German and German Studies
Website: German and German Studies
Students who pursue studies in German at Sewanee are exposed to an experience that focuses on performance and communication. To give students access to outstanding works of German literature, the Department of German and German Studies offers an extensive number of literature courses with discussions in the original language. Cultural proficiency is achieved in a number of courses that familiarize students with the German-speaking world, examine its historical and political background and offer the skills necessary to survive abroad.
Only German language, literature and culture courses taken at the University of the South may be used to complete the college language requirement for graduation.
Placement
Students who have completed two or more years of German in secondary school must take the departmental placement examination. Students who elect to enroll at a course beneath that indicated by the placement examination receive credit only if departmental permission is obtained prior to registration in the course.
German House
As an alternative to dormitory living, the department also maintains a German house, which comfortably accommodates seven students wanting to improve their conversational German on a daily basis. A German exchange student also resides in the house and helps students with their language learning. Occasional cultural events are also held there.
Language Laboratory
The E.L. Kellerman Language Resource Center provides an opportunity for students in the modern foreign languages to immerse themselves in the sounds and culture of their target language. The facility features a state of the art Sanako Lab 100 system for practice with listening and speaking; a Satellite TV with stations in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish; wireless Apple Macbooks which can be checked out; a Sympodium for multimedia displays; and a cozy reading and viewing lounge with a library of foreign language books, magazines, and videos. Students can also access subscriptions to web-based language learning programs for reinforcing what is being taught in class as well as for learning languages not currently taught at the University. There is also Rosetta Stone software for Arabic, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Irish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Thai, and Turkish. Faculty and students alike take advantage of the language center’s audio- and video-editing equipment and analog-to-digital-conversion facilities in preparing engaging presentations for class. The Language Resource Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The German and German Studies major offers students the opportunity to study the culture of the German-speaking countries through their language and literature. An important part of German literary and cultural studies is the exploration of German history, art, film and society. By gaining a deeper and broader understanding of German culture students develop their linguistic proficiency culminating in a period of study in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, which is required for all majors.
Requirements for the Major in German and German Studies
The major requires successful completion of the following:
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course Requirements 1,2 | ||
| GRMN 321 | Survey of German Culture and Literature I | 4 |
| GRMN 322 | Survey of German Culture and Literature II | 4 |
| GRMN 401 | Seminar in German and German Studies 3 | 4 |
| Select one course in German (GRMN) numbered 400 or above | 4 | |
| Select five additional courses in German or German studies numbered 300 or above, at least two of which must be taught in German 4 | 20 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 36 | |
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Requirements | ||
| A comprehensive examination 3 | ||
| A period of study in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland 2 | ||
| 1 | Those planning to pursue German and German studies in graduate school may wish to take more credit hours in the department. |
| 2 | Up to three courses taken abroad may qualify for the major. |
| 3 | The senior seminar GRMN 401 is the capstone course where a topic for the senior research project is selected. The project normally consists of a substantial essay written in German. GRMN 401 leads into the comprehensive exam followed by a one-hour oral examination in the Easter semester. |
| 4 | Up to three of the following German studies courses taught in English may count towards the major: ANTH 303, ARTH 370, GRMN 351, GRMN 353, GRMN 354, GRMN 355, GRMN 356, GRMN 357, HIST 209, HIST 210, HIST 218, HIST 335. |
Honors
Students who have performed with distinction may apply in their penultimate semester for departmental honors. If approved, they are requested to write a research paper in connection with a GRMN 444 course (one to four credits). Students demonstrating excellence in both this paper and their written comprehensives are awarded departmental honors.
The minor in German and German Studies provides students an opportunity to increase proficiency in German, while engaging the culture of German-speaking countries. It serves as a complement to a range of academic fields, such as economics, English, geology/forestry, history, politics, religion or the sciences.
Requirements for the Minor in German and German Studies
The minor requires successful completion of the following:
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Course Requirements 1,2 | ||
| GRMN 321 | Survey of German Culture and Literature I | 4 |
| GRMN 322 | Survey of German Culture and Literature II | 4 |
| Select three courses in German language, literature and culture numbered 300 or above | 12 | |
| 1 | Up to two German Studies courses taught in English may count towards the minor. |
| 2 | Some courses in the minor may be completed during a period of study abroad. |
Study Abroad
Students can apply for Deutsch in Deutschland (DiD) language courses in Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt that are supported by a generous grant through the Jackson-Cross scholarship program. The Summer in Berlin program has been introduced in conjunction with DiD. Semester- and year-long study abroad opportunities exist through the Federation of German-American Clubs and with Sewanee's partner university in Germany, the Otto-Friedrich-Universität in Bamberg. At the end of each semester and with the comprehensive examination, students' language proficiency is assessed regularly according to national standards.
