German and Scandinavian

The Department of German and Scandinavian offers a bachelor of arts (BA) degree with a major in German. Students can focus their studies by emphasizing German language, literature, and culture; Scandinavian; or German studies.

The department does not accept a grade of C– or lower in any course used to fulfill requirements for a major in German.

Preparation. Students with experience in German must take a placement examination during registration week to help with proper placement.

Undergraduate students preparing for graduate work in German are advised to begin study of a third language. They should also take related courses either in English or in another European literature, or both, or in philosophy or history. In addition, students are strongly encouraged to write a thesis or senior paper before applying to graduate schools.

Careers. A bachelor’s degree in German enables students to pursue careers in college and secondary teaching, international business, government and foreign service, and translation and editorial work. Graduates of the department have been especially successful in being accepted into graduate programs in German, Scandinavian, linguistics, history, comparative literature, and international studies. Many professional schools look favorably on a student with a major focus in German or Scandinavian. Recent graduates of the department have been successful applicants to schools of law and business.

Major Requirements

Majors with a focus in German language, literature, and culture or German studies must be proficient in the German language, typically demonstrated by satisfactory completion of at least the third term of Second-Year German (GER 203) or the second term of Intensive Second-Year German (GER 205).

German Language, Literature, and Culture Focus

Courses from other disciplines outside of German may not be used to satisfy requirements for this focus of the major.

1. Five upper-division German-language courses (20 credits)

2. Seven upper-division German literature and culture courses (28 credits)

3. Of the twelve courses from (1) and (2):

a. Six courses must be taken in the UO Department of German and Scandinavian

b. At least four must be 400-level GER–subject code courses, two of which must be taken at the University of Oregon; one of the two must be in literature, culture, or theory

c. One course may be taken pass/no pass

d. Only one course taught in English may count toward the major

4. German advising conference workshop taken pass/no pass (1 credit)

5. German language retreat workshop (GER 408) is strongly recommended (2 credits)

The following courses cannot be used to satisfy major requirements: Special Studies (GER 199), German for Reading Knowledge (GER 327, 328, 329), Reading and Conference (GER 405), Special Problems (GER 406), Workshop (GER 408), and in most cases Practicum (GER 409).

Students who want to study in Germany should plan their course work carefully in consultation with the undergraduate advisor.

Scandinavian Focus

1. Proficiency in a Scandinavian language, demonstrated either by evaluation by the Scandinavian advisor or by successful completion, with grades of mid-C or better, of FINN or DANE or NORW or SWED 203

2. A topical upper-division course from a related field if approved by the advisor (4 credits)

3. Three upper-division courses in one Scandinavian language, or their equivalent (12 credits)

4. Eight upper-division Scandinavian literature and culture courses (32 credits). Of the eight,

a. Two may be culture and civilization courses

b. Three must be taken in the UO Department of German and Scandinavian

c. One may be taken pass/no pass

5. German advising conference workshop taken pass/no pass (1 credit)

Students who want to study in Denmark, Finland, Norway, or Sweden should plan their course work carefully in consultation with departmental undergraduate advisors in Scandinavian.

German Studies Focus

The German studies focus combines advanced language training and German literature courses in an interdisciplinary program that includes courses in history, philosophy, political science, art history, music, religious studies, and Judaic studies. The focus is described in the German Studies section of this catalog.

Honors

To earn a bachelor of arts degree with departmental honors, a student must maintain at least a 3.50 grade point average (GPA) and write an honors essay or thesis approved by the departmental honors committee for 4 credits in Thesis (GER 403). More information is available from departmental undergraduate advisors.

Minor Requirements

The Department of German and Scandinavian offers a minor in German, one in Scandinavian, and one in German studies.

German Minor

The German minor correlates well with studies that have an international or European concentration. It is particularly useful for students of international studies, international business, European history, medieval studies, sociology, political science, journalism, linguistics, art history, music history, other languages, theater, and related fields.

The German minor requires seven upper-division courses in German (28 credits). These may include courses in language, literature, and culture and civilization. Only one course taught in English may be applied to the minor. No courses from other departments count toward the minor in German. Grades of at least mid-C or P (pass) must be earned in all courses used to satisfy requirements for the minor. One course may be taken pass/no pass. At least three courses (12 credits) must be taken on the UO campus. One credit in the foreign language retreat workshop is strongly recommended.

