The best aspect of this course was getting insightful and useful feedback on prospective thesis topics. Students also received adequate feedback on their individual theses. The worst aspect of this course was the sporadic meeting times, which were not used efficiently. The course would improve if the meeting times were scheduled ahead of time and if it included more one-on-one thesis meetings, rather than general group discussions. Prospective students should know that they should go into this class

Students praised the course’s instructor for leading thought-provoking group discussions and interesting analyses of literature. Some students disliked having to read, as they felt some of the texts were too long or too dense. Students also thought that because the course stuck to a theme examining German cultural identity and migrant issues, it overlooked other potentially interesting subject areas. Suggestions for improvement included a desire for a diversification in themes and subject areas. Prospective students should know that the course focused on reading literature in German and discussing it in class. So, the ability to read and write in German was important for success in the course.

The best aspect of the course was the wide reading selection, which provided a great overview of Spanish literary history. Students found the instructor to be knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the course. The worst aspect of the course was the amount of required reading. In order to improve the course, students suggested that more focus be placed on entire text, opposed to excerpts. Prospective students should know that there is a lot of required reading and writing involved to be successful.