German Studies with Italian

This module comprises of both oral and aural skills, to be taken alongside the Written Skills module. It builds upon skills gained in the first year.

This module aims to enhance your linguistic proficiency in spoken German in a range of formal and informal settings (both spontaneous and prepared). Specific attention will be given to developing good, accurate pronunciation and intonations well as fluency, accuracy of grammar, and vocabulary when speaking the language.

This module also aims at broadening students’ knowledge about different aspects of modern society, politics and culture, and contemporary issues and institutions in order to prepare them for residence abroad in their 3rd year.

By the end of this module, you will have had the opportunity to enhance your comprehension of the spoken language, as used in both formal speech, and in everyday life situations including those that you may encounter in German-speaking countries.

This module comprises of reading and writing skills to be taken alongside the Oral Skills module.

This module aims to consolidate skills you have hopefully developed in the first year of study, and enable them to build a level of competence and confidence required to familiarise yourselves with the culture and society of countries where your studied language is spoken.

The module aims to enhance your proficiency in the writing of German (notes, reports, summaries, essays, projects, etc.) including translation from and into German; and the systematic study of German lexis, grammar and syntax.

The module aims to enhance your linguistic proficiency, with particular emphasis on reading a variety of sources and on writing fluently and accurately in the language, in a variety of registers.

This module comprises of both oral and aural skills, to be taken alongside the corresponding Written Language module. It builds upon skills gained in the first year.

The module aims to enhance your linguistic proficiency in spoken Italian in a range of formal and informal settings (both spontaneous and prepared). Specific attention will be given to developing good, accurate pronunciation and intonations well as fluency, accuracy of grammar, and vocabulary when speaking the language.

This module also aims at broadening your knowledge about different aspects of modern society, politics and culture, and contemporary issues and institutions.

By the end of this module, you have hopefully developed enhanced comprehension of the spoken language, as used in both formal speech, and in everyday life situations including those that you may encounter in Italy.

This module comprises of reading and writing skills to be taken alongside the Oral Skills module.

This module aims to consolidate you have hopefully developed in the first year of study, and enable you to build a level of competence and confidence required to familiarise yourselves with the culture and society of Italy.

The module aims to enhance your proficiency in understanding spoken Italian, as well as in the writing of Italian (notes, reports, summaries, essays, projects, etc.) including translation from and into Italian; and the systematic study of Italian lexis, grammar and syntax.

The module aims to enhance your linguistic proficiency, with particular emphasis on reading a variety of sources and on writing fluently and accurately in the language, in a variety of registers.

This module is a non-credit bearing module. If you are a major student going abroad in your second or third year you are enrolled on it during the year prior to your departure, and timetabled to attend the events. These include: introduction to the International Placement Year and choice of activities; British Council English Language Assistantships and how to apply; introduction to partner universities and how they function; working in companies abroad; finance during the International Placement Year; research skills and questionnaire design; teaching abroad; curriculum writing and employability skills; and welfare and wellbeing.

What has it meant to be German over the past two hundred years? This module provides students with awareness of the ‘must-know’ moments and movements that have shaped contemporary German-language culture, while developing skills in critical-textual analysis, including film, poetry, drama, and political writing. It takes you on a journey through moments and movements across two centuries of cultural history, encountering along the way a series of radical thinkers, writers, filmmakers and creative artists. The main aim of the module is twofold: to build students' reading knowledge of German while giving them a flavour of the rich cultural output that has defined the modern German-speaking realm.

This module explores how post-war economic change has affected European societies, and how socio-political factors in turn have influenced the patterns and outcomes of economic development, over the second half of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty first century.

The module is structured on the basis of three country-specific modules (France, Germany and Spain), examining how these countries have confronted key moments of economic change, and what the longer-term consequences of that change have been. While the module emphasis is on broad national developments, discussion also covers examples relating to particular industries and major companies.

In lectures, workshops, and seminars we will explore the context of reconstruction after World War II and the pattern of subsequent economic development; the relationship between social and economic policies; the development of the three countries' economies; the changes of the 1980s and their impact on subsequent years; and the consequences of specific momentous events, such as the re-unification of Germany and how the financial crisis of 2008 affected, and still affects, France, Germany and Spain.

