German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literatures

Professor (Japanese) Hosea Hirata, Chair; Director of Film Studies, Japanese literature and film
Professor (German/Judaic Studies) Sol Gittleman, Alice and Nathan Gantcher University Professor of Judaic Studies; Earlier twentieth century, Yiddish literature, national socialism
Professor (Japanese) Charles Inouye, Director of Japanese Program, Codirector of International Letters and Visual Studies; Japanese literature
Professor (Japanese) Susan Napier Japanese literature, popular culture anime
Emeritus Professor (German) Charles G. Nelson, Literary theory and criticism, medieval literature
Professor (German) Christiane Zehl Romero, Goldthwaite Professor of Rhetoric; Tübingen Professor of German; Director of German Program; Twentieth century, women writers, film, advanced language
Associate Professor (German/Judaic Studies) Gloria J. Ascher, Codirector of Judaic Studies; German literature of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Sephardic studies, Ladino language and literature, Scandinavian literature
Associate Professor (German) Daniel Brown, Reformation, documentary theatre, language pedagogy
Associate Professor (Russian) Gregory Carleton, Director of Russian Program; Twentieth-century literature and culture
Associate Professor (German) Bernhard Martin, Director of German Graduate Program, Medieval German literature, cultural studies
Associate Professor (Judaic Studies) Joel Rosenberg, Lee S. McCollester Associate Professor of Biblical Literature; Codirector of Judaic Studies; Codirector of International Letters and Visual Studies; Central European writers, South African writers
Associate Professor (Russian) David Sloane, Nineteenth century, poetry, language pedagogy
Associate Professor (Chinese) Xueping Zhong, Director of Chinese Program; Modern Chinese literature, film
Assistant Professor (Arabic) Amira El-Zein, Director of Arabic Program; Arabic language and literature
Visiting Assistant Professor (Japanese) Melissa Wender, Japanese literature
Senior Visiting Lecturer (German) Matthias Konzett, German language, literature, film
Senior Lecturer (Chinese) Mingquan Wang, Coordinator of Chinese language courses
Lecturer (Arabic) Rana Abdul-Aziz, Arabic language
Lecturer (Arabic) Mohammed Alwan, Arabic language and literature
Lecturer (Arabic) Valerie Anishchenkova, Coordinator of Arabic language courses
Lecturer (Chinese) Jianping Feng, Chinese language
Lecturer (Chinese) Jinyu Li, Chinese language
Lecturer (Chinese) Shaomei Wang, Chinese language
Lecturer (Chinese) Jing Zhang, Chinese language and literature
Lecturer (Hebrew/Judaic Studies) Rahel Meshoulam, Coordinator of Hebrew language courses; Hebrew language
Lecturer (Japanese) Kiyomi Kagawa, Coordinator of Japanese language courses
Lecturer (Japanese) Kiyoko Morita, Japanese language
Lecturer (German) Saskia Stoessel, Coordinator of German language courses
Lecturer (German) Monika Totten, German language and culture

The Department of German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literatures is administrative home to those languages and literatures taught at Tufts that do not fall under Classics, English, or Romance Languages. Currently German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Hebrew, Arabic, and Swahili are taught. Various other languages are added if staffing and student interest permit. As outlined below, the department offers a master's degree in German, undergraduate majors in German language and literature, German studies, Russian language and literature, Chinese, Japanese, and--in conjunction with other departments--Judaic studies, Russian and East European studies, Asian studies, Middle Eastern studies and International Letters and Visual studies. Students can also choose minors in German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Judaic studies, and Arabic.

Special Minor for Engineering Students
Bachelor of science in chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, or computer engineering with a minor in either Chinese, German, Hebrew, Japanese, or Russian language and culture, comprising a total of six courses: four language courses above the beginning (second semester) level; one course in the social sciences concentrating on the area in which the target language is spoken (Examples, for Chinese: History 44, 137, Political Science 126, 159; for German: History 31, and, on approval, 14; Political Science 172, 173, and, on approval, 123, 124, 131, 135; for Japanese: History 48, 133, 135, Political Science 126, 159; for Russian: History 28, 29, Political Science 122, 128, 156; for Hebrew: History 60, 61, Political Science 136, 161, 162); and one fourth-year-level language course (Chinese 121, German 121, Hebrew 121, Japanese 121, Russian 121) or, in conjunction with the social science course, a directed study in the language focusing on materials relevant to that course.

German

The German program promotes an understanding of the extraordinary contributions made by German-speaking writers, artists, and thinkers to the past eight hundred years of civilization, and their implications for the modern world.

