German Studies (GERST)Arts and Sciences

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Course descriptions provided by the Courses of Study 2023-2024.

Last Updated

  • Schedule of Classes - September 10, 2024 10:17AM EDT
  • Course Catalog - September 10, 2024 9:19AM EDT
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GERST 1122
FWS: Love and Death in Vienna

Singing boys. Dancing horses. Waltzing debutantes. Those fortunate enough to live in a city where each day begins with a pastry and ends with a two-liter bottle of wine must live a charmed existence! Not ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   FWS Session. 

  • 3 Credits Graded

  • 19112 GERST 1122   SEM 101

  •  
    • MWF Uris Hall 302
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • McBride, D

  • For more information about First-Year Writing Seminars, see the Knight Institute website at http://knight.as.cornell.edu/.

GERST 1126
FWS: Philosophies of Violence: Conceptualizations of Force from Kant to Zizek

Violence is a complex concept with a nuanced history. Beginning with Kant and progressing through philosophers such as Friedrich Engels, Walter Benjamin and Hannah Arendt, this seminar will employ close ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   FWS Session. 

  • 3 Credits Graded

  • 19116 GERST 1126   SEM 101

  •  

  • For more information about First-Year Writing Seminars, see the Knight Institute website at http://knight.as.cornell.edu/.

GERST 1170
FWS: Marx, Nietzsche, Freud

A basic understanding of Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud is a prerequisite for participating in critical debates in the humanities and social sciences. Our seminar will explore key terms in the revolutionary ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   FWS Session. 

  • 3 Credits Graded

  • 19117 GERST 1170   SEM 101

  •  

  • For more information about First-Year Writing Seminars, see the Knight Institute website at http://knight.as.cornell.edu/.

Syllabi: none

  •   FWS Session. 

  • 3 Credits Graded

  • 19118 GERST 1170   SEM 102

  •  
    • MW Lincoln Hall 107
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Waite, G

  • For more information about First-Year Writing Seminars, see the Knight Institute website at http://knight.as.cornell.edu/.

GERST 1210
Exploring German Contexts I

Students develop basic abilities in listening, reading, writing, and speaking German in meaningful contexts through interaction in small group activities. Course materials including videos, short articles, ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 16577 GERST 1210   SEM 101

  •  

  • Intended for: students with no prior experience in German language or based on German Placement test result.

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 16578 GERST 1210   SEM 102

  •  
    • MTWF Uris Hall 302
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Matthias Phelps, G

  • Intended for: students with no prior experience in German language or based on German Placement test result.

GERST 1220
Exploring German Contexts II

Students build on their basic knowledge of German by engaging in intense and more sustained interaction in the language. Students learn more advanced language structures allowing them to express more complex ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 16912 GERST 1220   SEM 101

  •  
    • MWRF White Hall 104
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Wang, W

  • Prerequisite: GERST 1210 or based on German Placement test result.

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 16913 GERST 1220   SEM 102

  •  
    • MWRF White Hall 104
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Villalobos, M

  • Prerequisite: GERST 1210 or based on German Placement test result.

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 16914 GERST 1220   SEM 103

  •  
    • MWRF Uris Hall G24
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Groundwater-Schuldt, W

  • Prerequisite: GERST 1210 or based on German Placement test result.

GERST 1230
Expanding the German Dossier

Students continue to develop their language skills by discussing a variety of cultural topics and themes in the German-speaking world. The focus of the course is on expanding vocabulary, reviewing major ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  3527 GERST 1230   SEM 101

  •  
    • MWF Morrill Hall 111
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Reynders, A

  • Limited to students who have previously studied German and based on German Placement test result. Successful completion of GERST 1210, 1220 and 1230 satisfies Option 2.

GERST 1777
Elementary Yiddish II

Intended for advanced beginners. Builds further competence in reading, writing, oral comprehension, speaking and grammar. Course material is presented and discussed in the context of Ashkenazi ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: JWST 1777, YIDSH 1777

  • 4 Credits Graded

  • 17553 GERST 1777   SEM 101

  •  
    • MTWR White Hall 114
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Forman, D

GERST 2000
Germany: Intercultural Context

Students examine important aspects of present-day German culture while expanding and strengthening their reading, writing, and speaking skills in German. Materials for each topic are selected from a variety ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  3515 GERST 2000   SEM 101

  •  
    • MWF Morrill Hall 111
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Hadley, S

  • Prerequisite: GERST 1230 + German placement result or GERST 1230. Satisfies Option 1. A content-based language course on the intermediate level.

