German Modules

LEVEL 4

Semester A modules

EAL4202 Critical Thinking and Writing for Modern Foreign Languages

This module is offered at level 4 and responds to students' linguistic and discipline specific needs in terms of developing analytical skills, critical reading and note-taking skills, argument construction and incorporation of sources, citation and referencing, essay structuring and organisation, written English as necessary (grammar and vocabulary), and editing and proof-reading skills. Students joining this module are both L1 and L2 speakers of English and are studying the modern foreign language degrees in SLLF namely French, German, Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese, Russian. These workshops help students to deliver what is expected from them in their essays. After consultation with their subject tutors and agreement on the academic skills needed to succeed in their degrees, the content is itemised and will be presented in strands of `study skills', `reading and demonstrating knowledge', and `critical thinking and writing'. Students will be given the tools to manage their time efficiently and plan their work accordingly. They will be guided through the process of understanding and successfully delivering assignments, in view of the implications their immediate context bestows upon them. Students will be encouraged and expected to reflect upon their own practice, and will be provided with formative feedback to ensure the learning outcomes are achieved. The module is needs driven and therefore the syllabus is necessarily flexible and the content delivered in workshop format. Assessment: This is a formative module.

 

GER4002 Kleist and Kafka: The Stories & Letters

Heinrich von Kleist (1777-1811) and Franz Kafka (1883-1924) are arguably two of the most iconic writers in German language literature. In fact, both the ‘Kleistian’ style of writing and the ‘Kafkaesque’ as an atmospheric indicator have acquired a proverbial status. Kafka repeatedly paid homage to Kleist as one of his literary ‘models’. This module will focus on Kleist’s prose, including some of his letters, comparing his achievement in both genres with that of Kafka and his most important prose. Some of their common themes like justice, guilt, and the obscure will be considered in their respective contexts. Assessment: One 15-minute presentation (20 per cent); one 3000-word essay (80 per cent).

GER4200 Austria Today

You will be able to discuss socio-cultural values and practices with others / Multi- and inter-disciplinarity: you will be able to demonstrate connections between different theoretical perspectives within your discipline The main focus of the class will be to introduce students to current cultural, social, and political issues, using books, newspaper articles, journals, TV and radio broadcasts, and web sources from Austria. Selected readings and films will familiarize students with major figures and features of everyday life. The course will also convey knowledge about historical events and developments. 49 Assessment: One 10-minute presentation (10 per cent); one 500-word draft essay (5 per cent); one 1000-word essay (10 per cent); one two-hour written examination (75 per cent).

GER4202 Introductory German (Part I)

You will be able to consider the role of your discipline in diverse cultural and global contexts This module is designed for students with little or no previous knowledge of the German language. Successful students will reach Level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages(CEFRL). This module should be chosen by students who cannot or do not wish to take a full academic year course of Introductory German (e.g. Erasmus or Associate students). Students must attend all five hours of teaching per week. Textbook: Wie Geht's? An Introductory German Course by Dieter Sevin and Ingrid Sevin. Ninth International Edition. Heinle, Cengage Learning, 2011. Assessment: Coursework (30 per cent); one 10-minute oral examination at the end of Semester One (20 per cent); one two-hour in-class test at the end of Semester One (50 per cent).

Full year modules

EAL5600 Morphology of British Culture

You will be able to reflect on socio-cultural values and skills within diverse cultural and global contexts / Multi- and inter-disciplinarity: A) you will be able to evaluate perspectives from different disciplines; B) you will This module is intended to develop students’ cross-disciplinary academic literacy in English via the medium of Cultural Studies. It introduces participants to British cultural history and commentary from the late Victorian era to the present day, examining discourses surrounding Empire, post-colonial culture and contemporary discourses of ‘Britishness’ in the light of increasing cultural diversity, globalization, devolution and developments in relation to the European Union. The interactive mode of teaching and assessed spoken component of the module ensure that participants have the opportunity to discuss socio-cultural values and practices with others. Participation in the full range of learning tasks fosters multi and inter-disciplinary critical thinking through the study of texts and other comparable cultural artefacts across a range of areas beyond the boundaries of the participants’ main degree programmes. Students also have the opportunity to explore how far their developing problemsolving techniques or approaches can be generalised or applied in a broader context and are encouraged to explore and evaluate perspectives from different disciplines, genres and media. Assessment: One 1000-word text analysis in English (15 per cent); one oral examination (25 per cent); one 3000-word essay in English (60 per cent). 50

