Program of Study

The program for the B.A. 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: (1) five courses in German literature and culture, including two from courses numbered 22000-22099, and (2) a Senior Capstone Seminar (GRMN 29801). Students must also prepare a B.A. Paper (GRMN 29900). 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. Students must have their programs approved by the director of undergraduate studies before the end of their third year.

Students may satisfy the required language courses for the major through placement or accreditation examinations.

B.A. Paper. The B.A. 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 B.A. 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. Registration for GRMN 29900 (B.A. Paper) is required but not counted toward the twelve-course major.

Germanic Studies will accept a paper or project used to meet the B.A. requirement in another major, under the condition that original German sources are used. Students should consult with both chairs by the earliest B.A. proposal deadline (or by the end of 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

3 GRMN 20100, 20200, 20300 (second-year German)*

3 GRMN 21101, 21201, 21301

2 courses from GRMN 22000-22099 (taught in German)

3 courses in German literature and culture

(may be taken in other departments
and may include Languages Across Chicago courses)

1 Senior Seminar (GRMN 29801)

- B.A. Paper (GRMN 29900)

* Credit may be granted by examination.

Grading. Students majoring in Germanic Studies must take a quality grade in all courses taken to meet requirements in the major. Nonmajors have the option of taking courses on a P/F basis (except for language courses, which must be taken for quality grades). Students with previous background in German who register for GRMN 10100-10200-10300 without permission of the department will be graded only P/F.

Honors. Honors are reserved for those graduating seniors who achieve overall excellence in grades for courses in the College and within the major, and complete a B.A. 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 B.A. paper (GRMN 29900) 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 five study abroad options available in the College. (1) A program in Vienna, offered each Autumn Quarter, includes three courses of Western Civilization, as well as German language instruction on several levels. (2) In the Autumn Quarter, an intensive language program in Freiburg is available to students who have completed GRMN 10300. Students in this program complete the second year of language study. (3) The College also cosponsors, with the Berlin Consortium for German Studies, a year-long 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. (4) Third-year majors can apply for a Romberg Summer Research Grant to do preparatory work for the B.A. paper. (5) Students who wish to do a summer study abroad program can apply for a Foreign Language Acquisition Grant (FLAG). FLAG grants are administered by the College and provide support for a minimum of eight weeks of study at a recognized summer program abroad. Students must have completed GRMN 10300 or its equivalent to be eligible for FLAG support for the study of German.

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 German in reading, writing, listening, and speaking. 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.

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 beyond the second-year language sequence (20100-20300). At least one of the courses following completion of the third-year sequence must be taken in German. Credit toward the minor for courses taken abroad will 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 by submitting 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 a student's College adviser by the deadline above on a form obtained from the adviser.

Courses in the minor (1) may not be double counted with the student's major(s) or with other minors and (2) 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 21101-21201-21301. Third-Year German

GRMN 22004. Von Wagner zu Brecht

Languages Across Chicago course (it is suggested that the

content of this one LxC course be related to the student's major

if the major and minor are in similar disciplines)

GRMN 25300. Thomas Mann's Doktor Faustus

Faculty

C. Baumann, R. Buch, R. Heller, K. Kenny, D. Levin, E. Santner, C. Tang, D. Wellbery

Courses

German (grmn)

First-Year Sequence

10100-10200-10300. Elementary German for Beginners I, II, III. PQ for GRMN 10200: placement or consent of language coordinator. PQ for 10300: 10200 or 10201 or placement or consent of language coordinator. No auditors permitted. Must be taken for quality grades. The goal of this sequence is to develop 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. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

10201. Elementary German. PQ: Placement or consent of language coordinator. No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade. This is an accelerated version of the GRMN 10100-10200 sequence for students with previous knowledge of the language. Autumn, Winter.

13100. Reading German. 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. 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 taught so that students can understand a limited amount of spoken German. Spring.

