Spring Courses

German I3335y. The German language practicum (intermediate level). 6 pts. The staff.
Prerequisite: German V1201 and V1202 or W1220 or the equivalent. Placement may also be determined by testing.
Equivalent to a thorough review of V1202 plus W3001 with both concentrating on Berlin. Required of all students enrolled in the BCGS who have completed two years of college German or the equivalent.
This six-week intensive language course (20 hours of instruction per week plus participation in cultural program) prepares students to function beyond the basic level in a German-speaking environment. Emphasis on grammar, composition, stylistics, phonetics, and the use of academic and practical everyday language. Satisfactory completion is required as a condition of enrollment in courses at the Freie Universität Berlin.

German I3405y. The German language practicum (intermediate advanced level). 6 pts. The staff.
Prerequisite: German V1202/W1220 and W3001 or W3002 or the equivalent. Placement may also be determined by testing.
This Berlin-based intermediate-advanced language course is equivalent to W3001 and W3002 in tandem and is required of all students enrolled in the BCGS who have completed at least five semesters of college German or the equivalent. This six-week intensive language course (20 hours of instruction per week plus participation in the cultural program) emphasizes applications of correct grammar and strengthens everyday and academic communication skills, including writing styles, vocabulary building, and phonetics. Themes and topics emphasize living in Berlin and functioning in the academic environment. Satisfactory completion is required as a condition of enrollment in courses at the Freie Universität Berlin.

German I4335y. The German language practicum (advanced level). 6 pts. The staff.
Prerequisite: German W3001 or W3002 and at least one additional 3000-level literary or cultural content course. Placement may also be determined by testing.
Required of all non-native speakers enrolled in the BCGS who have completed three or more years of college German or the equivalent. This six-week intensive language course (20 hours of instruction per week plus participation in the cultural program) is tailored to individual levels of advanced proficiency. Goals include advanced command of grammar, composition and stylistics, and near-native communication skills. Emphasis on academic German prepares the advanced language student for successful transition to the university life in Berlin. Satisfactory completion is required as a condition of enrollment in courses at the Freie Universität Berlin.

German Studies I3994y. Selected topics in German studies. 3 pts.
I3994y or I3600y is required of all students enrolled in their first, or only, semester in the BCGS. Taught by the Academic Director of the Berlin Consortium for German Studies, the topic of this course varies each year with the academic expertise of the Academic Director. Past topics have included culture, politics, history, literature, theater, cinema, and German-American relations.

Spring 2002

German-Jewish culture since the Enlightenmeny. 3 pts. Professor Rochelle Tobias.
This course is a survey of German-Jewish culture from the Enlightenment to the present. A consistent concern of the course will be how German-Jews perceived their religious or cultural identity in relation to their national identity. Although Moses Mendelssohn believed that his treatise Jerusalem resolved the tension between church and state, the issue of whether Judaism was a nation or religion remained a question throughout the 19th century. In our readings we will trace the development of this debate with special attention to the historical circumstances which shaped the positions of key figures. In addition we will look at several cultural monuments which attest to the changing identity of the Jewish community in the 19th century. For instance, we will consider the Moorish style favored in synagogue architecture in the 1800’s and which is exemplified in the Oranienburgerstr. Synagogue in Berlin. This turn to the Orient is reflected as well in Heinrich Heine’s narrative poem "Jehuda ben Halevy." To what extent did the ‘Jewish Renaissance’ in Berlin look for a precedent in medieval Spain? How did such noted thinkers as Martin Buber and Gershom Scholem evaluate this renaissance after the war? Finally, how is German-Jewish history represented today in Daniel Libeskind’s architecture for the Jewish Museum in Berlin?

History/German Studies I3600y. U.S. perceptions of Germany and the Germans from Bismarck to Hitler. 3 points. Dr. Carmen Müller.
I3994y or I3600y is required of all students enrolled in their first, or only, semester in the BCGS. This course explores the role of national stereotypes in German-American relations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the session's first part, readings introduce basic sociocultural and economic history of Germany and German-American relations during these time periods. The second part closely examines the ways stereotypes may have helped to shape and justify American policies toward Germany.

German Studies I3992y. Supervised study in the German university system. 3-15 pts.
All courses taken at the Freie Universität Berlin or any other German university fall under these course numbers although the subject area varies depending on which department the course is offered.

The FU Berlin offers a wide array of courses from which program students may choose as long as the prerequisites are met. Point values per course vary but each course is generally worth 3 points. Depending on the semester of study, students are recommended to take two to five different courses at the FU.
All German university course titles, point values, and grades are translated into U.S. terms by the BCGS.

FU Berlin Courses

German Studies I3998y. Supervised tutorial/research in the German university. 3-6 pts.
Available only in the spring semester. Students may complete an individualized reading or research project under the direction of a German faculty member. Normally this project relates to the student's major and builds on courses already completed either in the U.S. or in Berlin. Students wishing to undertake such a project should submit a written proposal to the Academic Director of the Berlin Consortium for German Studies by December 15.