This module will introduce you to the role that the language used by institutions plays in shaping individual perceptions of identity. It aims to provide you with a basic theoretical framework that allows them to understand the relationship between language and power as reflected in current language policies at regional, national, and supranational levels. It will give you the opportunity to recognise forms of prestige and stigma associated with varieties of the three main languages under study. We aim for this module to raise critical awareness of the portrayal and representation of linguistic variations in the media and in the sphere of literature.

The main topics covered in the course include Language and Power; European language policies; German as a pluricentric language and ‘Gastarbeiter’ language and policies; regional variations of France: Linguistic Diversity: A threat to French National Identity?; The languages and language attitudes of Spain (Castilian Spanish, Catalan, Basque, Galician).

This module is taught in English.

This module seeks to support you to apply your linguistic and cultural understanding in a specific professional context. This module gives you the opportunity to spend time on a work-based placement in the UK or abroad. You will be given the opportunity to develop, reflect on and articulate both the range of competences and the linguistic and cross-cultural skills that enhance employability by working in language-related professional contexts and reflecting on key issues in relation to their placement organisation. There is the opportunity to join a local work placement developed by the department, or for you to source your own placements (subject to departmental approval). Workshops before and during the placement will provide preparation and guidance on sourcing, confirming and then reflecting on academic work. Students will share their experiences and learning with each other by means of end-of-module presentations.

How do films deal with topics such as immigration, environment, the posthuman and gender? Do they entertain viewers, instruct them, or both?

This module explores European, Latin American, and Chinese films in their social and historical contexts; the topics mentioned are the focus of key lectures and seminars. The module begins with introductory lectures on cinema and society and on film aesthetics and content. The main aim is to make connections between the films and such contexts not only on the level of narrative, characterisation and dialogue, but also on that of form and technique.

This module aims to give you a background to and insight into the diversity of twentieth and twenty-first century thought and contemporary definitions of culture.

Some key questions explored on the module include: What is 'culture' and how does it work? How do 'art' and 'culture' relate to each other? What do we mean when we talk about the production and consumption of culture? Why does popular culture arouse conflicting responses? What role does the body play in our understanding of culture? How does culture define who we are? Can a work of culture be an act of resistance?

With these questions in mind, this module focuses on texts which raise questions about class, race, gender, and subcultures.

This module is assessed entirely through coursework. You are given a chance of pursuing a topic of their own interest, which is not covered in taught options. A dissertation consists of approximately 10,000 words written in English. The topic of dissertation must relate to French/German/Spanish language, or a comparison between two or more, or a general European issue. The other two restrictions on topic choice are: it must be capable of and approached from a serious academic angle and it falls within the range of expertise of a member of the Department’s staff.

Each student will be assigned a supervisor - one of the lecturers from the Department, who will provide regular supervision, and feedback on the first draft of the completed dissertation. The topic is agreed and discussed with the supervisor in the Summer Term of the second year, and preparatory research should begin during the Year Abroad.

This module is integrated with the German Language: Written Skills module.

Both the oral and the written language modules focus on particular topics of cultural and contemporary interest. The general aim of these modules is to develop further the abilities you have hopefully gained during their second year and the year abroad.

By the end of this module, we aim for you to have developed an informed interest in the society and culture of the German-speaking world. We hope you will also have acquired almost native-speaker abilities in both spoken and written language.

This module is integrated with the German Language: Oral Skills module.

This module has two main aims. The first one is to enhance students’ linguistic proficiency with emphasis on the understanding of spoken and written German, the speaking of German (prepared and spontaneous) in both formal and informal settings, the writing of German, and the systematic study of German lexis, grammar, and syntax. The second aim is to increase your awareness, knowledge, and understanding of contemporary Germany.

By the end of this module, we aim for you to have developed an informed interest in the society and culture of the German-speaking world. We hope you will also have acquired almost native-speaker abilities in both spoken and written language.

This module is integrated with the Italian Language: Written Skills module.

Both the oral and the written language modules focus on particular topics of cultural and contemporary interest. The general aim of these modules is to develop further the abilities the students gained during their second year.

The topics studied in this module change every year to reflect current affairs in Italy. Materials are taken from a range of sources such as newspapers, magazines and videos.

The current issues are studied through discussion, debate, role play, and analysing written, visual and audio materials.

This module is integrated with the Italian Language: Oral Skills module.

