SPRING 2025 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

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Fall 2025 Courses

Courses for First-Year Students

Looking for a unique seminar make your first year at Carolina thrilling? Look no further!

GSLL 76 – First-Year Seminar: Uncharted Territory: Underworlds in Literature and the Visual Arts.

This course examines concepts and representations of underworlds in literature and the visual arts from the ancient world to the Middle Ages and Renaissance to modernity. Our journey will take us to the realms of the afterlife as well as into the abyss of the human psyche and the shady areas of underground criminal activities. We will explore how the desire to know the beyond has triggered people’s imagination, inspired literary and artistic traditions.

IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FY-SEMINAR, FC-AESTH or FC-PAST.
Prica. TTH 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM.

IDST 122 – Humans and the Cosmos

An interdisciplinary introduction to some of the most essential and exciting debates about humanity’s relationship to the universe. We explore such topics as the beginning of existence, the nature of time, contact with the supernatural world, and predictions about the end of all things–from the perspective of philosophy, physics, history, and related disciplines.

IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: Triple-I.
Trop, Worthen, Drut: TTH 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM.

Beginning, Intermediate, & Advanced Language Courses

Interested in learning BCS, Czech, Dutch, German, Polish or Russian. These courses are for beginners as well as intermediate and advanced language learners.

BCS 404 – Advanced BCS.

Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction started in BCS 403.
Kuzmic. TTH 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM.

 

DTCH 403 – Intermediate Dutch

A continuation of Dutch 402, building on the essential elements of the Dutch language, focusing on grammar, reading, writing, and conversational skills. Prerequisite: DTCH 402 or equivalent.
Completion of DTCH 403 fulfills level 3 of a foreign language.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: GLBL-LANG.
Thornton. MWF 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM.

 

GERM 101 – Elementary German I

Develops the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing) in a cultural context. In addition to mastering basic vocabulary and grammar, students will communicate in German about everyday topics.
001: Staff. MW 12:20 PM – 1:10 PM and TR 12:30 PM – 1:10 PM.
003: Staff. MW 11:15 AM – 12:55 PM.
004: Staff. MW 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM and TR 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM.

GERM 102 – Elementary German II

This continuation of GERM 101 emphasizes speaking, listening, reading, writing in a cultural context. Students enhance their basic vocabulary and grammar and will regularly communicate in German about everyday topics.
Prerequisite: GERM 101 or permission of instructor.
001: Strietholt. MW 10:10 AM – 12:00 PM.
002: Staff. MW 9:05 AM – 9:55 AM and TR 9:00 AM – 9:50 AM.
003: Staff. MW 10:10 AM – 11:00 AM and TR 10:00 AM – 10:50 AM.
004: Staff. MW 11:15 AM – 12:05 PM and TR 11:05 AM – 11:55 AM.
005: Staff. MW 12:20 PM – 1:10 PM and TR 12:30 PM – 1:20 PM.

GERM 203 – Intermediate German I

Students acquire necessary materials and opportunities to develop further their language skills in a cultural context. They review and expand upon the basic grammar covered in beginning German.
Prerequisite: GERM 102 or permission of instructor.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: GLBL-LANG.
001: Aksin. MWF 10:10 AM – 11:00 AM.
002: Aksin. MWF 11:15 AM – 12:05 PM.

GERM 204 – Intermediate German II

Emphasizes further development of the four language skills (speaking, reading, writing, listening) within a cultural context. Discussions focus on modern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in literature and film.
Prerequisite: GERM 203 or permission of instructor.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH.
001: Strietholt. MWF 9:05 AM – 9:55 AM.
002: Strietholt. MWF 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM.

 

GERM 301 – Advanced Applied German: Life, Work, Fun

Introduction to present-day German-speaking societies with an emphasis on practical contexts of everyday life (business, media, culture). The course initiates a sustained reflection on class, gender, race, and political economy and prepares students for studying and interning in German-speaking Europe. Further goals include improvement of pronunciation and the mastery of grammar.
Prerequisite: GERM 204 or permission of instructor.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-GLOBAL or FC-KNOWING, COMMBEYOND.
Making Connections Gen Ed: CI, NA.
Staff. TTH 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM.

