The German Program
The German program, open to all interested students, offers
courses that develop language capabilities and an appreciation and
comprehension of the literature and culture of Germany, Austria and
Switzerland. Information on the special interdisciplinary major in German
area studies may be obtained from the Department of World
Languages and Literatures.
Courses listed
below are offered both to fulfill general education requirements
and to support other major programs.
Course Descriptions | Lower Division
Courses at the 101, 102 and 150 levels require one hour each week in the language
laboratory in addition to the regularly scheduled classroom hours.
101: College German I : Fundamentals of pronunciation, structure and German culture designed
to develop the ability to use and understand basic spoken
German. (4 units)
102: College German II : Further study of the fundamentals of pronunciation, structure and
German culture designed to develop the ability to use and understand
basic spoken German. Continuation of GER 101. (4 units)
150: Intermediate German :
Emphasis on oral and written competency at the intermediate level in
a cultural context. Prerequisite: two years of high school German or
equivalent. (4 units)
212: Composition :
Comprehensive review of the principles of German grammar, emphasizing
their application to composition. Prerequisite: GER 150 or
equivalent. (4 units)
214: Conversation :
Practice of oral German stressing the discussion of current topics, panel discussions,
debates, short talks and skits. Prerequisite: GER 150 or equivalent. (4 units)
216: Introduction to Literary Texts
: Techniques of literary study and analysis. Vocabulary development.
Prerequisite: GER 150 or equivalent. (4 units)
218: Culture
: Introduction to the culture and traditions of the German-speaking
countries (principally Germany, Austria and Switzerland) as reflected
in the arts and other social institutions. Course taught in German. (4 units)
290: German Literature in English
Introduction to German literature read in English translation. (4 units)
Course Descriptions | Upper Division
Ordinarily, upper-division courses are conducted in German. Students
enrolled in these courses will be evaluated on appropriate progress in
both the command of the language and the subject matter.
308: Readings in German Literature: Selected literary genre or writer. May be repeated for credit as topics change.
Prerequisite: one of the following: GER 212, 214, 216 or consent of instructor. (4 units)
309: Advanced German Composition : Practice in composition and short essay writing with emphasis on the
development of good writing style and expressive vocabulary. Practical application in writing. Prerequisite: GER 212 or 216 or consent of instructor. (4 units)
310: Advanced German Conversation :
Advanced practice of oral German stressing the discussion of topics based in part on current newspapers and periodicals. Prerequisite: GER 214 or consent of instructor. (4 units)
311: Survey of German Literature :
Survey course designed to introduce the student to the major literary movements and representative writers of German speaking cultures. Prerequisites: GER 212, 214, 216 or consent of instructor. (4 units)
312: Business German :
Practice in writing German business letters and translation from German to English of materials useful in business, politics and tourism. Prerequisite: GER 212 or 216 or consent of instructor. (4 units)
313: Technical and Scientific Translation
: Translation from German to English of technical and scientific material. Prerequisite: GER 212 or 216 or consent of instructor. (4 units)
399: Community Service Project
: Credit for performing academically related tasks in such agencies as governmental, social service and educational institutions. May be repeated
for a total of six units. No more than six units of credit for Community Service Project courses may be applied toward degree requirements.
Graded credit/no credit. Prerequisite: consent of department. (1 or 2 units)
Visit the links on the left to learn more about German Studies at CSUSB.
