Department of Germanic, Slavic, and Semitic Studies
Division of Humanities and Fine Arts
Phelps Hall 6206
Telephone: (805) 893-2131,
Fax: (805) 893-2374
Undergraduate e-mail: gd-germ@gss.ucsb.edu
Graduate e-mail: kmcfadden@gss.ucsb.edu
Website: www.gss.ucsb.edu (will open in a new browser window)
Department Chair: Elisabeth Weber
Contents:
- Faculty
- Overview
- Undergraduate Program
- Graduate Program
- German Courses
- Hebrew Courses
- Slavic Courses
Faculty
Cornelia Becher, Ph.D., UC Santa Barbara, Lecturer (German language, 18th- and 19th-century literature)
Dorothy M. Chun, Ph.D., UC Berkeley, Professor (German linguistics, second language acquisition, intonation and discourse, computer-assisted language learning)
Susan Derwin, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, Associate Professor (holocaust studies, 19th- and 20th-century European and American novel, psychoanalysis)
Jocelyn Holland, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University, Assistant Professor (German literature, romanticism, history of science)
Wolf D. Kittler, Ph.D., University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Professor (18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century literature and philosophy, critical theory, deconstruction, history of science and media technology)
Katia McClain, Ph.D., UC Los Angeles, Lecturer (Slavic linguistics, discourse and pragmatics, language acquisition, language and gender, folklore, women in Eastern European culture and literature)
Larry McLellan, M.A., UC Berkeley, Lecturer (Slavic linguistics, language pedagogy)
Laurence A. Rickels, Ph.D., Princeton University, Professor (critical theory, psychoanalysis, deconstruction, 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century literature)
Sven Spieker, Ph.D., Oxford University, Associate Professor (critical theory, psychoanalysis, deconstruction, 19th- and 20th-century literature, especially East European and Russian)
Elisabeth Weber, Ph.D., University of Freiburg, Professor (18th- and 19th-century literature and philosophy, German-Jewish culture, deconstruction, psychoanalysis)
Sara Wheeler, M.A., UC Santa Barbara, Lecturer, (Hebrew linguistics,syntax discourse, language pedagogy, modern Israeli literature)
Clifford A. Barraclough, M.A., University of Washington, Lecturer Emeritus
Richard C. Exner, Ph.D., University of Southern California, Professor Emeritus
Gunther H. Gottschalk, Ph.D., University of Southern California, Professor Emeritus
Gerhart Hoffmeister, Ph.D., University of Maryland, Professor Emeritus
Donald B. Johnson, Ph.D., UC Los Angeles, Professor Emeritus
Albert Kaspin, Ph.D., UC Berkeley, Professor Emeritus
Roselinde Konrad, Senior Lecturer Emerita
Torborg Lundell, Ph.D., UC Berkeley, Professor Emerita
Ursula R. Mahlendorf, Ph.D., Brown University, Professor Emerita
Devora Sprecher, Lecturer Emeritas
The Department of Germanic, Slavic, and Semitic Studies offers programs of study leading to the B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in Germanic languages and literatures, and the B.A. in Slavic languages and literatures. Students in each program acquire an appropriate linguistic background in lower-division courses, study the historical development of the language, and are exposed to the modern language in most upper-division classes. The curriculum for each program is designed to provide a thorough survey of the literature.
Two years of Hebrew language courses are offered, with additional offerings in literature.
Qualified students majoring in Germanic languages and literatures may spend their junior year at the University’s Education Abroad Center at Göttingen. In addition, there are opportunities for students to study for a semester in Pottsdam, Göttingen, or Berlin. Qualified students majoring in Slavic languages and literatures are encouraged to spend a semester at UC’s Education Abroad Program in Moscow. Hebrew language and literature students are prepared for study in the University of California’s Center for Education Abroad in Jerusalem. Prior study of the relevant language is either required or recommended in every case.
Undergraduate and graduate students are assigned advisors at the beginning of their studies; all advisors keep posted office hours and are available by appointment as well.
Students with a bachelor’s degree in Germanic languages and literature or Slavic languages and literature who are interested in pursuing a California Teaching Credential should contact the credential advisor in the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education as soon as possible.
Senior Honors Program in German – Requirements
Students may request nomination for the senior honors program by filing an application form, or they may be nominated by faculty. Qualifying requirements include an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0, with 3.5 in the German major, and at least 105 units completed, including at least two upper-division courses in German.
To earn departmental senior honors, students will work with a professor of their choice for two quarters to complete a senior thesis, while receiving course credit for German 197 (Senior Honors Project). No more than 4 units of 197 credits may be applied to the major requirements. Students who complete departmental honors will receive the notation of “Distinction in the Major” on both official transcripts and their diploma. Students interested in departmental honors should consult with the Germanic Studies advisor.
Senior Honors Program in Slavic – Requirements
Students may request nomination for the senior honors program by filing an application form, or they may be nominated by faculty. Qualifying requirements include an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0, with 3.5 in the Slavic languages and literatures major, and at least 105 units completed, including at least two upper-division courses in the Slavic Undergraduate Program.
To earn departmental senior honors, students will work with a professor of their choice for two quarters to complete a senior thesis, while receiving course credit for Slavic 197. No more than 4 units of 197 credits may be applied to the major requirements. Students who complete departmental honors will receive the notation of “Distinction in the Major” on both official transcripts and their diploma. Students interested in departmental honors should consult with their Slavic Studies advisor.
Undergraduate Program
Preparation for the major. Required with grades of C or higher: German 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or placement beyond German 6 in the departmental placement examination. Recommended:German 8A-B.
Note: Students who have completed a more advanced course in a lower-division sequential series will not be permitted to take a course that is lower in the series.