 

GERM 302 – Advanced Communication in German: Media, Arts, Culture

Introduction to contemporary German society, emphasizing sustained reflection on family structures, class, gender, race, demography, and the political economy of present-day Germany.
Emphasis is on advanced communication and writing based on shorter readings from contemporary life and culture in German-speaking societies. The readings provide subject matter for in-class discussion and regular written compositions that explore a variety of practical genres (report, article, essay).
Prerequisite: GERM 204 or permission of instructor.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-GLOBAL, COMMBEYOND.
Making Connections Gen Ed: SS, CI, NA.
Wilke. MWF 11:15 AM – 12:05 PM.

 

GERM/BUSI 305 – Business German

As a continuation of GERM 304 the course offers a more advanced treatment of the current German economic and business debates and events while further strengthening relevant German language skills.
GERM 304 not required.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-GLOBAL, COMMBEYOND.
Making Connections Gen Ed: NA.
Crosslist: BUSI 305
Aksin. MW 3:35 PM – 4:50 PM.

 

GERM/BUSI 307 – German for Educational and Community Engagement

The goal of this course is to enrich students’ knowledge of German by giving them the opportunity to teach introductory German lessons to students at a local partner institution. In preparation for teaching, students will learn about current best practices in foreign language pedagogy by engaging with foundational texts from the discipline as well as from invited guest speakers. Students will also gain first-hand experience designing teaching materials and learning about curricular design.
Readings in English, coursework in German.
Prerequisite: GERM 204 or permission of instructor.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: HI-SERVICE, COMMBEYOND.
1 credit hour.
Aksin. F 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM.

PLSH 402 – Elementary Polish II

Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction in PLSH 401. Course emphasizes speaking, listening, reading, writing in a cultural context. Students enhance their basic vocabulary and grammar and will regularly communicate in Polish about everyday topics.
Prerequisite: PLSH 401 or permission of instructor.
Majewska. MWF 9:05 AM – 9:55 AM.

PLSH 404 – Intermediate Polish II

Continuation of the proficiency-based instruction begun in elementary Polish, continued.
Prerequisite: PLSH 403 or permission of instructor.
Majewska. MWF 10:10 AM – 11:00 AM.

 

RUSS 102 – Basic Russian Communication II

Further basics of Russian for everyday conversations. Continues to lay the foundation for development of four language skills (speaking, writing, listening, and reading) indispensable for communication on everyday topics in a variety of situational contexts. Fosters further interaction through acquisition of essential communicative and conversational strategies active in contemporary standard Russian through culturally relevant materials.
Prerequisite: RUSS 101 or permission of instructor.
001: McGarry. MWF 10:10 AM – 11:00 AM and T 10:00 AM – 10:50 AM.
002: McGarry. MWF 1:25 PM – 2:15 PM and T 1:30 PM – 2:20 PM.
003: McGarry. MTWF 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM.
004: McGarry. MTWF 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM.

 

RUSS 204 – Intermediate Russian Communication II

Transitional skills for fluent speaking, writing, listening, and reading for intermediate learners. Furthers learners’ competency for communication on everyday topics. Prepares learners for communication on subjects beyond their immediate needs. Expands interactive skillset necessary to maintain conversations and present individual opinions using complex structures. Employs adapted and non-adapted learning materials to promote mastery of contemporary standard Russian.
Prerequisite: RUSS 203 or permission of instructor.
Making Connections Gen Ed: BN, CI.
001: Magomedova. MWF 11:15 AM – 12:05 PM.
003: Chernysheva. MWF 1:25 PM – 2:15 PM.

 

RUSS 410 – Intermediate-to-Advanced Russian Communication, Conversation, and Composition in Context II

Hones skills necessary for advanced communication, conversation, and composition. Presents phonetics and grammar in contemporary cultural context. Learners expand their practical knowledge of contemporary standard Russian in the context of present-day culture, while developing applied skills pertaining to comprehension, production of, and communication in Russian actively using authentic cultural materials.
Prerequisite: RUSS 409 or permission of instructor.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-GLOBAL.
Making Connections Gen Ed: BN.
Chernysheva. MWF 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM.

 

RUSS 412 – Advanced Communication, Conversation, and Composition in Contemporary Standard Russian II

Prepares advanced learners of contemporary standard Russian for communication with educated native speakers of the language in the area of their professional competence. Furthers interactive skills for speaking, writing, listening, and reading in a variety of communicative situations pertaining to the learners’ professional expertise.
Prerequisite: RUSS 411 or permission of instructor.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: COMMBEYOND.
Magomedova. MWF 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM.

