Department of Germanic StudiesTSM Handbook 2011-2012
UNIVERSITY OF DUBLIN
Trinity College
DEPARTMENT OF GERMANIC STUDIES
TSM HANDBOOK
2011-2012
School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Department of Germanic Studies
TSM Handbook 2011-2012
Table of Contents
General Departmental Information 5
TSM German: General Information15
Junior Freshman (First Year) 19
Senior Freshman (Second Year)27
Junior Sophister (Third Year)39
Senior Sophister (Fourth Year)43
Quick reference:
Departmental Executive Officer contact details: 3
Individual teaching staff contact details 4
Who can I turn to? (Which member of staff deals with a particular issue?)7-8
Procedure for submitting assessed assignments 13
List of assessments and deadlines 14
List of SF/JS Seminars in 2011-2012 32
Foundation Scholarship (‘Schol’) in German 38
Department of Germanic Studies
Trinity College Dublin
On behalf of all our colleagues, we would like to welcome you, or welcome you back, to the Department of Germanic Studies!
This handbook applies to all students taking German within the Two Subject Moderatorship. It is meant as a guide and reference point to make your work on this degree programme as informed, effective and enjoyable as possible, by setting out the course structures, the examination and assessment patterns, what is expected of you, and the academic and personal support available to you. Please retain for future reference.
Caitriona Leahy, TSM Coordinator, 2011-2012
Moray McGowan, Head of Department
Departmental Office: Room 5065, Level 5, Arts Building
Telephone: (00 353 1) 8961373
Fax:(00 353 1) 8963762
E-mail:
Executive Officers:Ms Natalie Wynn, Ms Amanda Hopkins
Office Hours (Mon-Fri):posted on office door
The information provided in this course handbook is accurate at time of preparation. Any necessary revisions will be notified to students via e-mail. Please note that in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between the General Regulations published in the University Calendar and the information contained in course handbooks, the provisions of the General Regulations prevail.
Please note that a Word copy of this handbook can be provided on request to the Department of Germanic Studies office in Room 5065, or by e-mailing
Staff in the Department
Name
/Room
/Tel
/Professors:
Moray McGowan
/5066
/(896) 2415
/(Head of Department 2011-12)
Jürgen Barkhoff
/5069
/(896) 1210
/Gillian Martin
/5071
/(896) 2329
/Caitríona Leahy
/5070
/(896) 1107
/Clemens Ruthner
/5068
/(896) 1935
/Peter Arnds
(Comparative Literature andLiterary Translation)
/5072
/(896) 1501
/Lecturer:
Dr Helen O’Sullivan / 4112 / (896) 1451 /Departmental Language Instructor:
Ms. Katrin Eberbach
/5090
/(896) 3469
/Austrian Lektorin:
Ms. Karin Staufer
/5089
/(896) 3188
/DAAD Lektorin:
Ms. Petruta Tatulescu
/5089
/(896) 3188
/Fachlektorin in Law:
Dr Bilun Müller
/Hse 39
/(896) 1997
/Lecturer in Business German:
Ms. Brigitte Morrogh
/5090
/(896) 3469
/Dutch Lector:
Ms. Alice Schutte
/4112
/(896) 1451
/Dutch Harting Scholar:
Ms. Anne Rutten
Prof. Timothy Jackson
/25.1
/(896) 1589
/Dr. Gilbert Carr
/25.1
/(896) 1589
/General Information
The Department of Germanic Studies, along with the other departments of modern languages, is part of the School of Languages, Literatures and Cultural Studies within the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. It is involved in several graduate (MPhil) degree programmes, and has research students pursuing MLitt and PhD degrees. Members of the Department are actively involved in research, spanning a wide range of topics in literary and cultural studies, cultural history, intercultural communication, historical and applied linguistics. Full profiles are given on the Departmental website.
The Department contributes to six undergraduate (BA) degrees:
Business Studies and GermanBSG
Computer Studies, Linguistics and German CSLG
European StudiesES
Germanic LanguagesGL
Law and GermanLG
Two Subject Moderatorship TSM
College and Departmental Terminology
The following abbreviations are commonly used in College.
Years
Junior Freshman (1st year)JF
Senior Freshman (2nd year)SF
Junior Sophister (3rd year)JS
Senior Sophister (4th year)SS
Terms& Semesters
Michaelmas Term (Semester 1)MT
Hilary Term (Semester 2)HT
Trinity Term (Examinations)TT
There are two 12-week semesters, equating to Michaelmas Term and Hilary Term. Each semester has a study week: Week 7. Annual examinations are held in Trinity Term. Supplemental examinations take place in late August/early September.
