
Programme: |
German Studies (2022/2023) |
Study Cycle: | Second Cycle (Postgraduate) |
Faculty: | Languages, Cultures and Communications |
Programme Code: | N-MDE120C |
Academic year: | 2023 / 2024 |
Title: | Master of German Studies |
ECTS: | 120
(2 years)
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Decision: |
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After the completion of this programme the students gain the title Master of German Studies. This programme is focused, first of all in linguistics, literature, culture, teaching methodology of German as a foreign language (DaF) at the university level as well as in the history of German speaking countries. With a component of local and German native speaker teachers, who are best qualified to lecture using the most modern methods, our department plays a great role not only in the state level, but in the region as well, and further. First of all, it is worth mentioning the development and application of modern curricula and the stressed quality of the preparation of the teachers of German as a foreign language.
The graduates of this study programme have knowledge, skills and competences, which enable them to continue with the third cycle studies (doctoral studies) or they can start their career as modern teachers of German at university levels. Besides this, the modules of linguistics, literature, didactics and culture enable our graduates to do other activities as for example: work in State Administration and Marketing, the Diplomatic services, in public and private institutions, work as translators and interpreters, work to strengthen German-Macedonian affairs, work in the sphere of cultural politics and in cultural mediation; or in activities in the field of media, and in publishing houses; or in International corporations or tourism.
Knowledge and understanding
- Has knowledge and understanding of German studies that is founded upon and extends that typically associated with Bachelor’s level.
- Demonstrates specialist knowledge of German Linguistics, Literature, Culture and Civilization of German-speaking countries.
- Has professional knowledge and understanding of the major trends in German language teaching methodology at primary, secondary and tertiary level.
- Acquire academic knowledge for independent academic work.
Applying knowledge and understanding
- Apply their skills in academic and non-academic environments related to German studies.
- Is able to conceive, design, implement and adapt substantial research projects with scholarly integrity.
- Use academic written and spoken German in various contexts.
- Translate texts in the fields of law, economics, politics, literary texts and others from German into Albanian or Macedonian and vice versa.
- Design a syllabus and a lesson plan appropriate for specific teaching contexts, for example, teaching younger learners (under 12 years old) or teaching business German to adults.
Making judgement
- Examining the various linguistic aspects of the German language and their relevance to the teaching process of German for speakers of other languages.
- Make complex methodological judgments in research design and analyses in the area of German studies.
- Make judgements concerning the potential difficulty of different aspects of the German language: verb and tense construction, definite/indefinite object, idiomatic expressions, prepositions and other grammatical categories.
- Make complex methodological evaluations in research design and discriminate between different methods of data collection and data analysis, as related to language and linguistics.
Communication skills
- Clearly articulate the educational process in the context of German Language studies.
- Teach different linguistic concepts to learners of different abilities.
- Communicate in a proper manner those opportunities to achieve critical thinking, communication and personal development of the students.
- Show communicative competence in the classroom in terms of class management in primary, secondary and tertiary level.
Learning skills
- Initiate and complete independent research to high academic standards in the area of German studies.
- Is able to self monitor and adjust teaching methods according to the particular situation.
- Study in a largely self-directed or autonomous manner in German linguistics, literature, culture and civilisation.
Semester 1
-
[C2167]
[6 ECTS]
Receptive and Productive Textual Competence I
The aim of this course is to develop receptive and productive competence in oral and written expression. Expansion and consolidation of morphological, syntactic, semantic and stylistic competence with the aim of developing translation skills. Also, the goal of this course is to master the language competencies at level C1 / 1.
-
[CM199]
[6 ECTS]
Word Formation of the German Language
This course consists of basic notions in German word formation. In the first place, the following topics will be discussed: notion, subject, assignments and methods, word formation theories, the position of word formation in grammar, the origins of word formation in the German language, word formation units, processes and types, word formation of German compound nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs compared to Albanian and Macedonian ones, active and inactive forms, lexical and textual words (occasionalisms).
