German
Departmental Guidelines and Mission Statement
The Department of Modern Languages brings the world to our students and offers opportunities for them to forge human connections, engage with difference, and develop cultural and linguistic competency. In doing so, students fundamentally transform their relationship to the world around them by learning to think and speak from another viewpoint. By studying the languages and cultural production of other global societies, students develop skills for critical analysis, unlock creative potential, and discover new possibilities within themselves. Sustained study in one of our languages helps students maximize their study abroad experience so their acquired linguistic and cultural competency enhances the breadth and depth of options in their professional portfolio. Modern Languages prepares students to connect, work, and thrive in a global world.
Our basic courses offer the opportunity to begin acquiring the skills and knowledge necessary for the eventual mastery of a language. When students take full advantage of that opportunity, they can use the target language in all subsequent courses. The department emphasizes the use of the target language in most of its courses because students can best appreciate another culture from within its own mode of expression.
With a view toward career opportunities, the department encourages integrating language study with a variety of other academic areas, such as history, philosophy, international studies, sustainability and environmental studies, biology, economics, politics and public affairs, global commerce, global health, and English. Courses in cultural studies and literature, aside from their intrinsic worth, also present multiple perspectives on other cultures and areas of intellectual experience.
A student who wants to spend a summer, a semester, or a year abroad with programs approved by Denison should consult members of the department and the Center for Global Programs (see Off-Campus Programs). On-campus opportunities to improve command of the language are provided by language tables, international films, club meetings, and similar activities sponsored by the department. There are also subsidized field trips to museums and pertinent activities in cities across the country, and in some cases, international travel.
Faculty
Associate Professor Charles St-Georges, Chair
Associate Professor Melissa Huerta, Associate Chair
Assistant Professor Ross Etherton, Coordinator of German
Visiting Assistant Professor Vanessa Plumly
Academic Program Coordinator
Liz Barringer-Smith
German Major
Students majoring in German must take a minimum of nine courses (9) beyond GERM 112 - Beginning German II. Major electives would include a combination of 200 and 300-level classes. Of these, at least one course must be a literature course and one must be an area studies course.
| Code | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| GERM 213 | Intermediate Conversation and Composition (or equivalent) | |
| GERM 214 | Review: Communication and Writing Skills | |
| GERM 311 | Introduction to German Fiction and Non-Fiction (recommended; or another German Literature course) | |
| Culture and Civilization | ||
| GERM 303 | Seminar: Special Topics in English | |
| or GERM 304 | German Culture and Civilization: 19th Century to 1933 | |
| or GERM 305 | German Culture and Civilization: 1933 to Present | |
| Senior Project | ||
| Seniors complete one major project in the context of a 300 level course taken in the senior year. | ||
| GERM 441 | Senior Project | |
Three of the five remaining required courses must have some literary content, taken from Denison's course offerings or equivalent courses offered by an approved program abroad. The other two courses can be advanced language or a second civilization course.
German Minor
A student minoring in German must take at least five advanced language courses above the 112 level, including one literature course, and one course in area studies. Recommended courses:
| Code | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| GERM 213 | Intermediate Conversation and Composition | |
| GERM 214 | Review: Communication and Writing Skills | |
| GERM 303 | Seminar: Special Topics in English | |
| or GERM 304 | German Culture and Civilization: 19th Century to 1933 | |
| or GERM 305 | German Culture and Civilization: 1933 to Present | |
| GERM 311 | Introduction to German Fiction and Non-Fiction (or one other German Literature course) | |
| or GERM 302 | Special Topics Seminar | |
Additional Points of Interest
General Departmental Regulations
Students planning to major in the department are advised to begin course work in the first year. Those who want to fulfill the basic requirement in language by continuing one begun in secondary school will find it advantageous to begin their course work in the first year. The Department of Modern Languages strongly recommends that students complete their language requirement by the end of their sophomore year.
