Catalog 2008-2009

MODERN LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES DEPARTMENT
CHINESE, FRENCH AND GERMAN PROGRAMS

Division of Humanities

Associate Professor Erika Berroth, PhD (German), Chair
Associate Professor Glenda Warren Carl, PhD (French, Latin)
Associate Professor Carl Robertson, PhD (Chinese)
Assistant Professor Francis Mathieu, PhD (French)
Assistant Professor Aaron R. Prevots, PhD (French)
Visiting Brown Junior Scholar Rachel Bachman, MA (German)
Assistant Professor Patricia Schiaffini, PhD (Chinese) (part-time)
Instructor Andrew Mills, MA (German) (part-time)

Our mission is to provide students with the tools and opportunities to become competent, confident, culturally literate citizens of our increasingly global society. We seek to form strong thinkers and writers who excel in their careers nationally and internationally thanks to the flexibility and quickness of mind that the close study of language, literature, culture and film brings.

Majors are expected to acquire a strong grasp of language and a working general knowledge of literature, culture and film, and greater analytical facility in the target language. The capstone experience, an integrative project in which students undertake significant writing and research in the target language, reinforces these goals relative to the knowledge, insights and perspectives gained in the undergraduate years. Together with advanced courses, the capstone provides a solid grounding that prepares students as much for graduate work as for sophisticated original projects in many fields. The capstone covers broad aspects of the discipline and culminates in a formal oral presentation.

Southwestern administers placement examinations in Chinese, French, German, Greek, Latin and Spanish. Students with a high school background in language should place high enough to receive exemption from a beginning level course. Credit hours are not awarded. Students are not required to have studied a language in high school before starting language study at Southwestern. In fact, many enjoy studying a language not studied in high school. In French, German and Spanish, those with some experience who place into the second or fourth semester often take a conversation class in the fall in order to maintain their skills and get a strong head start on majoring or minoring.

Students taking language to fulfill the language requirement for their degrees are expected to attain proficiency in oral and written expression, listening comprehension and reading. These goals are usually attained at the end of a fourth semester course at the college level which is why students remain in the same language through the intermediate level. Students may take a proficiency test at the level required for their degree program or complete with a passing grade the specified semester requirement.

Unless they have special credits, such as a high score on an Advanced Placement exam, all students entering Southwestern take a placement test for foreign language. Students can receive exemption if their placement scores so warrant, and they will be advised as to which course they should take in that same language, based on the results of the placement exam; in the case of Classical languages, additional information from high school programs will be used to help establish placement. Students may take the beginning course (-014) in a different language if they choose not to pursue the language taken in high school. Because language study is sequential, students begin language study at the level of placement, and take next courses in the sequence in order (i.e. 014, 024, 113, 123) and must earn a grade of C- or better prior to enrolling in the next course in the sequence. The courses may not be taken concurrently. Placement tests may be taken in more than one foreign language. International students whose native tongue is not English may satisfy the foreign language requirement by scoring at least 570 (paper), 88 (IBT), or 230 (computer) on the TOEFL exam.

Students who major or minor in Chinese, French or German and who have placed into the fourth semester or have placed out of the foreign language requirement may take a departmental exam for credit. They may earn up to six semester hours of lower-level credit which is equivalent to credit for 113 or the 113-123 sequence. Credit will be awarded upon completion of all other major or minor requirements. Under no circumstances may an individual earn credit for more than two courses in a language by AP or placement examinations.

Minor in Chinese: 18 semester hours, including Chinese 22-313, 323; 12 additional hours of Chinese, six hours of which must be above the introductory level.

Major in French: 30 semester hours, including French 11-313, 333, 353, 933 (Capstone); 18 additional hours of French, six hours of which must be above the introductory level.

Minor in French: 18 semester hours, including French 11-313, 353; 12 additional hours of French, six hours of which must be above the introductory level.

Major in German: 30 semester hours, including German 12-333, 343, 353, 513, 933 (Capstone); 15 additional hours of German, six hours of which must be above the introductory level.

Minor in German: 18 semester hours, including German 12-333, 343; 12 additional hours of German, six hours of which must be above the introductory level.