Upper-division major. The major is designed for students who are interested in a rigorous liberal arts education. Forty-four upper-division units are required, including 2 courses from German 101A or 101B or 101C; 107A and 107B and 107C; 103 or 104; and 115A or B or C; and 190. The remaining electives will be selected from upper-division German offerings, with no more than 8 units from courses taught in English.
Four units of upper-division electives may be taken in a comparative literature course provided that it is taught by a faculty member of the Department of Germanic, Slavic, and Semitic Studies. In addition to that, another 4 units of upper-division electives in related fields may be accepted into the major by petition. Courses which are taught in English, but where the readings and other requirements, such as papers, are done in German do not fall under this limitationn.
A year of study abroad at a German-speaking institution of higher learning is highly recommended. Students are encouraged to supplement their major by completing 20 or more upper-division units in another discipline such as political science or history.
Education Abroad Program participants, working in advance with their advisors, should determine credit and unit limitations for their proposed work at Göttingen, Potsdam, or Berlin, Germany.
Bachelor of Arts - Slavic Languages and Literatures
Preparation for the major. Required with grades of C or higher: Slavic 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or equivalent. Students with proficiency in spoken Russian should not enroll in courses lower than Slavic 4. Recommended: Slavic 33, History 4A-B-C. Students transferring from other institutions may take the Russian Placement Exam for appropriate language placement.
Note: Students who have completed a more advanced course in a lower-division sequential series will not be permitted to take a course that is lower in the series.
Upper-division major. Forty upper-division units in Slavic courses are required, including 12 units from Slavic 101A-B-C-D-E-F, a minimum of 4 units selected from Slavic 145, 152B; a minimum of 4 units selected from Slavic 121, 122, 124; a minimum of 4 units selected from Slavic 130A-B-C-D-E, and a minimum of 4 units selected from History 135A-B-C, 191C; Political Science 128, 143. The remaining electives will be selected from upper-division Slavic offerings. Up to 4 units of upper-division electives in East Central European or Russian studies in such areas as comparative literature, political science, history, film studies, economics, anthropology, or music may be accepted for the major by petition.
UCSB participates in the University of California Education Abroad Program through which UC students spend a semester in Moscow. Qualified students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity; financial assistance is available. Additional information is available in the department office.
All courses to be applied to the minor must be completed on a letter-grade basis. This includes both courses offered in German and those offered by other departments and applied to the minor.
Preparation for the minor. German 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or equivalent (0-24 units).
Upper-division minor. Twenty units, including 2 courses from German 101A or B or C (8 units); and 12 upper-division units selected from courses in German culture, linguistics, or literature. (Courses outside the department must be approved by the department before enrolling to ensure that content is relevant.)
Note: Substitutions and waivers are subject to approval by the chair of the department. Please see "Academic Minors" for special conditions governing minors in the College of Letters and Science.
All courses to be applied to the minor must be completed on a letter-grade basis. This includes both courses offered in Slavic and those offered by other departments and applied to the minor.
Preparation for the minor. Slavic 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or equivalent (0-30 units). Students with proficiency in spoken Russian should not enroll in courses lower than Slavic 4.
Upper-division minor. Twenty units, including 4 units from Slavic 101A-B-C-D-E-F, 121, 122, 124, and 16 units of upper-division electives selected from courses in Slavic languages, cultures, linguistics, or literatures.
Note: Substitutions and waivers are subject to approval by the chair of the department. Please see "Academic Minors" for special conditions governing minors in the College of Letters and Science.
Graduate Program
Admission is based on six kinds of evidence: (1) grade transcripts; (2) three letters of recommendation; (3) scores on the GRE and, if the applicant is not from an English-speaking country, TOEFL; (4) an audio tape of spoken English or German not longer than fifteen minutes; (5) a writing sample in German or English; and (6) a statement of purpose. The writing sample should be a substantial essay written in the context of an upper-division or graduate-level course. In addition to departmental requirements, candidates for graduate degrees must meet university degree requirements. Applicants should consult the newest General Catalog for possible changes in requirements.
Master of Arts - Germanic Languages and Literatures
Degree Requirements
The M.A. requires thirty-six units of graduate-level course work. Twenty of these units (equaling five courses) must be taken from the department’s two-year series of basic graduate courses (numbered 200 or higher) in German literary studies and must be completed with a grade of B or better. During the second year students will take an Independent Study course on a topic of their choice. In addition, students may take one course each quarter in theory or a related field in Germanic, Slavic, or Semitic Studies or in another department, with approval of the graduate advisor. There is a residency requirement of three quarters, and students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
In addition to their regular course work students must fulfill the foreign language requirement. They can either complete, with a grade of B or better, one upper-division course in a language other than German, or they can take the written exam administered by the department.
In addition to the course work and foreign language requirements, candidates for the master’s degree must (1) complete a master’s thesis that is acceptable to a supervisory committee of at least three ladder faculty members, two of whom must be from the graduate faculty in German, and (2) pass an oral examination covering three areas: two subjects chosen in consultation with the student’s master’s committee, and a third subject of the student’s thesis topic.
Doctor of Philosophy - Germanic Languages and Literatures
Degree Requirements
Students entering the program with a B.A. need a total of sixty units of graduate-level course work before advancing to candidacy. Thirty-six of these units are required before passing the M.A. examination. The remaining twenty-four units must be completed with a grade of B or better before beginning work on the dissertation. Additional course work may be deemed necessary to make up for deficiencies. Students must be in residence for six quarters excluding summers, and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. The Ph.D. language requirement is competency in two languages in addition to German and English. It can be fulfilled under the conditions described in the section on the M.A. degree (above).
After passing the M.A. examination, Ph.D. students must complete a series of tutorials and/or courses in two areas, one of which may be in comparative literatures (studies of different national literatures, e.g. English/German or French/German), the other in an area of German literature. At this point in the academic program (years two through four), the student should work on an emphasis as well, such as comparative literature, media technology, theory, etc. The student’s course work should be chosen in consultation with his/her advisory committee, which will be selected by the end of the first year of study following the award of the M.A.
