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This page contains information about the Department of German and ancillary services, a short note on extracurricular activities in the Department and a list of links to all the web pages pertaining to the Handbook. The Guidelines page contains information about the marks used and guidelines on student progression. There are also guidelines for essay writing, oral class presentations and writing literary commentaries. Much of the information is of particular relevance to new students, but may serve as a useful reminder to others.
For details of staff visit the staff page
There are currently three postgraduate research students in the Department, and approximately 200 students on full-time undergraduate courses: Single Honours German, Modern Languages (German and: Czech, French; Italian; Portuguese; Russian; or Spanish), Joint Honours (German and: Drama; History of Art; Music; Philosophy; or Politics), Law and German, and History with Study in German.
The Department also has Erasmus student exchange programmes with the Universities of Berlin (HU), Graz (Austria), Hannover, Heidelberg, Kiel, Leipzig, and Marburg.
Getting to know the building: do this as soon as possible, making sure you find out well in advance where to go for lectures and classes. In 21 Woodland Road, as in the other adjacent houses, a room number beginning with G means ground floor, room 1.xx is on the first, 2.xx the second floor. Lecture Room 8 is behind the German Department, through the open area used as a student common room. Toilets are on the ground and first floors.
Department of German Reading Room. Room G107, situated on the ground floor opposite G108, has been designated to serve the needs of students in the Department of German for a quiet place in which to work between lectures, tutorials and seminars. It contains a satellite TV where students can view the broadcasting of news or current affairs programmes from a German-speaking country, and a basic collection of texts and reference books for students' perusal, but which must be returned to the shelves after use.
Lecture and seminar rooms (G108 and G102) in the Department may also be used for private study when not occupied by classes, but food and drink must not be taken into these rooms.
SMOKING IS FORBIDDEN throughout the building.
Mobile telephones must be kept SWITCHED OFF while in the building.
The School Office, located at the rear of 17 Woodland Road, is the administrative centre and houses all student and departmental records.
Students are required to register at the beginning of each session, giving details of their Bristol and home addresses, the names of their personal tutors, and the units to be taken during the session. Students will also be asked to submit to the Office a copy of their timetable. These details will be transferred to the student record files, and are referred to when the Office communicates with students. It is vital, therefore, that all students notify the School Office of any change of their Bristol or home addresses and of any changes in their timetable or unit registration.
The addresses of students in the Department are confidential for security reasons and no address will be disclosed to anyone without the prior permission of the student concerned.
Contacting the School Office: all students must notify the Student Services Administrator (at the above telephone, fax or email address) of any absences from compulsory teaching caused by illness or other circumstances. The School Office staff are available to answer students' queries and will take telephone messages for members of staff.
Finding the learning resources: if you have not done so already, go to the Arts and Social Sciences Library and learn how to use the catalogue and find books, etc, and acquaint yourself with the Computer Centre next to the Library and the Arts Faculty Computer Laboratory in the basement of 13 and 17 Woodland Road.
Facilities for independent study of languages are available in the Language Centre. The facilities consist of a Reading Room, an Audio-visual Room and a Computer Room. The Reading Room offers books, cassettes and videos at all levels in a range of languages. There is also a quiet-study area with newspapers and magazines in several languages. The AV Room offers cassette players for students to listen to cassettes and record themselves, and Satellite TV offering many European channels. In the Computer Room students are able to develop their skills, working with the latest interactive multimedia language packages, and using the Internet allows access to authentic language through specially selected links relevant to the language courses on offer.
In addition to the facilities, a full-time language adviser is available to offer guidance in the choice of materials, study methods and technical support.
The self-access facilities are open Monday to Friday from 9.00 am to 6.00 p.m. and are located in the basement of the Language Centre, 31/32 Tyndalls Park Road.
Each year the Department may award prizes for outstanding performance or promise. The following are a selection of prizes that may be available.
These will be advertised on the notice board. Videos, films, visiting speakers, German TV news, etc. are arranged for your benefit by the teaching staff or by the German Society. This Society deserves your support and needs your involvement. Why not help plan its programme to suit your tastes and interests? The highlight each year is usually the drama production, an experience all the more memorable and rewarding if you become actively involved!