-
[MCGR3010]
[6 ECTS]
Contrastive Linguistics
This course aims to familiarize students with the most important concepts of contrastive linguistics. Contrastive linguistics deals with the similarities and differences between different languages (interlinguistic perspective) and within one language (intralinguistic perspective, for example.: Aspects of German language in Germany, Austria and Switzerland). Consistently may occur any pairs and features from all areas of linguistic structure (phonology, morphology, syntax, pragmatics, lexicon, etc..). The lecture gives an overview of the different stages and fields of research contrastive linguistics, and this connects to a critical reflection on its role in language didactics. Then the language pairs German-Albanian and German -Macedonian through examples will be compared the most important phonological, morphological, syntactic and pragmatic structures. In addition will be discussed about the use of acquired knowledge on issues of general linguistics, theory of language learning and didactics. This course complements and deepens the basic knowledge in this area.
-
[6 ECTS]
General Elective Course
- [EGL-505] Introduction to Methodology and Techniques of Research writing
- [EGL-503] Contemporary German Literature
- [EGL-506] Acquisition of German as Foreign Language
- [CGL-403] Civilization of the German - Speaking Area
- [EGL-405] Language Policy in EU
- [EGL-602] Error Analysis
- [MCGR3020] Pragmatics
- [MCGR2010] Sociolinguistics
- [MCGR3011] Theories of Language Acquisition
- [6 ECTS] Professional Elective Course
Semester 2
-
[C2168]
[6 ECTS]
Receptive and Productive Textual Competence II
The aim of this course is to develop receptive and productive competence in oral and written expression. Expansion and consolidation of morphological, syntactic, semantic and stylistic competence with the aim of developing translation skills. Also, the goal of this course is to master the language competencies at level C1/2.
-
[CM213]
[6 ECTS]
History of German Language
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the basic concepts and trends of the Indo-German and German language. Gothic as a representative of the German pre-language. First dislocation of consonants. Accent. Werner’s Law. Vowels. Ablaut. Verb conjugation. Noun division. Inflection of adjectives. Features (second dislocation of consonants, harmonization of vowels: primary umlaut, transformation of e to i, of i to e, of u to o, etc.). Analysis of the song about Hildebrandt. Features (weakening of vowels into an un-emphasized syllable, secondary umlaut, transformation of sk into sch, etc.). Analysis of The Song of the Niuelungs. Features (diphthongs, monophthongs, extension, shortening, labialization, delabialization, increase and decrease of vowels, etc.) Works and deeds of Luther.
-
[MCGR3012]
[6 ECTS]
Theory and Practice in teaching of German as a Foreign Language
This course aims to familiarize students with major concepts and models of teaching methodology and didactics of German as a foreign language at university level. Also, the most current and important methodological-didactic debates will be read and discussed. By the end of the semester students will be able to: - Demonstrate a wide knowledge and understanding of the development, courses and current trends in methodology of teaching German as a foreign language, or the correlation and integration of content from compatible subjects: Language, Linguistics, Cultural, Literature and other less compatible curricula. - To apply their knowledge and understanding in their work or their profession as future teachers of German language and to devise and develop solutions to problems and arguments in the methodology of teaching German as a foreign language. - To collect, evaluate and interpret relevant data and information within this area. - To discuss information, problems and solutions in this particular area. - To develop learning skills they need to further their own education.
-
[6 ECTS]
General Elective Course
- [EGL-505] Introduction to Methodology and Techniques of Research writing
- [EGL-503] Contemporary German Literature
- [EGL-506] Acquisition of German as Foreign Language
- [CGL-403] Civilization of the German - Speaking Area
- [EGL-405] Language Policy in EU
- [EGL-602] Error Analysis
- [MCGR3020] Pragmatics
- [MCGR2010] Sociolinguistics
- [MCGR3011] Theories of Language Acquisition
- [6 ECTS] Professional Elective Course
Semester 3
-
[MCGR1011]
[6 ECTS]
Research Methodology
The goal of this course is to explain the methodologies and techniques of scientific work, which mostly create many difficulties for student beginners. Practical exercises are designed to help us in the way how we should behave in the library, how to write an essay, papers or something else. Within this course will be included the following topics: defining the topic, bibliography, citation rules, scientific codes, organizing work.