This advisory committee, which administers the oral and written doctoral candidacy qualifying examinations and supervises the research and writing of the dissertation, must consist of at least three ladder faculty, of whom at least two will be affiliated with the graduate faculty in German.
Once this part of the course work is completed, the student must pass three field examinations on topics chosen in consultation with the advisory committee from the following list:
(1) German Linguistics or History of Language; (2) Literary Period and/or Genre; (3) Theory and Philosophy (such as German Idealism, Psychoanalysis, the Frankfurt School, Deconstruction); (4) Media Technology; (5) Holocaust Studies; (6) Special Field defined by the candidate in close consultation with the graduate advisor and at least one additional faculty member.
If necessary, students may retake each field exam once. The written examinations are to be followed by an oral examination on the student’s proposed dissertation topic administered by the dissertation committee. Students who pass this examination will be advanced to candidacy. The final requirement is the successful completion of a doctoral dissertation including, in conclusion, the oral defense.
Optional Ph.D. Emphasis in Women's Studies
The Women’s Studies Program, with over 30 core and affiliated faculty members in over eleven disciplines, serves as a mode of interdisciplinary work and scholarly collaboration at UCSB. Women’s studies doctoral emphasis students are required to complete successfully four seminars that will enhance their understanding of feminist pedagogy, feminist theory, and topics relevant to the study of women, gender, and/or sexuality. Using an interdepartmental set of conversations and intellectual questions, women’s studies support a multifaceted undergraduate curriculum at UCSB. Graduate emphasis students are encouraged to apply to teach women’s studies courses as teaching assistants and associates as part of their Women’s Studies training.
Applicants must first be admitted to, or currently enrolled in, a UCSB Ph.D. program participating in the women’s studies graduate emphasis: Anthropology; Comparative Literature; Dramatic Art and Dance; English; French and Italian; Germanic, Slavic, and Semitic Studies; History; History of Art and Architecture; Religious Studies; Sociology; or Spanish and Portuguese. Candidates complete four graduate courses and select a member of the women’s studies faculty or affiliated faculty to serve on their Ph.D. exam and dissertation committees. Applications to the Women’s Studies Doctoral Emphasis may be submitted at any stage of Ph.D. work; and applications deadlines are November 1, 2007 and May 1, 2008.
Students pursuing the emphasis in women’s studies will successfully complete four graduate courses. Only one may be taken in the student’s home department. The courses are the following:
Women’s Studies 270, Issues in Feminist Epistemology and Pedagogy: A one-quarter seminar that offers an interdisciplinary exploration of feminist theories of knowledge production and teaching practices. Readings present past and contemporary critical debates and provide theoretical approaches through which to analyze interdisciplinary epistemological and pedagogical issues.
Women’s Studies 280, Research Seminar: A cross-disciplinary seminar in which fundamental questions in contemporary feminist research practice are considered in light of the students’ own graduate projects.
Feminist Theories. A one-quarter seminar in feminist theory offered by any department, including women’s studies.
Topical Seminar. A one-quarter graduate seminar, outside the student’s home department, that addresses topics relevant to the study of women, gender, and/or sexuality.
Optional Ph.D. Emphasis in Applied Linguistics
The field of applied linguistics is a growing and vibrant one in universities nationally and internationally. Applied linguistics is an interdisciplinary field of research and instruction that provides theoretical and descriptive foundations for the empirical investigation of language-related issues, especially those of language education (first-language, second-language, foreign-language, and heritage-language teaching and learning), but also issues of bilingualism and biliteracy, language planning and policy, language assessment, translation and interpretation, lexicography, rhetoric, and composition.
Students pursuing a Ph.D. in the Departments of Education, French and Italian, Germanic, Slavic, and Semitic Studies, Linguistics, and Spanish and Portuguese may petition to add an emphasis in applied linguistics. The interdisciplinary program in applied linguistics involves over 35 faculty members in 12 departments on campus.
Students who petition to add the emphasis must fulfill the following requirements in addition to the requirements for the Ph.D. in their home department: (1) a minimum of two courses taken from the core group of applied linguistics courses, which provide them with the basics of linguistics, second language acquisition theories, second/foreign language teaching methodologies, and practical applications of theory to teaching (Second Language Acquisition Theory and Research; Second Language Teaching Methodology; Foreign/Second Language Teaching Practicum; Topics in Applied Linguistics); (2) a minimum of two courses in one of five sub-areas (Linguistics, Discourse, Second Language Acquisition; Language and Society, Socio-cultural Perspectives, Multilingualism and Multiliteracy; Language, Literacy and Composition Studies; Language and Cognition, Psycholinguistics; Language Acquisition Using Technology); (3) required independent study (4 units), taken with an appropriate faculty member, leading to a research paper describing theoretical, empirical, or applied work in applied linguistics.
In addition to the course and unit requirements described above (including the research paper), a Ph.D. qualifying examination (or a separate exam) will test the student’s knowledge within the applied linguistics emphasis. At least one faculty member of the applied linguistics program shall participate in the qualifying (or separate) examination.
Additional information may be found at: www.appliedlinguistics.ucsb.edu. Questions may be directed either to a participating faculty member or to Applied Linguistics, c/o Department of Germanic, Slavic, and Semitic Studies, UCSB, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4130.
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German Courses
Any two course in the series German 1-6 must be taken in sequence and not simultaneously. Also, students may not enroll in a lower level German course than was previously taken in the German 1-6 series.
1. Elementary German
(4) Becher
Beginning course in German. Student acquires the basic structure of the language, communicative skills, a limited general vocabulary, correct pronunciation, and an ability to read and understand simple cultural texts. Weekly laboratory assignments support and enhance classroom learning.
