Dr Gabriele Schmidt
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Languages & Cultures School
This course extends the four macroskills (reading, writing, speaking and understanding German) developed in the four preceding semesters of German study.
Course requirements
Assumed background
The formal prerequisites for GRMN3010 are noted above. Students who do not fulfil those prerequisites, but who have an equivalent knowledge of German (e.g. from equivalent formal prerequisites gained interstate or overseas, or from residence in a German-speaking country) are permitted to enrol in GRMN3010, but they must consult the course coordinator beforehand.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
GRMN2020
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
GRMN2110
Course staff
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Public holidays:
Alternative arrangements for affected students will be announced through the Blackboard site.
Class allocation:
In order to optimise the student experience, it may be necessary to reallocate students to a different class from their first choice. Before this happens, every effort will be made to enable students to voluntarily change into an alternative class that is suitable. Please note: Teaching staff do not have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need
help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you email hass.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full name,
- Student ID, and
- the Course Code
Additional information and support can be found here .
Classes for this course will not be recorded. Students should note that regular attendance at classes, active participation in classes, conscientious preparation for assessment tasksﾠand careful evaluation of "feedback" (e.g. of work which is marked and returned) are essential to successful language learning.
Aims and outcomes
GRMN3010 is based on a variety of written and audio-visual textsﾠdealing with contemporary Berlin, and with aspects of life in the city since the 1920s. Students will be required to comprehend and analyse these texts, to synthesise information from them, and to express opinions about them.
The course also draws on the written texts for the explicit teaching of various grammatical structures (the comparative and superlative of adjectives and adverbs; adjectival, participialﾠand "weak" nouns; the imperative; prepositional compounds with da(r)- and wo(r)-, and extended noun modifiers). Students' written and spoken work (especially the ongoing film summary described in Sections 5.1 and 5.5 below) will be analysed by the course co-ordinator to determine where further systematic grammaticalﾠteaching is required.
In all the above,ﾠGRMN3010 aims firstly to extend students' understanding of Berlin and its place in the German experience,ﾠand secondly to build on the German language skills which students developed in GRMN2010 and GRMN2020 (NB that the co-ordinator of GRMN3010 also co-ordinates those courses), in particular to improve students' accuracy, fluency and stylistic range in writing and speaking.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
comprehend reasonably sophisticated texts "im O-Ton" with a high degree of accuracy
LO2.
produce written German that is reasonably accurate grammatically, and "fit for purpose" communicatively
LO3.
produce spoken German that is reasonably accurate grammatically, and "fit for purpose" communicatively
LO4.
develop an argument in written German by synthesising information and opinion
LO5.
develop an argument in spoken German by synthesising information and opinion
LO6.
demonstrate some knowlege of issues in German culture since the 1920s, particularly as reflected in Berlin
LO7.
proceed to effective German language learning at a higher level
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essay/ Critique, Portfolio |
Written Portfolio
|
25% |
Draft of Reading 1 - Week 4, Thu 5:00 pm Draft of Reading 2 - Week 5, Thu 5:00 pm Draft of Reading 4 - Week 6, Thu 5:00 pm Draft of Reading 5 - Week 7, Thu 5:00 pm Draft of Reading 6 - Week 9, Thu 5:00 pm Draft of Reading 7 - Week 10, Thu 5:00 pm Draft of Reading 8 - Week 11, Thu 5:00 pm Draft of Reading 9 - Week 11, Thu 5:00 pm Final Portfolio Submission - Week 13, Fri 5:00 pm
Students must select 4 of the readings discussed and submit a draft on the dessigned week to receive feedback. ALL 4 final versions are due on Friday 5pm in WEEK 13 (to be submitted as one document). |
| Examination |
Reading Comprehension
|
25% |
Week 6, Wed 6:00 pm |
| Examination |
Grammar
|
25% |
Week 11, Wed 6:00 pm |
| Presentation |
Individual Interview
|
25% |
Exam week 1 Mon - Exam week 1 Fri
Students sign up for a timeslot. The student's assigned timeslot will be considered the due date and time for this assessment. |
Assessment details
Written Portfolio
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique, Portfolio
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
Draft of Reading 1 - Week 4, Thu 5:00 pm
Draft of Reading 2 - Week 5, Thu 5:00 pm
Draft of Reading 4 - Week 6, Thu 5:00 pm
Draft of Reading 5 - Week 7, Thu 5:00 pm
Draft of Reading 6 - Week 9, Thu 5:00 pm
Draft of Reading 7 - Week 10, Thu 5:00 pm
Draft of Reading 8 - Week 11, Thu 5:00 pm
Draft of Reading 9 - Week 11, Thu 5:00 pm
Final Portfolio Submission - Week 13, Fri 5:00 pm
Students must select 4 of the readings discussed and submit a draft on the dessigned week to receive feedback. ALL 4 final versions are due on Friday 5pm in WEEK 13 (to be submitted as one document).
- Other conditions
- Longitudinal.
Task description
A portfolio made up of 4 writing tasks of no more than 1,000 words in total (roughly: 250 words each) completed over the course of the semester. These tasks will closely follow the comprehension texts studied in class and will be posted on Blackboard following completion of class discussion of the comprehension text in question.