The Language Lab
An important asset of the department is the Language Lab with its 27 Macs, zone-free Blu-ray player and document camera. It also has a VIA Connect PRO which is a wireless collaboration and presentation solution that makes sharing and presenting easier with all computers in the room. The lab provides support for learning activities outside and inside the classroom, ranging from grammar drills to research and collaborative writing projects, as well as discussions of authenticated materials published on the Internet. The area is designed not only for individualized instruction but also for group work and small seminars that use a variety of digital materials for class discussion.
Cultural Enrichment
Each semester the department offers students exceptional opportunities for cultural enrichment in language study. These opportunities include, for example, off-campus trips to target-culture plays, movies and performances, as well as campus visits by native scholars and performers. In that way, experiences in target cultures become more readily available to our students. These opportunities are made possible through a most generous endowment bestowed on the Department of Modern Languages by the Patty Foresman Fund. The department maintains a Modern Languages Facebook page where Denison community members can view upcoming events.
The Foresman Lounge
Located in the central hub of the department, the lounge provides the Denison community with a space for a wide range of activities such as receptions, classes, and informal gatherings. This area has a kitchenette with a table and chairs for sharing lunch or a coffee with our faculty as well as mobile soft seating for easy reconfiguration of the space. It is also equipped with a wide range of technological devices to enrich our students’ learning experiences. This room has a 52-inch flat screen TV connected to a webcam, zone-free Blu-ray player and a document camera. The lounge also has a ceiling-mounted laser projector that connects to a networked Mac computer, the Blu-ray player and a VIA for wireless connection to the data projector.
Courses
GERM 111 - Beginning German I (4 Credit Hours)
A comprehensive introductory course in German develops the four basic skills: aural comprehension, speaking, reading and writing. Does not count as credit toward a major.
GERM 112 - Beginning German II (4 Credit Hours)
A comprehensive introductory course in German develops the four basic skills: aural comprehension, speaking, reading and writing. Does not count as credit toward a major.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 111 or placement.
GERM 213 - Intermediate Conversation and Composition (4 Credit Hours)
Intensive practice in all modalities to improve intermediate level skills. Work in the Language Lab and composition writing will constitute a part of the course. This course satisfies the Oral Communication general education requirement.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 112 or placement.
GERM 214 - Review: Communication and Writing Skills (4 Credit Hours)
Intensive review of grammar and writing skills which aims to increase oral and written accuracy. Conducted in German.
Prerequisite(s): GERM 213 or consent.
GERM 302 - Special Topics Seminar (4 Credit Hours)
A seminar with an emphasis on culture and literature focusing on a specific theme or topic. Topics have included divided Berlin, national identity, love in literature of the 90s, women in German media, Afro-Germans, victims and perpetrators in German literature, migration and refugees and grammar review/advanced writing proficiency.
Prerequisite(s): Two semesters of intermediate level German or consent.
GERM 303 - Seminar: Special Topics in English (4 Credit Hours)
German 303 is a course taught in English. This course treats unique issues in German Studies that have contemporary significance and interdisciplinary content. Possible topics addressed in this course include divided Berlin, German professional sports, history of Germanic languages, migration, fairy tales, the forest in German-speaking cultures, and any 300 level course currently taught in German that could be transposed into the English language.
GERM 304 - German Culture and Civilization: 19th Century to 1933 (4 Credit Hours)
German culture in its historic context of the 19th century to 1933. Study of the development of German culture and civilization as represented in literature, art, architecture, philosophy, music and film. Conducted in German.
Prerequisite(s): Two semesters of intermediate level German or consent.
GERM 305 - German Culture and Civilization: 1933 to Present (4 Credit Hours)
German history and culture from 1933 to the present. Study of the development of German culture and civilization as represented in literature, art, architecture, philosophy, music and film. Also explorations on what it means to become a German citizen. Special emphasis on Germany and Austria as multicultural societies. Conducted in German.
Prerequisite(s): Two semesters of intermediate level German or consent.
GERM 307 - Contemporary Germany (4 Credit Hours)
This is a course exploring Germany as an “imagined community” (per Benedict Anderson) and how it has been (re)made across the 20th and 21st centuries. The course centers both mainstream narratives and marginalized voices—what Fatima El‑Tayeb calls “Ungermans”—to examine how excluded groups have reshaped German identity. Through readings, films, and discussion, we address questions such as: how German Jews are alternately erased from and reinserted into national history; the presence and contested repatriation of Namibian skulls at Berlin’s Charité; the social and economic effects of Germany’s postwar division and reunification; and the politics behind recent refugee policy and the rise of calls for “remigration.”.
