Germanic Languages and Literatures
Germanic
Languages & Literatures courses
German
department home page
Director of undergraduate studies: William Whobrey, Rm. 430, 55 Whitney Ave., 432-2430, william.whobrey@yale.edu
FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF GERMANIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES
Professors
Cyrus Hamlin (Emeritus), Carol Jacobs (Chair), Winfried Menninghaus (Visiting), Rainer Nägele, Brigitte Peucker, Henry Sussman (Visiting)
Assistant Professor
Kirk Wetters
Lecturers
Helmut Illbruck, Anthony Niesz, William Whobrey
Senior Lector II
Marion Gehlker (Language Coordinator)
Senior Lector
Howard Stern
The major in German is a liberal arts major whose aim is to provide competence in the German language and an understanding of German literature and culture in the context of European civilization. Although by no means restricted to prospective teachers or graduate students in German, the major provides background for professional work in these pursuits.
Prerequisite. Students choosing the major should have completed GMAN 115a or b and 116a or b or have received equivalent credit through advanced placement or study abroad.
The major. The major consists of eleven term courses, for a total of twelve course credits, including GMAN 130a or b and 131a or b; 138a or 139b; GMST 150b; the introductory sequence in German literature, GMAN 161a and 162b; and the senior essay. All courses in the major must be taken for a letter grade. The remaining courses to fulfill the major are chosen from Group B (conducted in German), up to two courses from Group C (conducted in English), one additional language course from Group A numbered 140 or above, and, with prior approval of the director of undergraduate studies, up to two term courses taken outside the department but bearing directly on the German cultural context.
Senior requirement for the standard major (one-term senior essay). Seniors in the standard German major enroll in GMAN 492a, a guided senior essay tutorial course. Students meet on a biweekly basis with the director of undergraduate studies and staff, and work under the direction of a faculty adviser. The culmination of the tutorial is an essay of approximately thirty pages that gives evidence of careful reading and substantial independent thought. The essay may be written in either English or German, although only native speakers are encouraged to write an essay in German. A preliminary statement indicating the general area to be dealt with and the choice of adviser should be submitted to the director of undergraduate studies by September 14; a three-page prospectus and bibliography are due by October 5. A rough draft must be submitted to the adviser by November 9. The essay is graded jointly by the adviser and a designated faculty reader.
The intensive major (two-term senior esssay). The intensive major is designed for students who wish to undertake a more extensive project of research and writing during their senior year. Requirements for the intensive major are the same as for the standard major, except that the intensive major requires twelve term courses (totaling thirteen course credits) beyond the prerequisite, of which two are devoted to the preparation of the senior essay (GMAN 492a and 493b). This essay, written under the direction of a faculty adviser, should be between sixty and seventy-five pages in length and should be presented no later than April 25 of the senior year. The second term of essay preparation is undertaken independently, without tutorial support. As with the standard senior essay, the essay is graded jointly by the adviser and a designated faculty reader.
Group A courses (GMAN 115–159) include elementary, intermediate, and advanced language courses. Only one advanced language course at the level of 140 and above may count toward the major.
Group B courses (GMAN 161 and above) are advanced courses and count toward the major. Readings are in German, and the language of instruction is usually German.
Group C courses are given in English with texts in translation. Only two term courses from this group may count toward the major.
Candidates for the major in German should consult the director of undergraduate studies.
Summer study and study abroad. Students may take Intermediate German or German for Reading Knowledge during the summer in New Haven and/or Berlin. For information, contact the director of undergraduate studies or the language coordinator. Students are urged to consider the Year or Term Abroad program, for which appropriate course credit toward the major is granted. Such study is valuable not only for achieving comfortable fluency in German, but also for gaining a firsthand knowledge of the German cultural context; it is an educational experience that provides students with additional skills and options for the future. The department offers diverse opportunities for study abroad and a scholarship program for summer courses at German universities. Members of the faculty advise and consult with all students wishing to plan study in Germany. Students who have been approved to study abroad and who receive financial aid from Yale are eligible for aid while abroad. For information about the Year or Term Abroad program, see chapter III of this bulletin.
German Studies. In addition to the major in German literature, there is also a major in German Studies, an interdisciplinary study of the cultural, historical, and political life of the German-speaking peoples. See under German Studies.
Placement. A departmental placement examination, including both a written and a spoken part, will be administered on Sunday, September 2, from 2 to 3.15 P.M. in 207 WLH. A makeup examination will be administered on Monday, September 3, from 9 to 10.15 A.M. in 207 WLH. Students wishing to enroll in GMAN 115a, 116a, 125, 130a, or 131a must register for sections on Tuesday, September 4, from 2 to 4 P.M. in 309 WLH during the Academic Fair. Students wishing to take the placement exam in January should sign up with the language coordinator by December 14, 2007. Students may also consult the director of undergraduate studies or the language coordinator for advice about placement and about language study.
•Foreign language requirement (Class of 2008). Students in the Class of 2008 may satisfy the foreign language requirement in German by a score of 4 or higher on the Advanced Placement test in German. The requirement may also be met by successful completion of GMAN 125, Intensive German, or of GMAN 130a or b and 131a or b, Intermediate German. Alternatively, students may satisfy the requirement by scoring above the intermediate level on the departmental placement examination.
Foreign language distributional requirement (Class of 2009 and subsequent classes). Details of the foreign language distributional requirement for the Class of 2009 and subsequent classes are contained under "Distributional Requirements" in chapter III under the heading "Requirements for the B.A. or B.S. Degree."
REQUIREMENTS OF THE MAJOR
Prerequisite: GMAN 115a or b and 116a or b, or equivalent
Number of courses: 11 term courses, totaling 12 course credits, beyond prereq (incl senior essay tutorial) for letter grades
Specific courses required: GMAN 130a or b, 131a or b; 138a or 139b; 161a and 162b; GMST 150b
Distribution of courses: No more than 1 advanced lang course; no more than 2 Group C courses; with DUS approval, 2 term courses outside dept
Substitution permitted: No more than 1 advanced lang course; no more than 2 Group C courses; with DUS approval, 2 term courses outside dept
Senior requirement: Senior essay tutorial (GMAN 492a)
Intensive major: 12 term courses, totaling 13 course credits, beyond prereq for letter grades, incl two-term senior essay (GMAN 492a and 493b)
