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GER30260

Academic Year 2026/2027

German Romanticism (GER30260)

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

Curricular information is subject to change.

The German Romantic movement (ca. 1770s to the 1850s) is one of the most innovative and creative periods in German intellectual and cultural history. This module will provide students with an overview of the main ideas within German Romanticism through the work of some its key protagonists, with a particular focus on the areas of theory, literature and painting. The movement will also be contextualised as the product of immense political, social, intellectual and cultural upheaval and revolutions. Students will also be invited to engage critically with some of the texts and ideas discussed in the module in a transcultural and transmedial way with a creative project focusing on Romanticism's contemporary relevance (or lack thereof).

The module will be delivered in the form of interactive lectures, and seminars for the discussion of texts. All primary texts are widely available for free. We will discuss the texts in their original German and supplementary material provided in lectures will also be in German.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this module, students will be able to:
- demonstrate detailed understanding of the key ideas and themes of German Romanticism
- place German Romanticism in its political, cultural, social and intellectual contexts
- undertake research about the topic, using primary and secondary sources
- reflect on the contemporary relevance of German Romanticism
- analyse poetry, prose and paintings

Indicative Module Content:

Introductory sessions putting Romanticism into context; discussion of the key theoretical aspects of the movement; analysis of poetry, prose and painting from the period; discussion of key themes, such as aesthetics, politics, religion, nature, the supernatural, and the movements engagement with other cultures.

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. Advanced Beginner

Critical Thinking

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

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. Not addressed

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. Advanced Beginner

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. Not addressed

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. Novice

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. Not addressed

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. Not addressed

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

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

9
Seminar (or Webinar)

12
Specified Learning Activities

70
Autonomous Student Learning

30
Total

121

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Interactive lectures to provide contextualisation; in-class discussion of texts after guided anlaysis; work on a creative project of your choosing. The module will be guided by the ethos of Universal Design for Learning.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade Component repeat (in-module) Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Essay of 2500 words. Week 15 Graded No
70
 No
Student Negotiated or Choice of Assessment: A project (either independently or in pairs) that creatively engages with text(s)/ideas/concepts discussed in class. Students are free to choose the form of their project. Week 7 Graded No
30
 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
Yes
 

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

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will be given formative feedback during in-class discussions. Students will be given written feedback after assessment and the opportunity for oral feedback, if desired.

Novalis, Heinrich von Ofterdingen
Ludig Tieck, Der Runenberg
Friedrich Schlegel, Selected Texts
Selection of Romantic poems

Name Role
Dr Siobhan Donovan 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 Mon 11:00 - 11:50
Autumn Seminar Offering 1 Week(s) - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 Wed 12:00 - 12:50
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