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  3516 GERST 2000   SEM 102

  •  

  • Prerequisite: GERST 1230 + German placement result or GERST 1230. Satisfies Option 1. A content-based language course on the intermediate level.

GERST 2040
Perspectives on German Culture

This course aims at sharpening your awareness of personal and cultural subjectivity by examining texts in a variety of media against the backdrop of cultural, political, and historical contexts.  We will ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  5273 GERST 2040   SEM 101

  •  
    • MWF Uris Hall G44
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Strateman, C

  • Prerequisite: GERST 2000 or placement by German placement test or CASE. Taught in German. Satisfies Option 1. Students must take one of the following courses as a prerequisite for Study Abroad in a German-speaking country: GERST 2020, 2040, or 2060.

GERST 2060
German in Business Culture

Learn German and understand German business culture at the same time. This is a German language course that examines the German economic structure and its major components: industry, trade unions, the ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  4651 GERST 2060   SEM 101

  •  
    • MW Morrill Hall 110
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Lischke, G

    • F Uris Hall 438
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Lischke, G

  • Prerequisite: GERST 2000 or by German placement test or CASE. Students without previous knowledge of Business German are welcome. Taught in German. Satisfies Option 1. Students must take one of the following courses as a prerequisite for Study Abroad in a German-speaking country: GERST 2020, GERST 2040, or GERST 2060.

GERST 2703
Thinking Media

From hieroglyphs to HTML, ancient poetry to audiotape, and Plato's cave to virtual reality, "Thinking Media" offers a multidisciplinary introduction to the most influential media formats of the last three ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •  5843 GERST 2703   LEC 001

  •  

GERST 3013
German Language Across the Curriculum (LAC)

This 1-credit optional course aims to expand the students' vocabulary, and advance their speaking and reading skills as well as enhance their knowledge and deepen their cultural understanding by supplementing ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1 Credit Stdnt Opt

  • Topic: Introduction to Comparative Government & Politics

  •  5884 GERST 3013   SEM 101

    • TBA
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Staff

  • Conducted in German. Co-requisite: GOVT 1313.

    Instructor Consent Required (Add)

GERST 3080
Against and Beyond the Digital in German

This course is aimed to increase your linguistic competencies in German, your cultural awareness, as well as your critical thinking skills. We will discuss internet-relevant topics from a German perspective, ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  3508 GERST 3080   SEM 101

  •  
    • MWF Morrill Hall 111
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Matthias Phelps, G

  • Taught in German. Satisfies Option 1. Prerequisite: GERST 2020, 2040, 2060, or equivalent. This course may be counted towards the requirement for 3000-level language in the major.

GERST 3340
Working Through Working

This seminar continues the rigorous trajectory of language study by introducing students to longer literary texts and full-length movies; by introducing students to theoretical, critical, academic discourses ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 18714 GERST 3340   SEM 101

  •  
    • MW White Hall B06
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Siegel, E

  • Prerequisite: one course at the GERST 3000-3209 level or equivalent, or placement by examination.

GERST 3545
Imagining the Middle Ages: Films, Games, and Media

The medieval past often returns in modern media with a critical twist. This course explores the imagination of the Middle Ages in modern films, video games, and other popular media. It introduces classic ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  • 19582 GERST 3545   SEM 101

  •  
    • MW Uris Library 311
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Born, E

GERST 3620
Introduction to Critical Theory

Shortly after the 2016 election, The New Yorker published an article entitled "The Frankfurt School Knew Trump was Coming." This course examines what the Frankfurt School knew by introducing students to ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  • 16952 GERST 3620   SEM 101

  •  
    • TR Malott Hall 253
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Fleming, P

GERST 4002
Changing Worlds: Migration, Minorities, and German Literature

What makes a German world? The defeat of the Third Reich in 1945 and the collapse of communist Europe in 1989 were geopolitical events that still reverberate in German culture, as authors consider the ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 16918 GERST 4002   SEM 101

  •  
    • TR White Hall B04
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Adelson, L

  • Satisfies Option 1. Prerequisite: any German course at the 3210-3499-level or equivalent. Required readings and discussion in German.

