Updated: 3/18/2025
German and Romance Philology Department
The German Department was founded in May 1992 at the Kherson State University. During this time, the Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor Soldatova S.M., was the head of the department.
The German and Romance Philology Department was formed on 1 July 2017 by combining the Department of German Language and the Department of Romance-Germanic Languages. The department belongs to the graduating departments of Kherson State University. The specificity of the department is that the teaching staff conducts classes in practical and theoretical disciplines in German, French and Spanish.
The department employs highly qualified teachers with a scientific degree who have considerable experience in scientific, pedagogical and translation activities. The academic workers, who correspond by their qualifications to the profile direction of the disciplines which they teach and have experience of pedagogical work in higher educational establishments and experience of practical work, include professor and Doctor of Philology N.V. Romanova; associate professors and Candidates of Philological Sciences L.A. Kovbasiuk, I.I. Yermolenko, I.V. Hoshtanar,, O.V. Holotiuk, associate professor of the department O.M. Goncharenko. The department graduates Bachelors and Masters in 014.02 Secondary Education (German, French, Spanish language and literature) with the qualification of a teacher of the first foreign language, world literature and second foreign language; as well as in 035.043 Philology (Germanic Languages and Literature (translation incl. first - German)), 035.051 Philology (Romance Languages and Literature (translation incl., first - Spanish)), 035.055 Philology (Romance Languages and Literature (translation incl., first - French)) with the qualification of a philologist, teacher of the first foreign language and literature and a second foreign language, translator. Teachers of the department also take part in teaching students of the following specialities: 014.02 Secondary education (English, German Language and Literature), 035.04 Philology (Germanic Languages and Literature (translation incl., first - English), 035 Philology (Translation); 035 Philology (Applied linguistics).
From 2016 to 2019, the department successfully worked on its initiative theme Functional-Pragmatic, Cognitive-Discursive and Linguоcultural Study Aspects of the Linguistic and Speech Units of Modern German (state registration number 0116U008711). Professor N.V. Romanova continues working on the topic and has registered her initiative theme Linguistic and Speech Units: Structure. Semantics. Functions, History.
The results of this work include the publication preparation of teachers and students of various higher education levels, the production of textbooks, methodological recommendations, and monographs, as well as the preparation and defence of graduation papers for the Bachelor’s and Master's degrees. Recently, the educational and methodological achievements of the teaching staff of the department have been considerable. It consists of Romanova, N.V. Educational guidance “German language as a second professional one” Kherson: Ailant Publishing house, 2016 - 189 pages.; Kovbasiuk, L.A. Practical grammar in German: Educational guidance for students of the third year of higher education in the field of preparation 6.020303 "Philology (German, English and Literature)". - Kherson: KSU, 2013. - 204 p. The textbook received the MES stamp (Letter №1/11-11124 of 09.07.13); Soldatova, S.M,Goshtanar, I.V. German Language Educational guidance for Students of Foreign Languages. - Kherson: Ailant Publishing House, 2012. - 208 p. The textbook received the MES stamp (Letter №1/11-15247 dated 01.10.12); Khmelkovska, S.V. The textbook "History of German Literature" for students of the third year of higher education in the field of study 6.020303 Philology (German, English and Literature) * .- Kherson: KSU, 2015. - 244 p.
Leading specialists of the department headed the work of students' problem groups. There are 5 groups devoted to various topical issues of German philology:
1) Problem group "Problems of lexicology and phraseology of modern German language: functional and pragmatic aspect" (Group Supervisor - Candidate of Philological Sciences, Professor S.M.Soldatova ).
2) Problem group " Functional-semantic, cognitive, communicative-pragmatic and socio-cultural aspects of the study of Roman languages in synchrony and diachrony " (Group Supervisor - Candidate of Philological Sciences, Senior Teacher I.I.Yermolenko ).
3) Problem group "German language units, their structure and development in synchrony and diachrony" (Group Supervisor - Doctor of Philology, Professor N.V. Romanova).
International scientific relations of the department with other universities abroad can be considered as productive: Associate Professor L.A. Kovbasiuk successfully completed an internship at the Summer Academy "German Teaching Methods and Didactics" (Regensburg, Regensburg University, July 2011), a research internship at the BAYHOST Summer Academy of Former Scholars in German Studies June 2013, Regen, Bavaria), DAAD research internship at the Munich Institute. Ludwig Maximilian on "The Linguistic Aspect of the Newest Means of Communication" (July 2013). Associate Professor I.V. Goshtanar completed internships at schools and colleges of vocational guidance at the Goethe-Institute within the Schools-Partners of the Future program (Lower Saxony, Germany, July 2014). Doctor of Philology, Professor N.V. Romanova studied under the Erasmus + program at the Alpen-Adria University in Klagenfurt, Austria. from March 12, 2017, to April 2, 2017, for teaching activities.
