Course Descriptions
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The American Junior Year at Heidelberg University COURSE DESCRIPTIONS American Junior Year at Heidelberg University 310 E. Market Street Tiffin, Ohio 44883 Tel. (419) 448-2062 Fax (419) 448-2217 Email [email protected] www.heidelberg.edu/ajy INTRODUCTION This booklet is designed to give prospective students and their advisors an idea of the type of courses that students will find in Heidelberg. It provides a sample of courses that American Junior Year students have taken in recent years. Please bear the following in mind when reading through the listings: 1. There is no guarantee that a course that is listed in this booklet will be offered when you are in Heidelberg. You will, however, almost certainly be able to find a similar course which meets your needs. Note that each description below attempts to indicate the frequency with which a course is offered. 2. This booklet provides only a very small selection of the courses offered at the University of Heidelberg. 3. The general course catalog for your semester at the University of Heidelberg will not be published until approximately one month after you are in Heidelberg. 4. Virtually all courses are taught in German. The degree of your language proficiency will be a major factor in determining your final course selection. 5. The description of each course is based on a written summary of that course published in the so- called kommentiertes Vorlesungsverzeichnis which is published by each University department. We have translated and occasionally edited these descriptions. Whenever possible, we have included information regarding required readings and the basis of the grade. In future semesters, of course, there may be some alteration to course content and course requirement. 6. The number of contact hours and credits is given for a full academic semester. • Fall semester students (who will be leaving Heidelberg at the end of December) generally earn 3/4 of the full-semester credit hours because they only complete three-quarters of the German university semester. • In some courses it is possible (after approval by the Resident Director) to enroll in a tutorial or to complete extra assignments and thus to earn an additional semester hour of credit. 7. The AJY code gives no indication about the difficulty of a course. • Courses at German universities are not numbered. The AJY program assigns a code to each course merely to distinguish it from other similar courses. • All courses are equivalent to ‘upper division’ courses in the U.S. Junior standing is required for admission to the AJY program, Once you are in Heidelberg, an in-depth process of academic advising assures that you will be able to find • courses which are appropriate for your language skills • courses for which you have the proper prerequisites, and • courses you find interesting and challenging. We hope you enjoy planning your time in Heidelberg! If questions arise, please do not hesitate to contact Resident Director Dr. Brian Tracy at [email protected] for clarification. December 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Art History 4 Biology 10 Chemistry 13 Communications 14 Economics and Business Administration 16 Education 25 English 26 Ethnology 41 German 42 History 85 Jewish Studies 106 Law 106 Math and Information Sciences 107 Modern and Classical Languages 107 Music 115 Philosophy 115 Physics and Astronomy 117 Political Science 118 Psychology 129 Religion 130 Sociology 134 ART HISTORY Pluralism of Style at the End of the 19th Century. Expressionism to Postmodernism (1905-13) AJY Code: D646 This course is offered infrequently. Department: Institute for German as Foreign Language Philology Hours per semester 30 Credits - full semester: 2 The course looks at the many conflicting styles around the turn of the 19th to the 20th century beginning with symbolism and leading to expressionism and postmodernism. Readings: 'Fauvismus' in: Lexikon der Kunst, 1994. Der französische Fauvismus und der deutsche Frühexpressionismus: Ausstellungskatalog, 1966. Elger, Dietmar: Expressionismus: 1994. Kammerlohr, Otto: Von Expressionismus zur Postmoderne: 1997. Müller, Joseph Emile: Lexikon des Expressionismus: 1974. Basis of grade: Final exam, oral report, or short paper (5-6 pp.). International & National Art during the Weimar Republic from 1919 to 1933 AJY Code: D642 This course is offered infrequently Department: Department of German as a Foreign Language Hours per semester 30 Credits - full semester: 2 The life span of the Weimar Republic in Germany, which originated after the collapse of the German Empire in 1919 and ended with Hitler’s takeover in 1933, is known in the annals of art history as The Twenties. This term is not only restricted to Germany, it encompasses all