See the Education Department for information regarding teacher certification in French. Other Languages (FLN)

21-144, 154OTHER LANGUAGES. Studies of languages other than those offered by the Modern Languages and Literatures Department on a regular basis. Credit may only be earned with special, prior approval of the department and may not otherwise be used to fulfill the University language requirement.
21-001, 002, 003, 004SELECTED TOPICS. May be repeated with change in topic.
21-301, 302, 303, 304SELECTED TOPICS. May be repeated with change in topic.
21-901, 902, 903, 904TUTORIAL.
21-941, 942, 943, 944ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP. Must be taken Pass/D/F.
21-951, 952, 953, 954INDEPENDENT STUDY.

Chinese (CHI)

22-014, 024BEGINNING CHINESE I & II. A two-semester course introducing pronunciation, basic grammatical structures, the involved and fascinating world of Chinese writing, and contexts for practice. This course prepares the student for basic functions in a Chinese language environment.
22-113CHINESE III. This course strengthens reading and writing skills, develops grammatical facility, and begins an increased focus on oral and written communication for fundamental contexts. The cultural foundations of Chinese language are a core feature of this course. Prerequisite: Chinese 22-024.
22-123CHINESE IV. This course leads students into further intermediate capacities, including opportunities to negotiate, persuade, and advocate. Students begin to engage in contemporary issues and manage literary and functional texts. Prerequisite: Chinese 22-113.
22-313CHINESE IN CONTEMPORARY CONTEXT. This course continues to build fundamental familiarity with written and spoken Chinese. Students acquire skills for learning and living in China, with an emphasis on speaking, writing for expression, and communication and exposure to significant literary texts. Prerequisite: Chinese 22-123 or equivalent. (H)
22-323READING/SPEAKING MODERN CHINESE. This course continues to develop students’ command of written Chinese with an additional focus on speaking. Proficiency in the language leads to further exploration of China’s cultural foundations and contemporary issues. Prerequisite: Chinese 22-123 or equivalent. (H)
22-373CHINESE LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION I. This course is an introduction to Chinese literature from the earliest times to the Tang dynasty (roughly to the 10th century), which period includes the foundational texts of the Chinese tradition. This course develops skills in writing, particularly about literature, and engages in problems in translation. Taught in English. (Spring, alternate years) (H) (IP)
22-383CHINESE LITERATURE IN TRANSLATION II. This is an introductory course on Chinese literature from roughly the 10th century (Song dynasty) to the present. This course will pivot on the transition to modernism from a highly developed literary tradition. The course is hence comparative in nature, including questions of translation, and develops skills in writing as well as writing about literature. Taught in English. (Spring, alternate years) (H) (IP)
22-393CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY AND CULTURE. This course approaches the cultural purpose and aesthetic complexity of the art of Chinese writing. The primary focus of the course is using brush and ink, but with a critical understanding of the place calligraphy holds in China’s literary, social, political, and aesthetic history. Taught in English. (Summer) (H) (IP)
22-001, 002, 003, 004SELECTED TOPICS. May be repeated with change in topic.
22-301, 302, 303, 304SELECTED TOPICS. May be repeated with change in topic. Prerequisite: Chinese 22-123 or the equivalent.
22-901, 902, 903, 904TUTORIAL.
22-941, 942, 943, 944ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP. Must be taken Pass/D/F.
22-951, 952, 953, 954INDEPENDENT STUDY. May be repeated with change in content.

French (FRE)

All courses are taught in French.

