Graduate Faculty
Special Departmental Requirements
Master of Arts Degree
Master of Arts for Teachers Degree
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Courses
College of Arts and Sciences
Bloomington
Chairperson
Professor Kari Ellen Gade
Graduate Faculty
Professors
Theodore M. Andersson (Emeritus), Frank Banta (Emeritus), Peter Boerner (Emeritus, West European Studies), Kari Ellen Gade, Ingeborg Hoesterey (Comparative Literature), Albrecht Holschuh, Sidney Johnson (Emeritus), Breon Mitchell (Comparative Literature), Ferdinand Piedmont (Emeritus), Hugh Powell (Emeritus), Eberhard Reichmann (Emeritus), Henry Remak (Emeritus, Comparative Literature, West European Studies), William Shetter (Emeritus), Terence Thayer, Stephen Wailes, Marc Weiner, Ulrich Weisstein (Emeritus, Comparative Literature)
Associate Professors
Catherine Fraser, William Rasch, Katrin Sieg*, Rex Sprouse, Carl Ziegler* (Comparative Literature)
Assistant Professors
Fritz Breithaupt*
Director of Graduate Studies
Associate Professor William Rasch, Ballantine Hall 654, (812) 855-8242
Degrees Offered
Master of Arts, Master of Arts for Teachers, and Doctor of Philosophy
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Special Departmental Requirements
(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)
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Master of Arts Degree
Students may follow one of two different curricula in pursuit of the M.A. degree. Admission requirements are the same for both programs, and the official degree title for both options is the M.A. in Germanic Studies.
Admission Requirements
Near-native command of German and undergraduate major in the field or other evidence of adequate background. Deficiencies may be removed by course work or special examination.
Master’s Project
Both the Master of Arts in Germanic Studies and the Master of Arts in Modern German Culture require successful completion of a Master’s Project, which is intended to give students experience in carrying out a limited scholarly investigation to the fullest of their potential. The project is normally submitted after three or four semesters of study, but may be submitted as early as the first year. It entails appropriate revision and oral defense of a research paper of 20 to 30 pages originally written for a graduate course in Germanic Studies. The paper should demonstrate command of expository English or German; competence in the use of bibliographic and research tools; ability to conceive and develop a scholarly project; and effective critical and analytical thinking. It is recommended that students consult with appropriate faculty members regarding selection and revision of the project paper. A three-person faculty committee evaluates each
project and conducts an oral defense that examines the candidate’s ability to present concisely the main argument(s) of the project; place the project in larger scholarly contexts; discuss sources and scholarly literature used; and respond effectively to committee members’ questions and comments. Students have the option of enrolling in German G850 Master’s Project for one credit so that the project’s completion is reflected on their permanent academic record and transcripts.
Master of Arts in Germanic Studies
Course Requirements
A total of 30 credit hours, including G503; G532 or G551 or G640; and one seminar or colloquium at Indiana University. At least 12 additional credit hours in Germanic studies.
Language Requirement
Reading proficiency in an additional foreign language, preferably French.
Thesis
Not required.
Master of Arts in Modern German Culture
Course Requirements
A total of 30 credit hours, including G503; G563; G564; and V605 or V815. Nine (9) additional credit hours in Germanic Studies. Up to 9 further credit hours may be taken in other relevant programs and departments (history, comparative literature, etc.); specific courses must be approved by the director of graduate studies. Max Kade Fellows should seek approvals for specific courses from the director of the Institute of German Studies.
Language Requirement
Reading proficiency in an additional foreign language, preferably French.
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Master of Arts for Teachers Degree
Admission Requirements
20 credit hours of course work (or the equivalent) beyond first-year German.
Course Requirements
A total of 36 credit hours; at least 20 of these must be in Germanic Studies, including G500; G540; two courses from G548, G551, and G558; two literature or culture courses in German, one of which may be at the 400 level. Students must demonstrate proficiency in depth in German; contact the language coordinator in the department for information.
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Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Admission Requirement
M.A. in German or equivalent. Students with a master’s degree in a related discipline who have completed extensive graduate-level work in German may also apply.
Credit transfer
Entering doctoral students may present up to 30 credit hours of previous graduate-level work towards the 90-hour minimum required for the Ph.D. degree, subject to the regulations and approval of the University Graduate School.
Language
Reading proficiency in French. A substitution may be permitted; such a substitution should serve the candidate’s major research interests.
Other requirements
Specific departmental course and credit-hour requirements for each of the three Ph.D. majors are outlined below.
Examinations
A two-part written examination followed by an oral examination. The form, content, and scheduling of the separate examinations vary from major to major.