1G. Introduction to Reading German (for graduate students)
(4) Becher
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
May be repeated for credit.
A brief introduction to the essentials of German grammar with emphasis on aspects of structure that are indispensable for reading skills (while deemphasizing those that are not). Reading texts are included from the beginning.
2. Elementary German
(4) Becher
Prerequisite: German 1 with a grade of C or better.
Continuation of German 1.
2G. Introduction to Reading German (for Graduate Students)
(4) Becher
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Course is a continuation of German 1G, using the same approach, with reading texts on a more complex level. (W)
3. Elementary German
(4) Becher
Prerequisite: German 2 with a grade of C or better.
Continuation of German 2.
4. Intermediate German
(4) Becher
Prerequisite: German 3 with a grade of C or better.
Continuation of German 3. Introduction of the last few major points of grammar. Web-based Intercultural Exchange (ICE) with university students in a German-speaking country: On-line discussions about a variety of cultural topics, text-based chat sessions, oral interactions in virtual classrooms.
5. Intermediate German
(4) Becher
Prerequisite: German 4 with a grade of C or better.
Expansion and refinement of linguistic and communicative skills learned in Beginning German. Greater focus on speaking German with fluency and accuracy, reading short authentic texts, and writing coherent, organized essays.
6. Intermediate German
(4) Becher
Prerequisite: German 5 with a grade of C or better.
Continuation of German 5.
8A-B-C. German Conversation
(2-2-2) Staff
Prerequisite: German 2.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 4 units each. Discussion, 2 hours.
Course designed to offer beginning and intermediate German language students communicative strategies needed by speakers and listeners in face-to-face interaction.
31. Doubles: Film and Literature
(4) Rickels
When the double is visualized in film, the double’s mention or description disappears from the typeface of literature. At the same time it takes center stage or screen in psychoanalytic theory.
43A. Dreaming Revolutions: Introduction to Marx, Nietzsche and Freud
(4) Weber
Introduction to the revolutionary theories of Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Sigmund Freud. Explorations of three authors whose writings have profoundly changed our world.
43B. German Childhood and Youth
(4) Staff
Not open for credit to students who have completed German 44.
Analyzes the positive (idyllic Heidi happy childhood) and the negative (cruelty of Grimm tales) myths which are popularly attributed to German childhoods through the lens of historians, filmmakers, and writers.
43C. Germany Today
(4) Holland
Not open for credit to students who have completed German 49.
Covers Berlin Wall in 1989 through today to explore how writers, artists, musicians, intellectuals, and politicians respond to the question of who or what is “German.”
50A-B-C. Reading Texts of German Culture
(4-4-4) Becher
Introductory reading class designed to accompany lecture classes. Meant for students who would like to explore original German text and film materials related to the topics discussed in the lecture classes. No prior knowledge of German is required.
55A-B. Contemporary German Pop Culture
(4-4) Holland, Weber
Study of contemporary film, music, and other facets of pop culture that have shaped the lifestyle of today’s nation of Germany.
A. Study of pop music from 1989 to today, and its impact on the new emerging society of post-Wall Germany, focusing on the pointed, humorous, and sometimes scathing lyrics and pop music’s ties to German youth culture.
B. Study of contemporary German cinema since 1970, exploring cinematic representations of issues such as immigration, opposition to East Germany’s regime, National Socialism and the Shoah, racism, and sexuality.
95A. Elementary Yiddish
(4) Staff
An introduction to the Yiddish language. The goal is to convey the rudiments of the grammar, and to acquire the ability both to read printed Yiddish and to read and write cursive Yiddish.
95B. Intermediate Yiddish
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: German 95A.
Continuation of German 95A with further exposure to the grammar of Yiddish. More attention given to standard literary figures (Sholem Aleichem, Peretz, etc.) and their easier works.
95C. Advanced Yiddish
(4) Schwartz
Prerequisite: German 95B.
Continuation of German 95B with advanced grammatical study. Emphasis on literary texts of some maturity and difficulty as well as contemporary Yiddish in this country, both journalistic and literary.
99. Introduction to Research
(1-4) Staff
Prerequisite: consent of department and instructor.
Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 units, but only 4 units may be applied toward the major. Students are limited to 5 units per quarter and 30 units total in all 98/99/198/199/199AA-ZZ courses combined.
Independent research under the guidance of a faculty member. Exceptional students are offered an opportunity to undertake independent or collaborative research or to act as interns for faculty-directed research projects.
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German majors please note that no more than 8 units of German courses taught in English may be applied toward the major.
101A-B-C. Advanced German
(4-4-4) Becher
Prerequisite: German 6.
Speaking, listening, reading, and writing on an advanced level, while exploring contemporary German culture. Systematic review of grammar material. Additional focus on vocabulary building. Written and oral discussions based on newspaper articles, literary texts, German films, and websites.
103. Phonetics and Phonology
(4) Chun
Prerequisite: German 6.
Introduction to the German sound system and to pronouncing German words and sentences. Focus on describing and producing vowels and consonants, and on improving pronunciation, including attention to rhythmic, stress, and intonational differences between German and English. Taught in German.
104. German Language and Society
(4) Chun
Prerequisite: German 6.
Discussion of the dialects of German spoken in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Topics include: geographical and social varieties of standard and colloquial German (e.g., Jugendsprache); the language of email and the Internet; “linguistic” problems after reunification. Taught in German.
105A-B-C. Advanced Conversation
(2-2-2) Staff
Prerequisite: German 6 (may be taken concurrently).
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 4 units each.
Emphasizes interactional strategies needed for communication in German, while also giving intermediate and advanced students the opportunity to discuss a wide variety of topics.
107A-B-C. History and Culture
(4-4-4) Staff
Prerequisite: German 6.