GRMN 103 Elementary German I (4)
Teaches the basics of the language with emphasis on the four skills (listening, reading, speaking, writing). Elementary cultural and literary readings. Use of the language laboratory for drill in active use of the language.
GRMN 104 Elementary German II (4)
Teaches the basics of the language with emphasis on the four skills (listening, reading, speaking, writing). Elementary cultural and literary readings. Use of the language laboratory for drill in active use of the language. Prerequisite: GRMN 103 or placement.
GRMN 203 Intermediate German (4)
Grammar review and reading of cultural and short literary works, together with increased emphasis on conversation. Prerequisite: GRMN 104 or placement.
GRMN 280 Summer in Berlin (4)
This course offers a three-week program of language study at the DiD German language institute in Berlin where students take classes along with other international students. After appropriate placement according to their language skills, enrolled students receive language instruction through DiD while the accompanying Sewanee faculty member provides culture instruction and area excursions. Prerequisite: GRMN 103 and GRMN 104.
GRMN 300 Advanced German (4)
A continuation of the grammar review and readings begun in GRMN 203, with increased emphasis on conversation. This course serves as a bridge to 300-level courses taught in German. Prerequisite: GRMN 203 or placement..
GRMN 309 Erich Kästner: A Weimar Author (4)
Readings and screenings of one of the best known authors of the Weimar Republic, Erich Kästner whose novels Emil und die Detektive and Das fliegende Klassenzimmer have been recognized as important works of children's literature. Prerequisite: GRMN 203 or higher or placement.
GRMN 310 Cultural Inquiry: The Magic and Meanings of Fairy Tales (4)
This course investigates fairy tales and their meanings in German culture. Students examine, research and evaluate these tales to understand how they are influenced by and in turn shape negotiations of nationality, identity, gender, class, and sexual orientation. Through this kind of analysis, the course questions how oral tradition, literary form, and visual media construct the meanings of fairy tales. Prerequisite: GRMN 203 or higher or placement.
GRMN 311 Cultural Inquiry: Narratives and Belonging (4)
This course investigates identity and belonging in German-speaking countries. Students examine, research and evaluate narrative texts to understand how they are influenced by and in turn shape negotiations of nationality, identity, gender, class, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. Through this analysis, the course questions how memory, migration, colonialism, and cultural diversity form and inform national identity. Prerequisite: GRMN 203 or higher or placement.
GRMN 312 Cultural Inquiry: Pop Culture and Society (4)
This course investigates artifacts and events of current popular culture (art, political protests, graphic novels, musical (sub)cultures, film, and soccer) for their representation of contemporary German speaking countries. Students examine, research, and evaluate the various "texts" to understand how they are influenced by and conversely shape negotiations of nationality, identity, gender, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and class. Through this analysis, the course determines how texts illuminate and question present-day aspects of social and political affairs. Prerequisite: GRMN 203 or higher or placement.
GRMN 321 Survey of German Culture and Literature I (4)
The history of German literature from the beginning down to the present day. Prerequisite: GRMN 203 or higher or placement.
GRMN 322 Survey of German Culture and Literature II (4)
The history of German literature from the beginning down to the present day. Prerequisite: GRMN 203 or higher or placement.
GRMN 324 Reading Berlin (4)
This course investigates narratives and images of Berlin in literature, film, and popular media. As both a limitless, high-energy playground and a scarred urban landscape, portrayals of Germany’s first metropolis contrast possibilities of the future with the burdens of the city’s history. Students read and analyze how depictions of Berlin negotiate its past, conceptualize its future, and position the city within networks of commerce, migration and cultural exchange. Through their analysis, students critically engage with Berlin as a site for identity formation in a globalized Europe. Prerequisite: GRMN 300 or higher or placement.
GRMN 351 Masterpieces of German Literature in Translation (4)
Reading and study of texts from the whole range of German literature in English translation. No knowledge of German required. This course is taught in English.
GRMN 353 German Film (4)
A survey of German film from the 1920s through the present times from a historical perspective. The course focuses on German cultural history through film making with representative examples from the Weimar Republic silent film period (Nosfertu), the Nazi period (Jud Sub and Kolberg), the rebirth of the German cinema in the 1960s (Fassbinder's films), and adaptations of literature from the 1970s and 1980s in East and West Germany (The Tin Drum, Das Boot). The course is taught in English but is also open to German students who will write a term paper in German. This course is taught in English.