Dates 2011-2012
On the timetables the terms are indicated by week numbers, counting from the first week of statutory term in September. Statutory terms are longer than teaching terms, and are generally not of relevance to undergraduate students. The week numbers are given in brackets after the teaching term details below:
Michaelmas Term (5 - 16)26 September to 16 December
Hilary Term (21 - 32)16 January to 6 April
Trinity Term is not a teaching term: it consists of three weeks of revision, followed by four weeks of examinations.
Marking System
In Trinity, the following system is used in marking exams and assessed work. The words in brackets indicate how each grade is pronounced when said aloud.
I (first) 70 - 100
II.1 (two-one or upper second) 60 - 79
II.2 (two-two or lower second) 50 - 59
III (third) 40 - 49
F1 30 - 39
F2 0 - 29
The letter F in the last two marks stands for fail.
Guide criteria for awarding marks and classes
Full details of criteria for awarding marks and classes can be consulted and/or downloaded in the document entitled ‘Criteria for awarding marks’from the departmental website at
Please note that the criteria vary according to the different skills being tested and the type of examination.
Who to turn to 2011-2012
If you have questions about a particular module, you should in the first instance approach the module lecturer: for example, questions about the JF literature module should be addressed to Dr Leahy. If you feel that your query is broader and relates to a particular component of the course, e.g., JF German language, then talk with the lecturer who looks after that component, e.g. for JF German Language it would be Frau Eberbach. If your query relates to a particular year of study, then talk with the year co-ordinator: for example, the JF year co-ordinator is Frau Eberbach. Finally, if your query concerns a particular programme of study, e.g. TSM, BSG, then contact the course co-ordinator: for TSM, that would be Dr Leahy.
Courses / Modules / StaffBESS JF/SF Course Co-ordinator / Dr Martin/Ms Morrogh
BSG Course Co-ordinator / Dr Martin (MT)/Prof. Barkhoff (HT)
CSLG Course Co-ordinator / Dr Martin (MT)/ Ms Eberbach (HT)
European Studies Course Co-ordinator / Dr Ruthner
Germanic Languages Course Co-ordinator / Dr O’Sullivan
Law & German Course Co-ordinator / Dr Martin/Ms Eberbach
TSM Course Co-ordinator / Dr Leahy
GR1000/GR1001 JF German Language / Ms Eberbach
GR1010 JF Area Studies / Prof McGowan
GR1011 JF Literature / Dr Leahy
GR1012 JF Textual Analysis / Dr O’Sullivan
GR1003 Business German / Dr Martin (MT)/Ms Morrogh (HT)
GR1004 BESS German 1 / Ms Morrogh
GR1005 / Dr O’Sullivan
GR2000 SF German Language / Dr Ruthner
GR2010 SF German Cultural Studies / Dr Ruthner
SF/JS Seminars / Dr Leahy
GR2003 Business German / Dr Martin (MT)/Ms Morrogh (HT)
GR2004 BESS German 2 / Ms Morrogh
GR3000 JS TSM Language / Dr Leahy
GR3011 Author and Society / Dr Ruthner
SF/JS Seminars / Dr Leahy
GR4001 SS German Language / Ms Eberbach
GR4000 SS German Translation / Prof McGowan
GR4013 Business Case Study / Dr Martin
GR4038/GR4041 / Dr Ruthner
SS Options / Relevant module lecturer
GR4021 & GR4023: SS Dutch / Ms Schutte
Other Contact Information
Breakdown of marks / transcripts / Executive OfficerCareers Liaison (GradLink etc) / Dr Martin
DAAD Scholarships / Ms Tatulescu/Dr Martin (MT) & Prof Barkhoff (HT)
Departmental Committee: Chair / Prof. McGowan
Departmental Committee: Secretary / Dr O’Sullivan
Disability Liaison / Ms Eberbach
Drama Group / Ms Staufer
Examinations Officer / Dr Martin (MT)/Prof Barkhoff (HT)
Harassment Officer / Ms Tatulescu
Head of Department / Prof McGowan
PAD Placements / Dr Leahy
Peer Tutoring / Ms Eberbach
Postgraduate Studies / Prof McGowan
Safety Officer / Ms Schutte
Socrates: ES / Dr Ruthner
Socrates: BSG / Dr Martin (MT)/Prof Barkhoff (HT)
Socrates: LG / Ms Eberbach/Dr Müller
Socrates: TSM / Dr Leahy
Exchange Konstanz / Dr Leahy
Spoken German (Filmabend, Stammtisch) / Ms Eberbach/Ms Tatulescu/Ms Staufer
TAP Liaison / Dr Martin
Timetable / Prof McGowan
Web Maintenance / Ms Eberbach
Student and Staff Commitments
What we expect from you
•Alertness to information. You must check departmental noticeboards regularly, as alongside e-mail this is our most important way of communicating with you. At the beginning of the year it is sensible to check the boards daily.
