Intensive course

German refresher course for international academic staff and PhD students A2

When: 22 - 26 September 2025 (5 sessions, each from 9:30 am–1:00 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
• Politeness and terms of address, starting a conversation, asking for information
• Small talk in German
• Repeating relevant grammar topics

Short intensive courses

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

Course 1: 20 October - 24 November 2025 (6 sessions)

Course 2: 1 December - 20 January 2026 (6 sessions)

Mondays 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 (20 October - 24 November 2025)

• Participate in conversations/discussions on everyday topics
• Participate in discussions: Expressing opinions, expressing agreement, disagreement or uncertainty, giving reasons, making assumptions
• Understanding instructions (reading / listening), asking politely
• Reading for orientation and in detail: Understanding important information in texts
• Practise pronunciation
• Finding your way in everyday life in Germany
• Review of relevant grammar topics (e.g. syntax, causal sentences)

Topics—Course 2: (1 December - 20 January 2026)

• Present something from your own field of research orally
• Participating in conversations: describing something, planning something
• Orientational and detailed reading: Understanding important information in texts
• Writing: Filling in forms
• Practising pronunciation
• Finding your way around everyday life in Germany
• Repetition of relevant grammar topics (e.g. modal verbs, relative clauses)

Course

From everyday language to academic language: Fit for study and research, B2

 When: 21 October - 27 January 2026

Lecturer: Dr. Susanne Guckelsberger

Tuesdays 10:15-11:45 a.m.

VMP5, room tba

What are the differences between everyday language and academic language? And how do you communicate in German academia? This course is designed as a bridge to communication in the academic world and is aimed at international students, doctoral candidates, and post-docs.

The topics covered this semester include

• Special features of German academic language compared to everyday language
• Formulating precisely in academic German: Focus on verbs and adverbs
• ‘Ich’ vs. impersonal constructions (passive and passive substitutes) in academic German

Intensive course

Refresher German language course for international academic staff and PhD students B2

When: Tuesday, 30 September + Wednesday, 1 October + Thursday, 2 October (3 sessions, each 9:30 am–12:30 pm)

Lecturer: Dr. Susanne Guckelsberger

VMP5, room tba

New semester coming up and you want to refresh your German? This short intensive course lets you fine tune your German communication.

Topics:

• German in academic contexts: use of “Du” vs. “Sie”, forms of address and use of titles (Dr., Prof., etc.), small talk with colleagues
• formal and informal language use
• discussion of current affairs and living in Hamburg and Germany: expanding your vocabulary and speaking freely
• repeating relevant grammar topics

Course

Oral communication: society, economy, culture - discussions about Germany  - for international students, PhD students, and academic staff, C1

When: 21.10.2025 - 27.01.2026

Lecturer: Dr. Susanne Guckelsberger

Tuesdays, 12:15 AM - 1:45 PM

VMP5, room TBA

In this course, we will look at current issues and discussions relating to society, economy and culture in Germany. Based on 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 point of view in arguments and present your own research on current issues orally. You will also develop your mediation skills (rendering non-German sources in German).

The course is aimed at international students and academic staff (doctoral candidates, post-docs) at the University of Hamburg.

Course

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

When: 22.10.2025 - 28.01.2026

Lecturer: Dr. Susanne Guckelsberger

Wednesdays 10:15 AM -11:45 AM

VMP5, Room N.N.

This course is aimed at international students, doctoral candidates and post-docs who would like to improve their written and spoken academic German. The thematic focus of the course this semester will include:

• Quoting and paraphrasing
• Collocations in academic language („einen Beitrag leisten zu etw.“)
• Expressing subtle criticism in academic contexts („scheint so zu sein, aber…”, „eigentlich”)