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More about Special EUROTECH Courses


Separate German sections for 1131, 1132, 1133 and 1134 are designated EUROTECH sections so that students in the program may get to know one another and may be introduced to technical vocabulary and material. However, the material covered in the EUROTECH sections does not differ very much from that covered in the other sections. If a section that is not designated EUROTECH fits your schedule better for any given semester, you can take it!

German 1131 & 1132 (Beginning German I & II): The German EUROTECH sections share the goals and methodology of regular 1131 and 1132 sections, that is, the material has to do with everyday living, basic grammar is presented, and the approach is communicative. In the EUROTECH sections, however, we try to cover materials that prepare you for dealing with engineering topics in German.

German 1133 & 1134 (Intermediate German I & II): These two courses are similar to the 1131 and 1132 courses in that their material, grammar and approach follow the same guidelines as the regular German classes. Just as in 1131 and 1132, the intermediate classes include material of particular interest to engineering students. It is also in this year that the students begin to work in the computer laboratory, finding German e-mail partners and working with interactive computer modules, such as the "Ottomotor" and the "Hubschrauber".

German 3220 through 3222


A unique part of the EUROTECH curriculum is the module course series. This series features three courses that you take during your second and third years. The "module" courses meet only once every week and each carry only one credit hour.

These courses are a special part of the curriculum because they feature guest speakers who are experts in the field of engineering. These guests are either from the University of Connecticut community or from Connecticut industry. They speak to students for three or four of the fourteen class periods per semester. During the remaining periods we prepare for or review these guest lectures, using these opportunities to hone your ability to understand and speak about this material in German. You use your German to interact directly with engineers and scientists. This content-based material helps you to learn German and engineering at the same time. In 3221 and 3222, students are requested to give a 10 minute presentation in German on a technical topic.

German 3220 (German Recitation in Applied Mechanics): This course features two lectures given by professors from the School of Engineering here at the University of Connecticut. Students take this course after they have completed German 1131 and 1132, while simultaneously taking German 1133. The course deals with technical German in engineering through the basic concepts and problem-solving techniques used in applied mechanics.

German 3221 (Introduction to the Sciences in German): This course is taken concurrently with German 1134. Students are prepared by German faculty and graduate assistants for a series of lectures by scientists and engineers from Connecticut industry. These guest speakers will present German lectures on topics fundamental to the various engineering disciplines, the natural sciences, and mathematics. The German instructor provides preparation for the lectures (technical vocabulary, style of scientific German, etc.) and conducts discussion sessions following the guest presentations. Lectures can cover a variety of topics that could include anything from electron-beam welding, to the helicopter, to the development of the automatic lathe. We also prepare a first version of your German job application materials.

German 3222 (Fields of Technology): The third module course is taken simultaneously with German 3233, Advanced Language Skills. German 3222 features four lectures from German-speaking engineers or scientists from the university or industry who speak on topics pertaining to your training and careers as engineers.

The goals of this course are twofold. First, students acquire the necessary vocabulary and knowledge related to the speakers' lectures, so that you can understand the presentation and, more importantly, contribute intelligently to a discussion on the subject. Second, during the course of the semester, you develop a presentation on a topic of your own choice. Using the experience gained from the four lectures, students can refine their own presentation styles and techniques. Some topics in the past have been: energy, public transport concepts, particulate filters, delayed resonators, hydraulics, and chemical reactions.

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