GER4201 Introductory German

You will be able to consider the role of your discipline in diverse cultural and global contexts This module is designed for students with little or no previous knowledge of the German language. Successful students will complete Level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). This module should be chosen by students who wish to take a full academic year of Introductory German. Students must attend all six hours of teaching per week. Textbook: Wie Geht's? An Introductory German Course by Dieter Sevin and Ingrid Sevin. Ninth International Edition. Heinle, Cengage Learning, 2011. Language of instruction: German and English. The entire module counts towards the QMUL Model. Assessment: Coursework (30 per cent); one 10-minute oral examination (20 per cent each); one two-hour written examination (50 per cent).

GER4204 German I

Successful students will reach Level B1(+) of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Therefore, this module is offered only to students who have A-level in German or equivalent. The module consists of a two-hour grammar class, one-hour translation class and onehour oral/aural class. This module is designed to improve your knowledge of grammar and to give you a grounding in factual and literary German. Language of instruction: predominantly German. The entire module counts towards the QMUL Model. Assessment: Coursework (30 per cent); one 15-minute oral examination (20 per cent each); one three-hour written examination (50 per cent).

GER4205 German I Intensive

This module is offered only to students who have a knowledge of the language equivalent to CEFRL Level A2, such as GCSE German or comparable. Successful students will reach Level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Students must attend all six hours of teaching per week. Textbook: Wie Geht's? An Introductory German Course by Dieter Sevin and Ingrid Sevin. Ninth International Edition. Heinle, Cengage Learning, 2011. Language of instruction: Predominantly German. The entire module counts towards the QMUL Model. Assessment: Coursework (30 per cent); one 15-minute oral examination (20 per cent each); one three-hour written examination (50 per cent).

 

GER4207 Foundations of German Studies

This module is designed to provide students with an overview of the many-facetted cultural, social and linguistic developments that determine German identity, drawing on literary texts and other media to illustrate those developments. In discussions students are encouraged to explore ideas actively and to nurture their curiosity, while at the same time developing reading, note-taking, writing and discursive skills. The entire module counts towards the QMUL Model. Assessment: One three-hour written examination (60 per cent); one 2000-word essay (30 per cent); one 2000-word portfolio (10 per cent). Semester B modules

GER4004 German Romanticism in its European Context

Romanticism was one of the defining periods in modern cultural history. Religious, philosophical and (para-)scientific phenomena were hotly debated, psychology was established and an awareness of politics became a dominant fact of life. Given wide-spread censorship the literary journal and the salon emerged as most important fora for debate. Aesthetically, a particular attraction of Romanticism was the sharing of closely related artistic experiences, such as the affirmation of sensuality and the eternal yearning for temporary fulfilment, throughout Europe for some five decades. Structured round a series of themes, this course will put German examples into the context of the European movement as a whole. Assessment: One 15-minute presentation (20 per cent); one 3000-word essay (80 per cent).

GER4203 Introductory German (Part II)

This module is offered only to students who have successfully completed GER4202 Introductory German Part 1 or have a knowledge of the language equivalent to CEFRL-Level A1. Those who wish to attend a full academic year of Introductory German should choose GER4201. Successful students will complete CEFRL-Level A2. Students must attend all five hours of teaching per week. Textbook: Wie Geht's? An Introductory German Course by Dieter Sevin and Ingrid Sevin. Ninth International Edition. Heinle, Cengage Learning, 2011. Language of instruction: German and English. Assessment: Coursework (30 per cent); one 10-minute oral examination (20 per cent each); one three-hour written examination (50 per cent).

