2019-2020 University Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2019-2020 University Catalog archived

German and Arabic (GERM, ARAB)


Honors: Qualified students may become candidates for Honors in German as early as the first term of their junior year; see department head for details.

Department Head: Debra Prager
                            Roger Crockett, 2019-2020, interim

Faculty

First date is the year in which the faculty member began service as regular faculty at the University. Second date is the year of appointment to the present rank.

Roger A. Crockett, Ph.D.—(1991)-1991
Professor of German
Ph.D., University of Illinois

Anthony (Antoine) Edwards, Ph.D.—(2015)-2017
Assistant Professor of Arabic
Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin

Russell A. Miller, J.D., M.A., LL.M.—(2008)-2008
Associate Professor of Law and Lecturer in Literature
J.D., Duke University
M.A., LL.M., J.W. Goethe University

Debra Prager, Ph.D.—(2005)-2013
Associate Professor of German
Ph.D., Harvard University

Paul A. Youngman, Ph.D.—(2012)-2014
Harry E. and Mary Jayne W. Redenbaugh Term Professor of German and Associate Provost
Ph.D., University of North Carolina

Degrees/Majors/Minors

Major

Minor

Courses

  • ARAB 111 - First-Year Arabic I


    Credits: 4

    An introductory course in written and spoken Arabic, focusing on basic grammar and speaking. Aspects of Arab culture introduced. Edwards.


  • ARAB 112 - First-Year Arabic II


    Credits: 4

    Prerequisite: Grade of C-minus or higher in ARAB 111 or equivalent. This course builds communicative skills in written and spoken Arabic, emphasizing foundational grammar and speaking. Continued introduction to cultural practices of the Arab world. Edwards.


  • ARAB 151 - Arabic for Experienced Beginners


    Credits: 4

    Prerequisite: Ability to read and write Arabic and an active knowledge of at least 300 words. This course expands on basic grammar and vocabulary knowledge, building communicative skills in written and spoken Arabic through intensive listening, reading, speaking, and writing exercises. Aspects of Arab culture introduced. Edwards.


  • ARAB 161 - Second-Year Arabic I


    Credits: 4

    Prerequisite: Grade of C or higher in ARAB 112, 151, or the equivalent. Building on basic grammar and vocabulary knowledge, this course emphasizes speaking and writing, as well as listening comprehension and reading. Students introduced with popular Arab culture. Edwards.


  • ARAB 162 - Second-Year Arabic II


    FDR: FL
    Credits: 4


    Prerequisite: Grade of C or higher in ARAB 161 or the equivalent. Students with credit in ARAB 164 may not receive subsequent credit in a lower numbered Arabic course. Students may not receive degree credit for both ARAB 162 and 164. A continuation of Second-Year Arabic focused on speaking and writing, in addition to listening comprehension and reading. Increased familiarization with popular Arab culture.

      Edwards.


  • ARAB 164 - Advanced Intermediate Arabic


    FDR: FL
    Credits: 4

    Prerequisite: Grade of B or higher in ARAB 151 or instructor consent. Students with credit in ARAB 164 may not receive subsequent credit in a lower numbered Arabic course. Students may not receive degree credit for both ARAB 162 and 164. This course emphasizes on reading and composition skills, with intensive practice in speaking and listening. Nightly assignments to help students reach a high-intermediate level of proficiency in one term. Edwards.


  • ARAB 211 - Third-Year Arabic I


    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: ARAB 162, 164, or equivalent. This course expands on grammar concepts and vocabulary knowledge with practical applications of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Social and political aspects of Arab culture are introduced. Edwards.


  • ARAB 212 - Third-Year Arabic II


    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: ARAB 211 or the equivalent. A continuation of third-year Arabic reinforces grammar and vocabulary through listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Continued emphasis on social norms and political dimensions of Arab culture. Edwards.


  • ARAB 220 - Media Arabic


    FDR: HU
    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: ARAB 162 or equivalent language skill. A language-focused course that provides students with vocabulary and discourse structures common in today’s Arabic media coverage. Weekly topics are culled from various news outlets (e.g., Al-Jazeera, AJ-Arabiyya, BBC Arabic, YouTube, AJ-Ahram, An-Nahar, AI-Dustour) which serve to familiarize students with a broad range of current sociopolitical, economic, and cultural issues. Edwards.


  • ARAB 225 - Arabic Dialects


    FDR: HU
    Prerequisite: ARAB 212 or instructor consent. Taught in Arabic. An introduction to three Arabic dialects, in particular those used in Morocco, Egypt, and the Emirates. Students learn the sounds, key vocabulary, and sentence structures particular to these dialects, and develop their listening comprehension abilities and communication skills. This practical course is designed to prepare students to engage in authentic interactions with Arabic speakers in North Africa and the Middle East. Edwards.


  • ARAB 395 - Special Topics in Arabic Literature and Culture


    Credits: 1-3


    Prerequisite: Grade of C or higher in ARAB 211 or instructor consent. Conducted in Arabic. An advanced seminar on a particular author, period, or genre. Topics may include Arab Short Stories, Classical Arabic Poetry, Travelogues in Arabic Literature, Arabic Pop Culture and Music, and Arabic Media. The subject changes annually. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different.