Careful and close readings from the cultural history of German speaking countries. Materials, which may be revised each academic year, include documents from literature, philosophy, art, music, architecture, science, politics, and law. Taught in German.
115A-B-C. Survey of German Literature
(4-4-4) Staff
Prerequisite: German 6.
A. Survey of the literary movements of the twentieth century.
B. Survey of the literature of classicism and romanticism.
C. Survey of the literary movements of the nineteenth century.
116A. Representations of the Holocaust
(4) Weber, Derwin
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Same course as Comparative Literature 122A.
Close reading of post-Holocaust literature. Taught in English.
138. Psy Fi: German Science Fiction
(4) Rickels
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
In German culture and thought science fiction provided owner’s manual instruction to technologization, modern total war, and psychological warfare. Taught in English.
143. The Superhuman
(4) Rickels
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Our ongoing technologization received two theoretical frames by the end of the nineteenth century: first the theory of evolution, then psychoanalysis. In this double setting, the fantasy of the superhuman has been opening up new prospects for man-and-God.
145. Second Language Acquisition
(4) Chun, Schultz
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Same course as Linguistics 141 and French 107X.
An introduction to the theories and principles of how adults acquire a language other than their mother tongue, why it is more difficult than acquiring their first language, and what needs to be learned, from linguistic, psychological and social perspectives.
151C. Literature of Central Europe
(4) Spieker
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Same course as Slavic 151C and Comparative Literature 161.
Investigation of the prolific literatures of central Europe, one of the culturally and linguistically most diverse regions of the European continent that has produced writers such as Italo Svevo, Franx Kafka, Robert Musil, Bruno Schultz, and others. Readings in English.
164E-G. Great Writers in German Language
(4-4-4) Staff
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 32 units provided letter designations are different, but only 12 units may be applied toward the major.
One or more major figures will be studied each quarter. Readings and lectures in English.
E. Kafka
F. Nietzsche in Literature
G. Freud
164I. Modern Autobiography and Memoir: Texts and Contexts
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: Upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed German 141.
How do life’s events shape autobiographical writing? Conversely, how does the writing about a life actually shape its meaning? These and other questions are explored in the works of modern writers and filmmakers. Taught in English.
166. Grimm
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed German 133.
Explores the Grimm tale of childhood bedtime stories from Germany to Disney.
170. Women Writers
(4) Holland
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Focus on the female voices in German literature, from romanticism to our days: Rachel Varnhagen, Bettina von Arnim, Droste-Hulshoff, Sabine Spielrein, Ingeborg Bachman, Nelly Sachs, and others. Lectures and readings in English.
179B. Mysticism
(4) Weber
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Same course as Comparative Literature 179B. Not open for credit to students who have completed German 169.
Analysis of German mystical writing, its roots in ancient Greek texts, revolutionary impact, links with other mystical traditions, influence on secular literature. Texts include Hildegard von Bingen, Meister Eckhart, Mechthild von Magdeburg, Novalis, Rilke, etc. Taught in English.
179C. Mediatechnology
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Same course as Comparative Literature 179C. Not open for credit to students who have completed German 180.
Telegraph, telephone, phonograph, and film are techniques that have engendered new forms of representation, communication, and thinking. Course studies the impact of these transformations in literature and on literature. Taught in English.
182. Vampirism in German Literature and Beyond
(4) Rickels
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
From the earliest eye-witness accounts of vampire attacks in ancient Rome to the novels of Stoker and Ewers, the films of Dreyer and Browning, and the interpretations of Voltaire and Freud, bloodsucking has remained, in our culture, our premier and oldest legacy. Taught in English.
183. The Horror Film
(4) Rickels
Prerequisite: Film Studies 46 or upper-division standing.
Same course as Film Studies 144.
Study of the horror film genre and the reasons for its popularity, including new interest in psychoanalysis and reaction to modern mass society and consumerism. Covers issues of sacrifice, simulated catastrophic loss, and other themes of catharsis.
187. Satan in German Literature and Beyond
(4) Rickels
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Explores the rich popular literature dealing with making deals with the devil with focus fixed on the German contributions (for example the Baroque Trauerspiel, Luther, versions of The Faust Legend).
190. Proseminar
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: German 6.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 12 units, but only 4 units may be applied toward the major.
Intensive advanced seminar on topic to be determined on a quarterly basis. Taught in German.
193. The Creature in German Literature and Beyond
(4) Rickels
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Through Freud’s Totem and Taboo the creature is explored in the long history of fictions of becoming animal and of surviving the threat of evolutionary mutations of “animals.”
197. Senior Honors Project
(4-8) Staff
Prerequisites: open to senior majors only; consent of instructor.
Students must have a 3.0 overall grade-point average and a 3.5 grade-point average in the major. May be repeated twice.
An independent study course (one to three quarters) directed by a faculty member with a carefully chosen topic and bibliography which will result in a documented project or a senior thesis.
198. Readings in German
(1-5) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; completion of two upper-division courses in German.
Students must have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average for the preceding three quarters and are limited to 5 units per quarter and 30 units total in all 98/99/198/199/199AA-ZZ courses combined. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 8 units.
Independent studies in German. Individual investigations in literary fields.
199. Independent Studies in German
(1-5) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; completion of two upper-division courses in German.
Students must have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average for the preceding three quarters and are limited to 5 units per quarter and 30 units total in all 98/99/198/199/199AA-ZZ courses combined.
Individual investigations in literary fields.
199RA. Independent Research Assistance in German
(1-5) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; completion of two upper-division courses in German; consent of instructor and department.
Students must have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average for the preceding three quarters and are limited to 5 units per quarter and 30 units total in all 98/99/198/199/199AA-ZZ courses combined.
Coursework shall consist of faculty supervised research assistance.
