GERM 4003 - Honours German Culture

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2021

This course will focus on great texts of German literature from the time of the French Revolution to the present. Students will read and analyse the texts, examine them in their social and historical context and consider their impact on the development of German culture and their contemporary significance. The course aims to provide students with an advanced knowledge and understanding of important aspects of German cultural history, advanced skills in critical analysis and interpretation and advanced comprehension and written and oral communication skills in German.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code GERM 4003
    Course Honours German Culture
    Coordinating Unit German Studies
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 6
    Contact Up to 2 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites Completed degree (72 units) including 24 units of German Studies Major or completed Diploma of Languages
    Restrictions Available only to students admitted to relevant Honours program
    Course Description This course will focus on great texts of German literature from the time of the French Revolution to the present. Students will read and analyse the texts, examine them in their social and historical context and consider their impact on the development of German culture and their contemporary significance. The course aims to provide students with an advanced knowledge and understanding of important aspects of German cultural history, advanced skills in critical analysis and interpretation and advanced comprehension and written and oral communication skills in German.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Stefan Hajduk

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes

    1. will be familiar with some significant texts, films and/or other media-historical materials that have played and still do play an important role in German culture.
    2. will have a greater understanding of German history and culture from the eighteenth century to the present.
    3. will be able to extract, synthesise and critically evaluate information from primary and secondary sources relating to topics treated in the course.
    4. will have the ability to work independently and cooperatively to explore some of the issues and questions raised in or by the texts, films and/or other media-historical materials in more depth.
    5. will be able to communicate information, ideas and arguments about topics treated in the course cogently and coherently in German.
    6. be able to identify ethical, social and cultural issues raised by the texts, films and/or other media-historical materials and interpret them within their social and cultural context.
    7. will have an excellent foundation for further study and research in German language, literature and culture and for travel, study or work in a German-speaking environment.





    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1, 2, 6, 7
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1, 6
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    4, 5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    1-7
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    1, 2, 3, 6, 7
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    1, 2, 4, 6, 7
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    The grammar reference Dreyer, Schmitt. Lehr- und Arbeitsbuch der deutschen Grammatik aktuell (Hueber).
    Students should ensure that they have access to a good German dictionary. Check this site to see what is available: http://www.germanprofessor.org/dictionaries/
    Online Learning
    For a list of online resources click on Library – Resource Guides – German Studies Resources.
    Lecture materials and recordings as well as resources such as announcements, discussion boards or external web-links will be available online via MyUni. For a list of further online resources click on Library – Resource Guides – German Studies Resources.
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The modes of teaching and learning employed in the course are largely classroom-based and face-to-face, but also include e-learning forms such as discussion boards, blogs, or journals:
    1) a lecture which will provide the linguistic, historical and social context for the texts on the course
    2) a seminar based on the various texts on the course and the issues they raise, which will give students the opportunity to study topics in more detail and more depth.

    Students are encouraged to take personal responsibility for their learning through:
    1) independent personal study
    2) independent e-learning
    3) online access to lecture materials, recordings and other resources such as discussion boards, blogs, journals or external web-links.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.


    WORKLOAD TOTAL HOURS
    1 X 1-hour lecture per week (Recommended) 12 hours per semester
    1 X 2-hours seminar per week 24 hours per semester
    5 hours preparation for seminar per week 60 hours per semester
    8 hours reading per week 96 hours per semester
    10 hours research for presentation & assignments per week 120 hours per semester
    TOTAL = 312 hours per semester
    Learning Activities Summary
    Students will be provided with a detailed course outline at the beginning of the semester.
    Specific Course Requirements
    Lecture – Attendance is recommended.

    Seminar – Participation in the seminar is important. You should provide a reason if you are going to be absent.

    Students who require alternative arrangements for assessment or extensions for assignments must notify staff before the due date and must provide evidence that they have legitimate medical or compassionate grounds for their request.
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    In the seminar students will be given the opportunity to work independently and cooperatively to explore topics and issues that particularly interest them and to embark on their own quest to discover more about German language and its historical as well as current developments.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Seminar presentation, minor research project, written response, major research project (including 'journals' on MyUni).
    Assignment will include:
    an oral presentation,
    a minor research project (Seminar paper based on the Referat),
    a written response, and
    a major research assignment.

    ASSESSMENT TASK ASSESSMENT TYPE WEIGHTING COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
    Oral Presentation formative and summative 20% 1-7
    Seminararbeit (Minor research project) formative and summative 30% 1, 2, 4, 6, 7
    Written response summative 10% 1, 2, 4, 6, 7
    Major research assignment summative and formative 40% 1, 2, 3, 6, 7
    Assessment Detail
    The oral presentation in the seminar gives students the opportunity to explore a topic they are interested in and also to practise presenting material in a different format. The presentation should be approx. 15 minutes long and directly related to the themes of the seminar. Material should be provided in a way that makes it accessible and interesting to other members of the seminar.

    The seminar presentation is the point of departure for a seminar paper which should add some new aspects, and develop from it an interpretative perspective on the text, e.g. a Märchen. The seminar paper will be assessed on demonstrated knowledge of the primary sources, appropriate use of secondary sources and correct referencing, a well-structured and independent argument and a clear and reasonably sophisticated language.

    Minor written responses/homework requires students to answer a given question related to the topics of the lecture and/or the seminar and develop their language skills in German.
    Participation is based on preparation of the week’s material including online resources (discussion boards, blogs, journals or wikis) and participation i.e. active contribution and engagement with other members of the group.

    The major research project is designed to enable students to explore a particular topic in more depth and practise presenting the material in a written format. Students will be assessed on their selection and organisation of materials (shown in blogs or journals in MyUni), their knowledge of the topic, their critical engagement with secondary sources on the topic and their ability to develop and express their own point of view. It should be correctly referenced, have a clear structure and be presented in an appropriate register.
    Submission
    Details will be provided in the Course Outline that students receive at the beginning of the semester.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M11 (Honours Mark Scheme)
    GradeGrade reflects following criteria for allocation of gradeReported on Official Transcript
    Fail A mark between 1-49 F
    Third Class A mark between 50-59 3
    Second Class Div B A mark between 60-69 2B
    Second Class Div A A mark between 70-79 2A
    First Class A mark between 80-100 1
    Result Pending An interim result RP
    Continuing Continuing CN

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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