    Fall 2019, ARAB 395A-01: Special Topic in Arabic Literature and Culture: Shabab Talk (3). Prerequisite: ARAB 211 or instructor consent. An advanced-level Arabic language course about shabab (youth) and the political, social, and religious issues that they face in the 21st-century Arabic-speaking world. Hosted by Jaafar Abdul Karim and television on DW Arabia, Shabab Talk is an Arabic, talk show addressing topics such as women’s rights, homosexuality, unemployment, politics, and atheism. Students watch episodes of Shabab Talk and develop their linguistic and analytical abilities in order to engage critically with these discourses. Students continue to improve their Arabic skills in listening comprehension, speaking, writing, and reading and broaden their cultural understanding of the region, specifically from the perspective of their peers: the Arab shabab. Edwards.


  • ARAB 403 - Directed Individual Study


    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Advanced study in Arabic. May include formal writing and conversational Arabic, and literary study of texts in Arabic. The nature and content of the course is determined by the students’ needs and by an evaluation of their previous work. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. Edwards.


  • GERM 111 - Elementary German I


    Credits: 4

    A course in elementary German which emphasizes the spoken language, as well as grammar and reading. Staff.


  • GERM 112 - Elementary German II


    Credits: 4

    Prerequisite: GERM 111 or the equivalent. A course in elementary German which emphasizes the spoken language, as well as grammar and reading. Staff.


  • GERM 261 - Intermediate German I


    Credits: 4

    Prerequisite: GERM 112, 115 or the equivalent. Emphasis on listening comprehension and speaking, as well as reading and writing. The course also offers the student some acquaintance with German literature and culture. Staff.


  • GERM 262 - Intermediate German II


    FDR: FL
    Credits: 4

    Prerequisite: GERM 261 or the equivalent. Emphasis on listening comprehension and speaking, as well as reading and writing. The course also offers the student some acquaintance with German literature and culture. Staff.


  • GERM 301 - German Conversation


    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: GERM 262 or equivalent. An intensive course stressing development of active German skills through conversation and some writing on cultural and practical subjects. Staff.


  • GERM 302 - Business German


    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: GERM 262 or equivalent. Acquisition of specific vocabulary necessary to transact business in Germany or with German speakers. Readings in manufacturing, marketing, banking and the organization of the European Union. Business letter and résumé writing. Taught in German. Crockett.


  • GERM 304 - Layered Berlin


    Credits: 4

    Prerequisites: GERM 262 or equivalent. Not open to students who have completed GERM 264. Spring Term Abroad course.  This intensive language course offers students an extended period of direct exposure to the language, culture, and people of Germany. Students immerse themselves in the culturally rich environs of Berlin, improving their language skills through extensive and innovative language instruction and literary study. Students also gain greater understanding of German history and contemporary culture through lectures by native authorities and tours of museums and churches, and through their contact with their host families as well as native German university students. Youngman.


  • GERM 305 - Traces of Empire: Exploring the Cultural Centers of Austria and Hungary


    Experiential Learning (EXP): Yes
    Credits: 4

    Prerequisite: GERM 262. A four-week advanced language and culture class based in Graz, Austria, with a particular focus on the multi-national, ·polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire and its impact on modern Austria’s multi-ethnic, multi-cultural identity. Language and culture classes take place in the University of Graz’s language center, Treffpunkt Sprachen. Afternoon discussion classes focus on Austrian culture, supported by readings from the texts, film screenings, and visits to important sites and events in Graz and its environs. During excursions to Vienna and Budapest, we compare the two rival imperial capitals of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, visit the opera houses and national art collections, and consider both the function of art in forging national - and imperial - identity, and the role of power in the construction of “taste.” Prager.


  • GERM 311 - Advanced German


    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: GERM 262 or equivalent. Following a study of German phonology and the components of advanced German grammar, the course emphasizes spoken German, accompanied by written exercises. Youngman.


  • GERM 312 - Advanced German


    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: GERM 311. A continuing course of advanced German with emphasis on the written language through composition and a study of stylistics. Advanced conversational material is drawn from topics relevant to contemporary life in the German-speaking world. Prager.


  • GERM 313 - German Literature, 1800-1850


    FDR: HL
    Credits: 3 credits in Fall or Winter; 4 credits in Spring

    Prerequisite: GERM 262 or equivalent. This course is an introduction to German literature through close reading, analysis, and discussion of key German texts written from the early- to mid-19th century. Students become familiar with the development, characteristics, and themes of German literature in this period as well as methods and terms of literary criticism and interpretation (in both English and German). Conducted in German. Prager.


  • GERM 314 - German Literature, 1900-1945


    FDR: HL
    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: GERM 262 or equivalent. Readings in German fiction, essays, drama and poetry from the end of Naturalism through World War II. Mann, Kafka, Hesse, Rilke, Wedekind and Brecht are among the authors treated. Conducted in German. Crockett.