•Regular attendance at all classes. You are required to attend at least two-thirds of all classes, and to submit two-thirds of all required homework in any given term. If you fail to meet this requirement you may be recorded Non Satisfactory (NS), in which case you will asked to explain your poor attendance and a note will be placed on your College record. Students who are recorded NS in two consecutive terms may, at the discretion of the Department and the Senior Lecturer, be barred from taking examinations. During Hilary term, the NS form will be completed after the study week, i.e., after Week 7.
•Notification of absence. If you are ill for more than a few days, you should give a copy of a clearly dated medical certificate to the departmental Secretary. If you are absent for other reasons such as family illness, bereavement, etc., you are advised to see your tutor in order to avoid being recorded NS.
•Work handed in on time and submitted according to the departmental regulations. It is essential that you hand in all homework and assessed work on time. The most important deadlines and regulations for submission of assessed work are given in this handbook. However, it is your responsibility to be aware of the deadlines, plan your work appropriately, and follow the procedures set out at List of Assignments 2011-2012below. This is to ensure that your rights are protected in the event of work being mislaid. For this reason it is important that you hand in assessed work officially, and not by pushing it under doors. The Department takes no responsibility for work that is handed in or left in the office without signing and counter-signing. In case of accident or loss, all students should keep hard and disk copies of all assessed work.
•Work handed in late without an acceptable explanation (e.g. medical certificate) is subject to a penalty, which is normally 10%. If the work is more than one week late it may not be marked, and a mark of 0 will be returned. Failure to submit assessed work at all usually results in automatic failure of the year: check the regulations for each year and course.
•Student data. It is important for us to have accurate and current information on all students so that you can be supplied with references, receive correspondence from the Department, and so on. At the beginning of each academic year you should visit the departmental Secretary and check that she has your current address and phone number, and that you are listed for all the courses you intend to take. Please note that for organisational reasons e-mail correspondence with students can only take place via College e-mail addresses.
•The Student Charter. This aspirational document agreed between the College Board and the Students’ Union sets out what students can expect in terms of fairness and equality. You should have received a copy of this document at registration: if not, you can obtain a copy from the Students’ Union, House 5.
What you can expect from us
Clear and full information. We endeavour to provide you with clear and full information about all courses in which the Department is involved, about exams, and about other matters relating to the academic life of the Department. There are five main sources of information that you should consult:
•The College Calendar, which is the official and binding statement of all regulations governing College life, and which is published annually with the approval of the College Board. Copies can be accessed in all College libraries and in the Departmental office (5065) or at
•This Handbook, and separate handbooks dealing with the year abroad.
•The Departmental Committee(see below).
•The Departmental Website:
•The Noticeboards, organised by year-group, in the corridor next to the Departmental Office. Students should consult them regularly.
It is your responsibility to check all notice boards regularly and carefully.
Work marked and returned. Written language work handed in on time will normally be returned within a week. With essays and project work it will take longer, particularly when it counts for assessment. In this case work may be marked by two members of staff in order to ensure fairness and equality across markers. Please note that some assessed work is retained because it has to be available for examiners to discuss at end of year meetings and to be reviewed by the Extern Examiners. In this case students will have the opportunity to discuss their work with the main marker. Students are requested to hand in two copies of their work; one copy will form the basis for this discussion and will be returned to them.
Availability of members of staff. Members of staff have notices on their doors which indicate when they are available to see students.
Opportunities to put your point of view. We welcome constructive criticism, and will act swiftly if we become aware of legitimate problems. You have opportunities to voice such criticism through confidential questionnaires, on an individual basis and through your representative at the Departmental Committee. Thisis a forum for conveying information between students and staff and vice versa. It meets at least once per term. One elected representative from each year of each course may attend. The current Secretary of the Committee is the Executive Officer, and she should be approached with suggested agenda items.