The following courses do not count toward the German minor: Special Studies (GER 199), German for Reading Knowledge (GER 327, 328, 329), Reading and Conference (GER 405), Special Problems (GER 406), Workshop (GER 408), and in most cases Practicum (GER 409).

Since all courses are not offered every year, plans should be made well in advance so that students can take prerequisites for 400-level courses. Specific questions should be addressed to departmental undergraduate German advisors.

Scandinavian Minor

The Scandinavian minor correlates well with studies that have an international or European concentration. It is particularly useful for students of international business, European history, sociology, political science, theater arts, and art history.

The minor requires

1. Proficiency in a Scandinavian language, demonstrated either by evaluation by the Scandinavian advisor or by successful completion, with grades of mid-C or better, of either FINN or DANE or NORW or SWED 203

2. Seven upper-division Scandinavian courses (28 credits) including

a. Three language courses in one Scandinavian language, or their equivalent

b. Three Scandinavian literature courses

c. One Scandinavian culture course

One course may be taken pass/no pass

Specific questions about the Scandinavian minor should be addressed to departmental undergraduate advisors in Scandinavian.

German Studies Minor

The German studies minor is described in the German Studies section of this catalog.

General-Education Requirements. The Department of German and Scandinavian offers many courses, including several taught in English, that satisfy university general-education requirements. See the Group Requirements and Multicultural Requirement sections of this catalog under Registration and Academic Policies.

Professional Distinctions Certificate

German or Scandinavian courses may be used to satisfy requirements for a professional distinctions certificate in international communication and culture. The Professional Distinctions program is described in the College of Arts and Sciences section of this catalog.

European Studies Certificate

Some courses may be applied to the European studies certificate. See the European Studies section of this catalog for more information.

Study Abroad

Germany. The department encourages students of German to study in Germany on one of the University of Oregon–sponsored exchange programs—the yearlong Baden-Wurttemberg program or the spring intensive German-language program in Tubingen. Study for one or two months in summer is available in Berlin. Students may also study for one or two terms in Vienna. Another opportunity is to study during the summer at the Deutsche Sommerschule am Pazifik in Portland.

Students in University of Oregon overseas study programs enroll in courses with subject codes that are unique to individual programs. Special course numbers are reserved for overseas study. See International Affairs in the Academic Resources section of this catalog.

For more information, students should consult departmental representatives and the International Affairs office. Students working toward a German major or minor must consult an undergraduate advisor before beginning any study abroad program in order to ensure that departmental requirements can be met. Study in Germany (GER 317) is required as preparation for students planning to study abroad on one of the UO-sponsored exchange programs.

German majors must complete six courses on the UO campus, two of which must be 400-level courses with the GER subject code, unless they intend to graduate in absentia while enrolled through the Baden-Wurttemberg program.

Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Students in Scandinavian are strongly encouraged to spend a year studying in an exchange program at Denmark’s International Study Program in Copenhagen, at Copenhagen Business School, at Aalborg University in Denmark, at the University of Tampere in Finland, at the University of Bergen or the University of Oslo in Norway, or at the University of Uppsala in Sweden. For more information, consult departmental advisors in Scandinavian.

Kindergarten through Secondary Teaching Careers

Students who complete the BA degree with a major in German are eligible to apply for the College of Education’s fifth-year licensure program in middle-secondary teaching, or the fifth-year licensure program to become an elementary teacher. More information is available from the department’s education advisors, Susan Anderson and Dorothee Ostmeier; see also the College of Education section of this catalog.

Some German courses may be applied to requirements for the certificate in second-language acquisition and teaching. See the Linguistics section of this catalog for a description of the certificate. More information is available from department advisors.

The graduate program in German, which offers the master of arts (MA) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) degrees, concentrates on the analysis of literary and critical discourses, such as romanticism, idealism, historicism, psychoanalysis, expressionism, and criticism of ideology, that helped shape the European intellectual tradition.

The graduate curriculum acquaints students with the history of German letters, places this history in the European context, and provides tools for a critical analysis of the discourses involved. This flexible program encourages comparative, theoretically oriented work.

The core curriculum consists of six courses: GER 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 690. Students take one course each term. These courses are grouped according to common themes to give the program a topical and critical coherence. Core courses are paired with seminars of related or complementary content, and students are encouraged to explore connections between courses.