  • GERM 316 - German Literature, 1945 to Present


    FDR: HL
    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: GERM 262, 263 or equivalent, or instructor consent. Readings in German fiction, essays, drama and poetry from the end of World War II to the present. Böll, Grass, Seghers, Dürrrenmatt, Frisch, Wolf and Strauss among the authors treated. Conducted in German. Crockett.


  • GERM 318 - German Medieval and Renaissance Literature


    FDR: HL
    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: GERM 262 or equivalent. An examination of selected works and a study of literary history through the 16th century. Medieval literary readings include the Hildebrandslied, Nibelungenlied, Parzival, and Tristan, as well as the Minnesang. Consideration is also given to the history of the German literary language during the period covered. Conducted in German. Crockett.


  • GERM 321 - Seminar: Special Topics in German Literature or Language


    FDR: HL when the topic is literary
    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: GERM 262 or equivalent. The focus shifts annually from the examination of a specific period or author to a study of a specified genre, such as the lyric or the Novelle. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. Staff.


  • GERM 332 - Performing German


    FDR: HA
    Experiential Learning (EXP): Yes
    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: GERM 261 or instructor consent. The reading, interpretation, preparation and performance of one or more German-language dramas. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. A maximum of three credits may be used to meet major requirements. Crockett.


  • GERM 347 - The Age of Goethe: Sentimentalism to Sturm und Drang


    FDR: HL
    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: GERM 311 and 312 or equivalent. A study of dramatic, expository, narrative, and poetic works by the young Goethe, Schiller, and their contemporaries. While emphasizing the historical and sociopolitical context of this aesthetically revolutionary period, this course examines Germany’s turn toward Sentimentalism that culminates in the Sturm und Drang movement. Regular expository writing in German and performing in debates or scenes are required. Conducted in German. Youngman.


  • GERM 349 - The Age of Goethe: German Classicism


    FDR: HL
    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: GERM 311 and 312 or equivalent. A course that examines the influence of Greece on German theoretical, dramatic, and poetic works by the mature Goethe, Schiller, and their contemporaries, especially Hölderlin and Kleist. By investigating the extent to which German writers embraced or rejected Winckelmann’s stoic vision of Greek art and culture, this course aims to refine our understanding of German Classicism. Regular expository writing in German and performing in debates or scenes are required. Conducted in German. Youngman.


  • GERM 392 - Layered Berlin: German Culture and the Social Market Economy


    (BUS 392)
    Experiential Learning (EXP): YES
    Prerequisite: GERM 262. A four-week course taught abroad that offers students a true immersion in German language, culture, and business environment. In order to give students a complete understanding of contemporary Germany, we integrate a literary-historical analysis of the country’s rich history from 1848 to the present day with an introduction to German social and economic system that focuses on stakeholder-centric business and sustainability principles. Through an exciting mix of literary fiction, historical readings and cases, film screenings, along with corporate and cultural site visits, students gain an understanding of the interdependence between “big C” Culture and business culture. P. Youngman and A. Hess.


  • GERM 401 - Directed Individual Study


    Credits: 1

    Prerequisites: Instructor consent. A course that permits students to follow a program of directed reading or research. The nature and content of the course is determined by their needs and by the instructors acquainted with their earlier preparation and performance. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. Staff.


  • GERM 402 - Directed Individual Study


    Credits: 2

    Prerequisites: Instructor consent. A course that permits students to follow a program of directed reading or research. The nature and content of the course is determined by their needs and by the instructors acquainted with their earlier preparation and performance. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different. Staff.


  • GERM 403 - Directed Individual Study


    Credits: 3

    Prerequisites: Instructor consent. A course that permits students to follow a program of directed reading or research. The nature and content of the course is determined by their needs and by the instructors acquainted with their earlier preparation and performance. May be repeated for degree credit if the topics are different.


  • GERM 451 - Internship Abroad


    Credits: 1

    Prerequisite: Department head consent. Supervised experience in a German-speaking country in an agency, research organization, or other venue approved by the department. Requires at least 16 work hours over no fewer than four weeks and a research paper in addition to off-campus activities.  May be carried out during the summer. Youngman.


  • GERM 453 - Internship Abroad


    Experiential Learning (EXP): Yes
    Credits: 3

    Prerequisite: Department head consent. Supervised experience in a German-speaking country in an agency, research organization, or other venue approved by the department. Requires at least 48 work hours over no fewer than four weeks and a research paper in addition to off-campus activities. May be carried out during the summer.
      Youngman.


  • GERM 456 - Internship Abroad


    Credits: 6

    Prerequisite: Department head consent. Supervised experience in a German-speaking country in an agency, research organization, or other venue approved by the department. Requires at least 96 work hours over no fewer than four weeks and a research paper in addition to off-campus activities. May be carried out during the summer. Youngman.


  • GERM 493 - Honors Thesis


    Credits: 3-3

    Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Honors Thesis.




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