GER4210 Germany Today

The aim of this module is to prepare undergraduate students of German for working and living in German-speaking countries. The main focus of the class will be to introduce students to current cultural, social, and political issues, using books, newspaper articles, journals, TV and radio broadcasts, and web sources from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Selected readings and films will familiarize students with major figures and features of everyday life. The module will also convey knowledge about historical events and developments as well as an adequate and comprehensive picture of the German-speaking countries today. Assessment: One 10-minute presentation (10 per cent); one 500-word draft essay (5 per cent); one 1000-word essay (10 per cent); one two-hour written examination (75 per cent).

 

LEVEL 5 

Semester A modules

GER5008 German Thought I: Marx, Nietzsche, Freud

This module introduces students to three of the major thinkers in nineteenth- and twentieth-century German thought, all of whom have exerted a global impact: Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche and Sigmund Freud. Topics explored will include Marx's theories of political economy, ideology, and culture; Nietzsche's philosophy of language and his critique of religion; and Freud's ideas about the unconscious in their relation to both psychoanalytic practice and to broader theories of culture. Assessment: One 1500-word text analysis (30 per cent); one 2500-word essay (70 per cent).

GER5204 Contemporary German Studies I

This module will build on the first year Foundations of German Studies module and focus on the spoken language that students will encounter on a day-to-day basis during their year abroad, language which can diverge quite dramatically from the standard form they are taught in the foreign language classroom. The main topics covered in the module include the sounds (and phonological system) of German, the dialects of Modern German and their historical development, and contemporary language use in German-speaking countries (the spoken language continuum). Assessment: One portfolio of written exercises (20 per cent); three in-class quizzes (20 per cent); one mid-term test (25 per cent); one essay (35 per cent).

SML209 Computers and Languages

This module is designed as an introduction to the application of technology in language education. Providing a balance of theory and practice, it will equip students with the knowledge and skills to make optimum use of computers in their studies and research activities. The module will cover key concepts in the use of digital technologies for language learning and humanities, as well as providing practical experience in the creation of digital materials using a variety of computer-based applications. Assessment: Two practical assignments (10 per cent each); one 1000-word evaluation report (30 per cent); one 1500-word project (50 per cent).

SML5201 Language Myths

Are some languages harder to learn than others? Are double negatives illogical? Do children lack grammar? Do dialects lack grammar? Did your parents teach you your mother tongue? In this module we explore commonly held views on human language from a contemporary, comparative perspective. The module is specifically designed with students taking a language (not linguistics) degree in mind. Assessment: Portfolio of work (100 per cent).

Full year modules

GER5200 German II N

The module will enable native speakers of German to engage in a sophisticated way with the interface between the German and English languages by giving them instruction in and the opportunity to practice translation in both directions. It will prepare them for the work required in their final year language classes and begin to equip them with the skills they will need when they come to exploit their linguistic expertise in the marketplace. Assessment: One two-hour written examination (100 per cent).

GER5202 German II

This module is designed to improve competence in written and spoken German, including preparation for the year abroad. Students will attend classes in Translation into English, Guided Composition I and II, and Translation into German, as well as one aural/oral class per week. Language of instruction: predominantly German. Assessment: Coursework (30 per cent); one 15-minute oral examination (20 per cent each); ne three-hour written examination (50 per cent).

GER5203 German II Intensive

Successful students will reach Level B1+ of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Therefore, this module is offered to students who have successfully completed Introductory German during their first year of study or equivalent. The module consists of two hours All-Skills Seminar, two hours Grammar and Writing and one hour oral/aural class. Language of instruction: predominantly German. The entire module counts towards the QMUL Model. Assessment: Coursework (30 per cent); one 15-minute oral examination (20 per cent each); one three-hour written examination (50 per cent).