In the first year, core courses address a specific genre (narrative, drama, and lyric). While their content may vary with the instructor, they are intended to present in general terms the history of the genre itself and of critical thinking about that genre. In the second year, core courses have less traditional themes and present a broader concept of textuality:

1. Critical and Philosophical Prose (GER 624) acquaints students with important aspects of German philosophical discourse since Kant
2. Translations-Transformations (GER 625) presents the theory and practice of translation. "Transformations" is added to suggest that translation is not limited to written texts (e.g., the sister arts, literature into film)
3. Various topics in research methods, literary theory, history of German literature, and advanced methodology

Students should consult an appropriate advisor in the German and Scandinavian department for information about the MA degree program that emphasizes teaching German. Information and application materials are available on the department website.

Every course listed here cannot be offered every year; students should consult the most recent class schedule.

101, 102, 103 First-Year German (5,5,5) Provides a thorough grammatical foundation and an elementary reading knowledge of German as well as an understanding of the spoken language. Sequence.

104, 105 Intensive First-Year German (7,8) Covers the same work as GER 101, 102, 103. Offered only during summer session.

196 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–2R)

198 Workshop: [Topic] (1–2R)

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

201, 202, 203 Second-Year German (4,4,4) Grammar and composition, reading selections from representative authors, conversation. Prereq: GER 103 or 105 or equivalent.

204, 205 Intensive Second-Year German (6,6) Covers the same work as GER 201, 202, 203. Prereq: GER 103 or equivalent. Offered only during summer session.

221 Postwar Germany: Nation Divided (4) Introduction to literary and cultural movements of public dissent, including 1960s student revolutions, in postwar Germany. Conducted in English.

222 Voices of Dissent in Germany (4) Key debates in German culture, including the adequate representation of the Holocaust, literature in society, and the roles of ethnic and gender identities within the nation. Readings and discussion in English.

223 Germany: A Multicultural Society (4) Examines the multiethnic complexities of German, Austrian, and/or Swiss societies through the writings of African, Turkish, or Jewish Germans. Period of focus varies. Conducted in English.

257, 258, 259 German Culture and Thought (4,4,4) Introduction to German literature, art, music, philosophy, and history through analysis and discussion of selected documents from different periods, genres, and media. 257: from Luther to Marx. 258: from Schopenhauer to Musil. 259: culture of the Weimar Republic. Conducted in English.

311, 312, 313 Intermediate Language Training (4,4,4) Extensive practice in speaking and writing German; complex grammatical structures in writing. Prereq: GER 203 or equivalent. Option during 313 to take the Zertifikat Deutsch exam.

314, 315 Intensive Intermediate Language Training (6,6) Extensive practice in speaking and writing German; complex grammatical structures in writing. Sequence. Prereq for 314: GER 203, 205, or equivalent; prereq for 315: GER 312, 314, or equivalent.

317 Study in Germany (4) Intensive grammar review in preparation for German exchange programs and upper-division German courses. Introduces contemporary ideas about German culture, history, architecture through journals and magazines. Pre- or coreq: GER 203 or equivalent.

327, 328, 329 German for Reading Knowledge (4,4,4) Intensive practice in grammar; reading texts in the student’s own field. Primarily for graduate students in other disciplines; recommended for students who want extra training in translation.

340, 341 Introduction to German Culture and Society (4,4) Writings by such figures as Kant, Marx, Freud, and Weber. 340: the emergence of Germany as a cultural and political entity explored through literature, film, and art. 341: the German crisis of modernization. Readings, discussion, and written assignments in German. Prereq: GER 311. GER 340 and 341 offered alternate years.

350 Genres in German Literature (4) Studies on such genres in German literature as Novelle, 20th-century drama, political poetry. Conducted in English.

351 Diversity in Germany (4) Examines the social construction of identity in German literature and culture. Addresses topics of plural voices and tolerance in German-speaking cultures. Topics vary. Conducted in English.

352 Authors in German Literature (4) Representative works by writers such as Lessing, Schiller, Hoffmann, Brentano, Droste-Hulshoff, Kafka, Fleisser, Brecht, and Nietzsche. Conducted in English.

354 German Gender Studies (4) Student oral presentations and written papers on such topics as men and women writers of German romanticism, mothers and daughters in German literature, comparison of men and women dramatists. Conducted in English.