Crosslisting: INTL 267.
GERM 310 - German Film (4 Credit Hours)
Covers an intro to film theory and a variety of German-language films, examined in light of their social, historical, and cultural contexts. Fridays are reserved for film viewings—there are no readings on these days. Taught in German.
Prerequisite(s): Two semesters of intermediate-level German or consent.
GERM 311 - Short Forms of Literature (4 Credit Hours)
This course introduces the study of German-language literature through the historical prism of the short form—such as excerpts, fairy tales, short stories, and the novella— and its modern manifestations. Students examine the short form in light of the tensions and conditions of the modern age and, along the way, will produce their own short (and longer) written and spoken forms. Conducted in German.
Prerequisite(s): Two semesters of intermediate level German or consent.
GERM 312 - Contemporary Literature and Themes (4 Credit Hours)
Examines recent German-language literature that engages with contemporary themes such as: the environment; transnational migration and the situation of refugees in Germany; nationalism; the metropolis; unified Germany, and youth culture. Conducted in German.
Prerequisite(s): Two semesters of intermediate level German or consent.
GERM 361 - Directed Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
A student in good standing may work intensively in areas of special interest under the Directed Study plan. A Directed Study is appropriate when, under the guidance of a faculty member, a student wants to explore a subject more fully than is possible in a regular course or to study a subject not covered in the regular curriculum. A Directed Study should not normally duplicate a course that is regularly offered. Directed Studies are normally taken for 3 or 4 credits. A one-semester Directed Study is limited to a maximum of 4 credit hours. Note: Directed Studies may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.
GERM 362 - Directed Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
A student in good standing may work intensively in areas of special interest under the Directed Study plan. A Directed Study is appropriate when, under the guidance of a faculty member, a student wants to explore a subject more fully than is possible in a regular course or to study a subject not covered in the regular curriculum. A Directed Study should not normally duplicate a course that is regularly offered. Directed Studies are normally taken for 3 or 4 credits. A one-semester Directed Study is limited to a maximum of 4 credit hours. Note: Directed Studies may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.
GERM 363 - Independent Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
Independent Study engages a student in the pursuit of clearly defined goals. In this effort, a student may employ skills and information developed in previous course experiences or may develop some mastery of new knowledge or skills. A proposal for an Independent Study project must be approved in advance by the faculty member who agrees to serve as the project advisor. Note: Independent Studies may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.
GERM 364 - Independent Study (1-4 Credit Hours)
Independent Study engages a student in the pursuit of clearly defined goals. In this effort, a student may employ skills and information developed in previous course experiences or may develop some mastery of new knowledge or skills. A proposal for an Independent Study project must be approved in advance by the faculty member who agrees to serve as the project advisor. Note: Independent Studies may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.
GERM 441 - Senior Project (1 Credit Hour)
Senior German majors register for this credit with a regularly scheduled 300-level class.
GERM 451 - Senior Research (4 Credit Hours)
Students may enroll in Senior Research in their final year at Denison. Normally, Senior Research requires a major thesis, report, or project in the student's field of concentration and carries eight semester-hours of credit for the year. Typically, a final grade for a year-long Senior Research will not be assigned until the completion of the year-long Senior Research at the end of the second semester. Each semester of Senior Research is limited to a maximum of 4 credit hours. Note: Senior Research may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.
GERM 452 - Senior Research (4 Credit Hours)
Students may enroll in Senior Research in their final year at Denison. Normally, Senior Research requires a major thesis, report, or project in the student's field of concentration and carries eight semester-hours of credit for the year. Typically, a final grade for a year-long Senior Research will not be assigned until the completion of the year-long Senior Research at the end of the second semester. Each semester of Senior Research is limited to a maximum of 4 credit hours. Note: Senior Research may not be used to fulfill General Education requirements.