Semester B modules

GER081 German for Business

You will be able to reflect on socio-cultural values and Oral and written practise and vocabulary building in topics of relevance to the German business environment, reading of articles on business and economy in the target language, focus on particular grammar if relevant for topic. This module is not available to native or proficient speakers of German. Course book: A Höffgen, Deutsch lernen für den Beruf. Main language of instruction: German.Assessment: Coursework (20 per cent); examination (80 per cent).

GER5004 German Romanticism in its European Context

Romanticism was one of the defining periods in modern cultural history. Religious, philosophical and (para-)scientific phenomena were hotly debated, psychology was established and an awareness of politics became a dominant fact of life. Given wide-spread censorship the literary journal and the salon emerged as most important fora for debate. Aesthetically, a particular attraction of Romanticism was the sharing of closely related artistic experiences, such as the affirmation of sensuality and the eternal yearning for temporary fulfilment, throughout Europe for some five decades. Structured round a series of themes, this course will put German examples into the context of the European movement as a whole. Assessment: One 15-minute presentation (20 per cent); one 3000-word essay (80 per cent). 

GER5027 German Narrative Fiction: Text and Film

What are the specific qualities of the media film and novel? How is a story changed when it moves from one medium to the other? Is it even still the same story? Using texts from the German canon, students will explore what happens to the parameters of prose fiction when they are transferred to the medium of film. This includes not only the way the plot is realized, but many other factors which affect the intellectual and emotional responses elicited. Assessment: Presentation and 500-word write-up (25 per cent); 3500-word essay (75 per cent).

GER505 Contemporary German Studies II

The module will be covering three thematic fields: 1) Contemporary Berlin; 2) German Speaking Cultures; 3) Working with the Writer in Residence. In block 1, students will get to analyze a variety of cultural representations of contemporary Berlin. They will also familiarize themselves with sociological approaches to urban culture. In block 2, this approach will be opened up to other German-speaking metropolises such as Vienna and Zurich, and students engage with non-German (but) Germanlanguage cultures. Students will also be introduced to the question of multiculturalism in German speaking countries and to artifacts thematizing trans-cultural experiences. Block 3 is devoted to work with our writers in residence. By discussing their works, ideas and circumstances with them, students will gain an understanding of current literary and cultural life in Germany. Assessment: one 1000-word close textual analysis (25 per cent); one two-hour written exam (75 per cent).

GER5201 Contrasting English and German

This module is designed to give the student an overview of the structure of modern spoken German from a modern linguistic perspective, using English as a point of comparison. We will discuss how German is put together as a linguistic system, focusing on how words and sentences are formed, while at the same time considering how the language is used today by speakers in the Germanspeaking world. Though our focus will be on the spoken colloquial standard variety of German, there will be frequent references to data from other non-standard (dialectal) varieties of German. The goals for this module are twofold. First, by examining modern German from a linguistic perspective, the student will acquire a greater understanding of why German functions the way it does. A second, broader goal is to gain a greater appreciation for languages in general–both how they are structured and how they are put to use. Assessment: 2000-word portfolio of four assignments (50 per cent); one two-hour written examination (50 per cent).

LEVEL 6

Semester A modules

GER6010 Languages in the Classroom 1: Practical and Theoretical Approaches to Teaching

This module introduces you to language teaching at school. It is the first of two 15 credit modules, and it focuses on the theoretical aspects of language teaching - whereas the other one (GER6012 which runs during the second semester) focuses on practical matters. Through the completion of this module, you will gain an understanding of key aspects of Applied Linguistics and Psycholinguistics. You will focus on theoretical aspects of second / foreign language acquisition and their implications for teaching approaches and the design of teaching materials. This will involve planning, producing and delivering teaching materials. This module will also enable you to develop a range of transferable and professional skills such as organisational skills, communication skills, team-work, time management and problem-solving skills. Important: If you are planning to attend the module GER6012 (Languages in the Classroom 2: Teaching and Reflective Practice) in semester 2, you will be required to complete a placement in a local school and will therefore require clearance from the UK's Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) <https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service/> towards the end of the first semester. Please contact the module organiser for further information. Assessment: One 1500-word lesson plan and commentary (40 per cent); one 15-minute demonstration of teaching techniques (20 per cent); one 1500-word essay (40 per cent).

