Culture Courses
- Lecture number
- 042023j
- Semester
- Autumn semester 2023
- Type
- Language course
- Registration deadline
- 01/14/2024
- Maximum number of participants
- 18
Events
Description
Target group:
Exchange students and international students of the EUF with at least German B2 knowledge.
This course is mandatory for all incoming students from our partner universities.
Course content
How do you correctly address professors at German universities? What does a formal e-mail at the university look like? How do I prepare a consultation with a lecturer when I want to discuss the subject of my term paper in their office hours?
Communication at university is somewhat different in every country. It is based on invisible values, norms and role expectations. This course aims to raise your awareness of such cultural and linguistic differences.
Also, the required examinations differ. A typical examination performance at German universities is a PowerPoint presentation. Here, too, there are cultural differences in structure and style. The term paper ("Hausarbeit") is also typical for Germany. With the help of text samples and writing exercises you will work on the characteristics and terminology of the German academic language and learn which formal aspects you have to pay attention to when structuring an academic paper.
There are also differences between academic cultures when it comes to incorporating sources into scientific texts. You will learn how to avoid unintentional plagiarism caused by citation errors by writing your own small term paper during this course.
Contact hours: 8 h compact course and then 2 h/week
Exam:
- Attendance min. 80% (max. 6 h absence)
- Active participation
- 2 graded homework assignments
- 1 presentation
- 1 test (Moodle)
- 8-page term paper (will be written in the course)
Workload: 75 h
- 30 h attendance
- 30 h self-study and homework
- 15 h exam preparation and exam
ECTS (Incomings): 3
Literature
Die Kursmaterialien werden von der Lehrkraft zur Verfügung gestellt.Registration
- Lecture number
- 042033j
- Semester
- Autumn semester 2023
- Type
- Language course
- Registration deadline
- 01/14/2024
- Maximum number of participants
- 18
Events
Description
Target group
Exchange students and international students of the EUF with at least English B2 knowledge.
This course is mandatory for all incoming students from our partner universities.
Course content
How can professors at German universities be addressed correctly? What does a formal e-mail at the university look like? How do I prepare a conversation with a lecturer if I want to discuss the subject of my term paper?
Communication at the university is different in every country. It is based on hidden values, norms and role concepts. To avoid problems due to cultural and linguistic misunderstandings, we offer you this course.
An important element of academic culture in Germany is so-called "best academic practice". It describes what qualitatively and ethically good research work and teaching is. Plagiarism is therefore severely sanctioned in Germany. This course teaches you how to avoid plagiarism and how to quote correctly.
This course also includes working with and on the German academic language, dealing with the following questions: What vocabulary and language structures are common in the academic language and communication at German universities? How does an "scientific style" express itself in speaking and writing?
Using text examples and writing exercises, you will develop the characteristics and means of speaking the scientific language German, get to know the most important rules and conventions of citation and get an overview of the various types of sources.
In addition, you will learn standard structures for scientific texts on the basis of text examples and learn which formal aspects you must pay attention to.
A course thrives on people meeting each other. It is therefore particularly important that you participate actively on a regular basis and are well prepared.
Semester hours: 2 SWS
Exam: Five homework tasks and a final paper (about 8 pages)
In the final paper you show that you have learnt how to structure a typical German “Hausarbeit” or term paper, that you know how to quote properly and avoid plagiarism.
Workload:
- 30 teaching units face-to-face
- 30 teaching units of self-study and homework
- 15 teaching units writing the exam paper
ECTS (Incomings): 3
Literature
Course meterial will be provided by the educator.