Teaching
All doctoral students are required to complete at least one year of service as an associate instructor in Germanic Studies.
Ph.D. in Germanic Linguistics and Philology
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Professional courses
|
Seminars
|
|---|
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(two required at IU)
|
|
G500
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3
|
G825 or G835
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4
|
|
G503
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3
|
G825 or G835
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4
|
|
------
|
------
|
|
6
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8
|
|
Linguistics courses
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Literature courses
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|---|
|
Four from the following:
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G571
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3
|
|
G532, G540, G548, G551, G558, G632, G635, G638, G639, G640, G601 Intro. to Old English, G655 Hist. of Engl. Lang.
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Any other literature course numbered 500 or above
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3
|
|
------
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------
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12-14
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6
|
|
Dissertation
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up to 20
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Outside minor
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at least 12
|
|
Total hours
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90
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Ph.D. in Medieval and Early Modern German Literature and Culture
This major is intended as one in medieval literature and culture, and the languages involved are regarded as tools rather than as ends in themselves. The interdepartmental outside minor must be taken in medieval culture. The 30-32 hours of required course work in German literature should include sufficient study of modern literature to prepare the candidate to teach college courses in this area on the second- and third-year levels.
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Professional courses
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Seminars
|
|---|
|
(two required at IU)
|
|
G500
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3
|
G825 or G835
|
4
|
|
G503
|
3
|
G825 or G835
|
4
|
|
------
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------
|
|
6
|
8
|
|
German literature
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Germanic linguistics
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|---|
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G571
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3
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G635
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3
|
|
G636
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3
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G640
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3
|
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G625 (with medieval topic)
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3
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Recommended: any one from
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G825 (with medieval topic)
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4
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G532, G638, G639
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(3)
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Other literature courses
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17-19
|
|
|
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30-32
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6-9
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Dissertation
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up to 20
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Outside minor:
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Either
F501 Med. French Lit. I
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3
|
|
or
L505 Medieval Latin
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4
|
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Additional hours in med. culture
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15-19
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------
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18-22
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Total Hours
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90
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Ph.D. in Modern German Literature and Culture
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Professional courses
|
Seminars
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|---|
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(two required at IU)
|
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G500
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3
|
G825 or G835
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4
|
|
G503
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3
|
G825 or G835
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4
|
|
------
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------
|
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6
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8
|
|
Literature courses
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Linguistic courses
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|---|
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Any three from:
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G551
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3
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G571
G573
G575
G577
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3
3
3
3
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Any other literature course numbered 500 or above
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3
|
|
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------
|
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9
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6
|
|
Dissertation
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up to 20
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Outside minor
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at least 12
|
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Total hours
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90
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Outside Minors for the Ph.D.
All three Ph.D. program options in Germanic Studies require the completion of an outside minor. The outside minor is selected in consultation with the graduate director or faculty adviser. Requirements for the outside minor are set by the outside minor department or program (i.e., not Germanic Studies). Please note that Dutch or Yiddish may be selected by Ph.D. students in Germanic Studies as an outside minor.
Some Ph.D. candidates in Germanic Studies complete the minor entirely outside the department, for example in Cognitive Science, French, West European Studies, or Gender Studies. Detailed information about minors offered by other departments and programs can be found elsewhere in this bulletin. Detailed below are sample minor programs.
- Dutch: 12 credits, consisting of N402, N403, N404, and N450.
- Comparative Literature: 4 courses in Comparative Literature, including C501; fluent reading knowledge of at least one foreign language.
- Cultural Studies: 4 courses for a minimum of 13 credits in courses approved for the Cultural Studies program, including C601 and either C701 or C790. Students must officially declare the minor during the early phase of their Ph.D. studies by consulting with the director of the Cultural Studies program. Satisfactory performance on the qualifying examinations in the student’s major department is also required.
- English and Germanic Philology: 4 courses, to include English G601 Introduction to Old English and at least one of the other older Germanic Languages, i.e., German G632, G635, G638, G639, and G640. The remaining courses may be chosen from English G602 Introduction to Middle English, G655 History of the English Language, L710 Beowulf, L711 (Old Engl. Lit.), German G532, G625 with appropriate topic, G636, G835 with appropriate topic, and any of the remaining older Germanic languages listed. Also offered is an Area Certificate in English and Germanic Philology, requiring 4 courses in addition to the 4 required for the minor. These may include any of the courses listed above, as well as courses in other departments that are relevant to the history and prehistory of the Germanic languages, and to early Germanic literature and culture.
- Linguistics: 12 credits in linguistics or related courses, with a grade point average of 3.0 (B) or better. The specific program for satisfying this requirement should be developed in consultation with the linguistics outside minor adviser.