 

RUSS 516 – Advanced Russian Communication, Composition and Grammar in the Professions II

A continuation of RUSS 515, RUSS 516 develops and maintains the linguo-cultural skills of advanced-to-professional learners by preparing them for professional study-abroad experiences at Russophone institutions of higher learning. A seminar-style course with rotating instructors, it engages learners in contemplation, research, and discussion of subjects within the instructor’s professional expertise. Readings, viewing materials, and discussions in Russian.
Prerequisite: RUSS 515 or permission of instructor.

IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: RESEARCH, COMMBEYOND.
Making Connections Gen Ed: BN, EE-Mentored Research.
Chernysheva. MWF 3:35 PM – 4:25 PM.

Undergraduate English-Language Seminars & Lectures

GSLL offers a wide range of English-language seminars on culture, literature, film and philosophy from the Germanic and Slavic world. No matter how high or low the course number is, these English-language seminars are equally challenging and equally rewarding.

GERM 227 – Luther and the Bible

This course explores the profound impact of the Reformation on religious, political, social, and economic life, and how its ideas continue to resonate today. Focusing on German literature from the late 15th to the late 17th century, the course examines texts that illustrate the Reformation’s influence on modernity. Drawing from songs, carnival plays, pamphlets, Bible translations, and dramas, the course is interdisciplinary and appeals to students in international studies, history, and religious studies. Weekly sessions will cover primary texts alongside selected chapters from Lyndal Roper’s Martin Luther: Renegade and Prophet.
Readings and discussions in English.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-KNOWING or FC-PAST.
Making Connections Gen Ed: HS, WB.
Von Bernuth. MW 1:25 PM – 2:15 PM.
Crosslist: RELI 227
Recitation Required:
601: Staff. F 1:25 PM – 2:15 PM.
602: Staff. F 2:30 PM – 3:20 PM.
Optional LAC Recitation Session: See GERM 388.

 

GERM/CMPL 263 – European Exile Cinema

The Nazis’ rise to power in 1933 forced many Jewish and politically engaged directors into exile in other European countries, as well as the Americas. We will trace the geographic and artistic trajectories of some of the most influential directors (Fritz Lang, Billy Wilder, Max Ophüls, Douglas Sirk) from their last films in Germany across countries including France, Italy, and the U.S. to ask:
• What sense does it make to speak of a director as author of his films? How does a biography of exile relate to so called auteur theory?
• What are the histories and theories of exile and exile cinema?
• How do we link film style to the director, how to the historical, social and political conditions including exile, and how to questions of genre and production?
Readings and discussions in English.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH.
Making Connections Gen Ed: VP, NA.
Crosslist: CMPL 263
Pollman. MWF 1:25 PM – 2:15 PM.

 

GERM/CMPL 279 – Once Upon A Fairy Tale: Fairy Tales and Childhood, Then and Now

(Magic Kingdoms: From the Romantic Imagination to Disney World.)
Kings and queens, princesses and knights, witches and magic spells—these things immediately spring to mind when we hear the word “fairy tale.” But when and how did this genre come into being? How did it develop over time and what transformations did it undergo on its way to the present? This course explores the history of fairy tales from their initial ”discovery” in the Romantic period around 1800 to their ongoing popularity in the early 21st century. We will study literary texts, theoretical and philosophical writings, visual artworks, and movies from the Grimm Brothers to the Disney Imperium and examine the reasons for the cultural fascination that these stories have maintained over the past two hundred years.
Readings and discussions in English.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH or FC-KNOWING.
Making Connections Gen Ed: LA, NA.
Crosslist: CMPL 279
Wilke. MW 9:05 AM – 9:55 AM.
Recitation Required:
601: Staff. F 9:05 AM – 9:55 AM.
602: Staff. F 10:10 AM – 11:00 AM.

 

GSLL 255 – Germany and the Cold War: Occupation, Division, Reunification, Renewed Conflict with Russia (1945-Today)

This course investigates the central role played by the “German question” in the break-up of the wartime alliance, the emergence of East-West political blocs, the subsequent dissolution of the USSR, and the return to new Russian-Western antagonisms.
Readings and discussions in English.
Making Connections Gen Ed: HS, GL, NA.
Pike. TTH 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM.

 

GSLL 273 – Close Your Eyes and See a Film: The Documentary in Central Europe

Aesthetic experiment, agit-prop tool, and instrument of social critique: documentary film is a versatile and ever-evolving form. In the Socialist Bloc, documentary was supported by the state but often used to undermine state power. This course is a survey of Polish, Czech, Yugoslav, Hungarian, and Ukrainian documentary film. We will explore studio productions alongside home movies, amateur films, and experimental art films. Should documentary films simply record reality, or can they change reality too?
Readings & discussions in English.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH or FC-CREATE.
Making Connections Gen Ed: VP, BN.
Rose. TTH 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM.