GERST 4255
Freudo-Marxism: Theory and Praxis

Marx, never reading Freud, produced analysis of ideology and fetishism as class struggle; Freud, barely mentioning Marx, produced critique of socialism and communism. Freudo-Marxism began 1920s: Austria/Germany ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  • 16935 GERST 4255   SEM 101

  •  
    • M Uris Hall G26
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Waite, G

GERST 4520
Independent Study

Undergraduate student and faculty advisor to determine course of study and credit hours. view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  3514 GERST 4520   IND 601

    • TBA
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: Independent Studies
    To apply for independent study, please complete the on-line form at https://data.arts.cornell.edu/as-stus/indep_study_intro.cfm.

    Department Consent Required (Add)

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  6005 GERST 4520   IND 602

    • TBA
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Born, E

  • Instruction Mode: Independent Studies
    To apply for independent study, please complete the on-line form at https://data.arts.cornell.edu/as-stus/indep_study_intro.cfm.

    Department Consent Required (Add)

GERST 4530
Honors Research

The Reading Course is administered by the director of the honors thesis. It carries 4 hours credit, and may be counted towards the work required for the German Major. The reading concentrates ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 4 Credits Multi-Term

  •  4724 GERST 4530   RSC 701

    • TBA
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: Directed Research

    Department Consent Required (Add)

GERST 4540
Honors Thesis

The thesis is to be written on a subject related to the work done in GERST 4530.  A suggested length for the thesis is 50-60 pages. view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 4 Credits Graded

  •  3513 GERST 4540   IND 601

    • TBA
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Staff

  • Instruction Mode: Independent Studies
    Prerequisite: GERST 4530.

    Department Consent Required (Add)

GERST 6255
Freudo-Marxism: Theory and Praxis

Marx, never reading Freud, produced analysis of ideology and fetishism as class struggle; Freud, barely mentioning Marx, produced critique of socialism and communism. Freudo-Marxism began 1920s: Austria/Germany ... view course details

View Enrollment Information

Syllabi: none

  • 16940 GERST 6255   SEM 101

  •  
    • M Uris Hall G26
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Waite, G

GERST 6355
Images and History: Siegfried Kracauer

The aim of this course is to investigate the relationship between history and images, by considering, the work of an outstanding representative of twentieth-century critical theory.  Siegfried Kracauer ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: HIST 6235, ROMS 6350

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 17103 GERST 6355   SEM 101

  •  

GERST 6370
19th Century Fiction: The Realist Project

Examination of programmatic concepts of Poetic Realism in literature and theory. Special focus on the relationship between aesthetic theory and literary production (Hegel, Vischer, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche). ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 17568 GERST 6370   SEM 101

  •  
    • W White Hall 104
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Schwarz, A

  • Enrollment limited to graduate students.

GERST 6820
Hölderlin: Philosophy, Poetry

This course examines Friedrich Hölderlin's philosophical, poetological, and poetic work, recognized only belatedly as among the most insistent, consequential, and haunting contributions to German letters. ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 19199 GERST 6820   SEM 101

  •  
    • T Uris Hall 254
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Gilgen, P

  • Enrollment limited to graduate students. Readings and text in English/German. Discussion in English.

GERST 6960
Rites of Contact: Emergent German Literatures and Critical Method

New forms of German literature emerged in the wake of transnational labor migration, especially after 1989. Taking leave of a sociological model that interprets this literature only in terms of intercultural ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session.  Combined with: COML 6960, NES 6960

  • 3 Credits Stdnt Opt

  • 16943 GERST 6960   SEM 101

  •  
    • R Uris Hall 260
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Adelson, L

  • Prerequisite: good reading knowledge of German and English; enrollment limited to graduate students; exceptions require instructor approval.

GERST 7540
Independent Study

Graduate student and faculty advisor to determine course of study and credit hours. view course details

View Enrollment Information

Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 1-4 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  3517 GERST 7540   IND 601

    • TBA
    • Jan 22 - May 7, 2024

    • Fleming, P

  • Instruction Mode: Independent Studies
    Enrollment limited to graduate students.

    Department Consent Required (Add)

GERST 7541
Colloquium

The course consists of a bi-weekly workshop series focusing on a range of interdisciplinary topics and sponsored by the Institute for German Cultural Studies (IGCS). Speakers include prominent scholars ... view course details

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Syllabi: none

  •   Regular Academic Session. 

  • 2 Credits Stdnt Opt

  •  6442 GERST 7541   SEM 101

  •