University of St. Thomas
INGR 601
Syllabus German Business: Current Events Daily Schedule

Course Description:

Prerequisite: INGR 600 or equivalent and the ability to read German newspapers and understand spoken German as used in classroom lectures on economics and business.

An analysis of daily news reports, corporate reports, and corporate news releases from Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein and Switzerland pertaining to the business/economic climate of those nations. The reports are selected from the Internet, newspapers, magazines, and satellite television and radio. The readings, commentaries by the instructor and the classroom discussion are in German language. Students develop in addition to the current vocabulary of German business and economics, an understanding of the current climate of business and economics, the many abbreviations and acronyms used in that context, the interrelationship of business and government, the interaction of the German speaking nations in Europe with the other nations of the EU, and the economic interaction with the world at large. Students gain background in the history of the German speaking nations as it affects the operations, constraints, psychology, and regulation of business and economics today. Course Objectives: The objectives of the course are to give students the cultural knowledge and the linguistic experience needed to gather information efficiently and accurately in German from the electronic and print media as pertains to business interaction with Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein as well as to interact successfully in business situations involving persons from those nations. Teaching Methodology: The approach to instruction involves the familiarization of the students with the information sources listed above and their use. Each class is taught in an electronic classroom which features the availability of the Internet, projection systems, e-mail, audio reproduction systems, and satellite radio and television access. Students are given reading/listening/viewing assignments from the various media available. This is accomplished by (1) library assignments on specific articles in the print media and (2) Web assignments on specific articles during class meetings but also (3) augmented assignments via e-mail on the other four days of the week pertaining to materials not yet published at the time of class meetings, and (4) real time or recorded materials from satellite broadcast media, and (5) Web assignments based on the materials posted by the instructor. All readings, discussions and comments by the instructor are in German. The instructor realizes the goals and includes the topics indicated in the sections above through the selection of the readings/listenings/viewings and through guidance of the discussion and comments.

Required Textbooks: Students are not required to purchase a textbook for this course. Materials used include:

  In the Library:

Newspapers: Die Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Handelsblatt, Die Zeit.
Magazines: Capital, Der Spiegel, Stern, Wirtschaftswoche

   Through the Internet: The directory of Internet Resources (World Wide Web) is located at: http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/paschons/language_http/german/Index.html
(A print out of the directory pages is attached for your reference.)

  Live Television and Radio Broadcasts via Satellite:
Instructions as to times of transmission and local access possibilities will be presented in class.

   Radio Via Internet:
Instructions will be given in class as to how to access German radio via the Internet.

Readings, Problems and Cases: See: "Required Textbooks" (above).

Use of Technology in the Classroom: The Internet will be used extensively both in class and for assignments. The classroom is electronic allowing for in class use of the Internet as well as various forms of audio programming and video programming. There will be access to live German television and radio transmissions as well as a variety of taped audio and video programs. The use of CD-ROMS and CD-Audio/visual is also available. E-mail will be used extensively for communication outside of class hours. Students will receive daily information on German history and current events at home or office locations.

Outcomes Assessment:

Minimal Linguistic Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to read and evaluate business materials in the daily press and in business documents with efficiency and accuracy of understanding. They will be able to understand and evaluate spoken commentary on general business/economic issues with ease and understanding. They will be able to comment on general business issues and engage in conversation in German on such issues. In their spoken German they will, indeed, make grammatical, structural and some lexical errors, but will be readily understood by a native speaker without significant disruption of communication. They will be able to write German, but with frequent error. A native speaker will be able to understand their written German readily, but will notice the shortfalls.

Minimal Outcomes in Cultural Knowledge:

Cultural knowledge in this context refers to knowledge of the specific business cultures of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein but also to the general cultural history of those nations as it has impact on the current business climate.

Business Culture:

Students will identify and have some knowledge about specific business at the various size categories, and in the various industrial branches. They will have familiarity with the largest corporations. They will be familiar with current trends in the area of merger, finance, management, marketing, government relations, international marketing and acquisition, taxes, labor relations, and the influence of the domestic, European and international economic fluctuations. They will be able to discuss these issues with confidence. They will be familiar with, use, and evaluate the reliable sources of such information on an ongoing basis and be able (linguistically and intellectually) to access and comprehend such information, be it from print sources or electronic sources. They will recognize and have knowledge of the background of leading individuals in business in the Germanic region.

