German 3331

German 3331: German for International BusinessMcDaniel Home Page

Course Information Course Description

A review and expansion of practices of German business and German language as used in the tourism industry, international trade, intercultural conduct, international banking, taxes, social security, the structure of industry, advertising, trade fairs, exhibitions, dealing with environmental problems, etc.

Doing your homework (written or otherwise) is absolutely vital. You must be prepared for every class. Read the assigned texts and study the vocabulary prior to the meeting time. A review of grammatical structures will be given when needed.

Required Texts and Reading Materials

Clay, Gudrun: Geschäftsdeutsch: An Introduction to Business German, Second edition [New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995.] Book with Cassette (Bookstore)
German-English; English-German dictionary (Bookstore)
Supplemental articles from German business magazines (provided by the instructor)

Honor Code: The college’s honor code will be strictly enforced. Students must sign the honor pledge on all assignments and tests, and write it on all essays. The honor pledge is posted in every classroom.

Please join the German Club and/or support it and the German House by attending
cultural events sponsored by both.

How time flies!

Time management is crucial for every college student.
Plan your week ahead of time. Learn to say NO!
to people and the temptation of college
life when you have assignments due.

Prioritize!

Grading

Projects & Essays
Chapter Tests
Homework Assignments
Daily Preparations & Class Participation
Final examination TOTAL 25%
25%
20%
10%
20%
100%

Requirements:

Attendance: Regular attendance is essential for academic achievement. Therefore, attendance is mandatory. Two unexcused absences will lower the final grade by 3%, three by 6%, four by 9%, and so on. Excused absences are at the discretion of the instructor. Absences caused by college-related activities are excused only if the instructor in made aware of them in advance.

Projects & Essays:Each student will complete four projects, give oral reports to the class in order to share the results of these projects, and submit each report as a 2-page written essay. Each essay must be typed (double-spaced). Essays are due on the same days the projects are due. Topics and due dates are:

Project 1 – February 5: Design an ad for an American product of your choice for German-speaking consumers.
Project 2 – March 12: Prepare a profile of a German, Swiss, or Austrian corporation (not a bank). You can instead prepare a report on a specific branch of German, Swiss, or Austrian industry.
Project 3 – April 9: Prepare a profile of a German, Swiss, or Austrian bank.
Project 4 – May 5: Choose a single (global or local) environmental problem, discuss it and offer practical solutions for it.

Chapter Tests: You will have six (6) chapter tests based on the material studied. Missed chapter test will not be made up and will be recorded as zero unless a valid excuse is presented to the instructor. The chapter test with lowest grade will be dropped.

Homework Assignments: Doing your homework (written or otherwise) is absolutely vital. Specific written assignements (H1-H11) will be collected on a regular basis. See the daily plan below for exact dates. Missed homework will not be made up and will be recorded as zero unless a valid excuse is presented to the instructor.

Daily Preparations & Class Participation: Daily preparations and active participation in class discussions and daily preparation is absolutely vital to academic growth. You must have read the assigned pages for the day and you should prepare the vocabulary and assigned exercises.

Final Exam: There will be a final exam in the week of May 13-17. The final exam will cover selected materials studied in the semester.

Important: Do not ignore problems. Ask questions. Do not fall behind. Complete all required readings on time. Be active in your class participation and in work with a partner or a group. Send me an e-mail or call me for an appointment.

Changes to all aspects of this syllabus are at the discretion of the instructor.

This web page has been designed by: Dr. Mohamed Esa, mesa@mcdaniel.edu