Viewing examination scripts: The Department allocates one or two days after publication of the annual examination results when you can discuss your scripts with members of staff. For these dates, please consult
as both the scripts and the appropriate member of staff are normally only available on those dates.
What we can all expect
“Trinity College is committed to supporting the right of all members of the College community to work and study in an environment which is free from all forms of harassment, including sexual harassment and bullying” (College Policy Statement).
If you have any problems, get hold of a copy of the leaflet 'Preventing Sexual Harassment and Bullying' from the Students’ Union. The Department Harassment Officer is Ms Petruta Tatulescu ().
Books
Besides the books required for specific modules, you will need to obtain appropriate reference works to support your language learning. You should own at least one dictionary and grammar of German. We recommend Langenscheidt’s Großwörterbuch Deutsch als Fremdsprache and a bilingual dictionary such as The Collins German Dictionary. The recommended grammar is: Durrell, M. et al: Essential German Grammar (London: Arnold), 2002. You will need to buy this and bring it to all of your language classes. In later years, you should buy the latest revised edition of: Durrell, M., Hammer’s German Grammar (London: Arnold).
Photocopying
Since a great deal of the learning material for Germanic Studies takes the form of readers/ handouts, as against costly set texts, a one-off charge is levied on incoming JF students to cover the costs of photocopies made for them during their four year degree programme. For TSM and BSG students this charge is €80, for ES and LG €70, for CSLG €50, for BESS € 30, for visiting students €15.
The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) is an academic credit system based on the estimated student workload required to achieve the objectives of a module or programme of study. It is designed to enable academic recognition for periods of study, to facilitate student mobility and credit accumulation and transfer. The ECTS is the recommended credit system for higher education in Ireland and across the European Higher Education Area.
The ECTS weighting for a module is a measure of the student input or workload required for that module, based on factors such as the number of contact hours, the number and length of written or verbally presented assessment exercises, class preparation and private study time, laboratory classes, examinations, clinical attendance, professional training placements, and so on as appropriate. There is no intrinsic relationship between the credit volume of a module and its level of difficulty.
The European norm for full-time study over one academic year is 60 credits. The Trinity academic year is 40 weeks from the start of Michaelmas Term to the end of the annual examination period 1 ECTS credit represents 20-25 hours estimated student input, so a 10-credit module will be designed to require 200-250 hours of student input including class contact time and assessments.
ECTS credits are awarded only upon successful completion of the course year. Progression from one year to the next is determined by the course regulations. Students who fail a year of their course will not obtain credit for that year even if they have passed certain component modules. Exceptions to this rule are one-year and part-year visiting students, who are awarded credit for individual modules successfully completed.
Developing Study Skills
To keep on top of your work you need to develop good study skills. As part of your undergraduate study, we will be helping you to develop important soft or transferable skills such as planning, time management and multi-tasking so that you can manage your learning more effectively. These skills are life-skills and are as critical for study as they are for the world of work. When you are planning your study time, try to remember that for every hour of class, you should be doing at least two to three hours of private study (see ECTS). Take a look at the documents Study Skills and Enhance yourLanguage Learning on the Departmental website at
Writing Essays and Assignments: For advice on researching, planning and writing essays take a look at the document How to write an essay on the departmental websiteat
You should also read the paragraphs below on plagiarism very carefully.
Statement on Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as being ‘the wrongful act of taking the product of another person’s mind and presenting it as one’s own’ (A. Lindey, Plagiarism and Originality, 1952, p.2). It can arise from actions such as:
- copying another student’s work;
- enlisting another person or persons to complete an assignment on the student’s behalf;
- quoting directly, without acknowledgement, from books, articles, the internet, or other sources, either in printed, recorded or electronic format;
- paraphrasing, without acknowledgement, the writings of other authors;
Everyone gets a large proportion of their ideas from elsewhere: indeed you should make use of other people’s writings. However, it is important that you distinguish clearly between your own words and the ideas and words of someone else. Direct quotations must be indicated by quotation marks and an indication of the source, with a page number and a reference traceable through your bibliography. When you paraphrase someone else’s work, it is enough to indicate the source, with a page number and a reference to the bibliography. The bibliography should list all the works you have consulted, not only those that you quote from. Including a work in the bibliography is not sufficient: you must indicate the source of any quotation or paraphrase in the body of your work.