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Germanic Studies

Director of Undergraduate Studies and Departmental Adviser:
Andreas Gailus, G-B 406, 702-8023, agailus@midway.uchicago.edu
Coordinator for Language Courses in German: Hildegund Ratcliffe, C 505, 702-8017
Secretary for German in the College: Vreni Naess, Cl 25F, 702-8494, v-naess.uchicago.edu
E-mail: german-department@uchicago.edu
World Wide Web: http:/tuna.uchicago.edu/humanities/german/german.html

Program of Study

The concentration program for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Germanic studies is intended to provide students with a highly personalized and wide- ranging 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 complement other areas of study, such as anthropology, comparative literature, history, philosophy, sociology, and visual studies.

Students planning to concentrate in Germanic studies are urged to spend at least one quarter in a German-speaking country as early in their course of study as possible. The College is presently sponsoring a spring quarter program in Weimar (for students in their first year of German) and cosponsoring, with the Berlin Consortium for German Studies, a yearlong program in association with the Freie Universität Berlin (for students who have completed German 203 or reached an equivalent level of language competence). It is also recommended that all students complete the University's certificate of competency in German.

Program Requirements

Beyond the courses needed to establish a basic knowledge of the German language, students concentrating in Germanic studies normally take three additional courses in German language, five courses in German literature and culture, and a thesis tutorial. The department wishes to provide students with a variety of courses that both prepare them well for their field of concentration and permit them to pursue special interests in other, but related, areas. Some students may wish to concentrate in Germanic studies, but with a specialization in economics, political science, or history. In consultation with the departmental adviser, students might count some courses in the departments of economics, political science, or history toward the requirements of the concentration in Germanic studies. Students must establish any individual program of study with the assistance and approval of the departmental adviser.

Students may reduce the number of courses required for the concentration through placement or accreditation examinations in language.

A thesis is required for the completion of the concentration in Germanic studies. A proposal should be submitted during autumn quarter of the senior year. A thesis tutorial will be offered each spring quarter.

Summary of Requirements

German German 101-102-103 and 201 or

Language
Preparation German 104-105 and 200 (or equivalent)

Concentration
2 German 202-203 (or equivalent)

3 German 210, 211, 212

3 German 220 and above (literature and culture)

2 German culture courses (may be taken

in other departments)

1 thesis tutorial

11

Grading.
The following policies pertain to grading:

1. Students concentrating in Germanic studies must take a letter grade in all courses taken as part of their concentration requirements.

2. Students not concentrating in Germanic studies and not fulfilling a language requirement have the option of taking courses in the department on a P/N basis.

3. Students with previous background in Germanic studies who register for German 101-102-103 without the permission of the department will be graded only P/N or P/F.

Faculty

ANDREAS GAILUS, Assistant Professor, Department of Germanic Studies and the College

SANDER L. GILMAN, Henry R. Luce Professor of the Liberal Arts in Human Biology; Professor, Departments of Germanic Studies, Psychiatry, and Comparative Literature; Committee on Jewish Studies; and the College

REINHOLD HELLER, Professor, Departments of Art and Germanic Studies, Committee on Art & Design, and the College

SAMUEL P. JAFFE, Professor, Department of Germanic Studies, Committees on Jewish Studies, Medieval Studies, and New Collegiate Division, and the College

PETER K. JANSEN, Associate Professor, Department of Germanic Studies and the College

HILDEGUND RATCLIFFE, Senior Lecturer, Department of Germanic Studies and the College

KATIE TRUMPENER, Associate Professor, Departments of Germanic Studies and Comparative Literature, Committee on General Studies in the Humanities, and the College

ROBERT VON HALLBERG, Professor, Departments of English Language & Literature, Germanic Studies, and Comparative Literature and the College

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