11-014FRENCH I. Beginning French I builds skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students will learn to communicate effectively both within personal areas of interest and relative to French and Francophone cultures. The course emphasizes student participation, self-expression and the ability to create with language.
11-024FRENCH II. Beginning French II continues the work begun in the introductory semester and increases focus on reading skills and cultural literacy. Prerequisite: French 11-014 with a grade of C- or better, or equivalent placement.
11-113FRENCH III. This course combines a comprehensive review and fine-tuning of grammar with readings in literature and culture and expanded vocabulary practice. Prerequisite: French 11-024 with a grade of C- or better, or equivalent placement.
11-123FRENCH IV. This course is based on more sophisticated texts in French and asks students to conduct research in areas of personal interest or expertise through individual projects. Prerequisite: French 11-113 with a grade of C- or better, or equivalent placement.
11-132BEGINNING FRENCH CONVERSATION. This course is designed to support the development of oral proficiency in the beginning and intermediate sequence. The course is designed as its own entity but appropriate for students wishing to complement other French courses, or to maintain or enhance their speaking and listening skills. Prerequisite: French 11-014 or permission of instructor. (Fall)
11-142INTERMEDIATE FRENCH CONVERSATION. This course is designed to support the development of oral proficiency at the intermediate and advanced levels. The course is designed as its own entity but appropriate for students wishing to complement French IV and above. Prerequisite: French 11-113 or permission of instructor. (Spring)
11-313TOPICS IN LITERATURE AND FILM. A course introducing the critical appreciation of a wide variety of texts, including but not limited to film, poetry, short stories, essays, novellas, novels, diaries, journalism and stories told through music or images. Prerequisite: French 11-123 or equivalent. (H)
11-333COMPOSITION AND CULTURE. This course is designed to develop advanced oral and written proficiencies and to sharpen students’ linguistic facility and accuracy. Prerequisite: French 11-123 or equivalent. (H)
11-353CONTEMPORARY FRENCH CULTURE. This course is designed to develop advanced cultural proficiencies, and it explores French and/or Francophone identities as voiced in authentic materials (text, music, images, video, films). May be repeated with change in content. Prerequisite: French 11-123 or equivalent. French 11-333 recommended. (H) (IP)
11-453WOMEN WRITERS IN FRENCH. A study of significant works by women writers from France and the Francophone world. Prerequisites: French 11-313, 333, or 353. Also Feminist Studies 04-453. (H)
11-503STUDIES IN FRENCH LITERATURE I. Study of selected texts from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment, as related to French social, cultural and literary history. Prerequisite: French 11-313, 333, or 353. (H)
11-513STUDIES IN FRENCH LITERATURE II. Study of selected texts from the modern period, as related to French social, cultural and literary history. Prerequisite: French 11-313, 333, or 353. (H)
11-603TOPICS IN LITERATURE AND CULTURE. This course may focus on either single authors, movements, or themes. Offerings may include Literature and Culture of the Antilles, Paris/Cities/Parisians, Writing/Identity/Difference, and Writing Places: Literature et lieux. May be repeated with change in topic. Prerequisite: French 11-313, 333, or 353. (H)
11-613TEXTS/CONTEXTS. This course focuses on situating texts relative to specific periods or field of study. May be repeated with change in content. Prerequisite: French 11-313, 333, or 353. (H)
11-933CAPSTONE SEMINAR. This course fulfills the capstone requirement in French. As an integrative experience, the capstone challenges students to interrelate knowledge, insights and perspectives gained in their French studies and in their undergraduate experience. (H)
11-001, 002, 003, 004SELECTED TOPICS. May be repeated with change in topic.
11-301, 302, 303, 304SELECTED TOPICS. May be repeated with change in topic. Prerequisite: French 11-123 or equivalent.
11-901, 902, 903, 904TUTORIAL.
11-941, 942, 943, 944ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP. Must be taken Pass/D/F.
11-951, 952, 953, 954INDEPENDENT STUDY. May be repeated with change in content.
11-983HONORS. By invitation only.


German (GER)

All courses are taught in German.

