales for the instruction of children. In addition to our main focus on the socializing forces directed at children we will explore different interpretive approaches, including those that place fairy tales against the backdrop of folklore, of literary history, of psychoanalysis, of the history of gender roles. While we will consider fairy tales drawn from a number of different national traditions and historical periods, we will concentrate on the German context and in particular on Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm’s contribution to this genre. In order to reflect on the specific mediality of fairy tales, we will examine the evolution of specific tale types and trace their history from oral traditions through print to film. Last but not least, we will have to consider the potential strategies for reinterpreting and rewriting a genre that continues to shape the cultural imaginary today. Readings and discussions in English (German texts will be available in the original).

Instructor(s): C. Wild Terms Offered: Spring

GRMN 28100. Radical Truth of Henrik Ibsen. 100 Units.

In this course we will focus on what one modern Ibsen scholar has called the “radical truth” at the center of Ibsen’s dramas, examining nine of Ibsen’s prose plays in our own modern context. Do Ibsen’s works continue to resonate with new generations of readers and viewers? Do we still see the “radical truth” of his plays?

Instructor(s): K. Kenny Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): NORW 28100

GRMN 28313. Ephron Seminar: Goethe and Classical Antiquity. 100 Units.

Goethe’s various encounters with antiquity rank among the most productive poetic and intellectual inspirations of his life. In this course we will study his engagement with classical antiquity by reading the most important works in which he either treats classical themes or uses ancient poetic forms. Our goal will be to figure out what views of classical literature and art Goethe held and how his conception changed over the course of his poetic career. At the same time we will delineate the salient characteristics of the different phases of Goethe’s thought and writing. The works to be studied include: the great hymns of the Sturm und Drang, Iphigenia at Aulis, the essay on Laocoon, Hermann and Dorothea, the Roman Elegies, Pandora, the Helen-act of Faust II. We will also read the classical works which inspired Goethe’s writing most strongly: selections from Homer’s Iliad, Euripides’ Iphigenia among the Taurians, Pindar’s odes, and Roman love elegies by Propertius and Ovid. No knowledge of German or classical languages is required, but students with knowledge of German, Latin, or Greek are encouraged to read the texts in the original. (The goal of this annual seminar of changing context is to promote innovative course design. Examples of past topics are gender, death, violence, and law in the ancient world.)

Instructor(s): T. Joho Terms Offered: Spring
Equivalent Course(s): CLCV 28300

GRMN 28600. Major Works of Goethe. 100 Units.

This course is an intensive study of selected works (i.e., poetry, drama, fiction, essays) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Students will become acquainted with one of the major figures in the history of European culture. Works to be considered include: Faust I, The Sorrows of Young Werther, Novelle, Farbenlehre (some appropriately excerpted). The seminar will also explore Goethe's life and times. All works to be read in German. Discussions in German.

Instructor(s): D. Wellbery Terms Offered: Autumn
Equivalent Course(s): FNDL 22202

GRMN 29113. Brecht and the (Theatrical) Praxes of Theory. 100 Units.

Exploration of Brecht’s theoretical texts and theater works—with a special focus upon his Messingkauf Dialogues—in order to map out their implications for theater practice. This seminar is part of a collaborative inter-institutional project (between the University of Chicago, Tel Aviv University, and Frankfurt University) to re-think the Messingkauf Dialogues. We expect to present the results of our work on each collaborating institution’s campus in the course of the summer/fall of 2013 (pending funding approval). Open by permission only, to advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. Students interested in participating should contact the professor in the course of the Autumn Quarter.

Instructor(s): D. Levin Terms Offered: Winter
Note(s): Consent of Instructor required during Autumn Quarter.
Equivalent Course(s): GRMN 39113,TAPS 28436

GRMN 29700. Reading and Research Course in German. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies
Note(s): Students must consult with the instructor by the eighth week of the preceding quarter to determine the subject of the course and the work to be done. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form.

GRMN 29900. BA Paper. 100 Units.

Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring
Prerequisite(s): Fourth-year standing. Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies.
Note(s): Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form.

GRMN 39113. Brecht and the (Theatrical) Praxes of Theory. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): D. Levin Terms Offered: Winter
Note(s): Consent of Instructor required during Autumn Quarter.
Equivalent Course(s): GRMN 29113,TAPS 28436

Languages Across Chicago (LxC)

LxC courses have two possible formats: (1) an additional course meeting during which students read and discuss authentic source material and primary texts in German; or (2) a course in another discipline (such as history) that is taught entirely in German. Prerequisite German language skills depend on the course format and content. LxC courses maintain or improve students’ German language skills while giving them a unique and broadened perspective into the regular course content.

Norwegian Courses

Language

NORW 10100-10200-10300. First-Year Norwegian I-II-III.

The aim of this sequence is to provide students with minimal proficiency in the four language skills of speaking, reading, writing and listening—with a special emphasis on speaking. To achieve these goals, we undertake an overview of all major grammar topics and work to acquire a substantial vocabulary.

NORW 10100. First-Year Norwegian I. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): K. Kenny Terms Offered: Autumn

NORW 10200. First-Year Norwegian II. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): K. Kenny Terms Offered: Winter

NORW 10300. First-Year Norwegian III. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): K. Kenny Terms Offered: Spring

NORW 10400. Intermediate Norwegian I: Introduction to Literature. 100 Units.

This course combines intensive review of all basic grammar with the acquisition of more advanced grammar concepts. While our main priority remains oral proficiency, we work to develop our reading and writing skills. We challenge our reading ability with more sophisticated examples of Norwegian prose and strengthen our writing through essay writing. The centerpiece of the course is the contemporary Norwegian novel Naiv. Super.

Instructor(s): K. Kenny Terms Offered: Spring
Prerequisite(s): NORW 10300 or consent of instructor

Literature and Culture

NORW 28100. Radical Truth of Henrik Ibsen. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): K. Kenny Terms Offered: Winter
Equivalent Course(s): GRMN 28100

NORW 29700. Reading and Research Course in Norwegian. 100 Units.

Instructor(s): K. Kenny Terms Offered: Autumn, Winter, Spring
Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies
Note(s): Students must consult with the instructor by the eighth week of the preceding quarter to determine the subject of the course and the work to be done. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form.