How the Portfolio is compiled:
- Each student submits a writing task of approximately 250 words following discussion of the comprehension text in class. Students do not need to write on each comprehension text treated in class but are asked to select four that interest them over the course of the semester. Students submit a preliminary draft in response to their chosen texts to the lecturer within two weeks of the last class discussion in each case. Drafts submitted more than two weeks after the discussion of a particular text in class will not be considered unless an approved extension is in place.
- The lecturer will provide feedback on each of the four writing tasks. Students are required to use this feedback to complete a final version of the writing task in each case. Texts that have not first been submitted to the lecturer cannot be presented in the portfolio. Only one round of feedback will be provided on each draft.
- The assessment of the portfolio will be partly based on the student's capacity to respond to the feedback provided on the preliminary draft and partly in terms of the accuracy and stylistic features of the final product.
- Students are reminded that the portfolio must be prepared independently without the help of a tutor or supporter.
STATEMENT ON AI & MT
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Final Portfolio should be submitted as a single WORD document via TurnItIn on the GRMN3010 Blackboard site.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
This assessment is designed to foster reflective engagement with each lesson's topics and class discussions, supporting students in consolidating their understanding progressively throughout the course. This timeframe ensures that students experiencing unexpected challenges have sufficient flexibility while maintaining the integrity of the course schedule. It also allows assessors to provide timely feedback before subsequent tasks are due, ensuring students remain on track with their learning progression.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Reading Comprehension
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
Week 6, Wed 6:00 pm
Task description
This assessment examines students' comprehension of the reading texts in the course materials dealt with up to and including Week 5 of teaching. Monday's class in Week 6 prior to the exam will be used for revision. This exam lasts a maximum of 90 minutes (no reading time), and will be completed in the second class meeting in Week 6.
STATEMENT ON AI & MT
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
In-class exam
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Grammar
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
Week 11, Wed 6:00 pm
Task description
A range of response tasks to assess students' command of the grammar structures treated in the course (up to and including Week 10).
This assessment task lasts a maximum of 90 minutes (no reading time), and will be completed in the last two hours of the scheduled class in Week 11.
STATEMENT ON AI & MT
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
In-class exam
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Individual Interview
- Identity Verified
- Online
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
Exam week 1 Mon - Exam week 1 Fri
Students sign up for a timeslot. The student's assigned timeslot will be considered the due date and time for this assessment.
- Other conditions
- Student specific.
Task description
Questions and answers in German on stimulus material, including the feature film Der schöne Tag. Questions in the interview refer only to the materials dealt with in the last two weeks of teaching. Students are interviewed individually for a maximum of 12 minutes during the exam period. Sign-up sheets will be made available early in Week 12.
STATEMENT ON AI & MT
This assessment task is to be completed online. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
Students sign up for a timeslot.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Student has extreme difficulty in comprehending the course content, and in discussing the relevant isssues comprehensibly in formal and informal German. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Studentﾠhas considerable difficulty in understandingﾠtheﾠcourse content, and in discussing the relevant issues comprehensibly in formal and informal German. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: Student has difficulty in understanding the course content, and in discussing the relevant issues comprehensibly in formal and informal German. ﾠ |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Student demonstrates an adequate comprehension of the course content, and can discuss the relevant issues comprehensibly in formal and informal German. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Student demonstrates an adequate comprehension of the course content, can discuss the relevant issues comprehensibly in formal and informal German, and performs at a high standard in at least one respect (e.g. through insightful analysis of texts). |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Student usually demonstrates the ability to comprehend the course content fully, to discuss the relevant issues with insight, and to speak and write formal and informal German with grammatical accuracy, appropriate vocabulary, conversational fluency and/or good pronunciation. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: Student consistently demonstrates the ability to comprehend the course content fully, to discuss the relevant issues with insight, and to speak and write formal and informal German with grammatical accuracy, appropriate vocabulary, conversational fluency and/or good pronunciation. |
Additional course grading information
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
A reader with all course materials will be made available on Blackboard.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Tutorial |
Reception and Production In a course at this level, where it is important to respond to students' strengths and weaknesses as they emerge in the course of teaching, it would be academically unwise to set down a rigid schedule of classroom activities before teaching begins. However, the course materials make clear which reading texts and (to a significant extent) which grammatical topics will be dealt with, and in which order. In the first nine weeks, teaching will typically begin with comprehension and discussion of a reading text, followed by grammatical instruction and practice, followed by work with the audio-visual materials. As the semester develops, attention will be devoted to linguistic issues which emerge from students' work both in class and in homework exercises, partly with an eye to the grammar test. Weeks 12 and 13 will be devoted to the film "Der schöne Tag" with the aim of moving from comprehension and recapitulation to analysis and expression of opinion; the work done in Weeks 12 and 13 will be examined (together with linguistic competence) in the oral interview. |
Additional learning activity information
Students should note that regular attendance at classes, active participation in classes, conscientious preparation for assessment tasksﾠand careful evaluation of "feedback" (e.g. of work which is marked and returned) are essential to successful language learning.
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.