- Yiddish: 12 credits, consisting of Y502, Y503, Y504; and Y505 or Y506.
Ph.D. Minor in Germanic Studies
Doctoral students from other departments desiring to minor in Germanic studies will choose one of the following:
- German: 12 credit hours, including at least two courses numbered 500 or higher.
- German studies: 15 credit hours, including G563, G564, and V605.
- Netherlandic: N402, N403, N404, and N450.
- Yiddish: Y502, Y503, Y504; and Y505 or Y506.
For further information concerning the graduate program in Germanic Studies, see the Guide to Graduate Study, issued annually by the department.
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Courses
G400 Deutsch: Oberstufe (3 cr.)
G403 Deutsche Literatur: Mittelalter bis Romantik (3 cr.)
G404 Deutsche Literatur seit der Romantik (3 cr.)
General Courses
G500 College German Teaching (3 cr.) Required of associate instructors in their first year of teaching. An overview of teaching methodologies, their underlying theories, and their practical application in college-level German courses.
G503 Introduction to Graduate Study in German Literature (3 cr.) Required of graduate students in their first year. Techniques of literary analysis, conventions of scholarly writing, use of bibliographic tools. Methodological approaches of various critical schools applied to selected works. Research paper on a literary text.
Courses in Germanic Literature and Culture
G505 New Literary Theory and the German Text (3 cr.) P: G503. Survey of literary theory currently used in Germanic studies; differences between theory in German and in American Germanistik. Areas such as reception theory, Frankfurt School, structuralism, poststructuralism, psychoanalytic criticism, feminist criticism, New Historicism.
G563 German Culture Studies I (3 cr.) R: G363, G464, or HIST B377-B378. The formation of cultural traditions in the German-speaking countries prior to the twentieth century.
G564 German Culture Studies II (3 cr.) R: G363, G464, or HIST B378. Culture of the German-speaking countries in the twentieth century.
G571 Historical Study of German Literature I (3 cr.) Historical treatment of a literary topic involving substantial developments within the time period before 1600. Topics range from individual genres, types, or movements; to themes or ideas; to sociopolitical contexts of literature or its relationships to other art forms. May be repeated once for credit with different topic.
G573 Historical Study of German Literature II (3 cr.) Historical treatment of a literary topic involving substantial developments within the time period between 1600 and 1800. Topics range from individual genres, types, or movements; to themes or ideas; to sociopolitical contexts of literature or its relationships to other art forms. May be repeated once for credit with different topic.
G575 Historical Study of German Literature III (3 cr.) Historical treatment of a literary topic involving substantial developments within the time period between 1800 and 1900. Topics range from individual genres, types, or movements; to themes or ideas; to sociopolitical contexts of literature or its relationships to other art forms. May be repeated once for credit with different topic.
G577 Historical Study of German Literature IV (3 cr.) Historical treatment of a literary topic involving substantial developments within the time period from 1900 to the present. Topics range from individual genres, types, or movements; to themes or ideas; to sociopolitical contexts of literature or its relationships to other art forms. May be repeated once for credit with different topic.
G625 Colloquium (3 cr.) Emphasis on a particular topic, author, or genre, to be announced in advance. Assigned readings, reports, discussions. May be repeated.
G627 Lyric (3 cr.) Interpretation of lyric poetry as an expression of changing aesthetic values and social concerns. Selections from major literary periods from the Middle Ages to the present.
G636 Old Icelandic Literature (3 cr.) P: G635 or equivalent. Medieval Icelandic poetic and prose literary texts; history of the literature. Some consideration of medieval Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish literature.
G815 Individual Readings (1-3 cr.) Guided readings in Germanic literature, linguistics, and culture. May be repeated.
G820 Research Tutorial (1-3 cr.) Work under faculty supervision that results in a scholarly paper, lecture, translation, bibliography, syllabus, or comparable product. May be repeated for credit once with a different topic.
G825 Seminar in German Literature (4 cr.; may be repeated)
G850 Master’s Project (1 cr.) Revision and oral defense of a substantial research paper originally written for a graduate course in Germanic Studies.
G875 Research in German Literature (cr. arr.)*
V605 Selected Topics in German Studies (2-4 cr.; 12 cr. max.)
V815 Individual Readings in German Studies (1-8 cr.; may be repeated)
Courses in Germanic Linguistics
G532 History of the German Language (3 cr.) Development from Primitive Germanic to New High German; German dialect geography. German as a member of the Germanic family and of the European linguistic area.