12-014, 024GERMAN I & II. Beginning German is a two-semester course which builds the foundation for developing proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing in German. Developing cultural literacy and the ability to create with language are integral parts of the learning goals. Students successfully completing German I and II will be able to use German creatively, to understand and produce text (from personal correspondence to routine public tasks), and to communicate effectively beyond immediate person-centered areas of interest, incorporating broader cultural knowledge. Students will become familiar with authentic materials including audiovisual resources and will develop information literacy on a variety of issues related to German by using resources on the World Wide Web.
12-113GERMAN III. Intermediate German combines a comprehensive review and fine-tuning of grammar with readings in literature and culture. Learner-centered activities, projects and discussions develop oral and written proficiency. Students successfully completing German III will have a good understanding of contemporary life in the German-speaking world, will narrate and describe orally and in writing, and will begin to formulate and support opinions. Partner and group work enhances conversational and negotiating skills. Prerequisite: German 12-024 or equivalent.
12-123GERMAN IV. Continuation of German III. Students will move from description and narration to formulation of argument and/or hypothesis, evaluation and analysis. Oral presentations and projects on cultural topics are completed individually and in small groups. Students successfully completing German IV will have the tools to read and comprehend sophisticated texts in German related to their areas of interest or expertise. Beyond a general understanding of contemporary life in the German-speaking world, students will develop in-depth knowledge about major current social, political and cultural issues. Prerequisite: German 12-113 or equivalent.
12-132GERMAN CONVERSATION. A two-credit course designed to support the development of oral proficiency in the beginning and intermediate sequence. Students will talk about themselves and others, refer to activities and events (narrating in present and past tenses), and discuss occupations, pastimes and the world around them. Authentic materials and audio-visuals will invite comparisons between German and other cultures, build a foundation of cultural literacy, and invite students to become familiar with the German-speaking world. May be repeated, but credit is given only once. Prerequisite: German 12-024 or permission of instructor.
12-222ADVANCED GERMAN CONVERSATION. A two-credit course designed to support development of oral proficiency at intermediate and advanced levels. Articulating comparisons, contrasts, causality, imagination and speculation is facilitated in the context of exploring and discussing a wide variety of authentic materials. Students also work on increasing complexity, variety, length, and accuracy of description and narration. May be repeated, but credit is given only once. Prerequisite: German 12-113 or permission of instructor.
12-313READING GERMAN: TEXT IN CONTEXT. Introduction to the critical appreciation of a wide variety of texts. Personal stories (e.g. diary), public stories (e.g. journalistic writing), literary stories (poetry, novellas, short stories) and stories told in music and visual images form the textual basis for critical engagement. Formal speaking and writing tasks support the development of linguistic accuracy. Research projects on a variety of texts encourage the development of sensitivity to different contexts of production, publication and reception. Prerequisite: German 12-123 or equivalent. (H)
12-333ORAL AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION. Intensive work on grammar, composition and conversation based on readings from a variety of genres, including film. Designed to support the development of advanced proficiency, this course invites students to improve their ability to narrate, compare and contrast, to establish causal relationships, and to speculate in speaking and writing, as well as to develop their creative voice in German. Small group exercises help students express their ideas and opinions about the readings. Idiomatic expressions useful in real-life speaking contexts are organized around common communicative functions, and partner exercises provide active practice in mastering grammar and vocabulary. Prerequisite: German 12-123 or equivalent. (H)
12-343INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN LITERATURE AND FILM, 20TH CENTURY. Intensive writing and discussions on selected literary texts and films. Major female and male authors like Kafka, Brecht, Böll Hesse, Wolf, Bachmann, Aichinger, and Frischmuth offer a variety of short prose forms – short story, surrealist story, parable, anecdote, novella, fairy tale and experimental texts from turn-of-the-century romantic tales to sketches of street life during the 1989 velvet revolution. Contemporary films advance discussions and invite comparisons. Students will implement the critical and argumentative skills developed at the intermediate level, crafting increasingly complex analyses both individually and in small groups. Students are encouraged to develop their own poetic voice in creative writing assignments. Prerequisite: German 12-123. (H)
