ドイツ語German

Course content

1. Intensive Course

Courses for students who wish to study German intensively. There are three Intensive courses: Intensive 1-3 (referred to as G1, G2, and G3). Intensive course 1 is for complete beginners. There are no course requirements, and anyone interested in German language is welcome. Students learn German four times a week, which covers one lesson using our original learning materials including the "Modelle" textbooks, the accompanying videos, and audio materials. At SFC, we put an emphasis on actively using German, so we do not study classic literature in the Intensive course. The emphasis is on learning to communicate as much as possible with the expression and vocabulary one has at the time, and to acquire the skills to persuade others and build consensus. In Intensive 3, in particular, we have online joint classes regularly with university students in Germany, which give SFC students the opportunity to grow communication skills while using German they have learned.
After completing Intensive 3, students will be able to talk about various situations and topics and express their own opinions relating to their fields of interest, such as politics, economics, society, history, and culture. They will also have sufficient German language skills to participate in the short-term study abroad program held at universities or educational institutions in German-speaking countries.

2. Basic Course

This course is designed for students who want to learn German at a slower pace. The Basic course class meets twice a week, whereas the Intensive course class meets four times a week. We recommend this course to those who don't have the time to dedicate four class periods per week to learning German.
In the Basic course, students use the same "Modelle" textbooks as well as the accompanying video and audio materials as in the Intensive course. Students study one lesson divided into four class periods over two weeks. Therefore, by the end of Basic 1, students will have completed the first half of Intensive 1. After completing Basic 1, they will be able to move onto Basic 2. In Basic 2, students will go over the second half of Intensive 1. After completing Basic 2, they can continue learning German by taking Intensive 2.

3. Skill

The Skill course is designed to develop various German skills, and are an extension of the Intensive course. Students can take the course after completing Intensive 3.* This course aims to further develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills, and to improve communication skills and strategy (G4, G5**). Course contents include: class focusing on improvement of discussion and presentation skills; essay class; reading comprehension class; preparation class for study abroad courses.

*Students who passed the foreign language placement test may also take this course. The exception is "Preparation course for the short-term study abroad course" which may be taken concurrently with the Intensive or Basic course. **G4 and G5 offer two classes per week respectively. It is recommended that students take both classes as a set. The Skill course can be taken multiple times, but the lecturer's permission is required to retake G4 and G5 classes.

4. Contents (Lecture Course)

The Contents course is a combination of lectures and seminars, and is designed for students who have completed the Intensive course or taken the Skill course in the previous semester.* In these courses students are able to not only learn German, but also about various topics while having discussions in German. The classes are fully taught in German. Some examples of classes are: Media and Society, Regional Studies, Theory of Languages, Social Studies, Cultural Studies, and Society in Japan and Germany (Online Seminar), in which students work with German university students via video call.**

*Students who have passed the language placement test may also take these courses.
**Contents course can either be taken as "Language Communication Courses" or as "Lecture Courses" (Advanced Subjects). Select the appropriate subject code number when registering for the course.

5. Short-Term Study Abroad Courses

Short-term study abroad opportunities in German-speaking countries are offered twice a year during summer and spring breaks.
In the short-term study abroad course, rather than everyone going to the same location and studying in the same course, students select a host institution from a variety of choices including universities in German-speaking countries such as IIK, BerlinID, Carl Duisberg Center, and the Goethe Institute. Students submit an application, and then travel to the host institution by themselves. They take classes at the host institution while staying at a student dormitory or a youth hostel. Students are able to immerse themselves in the German language while abroad, allowing them to make leaps and bounds in their language abilities in a short period of time.
Since many will be going abroad alone for the first time, we offer a preparation class in the Skill course (Study Abroad Preparation Course in the 3rd period, Tuesday). Students who are planning on participating in the short-term study abroad program are able to receive support in this class.
Note that those who participate in these programs abroad can apply to receive credits for the courses "Study Abroad B" (2 credits) or "Study Abroad A" (4 credits).* Scholarships are also available.

*Students who participated in the study abroad program are eligible to register for "Study Abroad B" (2 credits) or "Study Abroad A" (4 credits) in the semester immediately after participating the program. To register for these courses, you are required to complete the followings before participating in the program: completing the "Study Abroad Preparation Course" in the Skill course, selecting a host institution that fulfills class hours stipulated by SFC, and receiving approval for participation in the study abroad program by the Committee Meeting. In order to acquire credits for "Study Abroad B" (or "Study Abroad A"), you are required to register for "Study Abroad B" (or "Study Abroad A") in the following semester and to submit the following three documents by the prescribed date.

1. - A copy of the transcript of academic record or certificate of participation issued by the host institution
2. - Study abroad diary (blog format)
3. - Report on fieldwork

6. Other

The German Lab is implementing a tandem learning system in collaboration with universities in the German world. Under the system, students on both sides are able to develop their language skills (German or Japanese) by working in tandem with students who speak the other language natively. In addition to tandem learning offered in Intensive 3, Tandem Plus is offered as a preparation for short-term study abroad programs or student exchange programs.
Fieldwork and internship opportunities in the German world are also available over summer and spring breaks. We strongly recommend it for those who have completed the study abroad program. In these programs, students conduct fieldwork such as on-site observation, interviews, and surveys to research a topic of their choice (e.g. environmental issues, urban planning, or design).
Students can also study at a university in the German world for one year through the student exchange program. Keio University currently has student exchange partnerships with over 30 universities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland at which students can study abroad. Applications open in late November every year. Some universities offer scholarship as well.

We encourage each student to take the advantage of these opportunities and achieve real fluency in German.

Class System Diagram

体系図

Course Registration Planning Model

Faculty members

Full-time faculty members

Ikumi Waragai
Ikumi Waragai

German language education, German literature, foreign language learning environment design

Andreas Meyer
Andreas Meyer

German language education

Part-time lecturers

コーディネートアシスタント（CA）

Marianne Kawabata