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GER10140

Academic Year 2026/2027

Reading German Literature (GER10140)

Subject:
German
College:
Arts & Humanities
School:
Languages, Cultures & Linguis
Level:
1 (Introductory)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Siobhan Donovan
Trimester:
Autumn
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This is a level 1 module for students of German (non-beginners) or any students with German who are interested in and would like to read German-language literature in the original. All students should have taken Honours German in the Leaving Certificate OR reached at least level A2 on the Common European Framework of Reference.
The module aims to introduce students to the reading and analysis of short literary texts in German (poetry and short prose) and, in the process, further their language learning.
Students will be guided in the reading process and learn to develop questions in order to comprehend the historical context, plot, themes and characters. They will be given the tools to analyse the texts for their rhetorical effect, narrative strategies and stylistic features. They will also be introduced to key aspects of academic writing, including referencing, academic style and academic integrity.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:
- Read, comprehend and enjoy short German-language texts, summarising and analysing their main themes, characters, stylistic and rhetorical features in English
- Differentiate the main features of short literary genres (poems and short stories)
- Develop a catalogue of questions to aid their comprehension and analysis of short literary texts
- Demonstrate awareness of the role that historical context plays for literary texts
- Understand more readily short mini-lectures in German
- Write a close analysis in English of a short literary text, in an appropriate register and style
- Collaborate with another student to give a short class presentation (in English) discussing an allocated literary text not previously studied
- Write creative responses in German to literary texts

Indicative Module Content:

The module is divided into 4 different thematic blocks:

- Language and communication
- Relationships and conflict
- Growing up, ageing, issues of identity and gender
- Heimat: belonging, inclusion and exclusion

The focus is on short literary texts (prose and poetry) from different historical periods up to the present day, but mainly the 19th and 20th centuries, all written by a range of authors from the German-speaking countries. Strategies to develop and practise close reading and analysis will be employed, and we will look at the different stylistic and rhetorical features in the texts. We will also be doing some short pieces of creative writing as responses to the texts.
All of the texts and supporting material including guiding reading questions will be made available on Brightspace.


UNESCO highlights a set of key competencies that support individuals in their development and support society in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UCD has adapted these competencies and is combining them with others to form a general framework of learning competencies. This module will help you develop the competencies below to the levels specified. 
Learning Competency Additional Information Level

Collaboration

 The ability to learn from others; to understand and respect the needs, perspectives and actions of others (empathy); to understand, relate to and be sensitive to others (empathic leadership); to deal with conflicts in a group; and to facilitate collaborative and participatory problem solving. Novice

Critical Thinking

 The ability to question norms, practices and opinions; to reflect on one’s own values, perceptions and actions. Novice

Systems Thinking

 The ability to recognize and understand relationships; to analyse complex systems; to think of how systems are embedded within different domains and different scales; and to deal with uncertainty. Novice

Strategic

 The ability to collectively develop and implement innovative actions that further sustainability at the local level and further afield. Not addressed

Integrated Problem Solving

 The overarching ability to apply different problem-solving frameworks to complex sustainability problems and develop viable, inclusive and equitable solution options that promote sustainable development, integrating the competencies in this list. Not addressed

Self-awareness

 The ability to reflect on one’s own role in the local community and (global) society; to continually evaluate and further motivate one’s actions; and to deal with one’s feelings and desires. Novice

Normative

 The ability to understand and reflect on the norms and values that underlie one’s actions; and to negotiate values, principles, goals, and targets, in a context of conflicts of interest and trade-offs, uncertain knowledge and contradictions. Novice

Anticipatory

 The ability to understand and evaluate multiple scenarios for the future – possible, probable and desirable; to create one’s own visions for the future; to apply the precautionary principle; to assess the consequences of actions; and to deal with risks and changes. Not addressed