A wide range of courses in German gives students with varied interests and goals the opportunity to attain a thorough knowledge of the language, literature, and general culture. The program also provides a significant number of courses in English so that students not conversant in German may become familiar with important aspects of German culture.

Undergraduate Concentration Requirements

German Language and Literature
To major in this area, a student should take nine courses above the intermediate (German 3, 4) level. These should be courses taught in German and, depending on the student's preparation, include German 21, German 33 and/or 44, German 61, 62, and 100-level courses. A minimum of two 100-level courses taught entirely in German (121 and one literature/culture course at that level) is required. Also required is one course in a related field, such as German art, film, or history. The Tufts in Tübingen Program (see below for description) is highly recommended for Language and Literature majors. Courses taken in German at the University of Tübingen in the areas of German language, literature, and culture (e.g. film) count towards the major.

German Studies
As an alternative to the language/literature concentration, the department is offering an interdisciplinary major with two options:

A. TUFTS-IN-TÜBINGEN PROGRAM
A unique opportunity for students from various disciplines to spend their junior or senior year abroad experiencing the culture of German-speaking countries within the larger European context, and combining study outside of literature with their knowledge of German. All courses taken in German at the University of Tübingen in the areas of Politikwissenschaft, Volkswirtschaft, Geschichte, Kunstgeschichte, Volkskunde, Sozial- und Kulturwissenschaft, Germanistik, and Vergleichende Literaturwissenschaft will count toward the concentration requirement of nine German courses beyond the intermediate (German 3, 4) level and one course in a related field. On returning to the Tufts Medford/Somerville campus, two 100-level courses taught in German on the Tufts campus, 121, and one 100-level literature/culture course will be required.

B. TUFTS-MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE
This major requires nine courses plus one course in a related field approved by the German program. It includes at least five courses above the intermediate (German 3, 4) level taught in German, including German 121, and one 100-level literature/culture course taught in German. The remainder is a combination of courses dealing with German subject matter taught through at least three of the following departments: German, Russian, and Asian languages and literatures, history, music, philosophy, or political science. Courses taken in other departments must be approved by the German program for concentration credit.

Undergraduate Minor Program
The department offers a minor in German requiring six courses above the intermediate level (German 3, 4). These must include two courses at the 100 level taught in German at Tufts/Medford; one of them is to be German 121. Details are available from the departmental office.

German House
The department sponsors a German house, which provides a pleasant residential environment and the opportunity to enjoy intensive language practice in an informal setting. Every year a native German student from Tübingen is resident director and helps the students organize a variety of social and cultural activities. Preference is given to students who are currently enrolled in a German course.

Tufts-in-Tübingen Program
Majors in German, as well as qualified juniors and seniors from other departments, are encouraged to spend a year abroad in the department's overseas program, which normally consists of two semesters of study at Eberhard-Karls-Universität in Tübingen under the direction of the Tufts resident director. (One semester, in the spring only, is also possible.) A minimum of two years of college-level German is required to qualify for Tufts in Tübingen, but third-year-level proficiency is strongly advised. Students who have been accepted into the program may attain it by participating in a six-week intensive language course, which will prepare them for the transition into regular courses at a German university. This course starts at the beginning of September.

Graduate Programs

The department offers two Master of Arts degree programs in German. These programs typically enroll a small number of highly motivated and talented students, who--together with faculty both on the Tufts campus and in Tübingen--form a supportive, stimulating, and congenial community that helps students realize their full potential. Both master's programs provide a wide range of courses in language, literature, and culture, as well as instruction in computer-assisted language programming and the use of media, including hypermedia presentations in language and culture courses.

Tufts-in-Tübingen
All students may choose to study one year at the Eberhard-Karls-Universität in Tübingen, Germany, and one year on the Tufts campus; or they may spend both years on the Tufts campus in Medford/Somerville. The Tufts resident director in Tübingen offers an informal colloquium to acquaint students with traditional and contemporary aspects of German cultural life, and assists students in planning a program of study that draws upon university lecture courses and seminars. On the Tufts campus students do regular course work, participate in a graduate colloquium, and serve as teaching and research assistants.

Master of Arts in German
The program requires two academic years and is designed to prepare students for doctoral work in German or to provide career enhancement for fields such as international business or law, media and communications, and library science.

Master of Arts in German with Teaching Licensure
The program requires two academic years plus one summer, and is offered in conjunction with the Department of Education. It is designed to prepare highly qualified secondary school teachers.

Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Degree
The Department of Education, in conjunction with the German program, offers the M.A.T. degree in German as a foreign language. For more information and application materials, please contact the Department of Education.

Russian

The department offers a major in Russian Language and Literature and an interdisciplinary major in Russian and East European Studies. Various courses in English provide a survey of Russian literature and culture, not only for the majors, but for all students. Because literature has played a central role in Russia's intellectual and political life, its study provides the student with insight into Russian society and culture. At the same time, the moral, philosophical, and artistic issues raised by Russian writers from Pushkin to Pelevin are universal in scope, and an acquaintance with their work broadens the student's awareness of intellectual history. For both majors a semester of study in Russia is strongly recommended (see below).

Undergraduate Concentration Requirements

Russian Language and Literature
The Russian language and literature major is oriented exclusively toward the undergraduate student, with emphasis placed on a sound knowledge of the Russian language and literature. The department provides its majors with a firm grounding in Russian to prepare them for graduate study. Special attention is paid to reading, speaking, and composition in modern Russian, as well as to modern and historical approaches to literature.

The major requires ten courses as follows:
a. Russian 21 and 22.
b. Three advanced (100-level) courses conducted in Russian. At least one of these must be in Russian literature (Russian 131, 132, or a substitute approved by the Russian program.) At least one must be a language course (e.g., 121 or 122). An advanced course in some special topic (e.g., Russian 118, 119) may be substituted for Russian 121 or 122 with program approval. Students coming back from a semester in Russia are required to take one 100-level course conducted in Russian. (Students going abroad in the spring of senior year must take one 100-level course in Russian before leaving.)
c. Four courses in Russian literature (must include Russian 60 and either 61 or 62).
d. One additional course in Russian culture (literature, art, music, film, history, political science, or religion, e.g., History 27, 28, 29; Political Science 122, 132, 156; Russian 70, 72, 73, 80, 110, 111, 114, 115).
e. Students who place out of Russian 21, 22, 121 and/or 122 on the basis of the Russian language placement examination administered by the department still need to take ten courses to complete the major.

Russian and East European Studies
The Russian and East European Studies major offers the student training in the history, politics, literature, and arts of Russia and the nations of Eastern Europe, as well as a grounding in contemporary oral and written Russian. (Training in some other Slavic languages is available as independent study.)

The major is designed for students who intend to pursue careers in which familiarity with Russia and the East European area is an attractive or necessary asset, or for students planning to enter graduate school in law, business, or diplomacy with a specialization in Russian and East European affairs. The area concentration also prepares students for graduate work in Russian and East European studies.

Normally, faculty in the Department of German, Russian, and Asian Languages and Literatures can be advisers for students majoring in Russian and East European studies. It should be emphasized, however, that a course of study tailored to the individual student's educational and career plans should be arranged in close cooperation with the appropriate members of all departments participating in the major.

Ten courses as follows:
a. Four core language courses: Russian 21, 22, 121, 122. For Russian 121 and 122 the student may substitute Russian 118, 119, 131, and 132 or any advanced course related to the area in which all readings are in Russian. Students coming back from a semester in Russia will be required to take one 100-level course conducted in Russian. (Students going abroad in spring of senior year must take a 100-level course in Russian before leaving.)
b. Six courses in the Russian and East European area chosen from the following three categories: 1) history (History 27, 28, 29, 115, 122), 2) political science (Political Science 122, 132, 156), and 3) literature and the arts (Russian 60, 61, 65, 66, 70, 72, 73, 80, 110, 111, 114, 115, 131,132; World Literature 120). At least one course in each of the three categories and at least three courses from a single category must be taken. One of the courses must be a seminar or an advanced directed study.

Students who place out of Russian 21, 22, 121 and/or 122 on the basis of the Russian language placement examination administered by the department still need to take ten courses to complete the major.

Undergraduate Minor Program
The department offers a minor in Russian requiring the completion of six courses above the intermediate level (Russian 3, 4). These must include two courses at the 100 level taught in Russian. Details are available in the departmental office.

Russian/Slavic Culture House
The department administers the Russian/Slavic Culture House, a coeducational undergraduate dormitory that serves as an informal center for Russian and East European studies on the campus. The house sponsors dinners, films, receptions, and lectures. Residence in the house is open to all students who satisfy any of the following requirements: 1) enrollment in courses related to the Russian and East European culture area (languages, history, literature, art, political science, or economics); 2) Slavic or East European background; or 3) a strong interest in the area. Applications for residence in the house are available from the department early in the spring semester.