-
[MCGR1010]
[6 ECTS]
Theory of Valency
Within this course students will become familiar with the structure of the German language under the theory of valency. It will also be discussed its core issues. In the first part of the course will be discussed on the history of the theory of valency and the draft think about valency described in the work of Tesniere and will be discussed also its shortcomings and contradictions. Furthermore, this course will include the following topics: rection, dependency, valency, subject - valency and dependency, the basic questions of the theory of valence and its holders. In the second part will be treated the question for making the distinction between aktant and cirkumstant (Ergänzungen und Angaben bzw. Aktanten und Zirkumstanten). The discussion about valency for a long time was treated apart from the question but also by the request of specific criteria for distinguishing between these two terms, with a tendency, valency to not be understood as dichotomous, but rather as a gradual phenomenon. In the third part of the course as a central issue will be treated the pattern of sentences and valency of the other types of words (especially adjectives and nouns).
-
[MCGR1040]
[6 ECTS]
Authors and Classical Works of German Speaking Countries
It is expected extensive knowledge and understanding of the terminology of German literature through the centuries from the period from XV to XVII century. Is expected to apply their literary knowledge and understanding in their occurrences, processes and works of the period from XV to XVII century. Collection, evaluation and interpretation of relevant data and information within the German literature of the German literature period mentioned above will be examined. Discussions of German literature from this period and working with specific examples from selected authors will be realized. Students will develop learning skills that are relevant and necessary for the further education of their own in the German literature of the above-mentioned period. This course includes: reading literature, literary analysis, preparation of written and oral theses of papers and discussion regarding the most developed scientific literature on the most eminent authors (with selected works), from the German speaking countries from late medieval German literature and the classic literature epoch (medieval age: Hartman von Auer, Volfram fon Eschenbach, Gottfried von Strasburg, from renaissance until 18 h century: Grifius, Grimmelshausen, Viland, Goethe, Schiller, Heine, Büchner, Kleist, Novalis, Tik, Hoffman, Aeichendorf, Arnim, Brentano, Hajne, Keller, Stifter, Meier, Hebel, Hauptmann; Fontane).
-
[MCGR2040]
[6 ECTS]
Developmental Tendencies of Contemporary German Language
The German language is in progression. If there were no changes, it would be a dead language. This course aims to familiarize students with the latest tendencies of the German language as seen from different aspects. In addition to the issues in the field of language change will be discussed the issues and standards of language. Meanwhile it will discuss the most important changes in the field of morphology, syntax and German vocabulary. Will be put attention also to some selected topics such as. words borrowed from English in modern German and actual use of language in selected areas of communication (language in advertising, language in the media). Theoretical introduction will be practically demonstrated and encouraged by reports.
-
[6 ECTS]
General Elective Course
- [EGL-505] Introduction to Methodology and Techniques of Research writing
- [EGL-503] Contemporary German Literature
- [EGL-506] Acquisition of German as Foreign Language
- [CGL-403] Civilization of the German - Speaking Area
- [EGL-405] Language Policy in EU
- [EGL-602] Error Analysis
- [MCGR3020] Pragmatics
- [MCGR2010] Sociolinguistics
- [MCGR3011] Theories of Language Acquisition
Semester 4
-
[MCGR4010]
[30 ECTS]
Master Thesis
This module enables students to transfer their skills and knowledge to research and carry out more complex tasks related to their master thesis. The module is designed to be fully practical and students to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to approach writing the thesis. The module has unique return result-to enable students to write the master thesis with minimal difficulties, and with maximum efficiency. The course aims to improve research techniques and style of writing the paper, taking into account the prevention of the usage of illegal means, such as plagiarism and infringement of copyright, which are prohibited by the Statute of SEEU.