of Europe and has found its place in America. From an art historian’s perspective, this period was an intellectual and artistic highlight. Neither prior to nor after this era does one find so many significant achievements in the fields of literature, the humanities, natural sciences, technology, and fine arts in such a compact time frame. The emergence of the fine arts began after the First World War. At the same time the numerous national and international stylistic movements such as Expressionism, Cubism, Dadaism, and Surrealism are also present in these works. We will focus our attention on the artists of the national artistic movement 'Neue Sachlichkeit'. The variety of artistic styles and developments will come to light as the most influential painters and sculptors of this period are dealt with. Readings: Readings will be assigned by the instructor. Basis of grade: final written exam, seminar report, or term paper The Beginnings of Classical Modernism in Art: Fauvism and Expressionism in Germany & France AJY Code: D650 This course is offered infrequently Department: Seminar for German as a Foreign Language, Heidelberg U. Hours per semester 30 Credits - full semester: 2 Around 1900 a group of young artists from the school of Gustave Moreau broke with traditional painting styles of naturalistic painting and symbolism. The Fauves oriented themselves toward expressionism and sought to convey inner sensibilities through expressive colors and simplified forms. In Germany the new movement of expressionism developed around 1903 in the artistic groups of the Brücke and Blaue Reiter. The goal of these groups was to portray themselves directly and without falsification through the use of expressive surface painting which deforms objects in order to heighten their expressive qualities. Readings: Fauvismus in Lexikon der Kunst, Band 4. 1994. Der Franzözische Fauvismus und der Deutsche Frühexpressionismus. Ausst.-Katalog München 1966., Dietmar Elger, Expressionismus, 1994, Otto Kammerlohr, Von Expressionismus zur Postmoderne, vol. 5, 1977, Joseph Emile Müller, Lexikon des Expressionismus, 1974. Basis of grade: Seminar report, final exam, or term paper. Symbolism: An International Form of Artistic Expression in the Late 19th Century AJY Code: D649 This course is offered infrequently Department: Department of German as a Foreign Language Hours per semester 30 Credits - full semester: 2 Symbolism was among the artistic forms of expressions that developed at the end of the 19th century. It sought to set free and to promote new forms of expression. Art, which had grown too close to daily life through Realism and Impressionism, was to be restored to its essence. A new spirituality was sought and an attempt was made to understand the reflection of metaphorical values (fantasy, dream). In this course the most significant representatives of this artistic movement will be discussed and their works interpreted. Readings: Casson, Jean, Lexikon des Symbolismus. Gerhardus, M. und :, Symbolismus und Jugendstil, Hofstätter, Hans Helmust, Idealismus und Symbolismus, 1972. Hofstätter, Hans Helmut, Symbolismus und die Kunst der Jahrhundertwende, 1973. Catalog Symbolismus in Europa, 1976., Hamann, Richard, Hermand, Jost, Epochen deutscher Kultur von 19870 bis zur Gegenwart, 1976. Basis of grade: term paper. Introduction to the Art History of India AJY Code: A180 This course is offered infrequently Department: South Asia Institute, Univ. of Heidelberg Hours per semester 30 Credits - full semester: 2 Topics: 1. Religious introduction (Hinduism, Buddhism) and the Harappan civilization, 2. The Buddhist stupa: its constituent parts and their symbolism, 3. The evolution of Buddhist cave temples in India, 4. Buddhist and Hindu sculpture and iconography, 5. The Hindu temple: its parts, meanings and ritual dynamics, 6. Hindu temple architecture in northern Indiak, 7. Development of the Hindu temple in central and southern India, 8. Wall paintings and manuscript illustrations of the Jainas and Buddhists, 9. Islamic art: mosques, tombs and Mughal miniatures, 10. Rajput painting traditions and the architecture of Mughal and Rajput palaces, 11. South Asian Art and Archaeology Conference, British Museum. Readings: Glossaries and detailed bibliographies will be handed out at the beginning of each lecture. Basis of grade: Final written exam. Memorializing War and Victims of War in Art (Anti-War Images from Goya to Hrdlicka) AJY Code: A160 This course is offered infrequently Department: Art History Department, University of Heidelberg Hours per semester 32 Credits - full semester: 2 In times of ever-present wars and the American threat of new wars, it is essential to recall the past for enlightenment in the present. Wars and their victims have been depicted for centuries, often in an unrealistic manner