Second-Year Sequence

20100. Deutsche Märchen. PQ: GRMN 10300 or placement. No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade. 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, with an emphasis on the verb. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20200. Deutsch-Amerikanische Themen. PQ: GRMN 20100 or placement. No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade. Issues may range from print or other media, to 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, with an emphasis on case. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

20300. Kurzprosa aus dem 20. Jahrhundert. PQ: GRMN 20200 or placement. No auditors permitted. Must be taken for a quality grade. This course is a study of descriptive and narrative prose through short fiction and other texts, as well as media from the twentieth century. We focus on grammatical issues designed to push toward more cohesive and idiomatic use of languages. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Third-Year Sequence

These three courses serve as preparation for seminar-style classes. Students prepare texts for class discussion but will learn to present a Referat: a student led discussion of material, including the issues raised and the student's position on those issues. These Referate will also be prepared in written form, and expanding and refining writing skills will be a major focus.

21101-21201-21301. Fokus. May be taken in sequence or individually, but all three are required for the major.

21101. Fokus: Zeitraum. PQ: GRMN 20300 or placement. No auditors permitted. Advanced German through the study of one era, such as Weimar, Romantic, Post-War, or Wende. Autumn.

21201. Fokus: Gattung. PQ: GRMN 20300 or placement. No auditors permitted. Advanced German through the study of one genre, such as the short story, novella, poetry, or drama. Winter.

21301. Fokus: Schriftsteller. PQ: GRMN 20300 or placement. No auditors permitted. Advanced German through the study of the work of an individual, such as Brecht, or a group, such as feminists or writers in exile. Spring.

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.

24300. Rilke's Modernity. (=FNDL 25201) This seminar primarily focuses on Rainer Maria Rilke's novel, The Notebooks of Malte Laurids Brigge, surely one of the greatest of all "urban novels" of the twentieth century, in the context of other literary and philosophical reflections on modernity and urban space. Of special interest is Rilke's juxtaposition of the shocks of modern life with reflections on political theology and the possibility of human and divine love. E. Santner. Winter, 2005.

24301. Religion, Intuition, Irony: Schleiermacher's On Religion: Speeches to Its Cultured Despisers. (=FNDL 21802, RLST 24301) What is religion? The German Protestant theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher answers this question in his artful 1799 Speeches in an effort to convince his friends, the Romantics of post-Enlightenment Berlin, that they possess the true spirit of religion despite their contempt for religiosity. Topics include the cognitive status of religious intuition, the relation of individual experience to religious institutions and traditions, the plurality of religions, the continuities and discontinuities between Enlightenment and Romantic thought on religion, and the role of rhetoric in the philosophy of religion. Reading and discussion in English. Optional discussion section in German. A. Burant. Winter, 2005.

24800. Franz Kafka. (=FNDL 21800) This course is centered on close readings of several of Kafka's stories and short prose as well as his novel The Trial. Among the issues to be discussed: the nature of literary interpretation, Kafka's view of culture and language, art and theology, art and psychology, and modernity in literature. Although selected secondary readings are considered, the main emphasis is on close readings of the assigned texts. D. Wellbery. Spring, 2005.

25400. Youth: The (Anti-) Bildungsroman in the Twentieth Century. Törleß, Jakob von Gunten, Karl Roßmann, Tonis Kröger, and, a few decades later, Oskar Matzerath are the late descendants of the nineteenth-century Bildungsroman. But unlike their predecessors, none of them ever reaches maturity. Adulthood itself has become an undesirable goal; the ideals of self-cultivation, of Bildung, seem to have become obsolete. Indeed societal institutions, rather than making autonomy possible, deform the subject. Readings include Robert Musil, Robert Walser, Thomas Mann, Hermann Hesse, Irmgard Keun, and Ernst Jünger. Readings in German; discussions in English. R. Buch. Spring, 2005.

28100. The Radical Truth of Henrik Ibsen. (=ISHU 28100, NORW 28100, SCAN 28100) The aim of this course is to examine eight 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 what has been called "the radical truth" in his plays? K. Kenny. Autumn, 2004.