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203. German Phonetics and Phonology
(4) Chun
Introduction to the German phonological system and to pronouncing German words and sentences. Focus on describing and producing vowels and consonants, and on improving pronunciation, including attention to rhythmic, stress and intonational differences between German and English. Taught in German.
204. German Language and Society
(4) Chun
Discussion of the dialects of German spoken in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Topics include: geographic and social varieties of standard and colloquial German (e.g., Jugendsprache); the language of email and the Internet; “linguistic” problems after reunification. Taught in German.
210. Seminar in Literary Theory and Criticism
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
Topics in literary theory to be determined on a quarterly basis. Taught in English or German - determined quarterly.
214. Greek Myths in German Tragedy
(4) Weber
Prerequisites: graduate standing; consent of instructor.
The tragedies of Antigone, Penthesilea, Medea as read by Hölderlin, Kleist, Grillparzer. Readings by Lessing, Hegel, Nietzsche, Heidegger, and others.
222. Deconstructions
(4) Weber
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
“Deconstruction” is one of the most controversial contemporary theoretical approaches to texts. According to Derrida, “deconstruction” exists only as deconstructions, replacing one solution with a multiplicity of questions, leading to other questions, and to a radically new ethics of multiplicity.
227. Reading Goethe
(4) Rickels
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
The problematic reception of Goethe from Schlegel through Thomas Mann to Germanistics today as a crisis in reading allegorized in advance in Goethe’s works.
229. Faust Tradition
(4) Rickels
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
The legendary figure of German letters is at the same time master of the university. Seminar doubles as exploration of genealogies of modern institutions (the university, the press, commodity and stock markets, the nuclear family, and so on).
230A. The Romantic Movement
(4) Holland
Prerequisites: German 201A-B or equivalent.
Early german romanticism, with emphasis on theoretical premises and their literary expression.
242A. Back to Frankfurt School
(4) Rickels
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Topics include “The Case of California,” quarrels with Habermas, Benjamin’s ghosts, and the merger proposals between Marxism and psychoanalysis.
243. German Judaism in Literature and Philosophy
(4) Weber
Prerequisites: graduate standing and consent of instructor.
Analysis of German eighteenth-, nineteenth-, and twentieth-century texts on Judaism. Exploration of historical, philosophical, political contexts of desire for/resistance against “German-Jewish symbiosis.” Discussions include German, French, and Israeli commentaries.
262A. Applied Linguistics
(4) Chun
Same course as Interdisciplinary 262A.
Overview of the basic theoretical principles of second language acquisition as they apply to language teaching and learning. Discussion of different methodologies of foreign language teaching and the history of those used in the U.S.; special emphasis on current methodologies.
262B. Second Language Acquisition
(4) Chun
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Same course as Interdisciplinary 262B.
Overview of second language acquisition theories from a range of perspectives (e.g., psychology, linguistics, cognitive science, sociology). Focus on adult SLA including role of the native language, universal grammar, acquisition vs. learning, interlanguage, input and interaction, learner processes and strategies.
270. Theories of the Modern
(4) Spieker
Prerequisite: graduate standing.
Same course as Art History 296A.
Analysis of theories and critiques of modernism and modernity from Benjaminto Adorno and Derrida, with special focus on the historical avantgarde.
299. Topics in Applied Linguistics
(4) Staff
Same course as Education 299, EACS 299, French 299, Linguistics 299, and Spanish 299.
Specialized topics in the study of applied linguistics.
500. Practicum for Teaching Assistants
(2-4) Becher
Subject oriented, designed to relate directly to the teaching of a particular course in progress, to improve the skills and effectiveness of the department’s teaching assistants. Units earned in this course, which is required of all teaching assistants, do not apply toward completion of the M.A. or Ph.D. requirement.
596. Directed Reading and Research
(2-4) Staff
Prerequisites: graduate standing; consent of instructor, graduate advisor, and department chair. Letter grade only.
Individualized instruction. A written proposal must be approved by department chair, to include a description of the course content and a reading list.
597. Individual Study for Master’s Comprehensive Examinations and Ph.D. Examinations
(1-12) Staff
Prerequisites: graduate standing; consent of graduate advisor.
No unit credit allowed toward advanced degree(s). Enrollment limited to 12 units per examination.
Instructor should normally be the student’s major professor or chair of the doctoral committee. Enrollment must be approved by graduate advisor.
598. Master’s Thesis Research and Preparation
(1-6) Staff
Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 12 units, but only 4 units may apply toward masters degree in German.
Instructor should be chair of student’s thesis committee.
599. Ph.D. Dissertation Research and Preparation
(2-8) Staff
Prerequisites: advancement to candidacy; consent of graduate advisor. S/U grading only.
Only for preparation of the doctoral dissertation. Instructor should be the chair of the student’s Ph.D. committee.
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Hebrew Courses
Any two course in the series Hebrew 1-6 must be taken in sequence and not simultaneously. Also, students may not enroll in a lower level Hebrew course than was previously taken in the Hebrew 1-6 series.
1. Elementary Hebrew
(4) Wheeler
The beginning course in Hebrew. Starting with the study of the alphabet, the student is initiated into the rudiments of the language. Basic grammar, vocabulary, and conversation.
2. Elementary Hebrew
(4) Wheeler
Prerequisite: Hebrew 1.
Continuation of Hebrew 1.
3. Elementary Hebrew
(4) Wheeler
Prerequisite: Hebrew 2.
Continuation of Hebrew 2.
4. Intermediate Modern Hebrew
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: Hebrew 3 or equivalent.
Continuation of Hebrew 3 with emphasis in writing, composition, and reading of Hebrew newspapers. Introduction to modern Hebrew literature: prose and poetry.
5. Intermediate Modern Hebrew
(4) Wheeler
Prerequisite: Hebrew 4.
