Business German
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- GRMN 219 - Business
German I (.pdf
format syllabus)
This content-based course is the first of two courses intended to prepare the student for the internationally recognized Zertifikat Deutsch für den Beruf and ultimately for a job with a German-speaking firm in an increasingly global workplace. The highly diversified material of this course will give the student some insight into German demography and economical geography; the European Union and Germany's role in this union; Germany's transport and tourism industries, and its banking system. Much emphasis will be placed on grammar and vocabulary building. Students will be required to give 1-2 brief (5-10 minute) oral presentations.
As a prerequisite for participation in this course, students must have passed the proficiency exams required by the Germanics Department at the University of Pennsylvania and completed at least one third-year level course in the department (i.e. German 211, 212, 215, 216, 221, 225, 226, or an approved equivalent).
- GRMN 220 - Business
German II (.pdf format syllabus)
This course is intended as a continuation of Business German I (GRMN 219), but may be taken without having participated in GRMN 219. Prerequisites are a very good working knowledge of grammar and an awareness of German stylistics. Its principal goal is to prepare the student for the internationally recognized Zertifikat Deutsch für den Beruf (ZDfB) and ultimately a job with a German-speaking firm in an increasingly global workplace. This content-based course emphasizes vocabulary from business and technical sources and its application by means of oral and written presentations on themes pertaining to German-American economic relations.
In preparation for the ZDfB, we will make frequent use of last year's ZDfB-Prüfung throughout the course, and students will be required to give a 15 minute oral presentation on a specific business topic.
- GRMN 225 - Business
Through Films and Documents I (.pdf
format syllabus)
This course is functually designed to facilitate the acquisition of an extensive business and everyday vocabulary. A series of films dealing with a variety of business transactions and daily situations in the professional world together with selected articles focusing on the most recent economic, social, and political developments in Germany provide the basis for an emphasis on practical applications.
All films, to be shown in class, include a transcript of the individual business scenes, questions for comprehension and discussion, and numerous grammatical and stylistic exercises to enhance and improve writing skills. Students are required to hand in brief written summaries of each film.
Additionally, students are expected to search for articles directly or indirectly related to the German business world in current newspaper and weekly journals such as Der Spiegel, Focus, Globus, The New York Financial Times, and The Wall Street Journal, and to give two to three 5-10 minute oral presentations. These presentations fulfill a dual purpose. They provide the basis for discussions and debates in class, and vastly improve students' conversational skills and build confidence for real-life situations. Students are encouraged to meet often with the professor prior to their presentations.
Beyond helping students build a vocabulary useful in the professional world, this course seeks to reveal cultural and behavioral differences between Germans and Americans.
As a prerequisite for participation
in this course, students must have passed the proficiency exams required
by the Germanics Department at the University of Pennsylvania and have
completed at least one third-year course in the department (i.e. German
211, 212, 215, 216, 219, 220, 221, or an approved equivalent)
- GRMN 226 - Business Through Films and Documents II (.pdf format syllabus)
This course is a continuation of GRMN 225. It maintains the same course requirements as GRMN 225, but uses additional materials.
- GRMN 227 - German for Daily Situations in the Profession
This new course is designed to facilitate the acquisition of an extensive business vocabulary together with the communicative skills needed to function daily in a professional setting. Emphasis is placed on the development of oral proficiency. A series of topics depicting a variety of routine situations in and around the workplace provide the basis for an emphasis on practical applications. Beyond helping students build a vocabulary useful in the professional world, this course also seeks to reveal cultural and behavioral differences between Germans and Americans. Such factual and cultural knowledge should prove most beneficial to anyone contemplating an internship or work in Germany. Ultimately, the success of this class will depend on initiative, innovative ideas, enthusiasm, and the willingness on the part of the student.
The course material offers a wide range of topics, including: looking for a position and the situation of the job interview; introducing one's self and others; presenting the company and its structure; rules and responsibilities at the workplace; making smalltalk; giving directions; carrying out a conversation on the phone in all aspects (including making appointments and reservations, leaving messages on the answering machine); presenting and explaining how a product functions.
Special sessions will discuss in depth topics revolving around conflict at the workplace and methods of conflict resolution; cultural differences between the German and American way of doing business and comporting one's self at the workplace and socially; attending a conference in all its facets (registration, introducing and thanking a speaker, asking questions, expressing opinions, interrupting and interjecting a comment, taking a break, adjourning or ending the conference, arranging for follow-up meetings, smalltalk). Finally, we will explore the language of negotiation (the agenda, making changes and resisting proposals, expressing opinions and objections, reacting to objections, evading or delaying the issue, finding common ground, bargaining, trade-offs, making concessions, etc.)
As prerequisite for participation in this course, students must have passed the proficiency exams required by the Germanics Department at the University of Pennsylvania and have completed at least one third-year course in the department (i.e. German 211, 212, 215, 216, 219, 220, 221, 225, 226 or an approved equivalent).
- GRMN 377 - Germany and the European Union
As of January 1999, a single monetary system unites Germany, a core nation, with 10 other European states, thus making their union stronger than ever before. This course affords an overview of the political and economic developments as they relate to the integration of post-war Europe, focusing on Germany's role in these developments. Studying content-rich reading materials, the course explores historical-political, social, economic and cultural issues that are imperative to Germany's success in these developments as well as the European community. Accompanying activities will help students to improve the level of complexity of their language skills. Distribution III: Arts and Letters