Students in the Philology / Language and Literature (German, English) * speciality actively involve in the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) program and have a good opportunity to study at higher education institutions in Germany. In May 2011, students of the 391 group Z.Bandurko and O. Radionova became participants in a scientific project and were trained at the University of Alpen-Adria (Klagenfurt, Austria). Students K.Kaidashova, O.Kucheruk and D.Khilchenko successfully completed internships at the Pomeranian Academy of Slupsk (Poland) during the winter term of 2014-2015. In 2016 Victoria Kiselova, a student (09-1-191M group), was undergoing an internship under the Erasmus + program at Alpen-Adria University in Klagenfurt, Austria.
Students' educational and research work is integral to the future specialist's professional training. Students actively participate in the preparation of scientific papers for the All-Ukrainian competition of students' scientific works. In 2015 student Alina Skorokhod won first place in the All-Ukrainian competition of student scientific works with the work on "Features of the idiolect of Erich Maria Remarque (on the material of the stories collection "Der Feind" (scientific supervisor - associate professor I.V.Goshtanar ); student Kateryna Lakhovska also got the first place in the All-Ukrainian competition of student scientific works with the work "Artistic image of a woman in postmodern discourse: linguocognitive and cultural aspects (based on the novel by Julia Frank "Die Mittagsfrau”) (scientific supervisor - associate professor I.V.Goshtanar). In 2017, a fourth-year student, Kristina Abramova, took third place in the All-Ukrainian competition of student scientific works with the work "Metaphors-composites of modern German" (scientific supervisor - associate professor L.A. Kovbasyuk). In 2017, I.S. Subot, a student in Humanities Philology (German), took third place in the second round of student research of Roman and Germanic languages and literature (teaching methods) at Kyiv National Linguistic University. In 2019, O.S. Kasatkin received a diploma of 3rd place in the second round of the competition of student scientific works on Romance-Germanic languages and literature (with teaching methods) at Kyiv National Linguistic University where he successfully defended the work "Verbalization of the REFUGEE Concept in Drama by E. Jelinek Die Schutzbefohlenen: Linguistic Aspect."
The main task of the department teaching staff is to prepare competent specialists capable of teaching foreign language and literature in secondary general and special educational institutions, in various groups of foreign students, to solve problems related to the latest trends in the development and functioning of the foreign language in modern communicative situations.
The main focus of the EPP Secondary Education (Language and Literature (German, French, Spanish)) is the formation and development of professional competence for research and innovation in the field of language training, taking into account the modern requirements of education, the world media space, and general European guidelines for language education.
The graduates of the department of these specialities are most in need of today’s domestic and world labour markets; in the southern region of Ukraine, they easily find employment places and occupy good positions both in the teaching sphere, in children's and youth educational institutions, in private translation offices. Among the possibilities of graduates' employment in the EPP "Secondary Education. Language and literature" are the following:
- teacher of secondary educational institution;
- teacher of a professional educational institution;
- teacher of vocational school;
- teacher of secondary school.
Specialist training in 035 Philology (Germanic and Romance languages) aims at forming the personality of a specialist capable of solving the problems of philological and research character in the field of philological education.
The main objective of the EPP is to prepare Masters with an emphasis on the ability to solve complex specialised problems and practical problems in the field of philology, which involves the application of certain theories and methods and is characterised by the complexity and uncertainty of the conditions.
The program also provides comprehensive training for philological education professionals through a combination of social and humanitarian training, fundamental, natural science and economic training, and vocational and practical training.
Graduates with the qualification of Master in Philology can work in scientific, literature-publishing, and educational fields; occupy teaching, research and administrative positions in higher education institutions of 1-4 accreditation levels; in print and electronic media, PR technologies, in various foundations, unions, humanitarian foundations, museums, arts and cultural centres, auxiliary activities in public administration, information and cultural services, etc.
It should be noted that the training is problem-oriented, student-centred, and related to self-study using interactive projects and computer-based learning technologies.
The main purpose of the German and Romance Philology Department is to provide training for scientific and scientific-pedagogical staff, specialists at the level of world qualification requirements, to obtain the latest knowledge through the implementation of scientific research, development and their focus on the creation and implementation of innovative competitive results.