GER609 German Swiss Literature and Culture

The main focus of this module will be contemporary German Swiss literature and culture. Topics for study will include the position of women in Swiss society, Switzerland's role in the Second World War, and Switzerland's role in Europe. Assessment: One presentation (10 per cent); one in-class test (10 per cent); one 1000-word essay (20 per cent); one 3000-word essay (60 per cent).

GER6202 Anglo-German Cultural Relations: Present & Past

This module is designed to draw on students’ most recent experience with, and reflections on, the social and cultural life during their Year Abroad in Germany. It is to build on their impressions and deepen their understanding of Anglo-German cultural relations. They provide rich material for the study of mutual perceptions of two countries whose history is intrinsically linked since the late Renaissance. The source material in literature, music and the visual arts is particularly varied and offers a wealth of possibilities for detailed examinations and critical engagement. This module is designed to offer detailed insights into some key-aspects of present-day conception of Anglo-German cultural relations and their historical dimensions. It will provide students with the opportunity to analyse exemplary texts as well as (linguistic) phenomena and other relevant material supported by leading experts in this area of study. Assessment: One oral presentation and 500-word handout (20 per cent); one 4000-word essay (80 per cent).

GER6205 Advanced German for Business

The aim of this module is to prepare students for working in a German-speaking business environment and/or communicating on an advanced level with German-speaking business partners. The module is designed as a follow-up module to the Level 5 course German for Business and students will build on their acquired knowledge and further increase and consolidate their businessrelated communication and writing skills. Besides increasing their business vocabulary, students will also be trained in business- related translation work from English into German and German to English. Furthermore, learners will also be able to hone their skills in business discourse analysis, working with authentic journalistic texts on economic affairs, eg. in newspapers like the FAZ, the Süddeutsche Zeitung and DIE ZEIT. Previous enrolment in GER081 German for Business is desirable, but not a pre-requisite. Assessment: One 1500-word portfolio of coursework (20 per cent); one two-hour written examination (80 per cent).

Full year modules

GER061N German III (For Native Speakers)

German III N is required for all final-year students with a (near) native competence in German only, all other students must attend German III (GER061). Students must attend classes in Translation into English, Advanced Translation into German, and Précis. Assessment: One two-hour written examination (50 per cent); translation into German (50 per cent). GER619 Advanced Translation into German, and Précis Value: 15 credits Semester: 5&6 Level: 6 Timetable: All Seminars: Wednesday 12 noon - 1 pm and Thursday 4 - 5 pm Contact: Dr Astrid Köhler Overlap: GER061N. This module is intended for Erasmus or Associate Students from German-speaking countries. It offers practice and translation of linguistically and intellectually challenging literary texts and précis in English of substantial German texts. Assessment: Coursework: translation into German (75 per cent); précis (25 per cent).

GER6200 German III

Successful students will reach Level C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Various exercises to promote the accurate use of contemporary idiomatic German. Enhancement of translation skills. Assessment: Coursework - guided composition (40 per cent); one 20-minute oral examination (20 per cent); one two-hour 30-minute written examination (40 per cent).

SML005 Modern Languages Research Project

Entry to this module will not be automatic. All students wishing to take this module must meet the entry requirements, present an approved topic and have an agreed supervisor. It is designed to enable suitably qualified final-year students to pursue a sustained piece of individual or group research on an agreed topic which may not necessarily be covered in the taught modules. Introductory group sessions on research methods will be followed by individual supervision. You should note that failure to provide evidence of satisfactory progress will lead to de-registration. 61 Assessment: One 1500-word Project Progress Exercise (10 percent); one 8000-word Research Project (90 percent).