Continuation of Hebrew 4.
6. Intermediate Modern Hebrew
(4) Wheeler
Prerequisite: Hebrew 5 or equivalent.
Continuation of Hebrew 5.
114A-B-C. Readings in Modern Hebrew Prose and Poetry
(4-4-4) Wheeler
Prerequisite: Hebrew 6.
Improve language ability and acquire knowledge in Hebrew literature. Reading/analyzing literary texts of modern and contemporary major Hebrew writers. Relationships between land, people and history, social, political, spiritual, and gender issues; impact of war.
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Slavic Courses
Any two course in the series Slavic 1-6 must be taken in sequence and not simultaneously. Also, students may not enroll in a lower level Slavic course than was previously taken in the Slavic 1-6 series.
1. Elementary Russian
(5) McClain, McLellan
Comprehensive introduction to Russian. Focus on developing basic communicative skills (speaking, listening comprehension, reading, writing) within the framework of contemporary Russian culture. Students acquire a basic grammatical framework for further language study. Audio, visual, and web-based materials included.
2. Elementary Russian
(5) McClain, McLellan
Prerequisite: Slavic 1.
Continuation of Slavic 1.
3. Elementary Russian
(5) McClain, McLellan
Prerequisite: Slavic 2.
Continuation of Slavic 2.
4. Intermediate Russian
(5) McClain, McLellan
Prerequisite: Slavic 3.
Focuses on developing fluency, expanding vocabulary, and acquiring basic reading and writing skills. Comprehensive review of basic Russian grammar; introduction to participles and verbal adverbs. Audio, video, and web-based materials are an integral part of the course.
5. Intermediate Russian
(5) McClain, McLellan
Prerequisite: Slavic 4.
Continuation of Slavic 4.
6. Intermediate Russian
(5) McClain, McLellan
Prerequisite: Slavic 5.
Continuation of Slavic 5.
8A-B-C. Russian Conversation
(2-2-2) Staff
Prerequisite: Slavic 2.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Russian 8A-B-C.
Course designed to offer beginning and intermediate Russian language students communicative strategies needed by speakers and listeners in face-to-face interaction. Not appropriate for students with a background in spoken Russian.
33. Russian Culture
(4) Staff
Analyzes crucial trends and issues in Russian culture in their historical, social, and technological settings, from the rise of Moscow in the fifteenth century to post-Soviet Russia. All lectures and readings are in English.
99. Introduction to Research
(2-4) Staff
Prerequisites: consent of department and instructor.
Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 units, but only 4 units may be applied toward the major. Students are limited to 5 units per quarter and 30 units total in all 98/99/198/199/199AA-ZZ courses combined.
Independent research under the guidance of a faculty member. Exceptional students are offered an opportunity to undertake independent or collaborative research or to act as interns for faculty-directed research projects.
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101A-B-C-D-E-F. Advanced Russian
(4-4-4-4-4-4) McLellan
Prerequisite: Slavic 6.
Continued development of oral and written fluency. Special attention to development of reading skills through a variety of texts related to Russian culture. Systematic review of advanced grammar. Compositions, translations, and oral presentations required. Periodic screenings of Russian films.
110A-B-C. Advanced Russian Conversation
(2-2-2) Staff
Prerequisite: Slavic 5 (may be taken concurrently).
Each course may be repeated for credit to a maximum of 4 units.
The advanced conversation series gives advanced students an opportunity to discuss a wide variety of topics. The course is based on active participation and includes individual presentations. Assignments and testing given orally.
117AA-ZZ. Great Russian Writers
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
May be repeated for credit in combination with Russian 117AA-ZZ to a maximum of 24 units provided letter designations are different, but only 12 units may be applied toward the major.
Intensive study of one writer. Readings supplemented by selected criticism. Taught in English.
A. Writings of Pushkin
B. Writings of Gogol
C. Writings of Leskov
D. Writings of Turgenev
E. Writings of Goncharov
F. Writings of Chekhov
G. Writings of Dostoevsky
H. Writings of Tolstoy
I. Writings of Nabokov
J. Writings of Bulgakov
120. Russian Drama
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Plays from the classic, romantic, and realistic periods; Chekhov’s innovative works, as well as dramas represntative of various trends before and after 1917. Readings and discussion in English.
121. The Russian Short Story
(4) Staff
Prerequisites: Slavic 6; upper-division standing.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 8 units.
Analysis and discussion of various forms of the short story by Russian writers. Readings in Russian.
122. The Russian Novella
(4) Staff
Prerequisites: Slavic 6; upper-division standing.
May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 8 units, but only 4 units may be applied to the major.
In Russian literature the novella is a genre quite distinct from the short story and the novel. All major writers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries created important works in this form, so that a vast field for exploration and examination exists for such a genre course. Taught in Russian.
123A. Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature I
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 115A.
Introduction to Russian literary culture from 1800-1850. Readings by Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Dostoevsky, and others. In English.
123B. Nineteenth-Century Russian Literature II
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 115B.
Introduction to Russian literary culture from 1850 to 1900. Readings by Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Goncharov, Turgenev, Leskov, Saltykov-Shchedrin, Chekhov. Taught in English.
123C. Twentieth-Century Russian Literature I
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 125A.
Intensive study of particular authors, genres, literary movements, and selected topics in Russian literature from 1900-1954. Taught in English.
123D. Twentieth-Century Russian Literature II
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 125B.
Intensive study of particular authors, genres, literary movements, and selected topics in Russian literature after World War II. Taught in English.
124. Twentieth-Century Poetry
(4) Staff
Prerequisites: Slavic 6; upper-division standing.
Introduction to twentieth-century Russian poetry. The “Silver Age” and Russian Modernism. Avantegarde poetry. Post-war trends in Russian poetry. Readings by Briusov, Blok, Akhmatova, Mandelshtam, Esenin, Mayakovsky, Pasternak, Brodsky, and others. Readings in Russian.