G540 Acquisition of German as a First and Second Language (3 cr.) P: knowledge of German; graduate standing or permission of instructor. Introduction to recent generativist scholarship on acquisition of German as a first and second language. Consideration of broader theoretical issues. No prior knowledge of linguistics assumed.
G548 German Phonetics and Phonology (3 cr.) Introduction to phonetics and phonology of modern German with emphasis on description, analysis, and theory. Relevance of German data to issues in phonological theory.
G551 Structure of Modern German (3 cr.) Structural problems in the grammar of Modern Standard German, investigated by means of various current methodological approaches.
G558 Principles of German Morphology (3 cr.) In-depth study of the principles underlying word formation (morphology) in German. Comparative study of inflection, derivation, and compounding in German and English. Relevance of German data to morphological theory.
G632 Gothic (3 cr.) Transition from Indo-European to Germanic. History and development of Germanic dialects, with emphasis on prehistory of English and German. Comparative and descriptive analysis of Gothic phonology, morphology, and syntax.
G635 Old Icelandic (3 cr.) Descriptive grammar. Survey of literature and extensive reading of prose and poetry. History of Scandinavian in comparison with other Germanic languages.
G638 Old High German (3 cr.) Descriptive and comparative analysis of Old High German texts, with their dialect features.
G639 Old Saxon (3 cr.) Study of the Old Saxon (Old Low German) language. Readings from the Heliand and brief examination of other OS documents.
G640 Middle High German (3 cr.) Introduction to Middle High German language, literature, and culture. Translation, linguistic analysis, and close reading of selections from major texts of the period 1170-1220.
G835 Seminar in Germanic Linguistics (4 cr.; may be repeated)
G885 Research in Germanic Linguistics (cr. arr.)*
Courses in Netherlandic
N401 Intensive Dutch I (3 cr.) Development of speaking ability, with stress on pronunciation, leading to fluency on restricted topics. Introduction to grammar. Reading of annotated stories.
N402 Intensive Dutch II (3 cr.) P: N401 or consent of instructor. Completion of grammatical study begun in N401; continued stress on speaking Dutch on selected topics; rapid expansion of reading ability using literary and cultural materials.
N403 Dutch Reading, Composition, and Conversation I (3 cr.) P: N402 or consent of instructor. Development of oral fluency; attention to idiom. Further grammatical study; attention to formal writing style. Readings in Dutch literature and culture.
N404 Dutch Reading, Composition, and Conversation II (3 cr.) P: N403 or consent of instructor. Further development of style and idiom in speaking and writing. Reading of novels. Oral and written practice on topics of contemporary Dutch life.
N450 Introduction to the Civilization of the Netherlands (3 cr.)
Courses in Scandinavian
S591 Scandinavian Languages for Researchers (3 cr.) Introduction to the structure of Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish necessary for reading, followed by critical reading in texts in the area of Scandinavian studies.
Courses in Yiddish
Y501 Beginning Yiddish I (3 cr.) No previous knowledge of Yiddish or German required. Introduction to the Yiddish language and selected aspects of Yiddish-language culture. Development of listening comprehension, simple proficiency, controlled reading and writing skills. Taught in alternate years.
Y502 Beginning Yiddish II (3 cr.) P:Y501 with grade of C - or higher or equivalent. Introduction to the Yiddish language and selected aspects of Yiddish-language culture. Development of listening comprehension, simple proficiency, controlled reading and writing skills. Taught in alternate years.
Y503 Intermediate Yiddish I (3 cr.) P: Y502 or consent of instructor. Development of speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills. Review of basic grammar and study of new grammatical topics. Reading of short fictional texts and other writings on Jewish culture. Taught in alternate years.
Y504 Intermediate Yiddish II (3 cr.) P: Y503 or consent of instructor. Continuing development of active and passive skills. Additional new grammar concepts. Emphasis on development of reading skills and cultural knowledge through literary and journalistic texts, including texts in non-standardized orthographies. Taught in alternate years.
Y505 Modernity and Tradition in Yiddish Literature and Culture (3 cr.) No knowledge of Yiddish required. Study of selected authors and topics in Yiddish literature and culture. Taught in English.
Y506 Yiddish Culture in America (3 cr.) Interdisciplinary approach to Jewish culture in the United States from the 1890s to the 1990s. Major figures, institutions, and trends in American Yiddish literature and popular culture; representations of the new and the old world, and the place held by Yiddish literature and culture in the post-Holocaust era. Taught in English.
Courses for Graduate Reading Knowledge
G491 Elementary German for Graduate Students (3 cr.; no grad. cr.)1
G492 Readings in German for Graduate Students (3 cr.; no grad. cr.)1
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1 Four (4) credit hours for undergraduates.
