German Culture

Undergraduate course

Course description

Objectives and Content

The course features different aspects of German-speaking culture and history from the Enlightenment (1760) up to today, taking as its point of departure different texts and cultural forms of expression, e.g. fictional text, different types of non-fiction prose, music, film and visual art.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing the course, the student is expected to:

Knowledge

  • have satisfactory knowledge about the basis of modern German society and the cultural development in Germany
  • have knowledge about the formation process of the German nation state and key traits of the various cultural periods

Skills

  • is able to understand texts concerning cultural history and different aesthetic terms and be able to work independently with this material
  • be able to work with different media in order to attain an understanding of the cultural development in Germany

General competence

  • have fundamental knowledge about selected themes within the German speaking culture in the period between the Enlightenment (1760) and up to today
  • exhibit sound reasoning around the material

Full-time/Part-time

Not relevant

ECTS Credits

10

Level of Study

Bachelor

Semester of Instruction

Spring

Place of Instruction

Bergen.

In the period between end of teaching and final exam, there will be a voluntary study trip to Kiel. The trip lasts for three weeks.

There is also an online version of this course (TYS626) with a separate admission process.

Required Previous Knowledge
No official requirements, yet all teaching is conducted in German and presupposes a good knowledge of German.
Recommended Previous Knowledge
Students are advised to ensure they have the knowledge and skills in German equivalent to level II from high school.
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
Due to academic overlaps, the credits awarded in TYS106 are reduced by 10 ECTS if combined with TYS112, TYS112-F, TYS622 or TYS626, and by 5 ECTS if combined with TYSK621.
Access to the Course
The course is open to all students admitted to the University of Bergen.
Teaching and learning methods

Teaching is conducted in the form of lectures and group sessions. All students are required to actively participate.

Two two-hour lectures per week and one two-hour group session

Or:

One two-hour lecture per week and one two-hour group session

One "preparation package" per week for self study.

12 weeks.

Compulsory Assignments and Attendance

Students must attend at least 75 % of the lectures in Bergen. In the course of the semester, students must write a test paper of approx. 500 - 700 words and give a short oral presentation.

Mandatory assignments are valid for one semester following the semester of instruction.

Forms of Assessment
Assessment is carried out on the basis of a seven-day take-home exam. The scope of the home essay is up to 1500 words, not including the table of contents, the exam question itself or the bibliography. Students will also be given general questions from the curriculum on the home exam.
Grading Scale
The grading scale is A-F, where F is a fail.
Assessment Semester

Spring

Students with valid approvals of their mandatory assignments may also be assessed in the fall semester.

Reading List
The reading list will be ready by 1 Jul for the fall semester, and 1 Dec for the spring semester.
Course Evaluation
Evaluation of the course is carried out in accordance with the University of Bergen quality assurance system.
Examination Support Material
None
Programme Committee
The program committee is responsible for the academic content and structure of the study program, and for the quality of all the subjects therein
Course Administrator
e Department of Foreign Languages at the Faculty of Humanities has the administrative responsibility for the course and the study program.