12-353CONTEMPORARY GERMAN CULTURE. Designed to help students develop a thorough understanding of contemporary German history (1945-present) and culturally relevant issues, this learner-centered course invites students to make connections with other areas of expertise. Content will vary to cover current aspects of culture in the German-speaking world, as well as social and political contexts, e.g. the fall of the Wall, unification and its aftermath, the new Germans, German-American relations, challenges and opportunities of European integration and multiculturalism, or reforms in the German education system. The history of Germany’s Green Party and current debates on environmental issues in Germany and the European Union provide a foundation for research on cultural differences in everyday practices and attitudes. Students will practice skills that will enable them to conduct increasingly independent research, and will work on comprehending a variety of authentic materials (film, radio, news, video, Web-based information, native speaker conversation, etc.) Students practice self-expression across a variety of culturally significant topics, and will produce oral and written presentations of various lengths and formats. Prerequisite: German 12-123 or equivalent. Also Environmental Studies 49-653. (H)
12-453WOMEN WRITERS IN GERMAN. Based on readings and discussions on a variety of texts by German women writers from saints and healers of the Middle Ages to contemporary transnational and trans-lingual writers, this course explores issues of gender, race, class, sexuality, religion, age and nation over time and place, highlighting the importance of feminist studies and gender studies to the disciplines of Germanistik and German Studies. Students are encouraged to contribute their expertise on knowledge construction in different disciplinary areas and across languages and cultures. This course invites students to move beyond merely understanding the content of texts to textual analysis and aesthetic increasingly independent and self-reflective language learners, students will begin to develop a repertoire of skills that will serve them in summarizing, interpreting, critiquing, presenting, and substantiating an opinion and argument both orally and in writing.Prerequisite: German 12-313 or 333 or 353. Also Feminist Studies 04-443. (H)
12-503STUDIES IN GERMAN LITERATURE I. Study of selected texts from the Middle Ages to the Enlightenment, as related to German social, cultural and literary history. Authors and texts may include magic spells, the Nibelungenlied, poetry of courtly love, Martin Luther and the reformation, Kant and Lessing. At the advanced level, emphasis and value is placed on students’ responsibility for their own learning, and on identifying and pursuing specific individual learning goals. Depending on individual preparation, students continue to work toward a productive balance between accuracy, fluency and complexity of language use, both orally and in writing. Prerequisite: German 12-313 or 333 or 353. (H)
12-513STUDIES IN GERMAN LITERATURE II. Study of selected texts from the modern period, as related to German social, cultural and literary history. Text selections represent a productive balance between tradition and innovation. At the advanced level, emphasis and value is placed on students’ responsibility for their own learning, and on identifying and pursuing specific individual learning goals. Depending on individual preparation, students continue to work toward a productive balance between accuracy, fluency and complexity of language use, both orally and in writing. Prerequisite: German 12-313 or 333 or 353. (H)
12-613TEXTS/CONTEXTS. Advanced close readings of texts as they relate to multiple fields of study. Specific topics for a given semester are listed in the course schedule. Topics may include Self and Other in German Literature and Culture, Genius and Madness in German Literature and Film, The Figure of the Artist in German Literature and Film, Memory and Identity, Catastrophe in German Literature and Film and Transnational Writing in German. Intellectual exploration of materials related to the topics is connected with developing multiple literacies. Students continue to enlarge their repertoire of strategies for processing meaning, and practice increasingly sophisticated modes of expression both orally and in writing. May be repeated with a change in content. Prerequisite: German 12-313 or 333, or 353. (H)
12-933CAPSTONE SEMINAR. This course fulfills the capstone requirement in German. As an integrative experience, the capstone challenges students to demonstrate their ability to interrelate knowledge, insights and perspectives gained in their German program and their undergraduate experience. Students will work on individual projects while participating substantially in discussions and peer review. Faculty and students will be mentors through the extended process of writing a research paper, from selecting a topic, formulating an outline, researching resources, to bibliography preparation, preparation of several drafts, editing and final submission of a polished paper in German. In a formal oral presentation, students will introduce their projects to the German-speaking public. (H)
12-001, 002, 003, 004SELECTED TOPICS. May be repeated with change in topic.
12-301, 302, 303, 304SELECTED TOPICS. May be repeated with change in topic. Prerequisite: German 12-123 or the equivalent.
12-901, 902, 903, 904TUTORIAL.
12-941, 942, 943, 944ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP. Must be taken Pass/D/F.
12-951, 952, 953, 954INDEPENDENT STUDY. May be repeated with change of content.
12-983HONORS. By invitation only.