This course sets out to provide an overview of some of the main concepts in the interdisciplinary field of applied linguistics, covering psycholinguistic (languages and the individual) as well as sociolinguistic perspectives (languages and society). Drawing on current academic literature, policy documents and the students' own experiences of language use, we will explore how languages, and in particular German, relate to real-world issues in different contexts. Depending on the students' preferences, in-depth discussions in this course may focus on topics, such as first and second language acquisition, pluri- and multilingualism, language and identity, language policy, language and power, linguistic landscapes.

Required Texts: Texts will be available for purchase at the College Bookstore, and other materials will be made available via the course’s course management website.