Semester B modules

GER6005 German Thought II: Political Thought in the Twentieth Century

This module will investigate some of the major developments and tendencies in twentieth-century German thought, paying particular attention to political thought and its relation to twentieth century German history and cultural production. Key subjects studied may include a selection of the following: German-Jewish thought and Zionism, Critical Theory and the Frankfurt School, Phenomenology, Philosophical Anthropology, Constitutional Theory. Assessment: One 1500-word essay (30 per cent); one 2500-word essay (70 per cent).

GER6012 Languages in the Classroom 2: Teaching and Reflective Practice

This module introduces students to language teaching at school. It is the second of two 15 credit modules, and it focuses on the practical aspects of language teaching - whereas the other one (GER6011 which runs during the first semester) focuses on theoretical issues. Through the completion of this module, and building upon the theoretical knowledge which you have acquired in GER6011, you develop practical knowledge of how to design and deliver materials for the purpose of teaching foreign languages. You focus on practical aspects of second/ foreign language acquisition and their implications for teaching approaches and design of teaching materials. You complete a teaching placement in a local primary or secondary school, where you have an opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge gained in GER6011 in the actual teaching and learning context. This involves planning, producing and delivering teaching materials. The module also enables you to develop a range of transferable and professional skills such as organisational skills, communication skills, team-work, time management and problem-solving skills. Important: As you are required to complete a placement in a local school, you will have to provide clearance from the UK's Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) <https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barringservice/> towards the end of semester 1 BEFORE this module in semester 2. Please contact the module organiser for further information. Assessment: One 2000-word teaching plan (50 per cent); one 2000-word critical reflection on teaching experience (50 per cent).

GER6022 Faust in Legend, Literature and the Arts

The life and legend of Johann Faust, the necromancer who sold his soul to the devil in return for power and knowledge, have cast a spell on writers, artists and composers ever since the late 16th century. We will study this fascination and receptivity through the centuries, from the first Faust book and its English translation to Marlowe, Goethe, Mann, Bulgakov, Banville and others. We will also 62 consider illustrations and visual representations of Faust (e.g. Retzsch, Delacroix) as well as various musical treatments (e.g. Schubert, Schumann, Berlioz, Gounod). Students will be expected to quote from at least one German-language text in the original language in their essays. Assessment: Portfolio of notes, outline and rough drafts (20 per cent); final essay of 4000-words (80 per cent).

GER6027 German Narrative Fiction: Text and Film

What are the specific qualities of the media film and novel? How is a story changed when it moves from one medium to the other? Is it even still the same story? Using texts from the German canon, students will explore what happens to the parameters of prose fiction when they are transferred to the medium of film. This includes not only the way the plot is realized, but many other factors which affect the intellectual and emotional responses elicited. Assessment: Presentation and 500-word write-up (25 per cent); 3500+-word essay (75 per cent).

GER6041 The History of the German Language Value: 15 credits Semester: 6 Level: 6 Timetable: Lecture and Seminar Tuesday 11 am - 1 pm Contact: Dr Christopher Miller Overlap: LIN6041 Pre-requisite: None Offered as a QMUL Model module to: This is not a QMUL Model module QMUL Model themes: N/A This module provides an introduction to the field of historical linguistics, using the history of the German language as its central case study. As the module presupposes little to no background in linguistics, it begins with a basic overview of phonetics and moves to a discussion of the different elements of linguistic change (phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic/lexical change). We will also examine the historical methods by which linguists determine relatedness between various languages and reconstruct the development of individual languages and language families. We will then turn to the development of the different varieties of German out of Proto-Indo-European. Assessment: One 1500-word essay (25 per cent); one two-hour written examination (75 per cent).