28500. Comparative Fairy Tale: The Brothers Grimm, H. C. Anderson, and Asbjørnsen and Moe. (=CMLT 21600, HUMA 28400, NORW 28500, SCAN 28500) For course description, see Norwegian. K. Kenny. Winter.

28900/38900. Modern Central European Novel. (=ISHU 27204/37204, SLAV 27200/37200) For course description, see Slavic Languages and Literatures (General Slavic). M. Sternstein. Autumn, 2004.

29600/39600. Kafka in Prague. (=CZEC 27700/37700, ISHU 27900/37900) For course description, see Slavic Languages and Literatures (Czech). M. Sternstein. Winter, 2006.

29700. Reading and Research Course in German. PQ: Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies. Students must consult with an 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. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

29801. Senior Seminar. Required of fourth-year Germanic Studies majors; open to fourth-year Germanic Studies minors. Topics vary from year to year. The course doubles as a B.A. seminar, providing practical and theoretical guidance for students working on their B.A. projects. Classes conducted in German. C. Tang. Autumn, 2004.

29900. B.A. Paper. PQ: Fourth-year standing. Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

34900. Old English. (=ENGL 14900/34900) This course serves as a prerequisite both for further Old English study at the University of Chicago and for participation in the Newberry Library's Winter Quarter Anglo-Saxon seminar. For course description, see English Language and Literature. A. Rabin. Autumn, 2005.

Norwegian (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: 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. K. Kenny. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

10400. Intermediate Norwegian. PQ: NORW 10300 or consent of instructor. This course combines intensive review of all basic grammar with the acquisition of more advanced grammar concepts. Students undertake readings pertaining to culture and contemporary Norwegian life, and read a contemporary novel. Classes conducted in Norwegian. K. Kenny. Spring.

26700. Literature of the Nazi Occupation of Norway. (=GRMN 26700, SCAN 26700) The German Occupation of Norway (which lasted from April 9, 1940, to May 7, 1945) is indisputably the most significant event in modern Norwegian history. Our aim is to use literature of and about this period to characterize the Occupation experience in Norway. Readings include history, memoirs, novels, and poetry from, among others, Norwegians (e.g., Vesaas, Hoel), a German (i.e., Siegfried Lenz), and an American (i.e., Steinbeck). K. Kenny. Offered 2005-06; not offered 2004-05.

27000. Contemporary Norwegian Novel. (=GRMN 27000, SCAN 27000) The aim of this course is to derive an image of contemporary Norway through the texts of its current novelists. Using these novels as our guide, we consider the enormous changes occurring in Norway over the last thirty years. K. Kenny. Spring.

28100. The Radical Truth of Henrik Ibsen. (=GRMN 28100, ISHU 28100, SCAN 28100) For course description, see German. K. Kenny. Autumn, 2004.

28500. Comparative Fairy Tale: The Brothers Grimm, H. C. Anderson, and Asbjørnsen and Moe. (=CMLT 21600, GRMN 28500, HUMA 28400, SCAN 28500) In this course, we compare examples from three national traditions of the fairy tale, those of the Brothers Grimm (German), H. C. Anderson (Danish), and the less familiar Norwegian tradition of Asbjørnsen and Moe. K. Kenny. Winter, 2005.

29700. Reading and Research Course in Norwegian. PQ: Consent of instructor and director of undergraduate studies. 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. Autumn, Winter, Spring.

Scandinavian (scan)

26700. Literature of the Nazi Occupation of Norway. (=GRMN 26700, NORW 26700) For course description, see Norwegian. K. Kenny. Offered 2005-06; not offered 2004-05.

27000. Contemporary Norwegian Novel. (=GRMN 27000, NORW 27000) For course description, see Norwegian. K. Kenny. Spring.

28100. The Radical Truth of Henrik Ibsen. (=GRMN 28100, ISHU 28100, NORW 28100) For course description, see German. K. Kenny. Autumn.

28500. Comparative Fairy Tale: The Brothers Grimm, H. C. Anderson, and Asbjørnsen and Moe. (=CMLT 21600, GRMN 28500, HUMA 28400, NORW 28500) For course description, see Norwegian. K. Kenny. Winter.