130A. The Avantgarde in Russia
(4) Spieker
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Same course as Art History 144A. Not open for credit to students who have completed Russian 144A or Slavic 144A.
The Russian Avantgarde in its European context. The avantgarde and the revolution of 1917. Analysis of key figures and movements within the Russian Avantgarde. Taught in English.
130B. Russian Cinema
(4) Spieker
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 119.
Introduction to the development of Soviet cinema from the early days to the present. A focal point is the interaction between politics/ideology and film in Russia. Major directors such as Eisenshtein and Tarkovski are covered extensively. Readings and lectures in English.
130C. Contemporary Art in Russia and Eastern Europe
(4) Spieker
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Same course as Art History 144C. Not open for credit to students who have completed Russian 144C or Slavic 144C.
Study of central intellectual and aesthetic trends in the late Soviet period and in contemporary post-Soviet Russia and Eastern Europe. Analysis of literary texts and the visual arts. Taught in English.
130D. Russian Art
(4) Spieker
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Same course as Art History 144D. Not open for credit to students who have completed Russian 118 or Slavic 118.
Introduction to Russian art and aesthetic theory from the beginning to the present. Readings and lectures in English.
130E. Masters of Soviet Cinema
(4) Spieker
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 167C.
Introduction to some of the great directors in Russian cinema. Analysis of films and theoretical writings. Study of key theoretical concepts. Taught in English.
136. Eighteenth-Century Culture
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Introduction to eighteenth-century Russian literature, philosophy, and the visual arts. Taught in English.
145. Introduction to Slavic Languages and Linguistics
(4) McClain
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Introduction to the history and development of the Slavic languages. Topics include dialects, language contact, sociolinguistics, gender issues, and language policy. Taught in English.
151C. Literature of Central Europe
(4) Spieker
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Same course as Comparative Literature 161 and German 151C.
Investigation of the prolific literatures of central Europe, one of the culturally and linguistically most diverse regions of the European continent that has produced writers such as Italo Svevo, Franz Kafka, Robert Musil, Bruno Schultz, and others. Readings in English.
152A. Slavic and East European Folklore
(4) McClain
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 151.
Introduction to the calendar cycle, rituals, dance, music, and folkcraft of the Slavs and other East European peoples.
152B. Language and Cultural Identity
(4) McClain
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 163.
Exploration of the way language is used to help construct cultural identity in Eastern Europe. Topics include the relationship between language and dialect and the use of language and other cultural symbols to identify self and others. Taught in English.
152C. Ideology and Representation
(4) McClain
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 180.
How does the representation of the “enemy” during a conflict influence our attitudes toward that conflict? An examination of the images of the opponent in literature, film and journalism. Special emphasis on Eastern Europe.
156. Concepts of Nothingness
(4) Staff
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Russian 156.
“Nothing” is one of the central concepts of Russian culture and civilization throughout the centuries. The class analyzes “nothingness” in orthodox religion, nineteenth and twentieth-century literature, avantgarde art, and soviet popular culture. Taught in English.
164A. Death and Representation
(4) Spieker
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 141.
How do we represent what presupposes our own absence, death? What is the relationship between death, language, and experience? Do texts allow us to “imagine” death? Analysis of these issues through readings of key works of literature and philosophy.
164B. Science Fiction in Eastern Europe
(4) McClain
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Same course as Comparative Literature 154. Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 154.
The genre of science fiction and its development in literature and film in the various cultures of Eastern Europe. Topics include utopia, dystopia, technology, the “mad” scientist, etc. Taught in English.
164C. Women in Russian Literature
(4) McClain
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Not open for credit to students who have completed Slavic 162.
A survey of the roles of women in Russian literature. Course analyzes both the presentation of women by male writers and works by women writers. Authors: Durova, Pavlova, Mandelshtam, Chukovskaya, Ginzburg, Akhmatova, Tsevtaeva, and others. Lectures and readings in English.
168. Russian Thought and Philosophy
(4) Spieker
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
Study of key texts and movements in the development of Russian thought, from the Enlightenment to the revolution: Enlightenment, Mysticism, Schellingianism, Chaadaev, Slavophilism, Hegelianism, the 1860’s, Populism, Soloviev, Marxism. Taught in English.
182. On the Margins
(4) Mcclain
Prerequisite: upper-division standing.
An analysis of the representation of marginalized populations in Europe and the United States. How do the stereotypes in literature, film, and journalism help to create and maintain marginalized status?
197. Senior Thesis in Russian
(4-8) Staff
Prerequisite: senior standing.
Students must have a 3.0 grade-point average. May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 8 units. Selected seniors may pursue individual projects with close tutorial supervision of faculty advisors. The reading and a substantial essay to be in Russian.
198. Readings in Russian
(1-5) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; completion of two upper-division courses in Slavic.
Students must have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average for the preceding three quarters and are limited to 5 units per quarter and 30 units total in all 98/99/198/199/199AA-ZZ courses combined. May be repeated for credit in combination with Russian 198 to a maximum of 6 units.
Guided reading on a subject not covered in the regularly offered courses.
199. Independent Studies in Russian
(1-5) Staff
Prerequisites: upper-division standing; completion of two upper-division courses in Slavic.
Students must have a minimum 3.0 grade-point average for the preceding three quarters and are limited to 5 units per quarter and 30 units total in all 98/99/198/199/199AA-ZZ courses combined.
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596. Directed Reading and Research
(2-4) Staff
Letter grade. Minimum of 2 units per quarter. No more than half the units necessary for the master’s degree may be taken in Slavic 596.
Individual tutorial. A written proposal for each tutorial must be approved by department chair and filed with Graduate Division.