 

RUSS 277 – Love, Sex, and Marriage in Soviet Culture

A fascinating and unorthodox perspective on Russian literature, history, and culture of the 20th century, this course surveys the themes of love, sex, and marriage as they developed from Revolution and Civil War to industrialization and GULAG, World War II, post-Stalinism, the period of “stagnation,” and, finally, Perestroika.
Readings and class discussions in English.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH or FC-PAST.
Making Connections Gen Ed: LA, BN.
Lapushin. TTH 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM.

 

RUSS/CMPL 282 – Russian Literature in World Cinema

Survey of masterpieces of Russian literature in the context of their transcultural cinematic adaptations.
Lectures and readings in English.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH.
Making Connections Gen Ed: LA, BN.
Crosslist: CMPL 282
Shvabrin. TTH 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM.

Undergraduate Seminars Taught in the Target Language

Check these seminars out if you’ve already achieved advanced-level proficiency in German or Russian.

GERM 303 – German Literature and Culture

Readings, discussions, and essays in German. An appropriate conclusion to GERM 101-204, it also provides the background for more advanced undergraduate literature and culture courses.
All texts and class discussions in German.
Prerequisites or concurrent courses: GERM 301 or GERM 302
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH or FC-PAST.
Making Connections Gen Ed: LA, CI, NA.
Langston. TTH 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM.

 

GERM 388 – Languages Across the Curriculum: Discussion Section in German. Luther and the Bible

(No co-registration with GERM 277 required.)
This course will explore the legacy of the Protestant Reformation on modern life in German speaking lands. It will introduce students to writings, music, and films, that that represent the diverse religious movements that began with the Reformation.
Readings and class discussions in German.
Prerequisites: Germ 204, or permission of the instructor.
1 credit hour. May count toward the major or minor in German.
Von Bernuth. F 12:20 PM – 1:10 PM.

 

GSLL 489 – Languages Across the Curriculum: Discussion Section in Russian. The Russian Historical Imagination

(No co-registration required.)
Read, analyze, and discuss Russia’s Romantics, Realists, Anarchists, Revolutionaries, and Reactionaries!
Readings and class discussions in Russian.
Prerequisite: RUSS 204, or permission of the instructor.
1 credit hour. May count toward the major or minor in Russian.
McGarry. Time TBD.

 

RUSS 415 – Introduction to Russian Literature
Reading and discussion of selected authors in Russian aimed at improving reading skill and preparing the student for higher level work in Russian literature.
Readings and class discussions in Russian.

IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH.
Making Connections Gen Ed: LA, BN.
Magomedova. MWF 10:10 AM – 11:00 PM.

Dual-Level Seminars Taught in English

Dual-level seminars are designed for advanced undergraduates and graduate students.

CZCH/CMPL 469 – Milan Kundera and World Literature

Read Milan Kundera’s novels in and against the canon he considered to be his literary home: Franz Kafka, Robert Musil, Miguel Cervantes, and more. This course traces Kundera’s literary path from his communist poetic youth to his later postmodern Francophilia. Kundera’s idiosyncratic literary world map will guide us through the historical transformations that shaped modern Europe.
Readings and class discussions in English.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH.
Making Connections Gen Ed: LA, BN.
Rose. TTH 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM.
Crosslist: CMPL 469

 

GERM 416 – The Viking Age

An interdisciplinary exploration of Scandinavian culture from 750-1050 CE. What can we know about this long-ago time of heroes and marauders? Archeology, literature, and history all help answer this question.
Readings and discussions in English.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-PAST.
Wolverton. MWF 11:15 PM – 12:05 PM.

 

GERM 444 – The Origins of Radical Thought

This course examines the historical conditions governing the emergence of radical thought in the nineteenth century with an emphasis on the German context. It will analyze some of the boldest thought experiments of the period–whether conservative or revolutionary, ideologically right or left–by following an intellectual itinerary from Hegel to Marx. We will then interrogate the consequences of this trajectory for contemporary theory and culture.
Readings and discussions in English.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-PAST or FC-VALUES.
Trop. TTH 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM.

 

GERM/JWST 556 – Language Remains: Exploring the German-Jewish Dialogue. 3 Credits.