355 German Cinema: History, Theory, Practice (4) In-depth analysis of various facets of German cinema. Topics include film and the Third Reich, cinema and technology, German filmmakers in American exile, German New Wave. Conducted in English.

356 German Fairy Tales (4) The German fairy tale in historical, cross-cultural, and theoretical context, from the Brothers Grimm and romantic tales to adaptations by Tchaikovsky and Sendak. Taught in English.

360 Introduction to German Literature: Poetry, Plays, Prose (4) Introduction to textual analysis—poetry, plays, and prose from 1800 to the present—in the context of major literary movements (romanticism, realism, modernism) and their social determinants. Prereq: GER 311.

361 Introduction to German Literature: Literary Movements (4) See description for GER 360. Focuses on literary movements. Prereq: GER 311.

362 Introduction to German Literature: Interpretive Models (4) See description for GER 360. Focuses on interpretive models. Prereq: GER 311.

366, 367, 368 Themes in German Literature (4,4,4) Significant literary texts organized by theme—crime and society, travels and explorations, nature and technology, relationships between the sexes, the Nazi past. Prereq: GER 311.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R) New topics or approaches appropriate for third-year German proficiency level. Content varies; focus may be on various aspects of German language, literature, or culture and civilization. Prereq: GER 311. R when topic changes.

401 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)

403 Thesis (1–12R)

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–16R)

406 Special Problems: [Topic] (1–16R)

407/507 Seminar: [Topic] (1–16R) A recent topic is Experimental Poetry.

408/508 Workshop: [Topic] (1–16R)

409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–4R)

410/510 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R) Recent topics are Doppelganger and Nietzsche.

411, 412, 413 Advanced Language Training (4,4,4) Constant practice in speaking and writing with emphasis on complex syntactic structures as well as idiomatic nuances in German. 411: grammar. 412: writing. 413: speaking. Prereq: GER 311, 312, 313.

425 Play Performance: [Topic] (4R) Extensive practice in effective oral communication with emphasis on correct pronunciation. Reading of the play and scene rehearsals in class; public performance at end of term. Prereq: GER 203 or equivalent.

440/540 German Culture and Society: [Topic] (4R) Cultural and sociopolitical aspects of Germany. Typical topics are the cultural history of the German forest, gender and terrorism, women and German film, peace movements. Prereq: one upper-division GER course in literature or culture. R when topic changes.

460/560 German Literature: [Topic] (4R) Representative writers (e.g., Lessing, Heine, Kafka, Brecht, Bachmann, or Wolf) or pervasive themes (e.g., peace movements, art and illusion, family and society, history and literature, the political imagination). Prereq: one upper-division GER course in literature or culture. R when topic changes.

503 Thesis (1–16R)

601 Research: [Topic] (1–6R)

602 Supervised College Teaching (1–5R)

603 Dissertation (1–16R)

605 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–16R)

606 Special Problems: [Topic] (1–16R)

607 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R) A recent topic is Weimar Modernisms.

608 Colloquium: [Topic] (1–16R)

609 Practicum: [Topic] (1–16R)

610 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R)

621 Narrative (4R) Analysis and theory of narrative texts. R when topic changes.

622 Drama (4R) Analysis and theory of dramatic texts. R when topic changes.

623 Lyric (4R) Analysis and theory of lyric texts. R when topic changes.

624 Critical and Philosophical Prose (4R) Examines important aspects of German philosophy. R when topic changes.

625 Translations-Transformations (4R) Presents the theory and practice of translation and other transformation media (e.g., the sister arts, literature into film). R when topic changes.

666 Genres of German Literature: [Topic] (4R) Generally focuses on a single genre such as drama, poetry, or prose. Further limited by a time frame or subgenre such as historical drama, ballad, or Novelle. R when topic changes.

690 Literary Studies (4R) Research methods, literary theory, history of German literature, and advanced methodology. Typical topics include contemporary theory, major German critics, literature and nonliterary forms. R when topic changes.

Scandinavian Courses (SCAN)

196 Field Studies: [Topic] (1–2R)

198 Workshop: [Topic] (1–2R)

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

251 Text and Interpretation (4) Introduction to textual analysis; explores the relationship between experience, description, and identity through the reading and viewing of Scandinavian literature and film. 