Digital Literacy and Judgement

 The ability to access, evaluate, create and communicate information in digital environments; to engage critically, ethically and responsibly with digital technologies and digital information; to understand their opportunities, limitations, risks and impact on individual’s digital identities; and to exercise informed judgement in digital participation and decision-making. Novice

AI Literacy & Agency

 The ability to understand, critically evaluate and responsibly engage with artificial intelligence; to recognise how AI systems are shaped by human values; to assess their ethical, social and environmental implications; and to exercise human judgement, agency and accountability in AI-related contexts. Novice

Wellbeing

 Wellbeing is having the resources and skills to meet life's challenges, including attributes such as personal development skills, resilience, stress management, strengths, lifestyle skills, nutrition, physical activity, sleep, alcohol/substance use, academic skills, time management, goal setting, interpersonal skills, group work, communication. Novice

The United Nations identified seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as core to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and UCD contributes in general to SDG 4 Quality Education. Further SDGs explored within this module if relevant are listed below. A scale of 1 - 5 indicates the extent to which the SDG is covered.


Goal Name Description Coverage

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages 1

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 1

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 1

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 1
 

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Seminar (or Webinar)

22
Specified Learning Activities

38
Autonomous Student Learning

50
Total

110

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
In order to benefit from the learning experience, students need to attend both classes, participate actively in this module, and work consistently and independently outside of class time. It is important to use and engage with the material on Brightspace.

The module will be taught by a mixture of discussion-type task-based learning seminars in English with individual and group work during the Thursday classes, while the Friday classes will generally involve mini-lectures held in German that introduce the texts for the following week, outline concepts, strategies and context, and which are punctuated by activities and small pieces of creative writing in German.

Students will be given strategies for reading comprehension and tools for analysis, and provided with guiding questions and "survival vocabulary" to help unlock the texts in the original German. Comprehension and analytical skills will grow over the course of the module. Students will be given help and guidelines on writing essays and delivering presentations.

AI Use in this Module
AI may be used as a learning tool, where it benefits the learning process and within academic integrity guidelines.
The assignments will refer to the AI assessment scale in the Faculty Guidelines (this will be made available) that has been adapted by the Arts & Humanities Teaching & Learning Committee, modelled on the traffic-light scale (red, amber, green) that was initially developed by the AI Futures project: https://www.ucd.ie/artshumanities/study/aifutures/

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
GER10030 - Intro to German Literature


 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Commentary and critical analysis of poem (ca. 1,200 words in English), addressing specific questions. Submission by Wednesday 21 October at 18:00. Week 7 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
40
 No
Group Work Assignment: Presentation (in pairs) on an allocated (new) story, addressing specific questions. These will take place during the last Friday of week 12 (27 November), in a 2-hour class (13-15:00/14-16:00 tbc). Week 12 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
40
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: 5 short class quizzes on the primary reading in weeks 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 Week 4, Week 6, Week 7, Week 9, Week 10 Pass/Fail Grade Scale No
20
 No

As part of UCD's student support, under the Additional Consideration policy, extensions may be available for the following assessments in the module: Assignment (including essay/poster), Portfolio, Reflective Assignment, Report(s), and Individual Project.


Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Individual feedback will be provided for the essay. Students who wish to get some feedback or pointers for improvement prior to essay submission, must submit a draft or outline by a specified time. They may also choose to resubmit the corrected essay in week 12 and have tje chance to improve on the grade by up to max. 3 gradepoints (e.g. B- could become A-). Advice may also be sought on the group project beforehand and especially during the designated workshop class(es) set aside for this. Written feedback on the group project will be made available after the publication of results. All students must attend the final class where the projects are presented. They will also be required to give peer feedback.

No material needs to be purchased for this module.
All primary works (short stories and poems) will be made available in Brightspace and titles of relevant secondary material (available from the library) will also be communicated there.

Name Role
Dr Siobhan Donovan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Assoc Professor Gillian Pye Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Joseph Twist Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Fri 14:00 - 14:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Thurs 13:00 - 13:50
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