GER-90009 - Module Specification
Language Centre
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

German 8 or equivalent (e.g. A-level 7-9/B-A, CEFR level B1+/B2)

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

This course is designed for students with advanced German language skills (German 8, A-level grade 7-9/B-A or equivalent) and will focus on systematically enhancing all four skills, whilst studying topics of relevance to modern-day Germany and Austria.
The course will be mainly based on authentic German texts and audio-visual materials such as films, TV recordings and web material, which will be exploited in class and self-study time.
By the end of the course you will be able to handle a variety of complex German sources, including newspaper articles and fictional texts, conduct your own searches of German websites and read and discuss factual and fictional texts with some confidence. Feedback on formative and summative assessments will be provided at regular intervals and emphasis will be placed on enabling you to become an efficient language learner after completion of the course.
The language level of this module corresponds to B1+/B2 work leading to Level B2+ in the European Common Framework for Languages (CEFR B2+)

The modules aims to consolidate and enhance existing German language skills to enable students to read complex German texts with a degree of confidence, enable them to take part in debates and understand extended speech.
It is also designed to enhance students' understanding of contemporary German and Austrian culture.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Understand extended speech and follow complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar: 1,3
Interpret, summarise and extract key information from long and complex articles, reports and fictional texts in which the writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints: 1,2
Interact and take an active part in discussion about familiar contexts, accounting for and sustaining different views: 3
Write clear, coherent texts on topics which are familiar, of personal interest, describing experiences and impressions or expressing points of view: 1,2
Recognise and use different complex linguistic structures in the target language and compare them to the English language: 1,2,3
Demonstrate awareness and discuss contemporary issues with reference to the cultural context of German speaking countries: 1,2,3

Study hours

22 hours of contact time in class.
40 hours assessment preparation and completion.
88 hours guided independent study.

School Rules

Admission to the module must be confirmed through completion of a language level self-assessment form
Students are only permitted to take one German language module per semester.

Description of Module Assessment