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German and Russian StudiesFull Time Faculty: Julia Chadaga, Gitta Hammarberg, A. Kiarina Kordela, David Martyn, Linda Schulte-Sasse (Chair), James von Geldern (Co-chair) Part Time Faculty: Brigitta Abel, Rachael Huener, Gisela Peters German Studies The German program aims at enabling students to develop full proficiency in speaking, understanding, reading and writing the German language. It also offers an interdisciplinary approach to German literary, intellectual, and cultural history as well as to the intellectual, cultural, economic and political life of the contemporary German-speaking countries. German is the language of many of the greatest and most influential minds of world history—of Luther, Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart, Kant, Hegel, Arendt, Goethe, Freud, Marx and Einstein—and also of the Austrian Adolf Hitler, who sponsored the most tragic episode in two thousand years of German history. German-speaking writers have won ten Nobel Prizes for literature alone, the latest being Elfriede Jelinek in 2004. To a significant extent, the thoughts and compositions of uncounted giants of the mind and spirit are formulated and recorded in historical, literary, philosophical, musical and scientific works in a way that cannot be adequately understood by anyone who does not know the German language well. With over a hundred million native speakers, German is the European language to know, since it is the native language of all Germans, Austrians and of 70 percent of the Swiss, and is the second language of many Eastern Europeans. Germany alone has not only the largest population in Europe, it is Europe’s strongest economic, political, and military power and the core of the European Union. “German” companies such as Bertelsmann, Siemens, Bayer, and Daimler-Chrysler are among the largest and strongest international conglomerates today. It has been predicted that the Euro will rival the dollar as the world’s leading currency in the twenty-first century, and that Europe, with Germany at the forefront, will be the world’s strongest economic power. The German-speaking countries have adopted a pro-active, cosmopolitan approach to the world’s problems. They will be primary players in the new century and millennium. While English is sure to dominate world commerce, knowledge of German will provide a competitive advantage to those who strive to gain commercial preeminence. German Studies builds a foundation for graduate work in many academic fields that call for a thorough knowledge of German language, culture, and history. It also helps prepare students for employment in teaching, foreign service, the media, business, law, tourism, translation, publishing, and arts administration. The German department also provides offerings in English directed at the broad Macalester community as well as departmental majors. Since 1971, more than 60 Macalester graduates in the field of German have won Fulbright, DAAD or ITT Fellowships for study in Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia, a record paralleled by few American colleges of comparable size. The German House Students compete for the privilege of living in the Macalester German House, where daily conversation with two resident native German speakers and other students of German both improves oral proficiency in German and develops increased understanding of German-speaking Swiss cultures and societies. The German House is also the center of the German studies program’s social activities.
The German Study Abroad Program Since 1969, Macalester College has maintained a successful study abroad program in Germany and Austria. This program is open to non majors as well as majors. A student’s participation in the program is subject to approval by the Study Away Review Committee. Students with the requisite language skills (completion of Intermediate German II or the equivalent) may be admitted. The program includes: 1) a two-month term (January and February) of intensive language instruction at the Goethe Institute in Berlin, Germany (4 credits); and 2) in Vienna, Austria, courses at the Austro-American Institute (4 credits each, March through May): German Drama and Theater (Lived Theater) and Austrian Cultural History (Austria’s Multicultural Tradition). Additionally, students will select two courses at the University of Vienna (March through June) and (optionally) a non-credit bearing internship (June). All courses are taught in German. An on-site Macalester faculty member is director. Further information on the Macalester German Study Abroad Program is provided by the department and the Macalester International Center. German Native Speaker Students of German are supported in attaining language skills with the assistance of native speakers, who live in the German House and lead laboratory conversation sessions for courses numbered 101, 102, 110, 203, 204 and 305. General Distribution Requirement All courses in German count toward the general distribution requirement in humanities. General Education Requirements Courses that meet the general education requirements in writing, quantitative thinking, internationalism and multiculturalism will be posted on the Registrar’s web page in advance of registration for each semester. Additional information regarding the general distribution requirement and the general education requirements can be found in the graduation requirements section of this catalog. Major Requirements A departmental major in German Studies consists of: a) 32 semester credits in German Studies above Intermediate German II, to include: German Studies 306; at least two of the following: German Studies 363, 364, 365, and 366; and German Studies 488 as the senior capstone experience. b) 8 semester credits outside the German Studies department, which must include: 1) One course providing an introduction to critical theory and approved by the department. Possible courses include: Humanities, Media and Cultural Studies 110, 272, or 376, English 205 or 404, International Studies 110, Political Science 160, 260 or 261, Philosophy 231, Philosophy/Religious Studies 238, Religious Studies 235, Theatre and Dance 194 (topics course), Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies 300 or 400. Topics courses (394) in critical theory taught in Humanities and Media and Cultural Studies or in the German Department count subject to approval of department. 2) One other course with significant German content. Possible courses include: Art 259, 261, 263, Economics 225, 227, 325, Geography 261, History 110, 258, 265, 364, Music 342, 343, Political Science 241, 260, or Religious Studies 248, 346, 365. c) Participation in the Macalester German Study Abroad program. Minor Requirements A minor in German Studies consists of five courses beyond Elementary German II (German 102 or 110), to include German 305, 306, and at least one course taught in German numbered 360 or above. Policy on German Language Grades In order to be accepted into the next higher German language course in the sequence, a student must have received a grade of C– or higher in the previous course. For additional information regarding the language requirement, see the college requirements. Honors Program The German Studies department participates in the honors program. Eligibility requirements, application procedures and specific project expectations for the German studies department are available either from the department office or the Director of Academic Programs. Topics Courses 194, 294, 394, 494 Recent courses: Existentialism; Modernism/Postmodernism; Exile Literature; Dead White Men in Critical Theory and Film, Freud and Nietzsche, Film Theory: From Goebbels to Hollywood, and Critical Theory. Many of these courses fulfill the critical theory requirement. May be taught in English or in German. Offered every year. To be announced at registration. (4 credits)
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