The aim of this module is to enhance your knowledge of grammar and to develop their Italian language skills through translation and guided composition.

In first term you’ll develop English-Italian translation skills, learn to compare translations with original texts, and discuss the use of monolingual and bilingual dictionaries. You will also have the opportunity to improve your essay writing skills.

In second term you learn Italian to English translation in turn, and the emphasis is put on the reinforcement of guided composition.

This module introduces you to major themes that shape the experience of contemporary city dwellers: gender, social inequality, and practices of citizenship. These interlinking themes will be introduced through novels, poetry and films on the following European, North American (with the emphasis on immigrant communities within its cities) and Latin American cities: New York, Mexico City, Santiago de Chile, Barcelona, Berlin, and Los Angeles.

Each topic will be covered though an introductory lecture and a core text, followed by a range of additional texts for students to analyse. During workshops students will share their findings and opinions, emphasizing on identifying links between the topics studied, aiming to encourage discussion.

The format of the module encourages cross-referencing between the themes of the module (for example, gender and sexuality are relevant to an analysis of social inequality, and vice versa).

This module aims at exploring the nature of the relationship between the individual and society, notions of progress and economic justice, as these are still widely debated topics in contemporary Europe in light of the current economic and political crisis.

This module will use the concepts of utopia, dystopia and ideology as a forum for discussion on the relationship between individual imagination and social discourse in the nineteenth century, as well as the relationship between fiction and political discourse. You will look at the major intellectual debates which influenced the contemporary European thought after the French Revolution.

You will explore the development of major ideologies and cultural movements such as Romanticism, Marxism, Socialism and Positivism, spanning from the period immediately following the French Revolution to the middle of the nineteenth century.

In this module you will be given the opportunity to l discover what it is like to be a famous author in today’s modern, media-driven Germany.

The module examines the cultural and political expectations placed on high-profile German authors from the 1960s onwards. You will analyse sources ranging from press cuttings to internet articles. The module also considers the different strategies developed by well-known authors for responding to this interest in both their private personae and their public function.

Discussion will focus on the different self-presentation strategies the authors have developed: in the spheres of the media and in their writing. The module examines relevant theories of media and literary communication and develops a methodological framework to underpin our critical analysis of the authors and their work.

This module is taught in English, but most texts are only available in German, so a working knowledge of the language is required.

This module lives in the space between the here-and-now and a future made possible by science. You’ll explore perceptions of science across different languages and cultures, from Asia to Europe to the Americas, and explore relationships between the spiritual and the material.

You’ll look at some intriguing questions about science and the twenty-first century human condition:

• Where is AI taking humanity and are we already robots?
• Might genetic engineering lead to animals developing souls?
• Are science fiction writers contemporary shaman?
• What unseen matters and horrors can science fiction render visible and comprehensible?
• What possibilities do modern medical advances offer for transformative queer and trans healthcare?

You’ll find out about differing views on these and other topics from a wide range of source materials, such as speculative fiction, graphic novels, film, philosophical essays, and online talks.

Typically, the module covers five main themes:

• Spirit and Matter
• Speculative Fiction
• The Post-Human
• Philosophy, Art and Neuroscience
• Biomedicine and the Hospital

This module guides students through the history of German-language speculative fiction as a way of opening up new discussions about the history and politics of German-speaking Europe. It explores the relationship between aesthetics, socio-literary engagement and the future and encompasses a range of sources from the early nineteenth century to the present day. Students also engage with philosophical texts theorising about temporality and the future.

What makes a good translation and how do translations do good? This module aims to help you understand the practice of translation as it has evolved historically from the 18th century to the present across European and American societies. The materials we study include historical textual sources (philosophical essays on the craft of translation from French, German and Hispanic authors of the 19th and 20th centuries), representative fictional texts reflecting on translation processes, and contemporary documents from the EU directorate on translation, PEN and the Translators' Association. We will also make considerable use of contemporary online resources as exemplified by Anglophone advocates of intercultural exchange such as Words Without Borders. Our aim is to look at translation as both a functional process for getting text in one language accurately into another and a culturally-inflected process that varies in its status and purpose from one context to another. We will pay particular attention to the practical role that literary translators play within the contemporary global publishing industry and consider the practicalities of following a career in literary translation in the Anglophone world.