259 Vikings through the Icelandic Sagas (4) Introduction to the social, political, and cultural expressions of Viking society through the Sagas, the unique prose narratives of medieval Iceland Conducted in English.

315 Nordic Cinema (4) Examines cinematic culture in the Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Includes works by Ingmar Bergman and the Danish group Dogma 95.

316 History of Cinema (4) A survey of Nordic cinema from the silent era to the present. Films will be viewed and analyzed within their aesthetic and historical contexts. Offered alternate years.

317 Directors, Movements, and Manifestos (4) A directed study of specific directors, movements, and manifestos from the Nordic cinematic tradition. Offered alternate years. 

325 Constructions versus Constrictions of Identity (4) Explores the notion of regional, ethnic, gender, and class identity in Scandinavian texts and culture. Topics include immigrant-emigrant experience, lore of the Arctic, folklore, Finland-Swedish writing. Conducted in English.

340 Emergence of Nordic Cultures and Society (4) Explores the early history of the Nordic region from pre-Viking days to 1750. Includes Viking history, settlement patterns, material culture, language development, political and belief systems.

341 Revisions of the Scandinavian Dream (4) Examines development of Scandinavian countries from impoverished kingdoms on the European periphery to modern, multicultural welfare societies. Analyzes patterns in the arts, social and political structures, ecological issues. Conducted in English.

351 Periods in Scandinavian Literature (4) Possible topics are modern breakthrough and modernism in Scandinavian literature. Student discussion, oral presentations, and written papers. Conducted in English.

352 Topics in Scandinavian Literature (4) Topics include war and peace, folk literature, film as narrative. Student discussion, oral presentations, and written papers. Conducted in English.

353 Scandinavian Women Writers (4) Examines social issues, especially gender, in literature written by women from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Primary emphasis on 19th- and 20th-century texts.

354 Genres in Scandinavian Literature (4) Recent topics include short narrative fiction and Scandinavian drama. Student discussion, oral presentations, and written papers. Conducted in English.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1–21R)

403 Thesis (1–12R)

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–21R)

406 Special Problems: [Topic] (1–21R)

407 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R)

408/508 Workshop: [Topic] (1–21R)

409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–3R)

410 Experimental Course: [Topic] (1–5R)

507 Seminar: [Topic] (1–5R)

510 Experimental Course (1–5R)

605 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–16R)

609 Practicum: [Topic] (1–16R)

Danish Courses (DANE)

101, 102, 103 First-Year Danish (4,4,4) Thorough grammatical foundation in idiomatic Danish with emphasis on both reading and speaking the language. Sequence.

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

201, 202, 203 Second-Year Danish (4,4,4) Review of grammar; composition, conversation. Selections from representative texts in Danish. Prereq: DANE 103.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)

403 Thesis (1–12R)

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–16R)

409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–16R)

Finnish Courses (FINN)

101, 102, 103 First-Year Finnish (4,4,4) Thorough grammatical foundation in idiomatic Finnish with emphasis on reading and speaking the language.

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

201, 202, 203 Second-Year Finnish (4,4,4) Review of grammar, composition, conversation. Readings from various texts in Finnish. Prereq: FINN 103.

Norwegian Courses (NORW)

101, 102, 103 First-Year Norwegian (5,5,5) Thorough grammatical foundation in idiomatic Norwegian with emphasis on both reading and speaking the language.

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

201, 202, 203 Second-Year Norwegian (4,4,4) Review of grammar; composition, conversation. Readings from various texts in Norwegian. Prereq: NORW 103.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)

403 Thesis (1–12R)

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–16R)

409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–16R)

Swedish Courses (SWED)

101, 102, 103 First-Year Swedish (5,5,5) Thorough grammatical foundation in idiomatic Swedish with emphasis on both reading and speaking.

199 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

201, 202, 203 Second-Year Swedish (4,4,4) Review of grammar; composition, conversation. Readings from contemporary texts in Swedish. Prereq: SWED 103.

301, 302 Third-Year Swedish (4,4) Historical survey of Sweden, reading of modern Swedish texts, spoken and written practice. Prereq: SWED 203.

399 Special Studies: [Topic] (1–5R)

401 Research: [Topic] (1–16R)

403 Thesis (1–12R)

405 Reading and Conference: [Topic] (1–16R)

409 Practicum: [Topic] (1–16R)