Study Opportunities in Russia
Majors are encouraged to study in Russia for a summer, semester, or full year. Recommended programs include CIEE, ACTR, and Middlebury College. All students studying abroad are required to take a placement exam upon their return. For more information, see the Russian program faculty.

Judaic Studies

Codirectors:
Associate Professor Gloria J. Ascher, German/Judaic studies
Associate Professor Joel Rosenberg, McCollester Associate Professor of Biblical Literature; Judaic studies

Core faculty:
University Professor Sol Gittleman, German/Judaic studies
Professor Jonathan M. Wilson, English
Lecturer Rahel Meshoulam, Hebrew/Judaic studies
Lecturer/Rabbi Jeffrey Summit, Judaic studies

The program in Judaic studies comprises the courses listed below under Hebrew and Judaic Studies, as well as a number of courses in other departments. The program gives students the opportunity to explore the experience and diverse cultural heritage of the Jewish people from various perspectives.

Undergraduate Concentration Requirements
The major in Judaic studies consists of ten courses: eight primary courses and two related courses. Up to two courses in Hebrew language (Hebrew 21 and above) may be counted as primary courses. Courses not listed below, offered at Tufts and elsewhere, are acceptable upon approval of the program directors (Prof. Gloria Ascher, Olin 332, and Prof. Joel Rosenberg, Olin 322), but at least four of the primary courses must be taken at Tufts. Students majoring in Judaic studies must have the equivalent of three years of Hebrew, or two years of Hebrew and two years of a second language related to the student's special interests within the field. Qualified students majoring in Judaic studies are encouraged to consider participating in the Thesis Honors Program.

Primary Courses
Judaic Studies 65 Introduction to Yiddish Culture.
Judaic Studies 73 Aspects of the Sephardic Tradition
Judaic Studies 77 Archaeology of Palestine
Judaic Studies 78 Jewish Women
Judaic Studies 84 The Sources of Jewish Tradition
Judaic Studies 91, 92 Special Topics
Judaic Studies 91 Ladino Language and Culture
Judaic Studies 95 Topics in Hebrew Literature
Judaic Studies 93, 94 Directed Study
Judaic Studies 96 Introduction to the Talmud
Judaic Studies 99 Internship
Judaic Studies 126 Roots of the Jewish Imagination
Judaic Studies 132 The Book of Genesis and Its Interpreters
Judaic Studies 142 Jewish Experience on Film
Judaic Studies 191,192 Special Topics
Judaic Studies 193,194 Directed Study
Judaic Studies 198,199 Senior Honors Thesis
Hebrew 21, 22 Composition and Conversation
Hebrew 121,122 Composition and Conversation
Hebrew 93 Directed Study
Hebrew 95 Hebrew Teaching Internship
Hebrew 193 Advanced Directed Study
Comparative Religion 21 Introduction to Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
Comparative Religion 52 Judaism through the Centuries
Comparative Religion 194 Jewish Issues Today
English 159 Contemporary Jewish Fiction
English 162 Philip Roth & Company

Related Courses
Related courses establish links between Judaic Studies and other disciplines by examining such topics as: countries or regions that are major sites of Jewish civilization, past or present; the life of cosmopolitan and multiethnic societies more generally; the dynamics of tradition; the impact of modernity and historical crisis on traditional societies; issues of philosophy, ethics, myth, religion, and spirituality that bear upon Jewish life and thought; issues of race, class, gender, and sexuality in the life of a culture; the legacy of biblical and Jewish tradition in world cultures. A student may, with the approval of the program directors, substitute an appropriate course not presently on this list.

Anthropology 119 Peoples of the Middle East
Anthropology 132 Myth, Ritual, and Symbol
Arabic 61 Classical Arabic Literature
Arabic 62 Modern Arabic Literature
Art History 1 Art, Ritual, and Culture
Art History 24 Iconoclasm and Iconophobia
Art History 27 The End of the World in Art and Thought, Fourth to Fourteenth Centuries
Classics 75 Classical Mythology
Classics 152 Ancient Philosophy
Comparative Religion 6 Philosophy of Religion
Comparative Religion 48 Introduction to Islam
Comparative Religion 51 Fundamentalism in Comparative Perspective
Comparative Religion 58 Ethics through Literature
Comparative Religion 72 Contemporary Arts and Religion
Comparative Religion 195 Mystics
English 49 The English Bible
English 77 The Modern Mind
English 174 Sexuality, Literature, and Contemporary Criticism
English 175 Post-Structural Literary Theory
History 60 The Modern Middle East to World War I
History 61 The Modern Middle East from World War I
History 64 Medieval Islamic History
Philosophy 48 Feminist Philosophy
Philosophy 55 The Making of the Modern Mind
Philosophy 126 Theories of Human Nature
Philosophy 128 Human Rights, History and Theory
Political Science 45,46 Western Political Thought
Political Science 136 Comparative Politics of the Middle East
Political Science 161 The Arab-Israeli Conflict
Russian 73 The Bible in Russian Literature
Sociology 110 Racial and Ethnic Minorities
Sociology 143 Sociology of Religion
Spanish 30 Civilization of Muslim Spain
World Literature 120 Central European Writers
World Literature 122 South African Writers

Undergraduate Minor Program
The minor in Judaic studies consists of six courses selected from those approved for the major, including at least four primary courses. Four of the six courses must be taken at Tufts and must include a course in which a substantial integrative project is produced. Two years of Hebrew or the equivalent are strongly recommended. For further information consult the program directors.

Chinese

Undergraduate Concentration Requirements
The major in Chinese requires ten courses: nine courses in the program beyond Chinese 4, plus one in a related field. Those who place out of language courses still need to complete ten approved courses. At least one course from categories b or c must be a seminar or advanced course approved by the Chinese program director. If qualified, a student may opt to do an honors thesis.

a. Language requirement: four courses beyond Chinese 4. Those who place out of Chinese 121 and 122 are strongly encouraged to take Chinese 123 and 124.
b. Chinese 61 and four additional literature and culture courses from Chinese offerings in the department.
c. One course in Chinese culture or in related disciplines offered by another program or department and approved by the Chinese program director.

Undergraduate Minor Program
The department offers a minor in Chinese requiring the completion of six courses beyond the intermediate level (Chinese 3-4). These must include two language courses at the 100 level and two literature/culture courses. Details are available from the departmental office.

Chinese Language Courses
Regular classes at the lower levels (1 through 22) meet three times a week; regular classes at the higher levels (121 through 124) meet twice a week. Intensive classes meet six times a week.

Japanese

The Japanese program offers a strong foundation in the Japanese language and introduces students to many facets of Japanese culture. The major prepares students for careers in academics, business, law, diplomacy, or technology where the knowledge of Japanese language and culture is an invaluable asset.

Undergraduate Concentration Requirements
The major in Japanese requires nine courses beyond Japanese 4, plus one in a related field. Those who place out of language courses still need to complete ten approved courses.

a. Language requirement: four courses beyond Japanese 4; continuation to Japanese 123, 124 strongly recommended.
b. Japanese 61 and four additional literature/culture courses from Japanese offerings in the department. Two of these courses must be at the 100 level, including one seminar. If qualified, a student may opt to do an honors thesis (Japanese 198, 199) instead of a seminar. Only one course with a half Japanese content can count toward this category.
c. One course in Japanese culture offered by another department and approved by the program director.

Undergraduate Minor Program
The department offers a minor in Japanese requiring the completion of six courses beyond the intermediate level (Japanese 3-4). These must include two language courses at the 100 level and two literature/culture courses at the 60 level. Details are available from the departmental office.

Japanese Culture House
The department administers the Japanese Culture House, a coeducational undergraduate dormitory that serves as an informal center for Japanese studies on the campus. It aims to provide an experiential learning environment for students who would like to improve their language skills and deepen their knowledge of Japanese culture. It also accommodates native speakers who would like to share their knowledge of Japan with other students and take a leading role in organizing social events related to Japan. The minimum requirement to be a resident is Japanese 2 or equivalent. The selecting committee considers the leadership potential of the applicants as well as the balance of gender and of linguistic levels. Together the occupants organize various cultural activities that further the understanding of Japan on campus, as well as weekly Japanese chat hours to which any student interested in practicing conversation is welcome.

Study Opportunities in Japan

Tufts in Japan
The Tufts-in-Japan program is offered at Kanazawa University, a prestigious national institution in a picturesque city rich in history. Students are strongly recommended to study in Japan during their junior year. Excellent scholarships are available. Tufts financial aid can also be used.

Arabic

Undergraduate Minor Program
Six courses beyond the basic language Arabic 1, 2, 3, 4, 21, 22 ,121,122 and two courses in Arabic literature or culture.

Arabic Language Courses

Swahili

Modern Languages

For more detailed information, please visit the website http://www.tufts.edu/as/ger_rus_asian.

To view Course Descriptions, please go to: http://webcenter.studentservices.tufts.edu/courses/main.asp.