GRMN 354 From the Beetle to Berlin (4)
This course examines German society and culture in the 20th and 21st centuries. Focusing on the Volkswagen Beetle and the city of Berlin as key sites for exploring political, social, and economic transformations, this course studies German society from 1945 to the present through its mass media, literature, cityscapes, and industrial products. This course is taught in English.
GRMN 355 Once Upon a Time: The Literature and Culture of Fairy Tales (4)
An examination of major fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm and their international variants. The class will include some lecture but mostly discussion of such works as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, The Frog King, Hansel and Gretel. Comparison will be made with cinematic (Walt Disney, Ingmar Bergman) and musical (Mozart, Humperdinck, Tchaikovsky) versions of the tales. This course is taught in English with no knowledge of German required. This course is taught in English.
GRMN 356 The Nazi Period (4)
An examination of the connection between Nazi ideology and German culture of the nineteen-thirties and forties. The course offers a discussion of artistic reactions to the Nazis among the German exile community, along with a discussion of literary works about the Nazis written after WWII. The course also offers an analysis of holocaust representations in art and literature. The course gives an overview of the historical facts and events that shaped the Nazi period and analyzes holocaust representations in art and literature. This course is taught in English.
GRMN 357 German Queer Cinema (4)
This course traces German queer cinema from the earliest representations of gay and lesbian sexual orientations in 1920s Weimar to topics such as sexual indeterminacy and the queering of nationality and migrant culture in contemporary films. The course examines how films both represent and produce non-normative sexual desires and identities. It also considers sexual and gender identity in relation to particular historical and cultural moments as well as to other constituting experiences (race, class, gender, nationality). These topics are studied in the context of particular movements, directors, and genres in German cinema. This course is taught in English.
GRMN 358 Borders, Margins, and Identities in German Culture (4)
From the recruitment of Turkish "guest workers" to the ongoing refugee crisis, Germany has emerged a "multicultural" nation of shifting and contested borders and identities. This course investigates how national, ethnic, racial, and religious identities are perceived and constructed in film, literature, and news media and how those identities intersect with, and are complicated by, class, gender, and sexual identities. Students engage critically with concepts such as migration, assimilation, hybridity, citizenship, diaspora, "majority" culture, and authenticity. This course is taught in English.
GRMN 360 Sewanee in Berlin: Advanced German (4)
This summer course combines an advanced-level German class with a culture class. The language class is taught at the Berlin Deutsch in Deutschland language institute, and the culture class is taught as a combination of class work and student-led excursions. The course is offered in Berlin every other year. Prerequisite: GRMN 203 or GRMN 280.
GRMN 380 Sommer in Sewanee (4)
Intensive language and culture seminar for teachers and students of German. The two-week course which emphasizes the reading, writing, listening and speaking of German is offered every June through the Consortium for German in the Southeast. Credit is available for the Intermediate I, Intermediate II, and Advanced level.
GRMN 401 Seminar in German and German Studies (4)
This course centers on key topics and concepts in the field of German Studies. Through readings of primary and secondary materials, the course develops students' critical and research skills. Each student completes a senior research project, which results in a substantial essay written in German. Topics may include an exploration of literary concepts, periods, and authors, or focus on cultural issues. Prerequisite: (GRMN 301 and GRMN 302) or (GRMN 321 and GRMN 322).
GRMN 404 The Age of Goethe (4)
This course offers an in-depth introduction to the literary and cultural landscape of the Age of Goethe (1770-1830), a period of enormous literary, political, and sociocultural change. Taught in English. Students majoring in German and German Studies may utilize the course as one of the required electives taught in German by completing all reading and writing assignments in German.
GRMN 407 Nineteenth-Century Literature (4)
Readings from the age of Poetic Realism. Prerequisite: One course numbered GRMN 301-349 or placement.
GRMN 408 Twentieth Century German Literature I (4)
The first semester covers the period from 1900 to 1945; the second semester, from 1945 to the present. Prerequisite: One course numbered GRMN 301-349 or placement.
GRMN 409 Twentieth Century German Literature II (4)
The first semester covers the period from 1900 to 1945; the second semester, from 1945 to the present. Prerequisite: One course numbered GRMN 301-349 or placement.
GRMN 422 German Drama (4)
A survey of major German playwrights, including Schiller, Kleist, Goethe, Buchner, Hauptmann, Brecht, Frisch, and Weiss. The students will have the opportunity to perform selected scenes of the plays discussed in class. Prerequisite: One course numbered GRMN 301-349 or placement.