This course investigate the unique situation of Jews in German-speaking lands concentrating on the extraordinary intellectual and literary legacy of the “German-Jewish dialogue” before and after the Holocaust.
We will explore questions of belonging and difference, study the work of some of the great practitioners of German writing from Heinrich Heine to Elsa Lasker-Schüler, Franz Kafka, Hannah Arendt, and Paul Celan, and focus on the way in which these writers reflected on their relation to the German language as European Others.
Readings and discussions in English.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH or FC-POWER.
Making Connections Gen Ed: LA, NA.
Crosslist: JWST 556
Nester. TTH 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM.

 

GSLL 465 (JWST 465/PW AD 465) – Literature of Atrocity: The Gulag and the Holocaust in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

Historical contexts and connections through artistic representation of the Holocaust and Soviet terror in Eastern Europe and the USSR.
Readings and discussions in English.
Making Connections Gen Ed: LA, BN, GL.
Crosslist: JWST 465 and PWAD 465
Pike. TTH 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM.

 

RUSS 465 – Chekhov

In addition to the study of Chekhov’s major works, this course analyzes the relationship between his texts and their various adaptations on stage and screen.
Taught in English; some readings in Russian for qualified students.
IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH or FC-PAST.
Making Connections Gen Ed: LA, BN.
Lapushin. TTH 12:30 PM – 1:45 PM.

 

RUSS/CMPL 477 – Wicked Desire: Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita, on Page and Screen

Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita (1955) became a global phenomenon due to its unflinching portrayal of pedophilia. This course will delve deeper into the novel’s moral complexity, its international context, and its reflection in mass culture, including movies by Stanley Kubrick (1962) and Adrian Lyne (1997).
Taught in English; some readings in Russian for qualified students.

IDEAs in Action Gen Ed: FC-AESTH.
Making Connections Gen Ed: LA, NA.
Crosslist: CMPL 477
Shvabrin. TTH 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM.

Carolina-Duke Graduate Level Courses

These graduate-level seminars are taught by Carolina and Duke faculty on topics pertaining to German Studies.

GERM 714 – Foundations in German Studies I

First part of a three-semester sequence offering students a comprehensive, text-based survey of German literary history from the High Middle Ages to the present. The course introduces students to medieval German language, literature, and culture.
Readings in English, German and Middle High German. Discussions in German.
Permission of the instructor for undergraduates.
Von Bernuth. MW 3:10 PM – 4:25 PM.
Carolina Campus.

 

GERM 866 – Gender & Sexuality in German Film: From Weimar to the Present

In this seminar, we will watch seminal films by directors from every era, and representing both East and West Germany including Richard Oswald, Josef von Sternburg, Reinhold Schünzel, Wolfgang Staudte, Rainer Werner Fassbinder and Helma Sanders-­‐Brahms. For the period of 1945-­‐1989, we will watch four West German films and three East German films so that we may gain a good understanding of both Germanies during this period. Readings of influential texts from the fields of German studies, history, film studies, feminist film theory, queer and transgender studies will aid our approach to these films and aid seminar participants in contextualizing these films within German (film) history and in considering what their engagement with gender and sexuality means for their respective historical moments.
Taught in English.
Crosslist: CMPL 866.
Layne. TH 4:40 PM – 7:10 PM.
Carolina Campus.

 

GERM 866 – Melancholia

Throughout its history, the concept of melancholy has been intimately tied to both insanity and genius, as well as creativity and listlessness. From Aristotle’s juxtaposition of a preponderance of black bile with human greatness, through the medieval association of religiosity and spiritual despair, to the interrelation of sadness and the lack of political agency in the 17th century, and the contrast between 18th-century sentimentalism and the rule of reason, this seminar will examine the historical variability of melancholy as it relates to works of visual art and literature, as well as philosophical, religious, psychological, and medical discourses from French, German, Italian and English-speaking Europe. Emphasis will be placed on German literature from the Middle Ages to the 20th century and on exploring the inherent melancholy of its modes of imagination, expression, and representation.
Readings in German and English, class discussions in English.
Crosslist: CMPL 866.

Prica. M 4:40 PM – 7:10 PM.
Carolina Campus.

FALL 2025 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Beginning, Intermediate, & Advanced Language Courses

UKRN 401 – Elementary Ukrainian I

Proficiency-based instruction at the elementary level that develops the four language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing). In addition to mastering basic vocabulary and grammar, students will communicate in Ukrainian about everyday topics.
Making Connections Gen Ed: FL.
Staff. TTH 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM.