Semester course

German as a Foreign Language for PhD students

When: 13 April – 13 July 2026; Mondays, 14:15–17:45
Von-Melle-Park 5, room 0076A
Lecturer: Armine Danielyan 

This A1.1 German course is aimed at international doctoral researchers at the University of Hamburg who have no prior knowledge of German.

Learning objectives: You will acquire general communication skills in German and develop your reading, writing, listening and speaking abilities using a task-based approach. The course also offers you the opportunity to meet other doctoral researchers at the University of Hamburg and to build your academic network.

In this course, we use the textbook “Momente A1.1” (Hueber).

If you attend regularly, you can receive a certificate of participation (without a grade).

Intensive course

German refresher course for international academic staff and PhD students A2

When: 30. March – 2. April 2026 (4 sessions, from 9:30 am to 2 pm)
VMP5, room tba
Lecturer: Dr. Anikó Brandt

Have you already learned a bit of German but still need to brush up?

The course will focus on:

• Introducing yourself, talking about your own work
• Small talk in German
• Repeating relevant grammar topics (Perfekt)

Short intensive courses

University-specific German for international employees and PhD students, B1

Course 1: 14 April – 19. May 2026 (6 sessions)
Course 2: 2 June – 7 July 2026 (6 sessions)
Tuesdays 4:15–5:45 pm
VMP5, room tba
Lecturer: Dr. Anikó Brandt

Both courses are aimed at international employees and doctoral students who would like to improve their German language skills at level B1. The courses have different content, but do not build on each other. You can therefore attend one or both courses.

Topics—Course 1 (14 April – 19. May 2026)

• Communicating with university administration: phone calls, emails, and forms
• Participating in conversations in academic and everyday contexts
• Giving short oral summaries and brief presentations
• Reading for orientation and in detail: understanding important information in texts
• Finding your way in everyday life in Germany
• Practising pronunciation
• Review of relevant grammar topics (e.g. syntax)

Topics—Course 2: (2 June – 7 July 2026)

• Participating in conversations and discussions; expressing opinions, agreement, disagreement, and uncertainty; giving reasons
• Developing vocabulary relevant to university studies and research
• Reading for orientation and in detail: understanding important information in texts
• Finding your way in everyday life in Germany
• Practising pronunciation
• Review of relevant grammar topics (e.g. modal verbs)

Semester course

From Everyday Language to Academic Language: Fit for Studies and Research, B2

Dates: 14 April – 14 July 2026 
Time: Tuesdays, 10:15–11:45 am
Location: VMP5, room TBA
Instructor: Dr. Susanne Guckelsberger

What are the differences between everyday language and academic language? And how does one communicate scientifically in German? This course is designed as a bridge to communication in academic contexts and is aimed at international students, doctoral researchers, and academics.

Topics:

• Characteristics of German academic language compared to everyday language
• Writing with scientific precision: Focus on verbs and adverbs
• “ich” vs. impersonal constructions (passive voice and alternatives to the passive) in academic writing

Short seminar

Refresher German for International Academic Staff and Doctoral Candidates (B2) Focus: “Teaching in German”

Dates: 3 June – 8 July 2026 (6 sessions, Wednesdays)
Time: Wednesdays, 4:15–5:45 pm
Location: VMP5, room TBA
Instructor: Dr. Susanne Guckelsberger

This course is aimed at international academic staff and doctoral candidates who would like to refresh their German at B2 level and develop it further through practical exercises. This semester, the focus is on “Teaching in German”. The course is particularly suitable if you currently teach or plan to teach seminars, lectures, or tutorials in German.

Topics:

• Teaching courses in German: from the module description to communication in the classroom
• What’s going on in Hamburg? Current topics in regional and cultural studies

Course

Oral communication: Discussions about Germany, For international students, PhD students, and academic staff (C1)

Dates: 14 April – 14 July 2026
Time: Wednesdays, 12:15–1:45 pm
Location: VMP5, room TBA
Instructor: Dr. Susanne Guckelsberger

In this course, we explore current issues and debates related to society, economy, and culture in Germany. Using sources such as newspaper articles, graphics, and podcasts, you will learn to express yourself clearly and in detail on a wide range of topics, explain your position in arguments, and present your own research orally. You will also further develop your skills in mediation (conveying content from non-German sources in German).

The course is aimed at international students, doctoral researchers, and academics at University of Hamburg.

Course

Academic German, C1 (for international students, doctoral candidates and post-docs)

Dates: 15 April – 15 July 2026
Time: Wednesdays, 10:15–11:45 am
Location: VMP5, room TBA
Instructor: Dr. Susanne Guckelsberger

This course is aimed at international students, doctoral researchers, and academics who wish to systematically improve their academic German, both written and spoken. This semester, the course will focus on the following topics:

• Understanding and producing complex noun phrases
• Metaphorical expressions in academic communication
• Prepositions in academic contexts
   
   
   

Schedule

8 sessions of 90 minutes each
Period: May 20, 2026 – July 8, 2026
Dates: Wednesdays, 3:30–5:00 p.m.
Location: UKE, room tba
Instructor: Sabina Paleta

Course Content

This German course is designed for postdoctoral researchers at UKE who would like to further develop their German skills at the B1+ level and gain more confidence in both professional and everyday situations. Topics include:

• Conversations with colleagues: small talk and meetings; informal and formal communication
• Writing emails: composing informal and formal emails in professional contexts with colleagues and supervisors
• Grammar at B1 level, including passive voice, past tense (Präteritum), past perfect (Plusquamperfekt), connectors, and sentence structure
• Vocabulary development for everyday and professional contexts

The course also offers an opportunity to meet other postdoctoral researchers at UKE and to build connections.

Participants who attend regularly can receive a certificate of participation (no grade).

Further Information and Registration

For information about German courses at UKE and for registration, postdoctoral researchers at UKE can contact the EXPLORE team at the UKE Dean’s Office: explore"AT"uke.de