General Culture:

Students will be able to analyze the following areas which have impact on business and the ways of doing business in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein: geography, economic geography, history, social patterns, government, and transportation. They will have at least a general survey understanding of literature, art, music, philosophy and film.

Course Structure: The course is based on the current materials indicated in the section above entitled "Required Textbooks". Materials are assigned and evaluations made as indicated below. Since this is a course in current events, it is impossible to know ahead of time exactly which items will be critical, what will change, or where the emphasis will be. The course will however emphasize the informational and linguistic areas mentioned in the section above entitled "outcomes assessment" Those areas will be emphasized in the selection of articles assigned and in the instructors supplements to the news items covered.

Description of Major Assignments: Each week students will be assigned specific articles from the German press. They are expected to read these articles, analyze them and be prepared to discuss them in German at the next class session. Important articles which appear between classes will be assigned via e-mail. Students are also encouraged to read additional articles, listen to and watch the news on German radio and television and bring that information into the classroom discussion.

Exams: There will be a written examination every fourth meeting during the course of the semester. These examinations will take the form of general topics covered during the previous weeks of the semester. Students will be expected to write in German a exposition and analysis of each of the topics. The examination will present 10 topics from which each student must choose 5 for exposition and analysis.

Grading Policy: Regular grades fall under the following categories:
A = excellent; B = competence; C = minimally satisfactory; F = failure; I = incomplete; W = withdrawal.

Grade points are determined on the following basis:

A 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.3
B 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.3
C 2.0
C- 1.7
F 0.0
I 0.0
W 0.0


Incomplete grades are given only under extraordinary circumstances.

Components of Grades:

Examinations 60 %

Classroom discussion 40 %

Language use 50%

content 50%

Attendance Policy: Since the class meets only once weekly, each class is a significant portion of the entire course. Students are expected to attend all class sessions and participate fully. In the case of serious health problems, family emergency or work conflicts, please notify the instructor as soon as possible. When class must be missed, it is the students responsibility of learn from other students or from the instructor what materials were assigned and distributed and prepare the information for the following class. The student must arrange with the instructor to take on additional work to compensate for the class period missed. Any missed examinations must be completed within two weeks of the date of the examination.

Instructors Biography: The instructors biography is available on the Internet at: http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/paschons/language_http/BACKGROUNDS/BIOGRAPHY.HTML
or it may be accessed from the directory page used for this course.

Professor Paul A. Schons has taught German at the University of St. Thomas since 1967. Prior to coming to St. Thomas he had taught in high schools in Gaylord, MN and Colorado Springs, CO. He holds a B.A. from the College of St. Thomas, an M. A. from the University of Colorado, and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He has also studied at the University of Trier, Germany, the University of Innsbruck, Austria and the Carl Duisburg Gesellschaft, Cologne, Germany.

Dr. Schons is frequently a Guest Professor at the University of Paderborn, Germany, the University of Freiberg, Germany and the University of Leipzig, Germany. He has also lectured at the Fachhochschule, Trier, Germany and the International Business Schools in Lippstadt, Germany and Malente, Germany.

His specialized areas include, German for business and economics, the German opera, German literature and German philosophy. He has published articles and books in each of these areas.

He was chairman of the Department of Foreign Languages at the University of St. Thomas for 15 years. He served for 14 years as the director of language and culture for the St. Thomas graduate program in international management. He is Editor of Der Minnesota Staatsbrief, The Electronic Staaatsbrief, Die MinnesINFObahn, and the MLTHE electronic news service.

Access: Detailed and constantly updated instructor access information is available at: http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/paschons/language_http/german/schedule.html

Reference List: See the directory page on the Internet or consult the print out of that directory attached. See also the section entitled "Required Textbooks".

Academic Integrity:
Students are obliged to refrain from acts that they know of, under the circumstances, have reason to believe, will impair the integrity of the university. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, unauthorized multiple submissions, knowingly furnishing false or incomplete information to any agent of the university for inclusion in academic records, and falsification, forgery, alteration, destruction, or misuse of official university documents or seal.

Class Meetings:
Class meets from 6:00 to 9:00 on Thursdays.