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Language and Culture in Germany

Program Information | Costs | Orientation | Contact

Apply now!

Know the following program information, which you will provide on the online application: 

Country: Germany
Program Name: Language and Culture in Germany

Early application is strongly encouraged, as space is limited and the program will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Complete applications include an essay and unofficial transcript. A non-refundable application fee of $50 will be billed to your student account upon submission of an online application.

Program Information

• Study German history, culture, literature, and politics, in a classroom setting and on field trips to museums, historic sites and other points of interest.
  
• Enhance your skills by pairing up and going on a "seek and find" adventure, solving riddles in German while getting completely lost in the Metropolis of 4 million inhabitants.
  
• Stand in front of the Pergamon Altar inspired by Turkish reliefs depicting the battle of the gods against the mortals and then walk through the Ishtar Gate from 575 BC in Babylonia on Berlin’s Museum Island.
  
• Hike and bike through the heart of Berlin and through the green forests and near the blue rivers and lakes surrounding Potsdam.
  
• Make a shopping list, go to the marketplace, buy dinner ingredients for 20 fellow students, and prepare a luscious meal in our own "home" in Potsdam.

Develop a respect and pride for your language skills by learning to function in German. The course provides a deeper experience, beyond the classroom, for you to utilize your language abilities. Engage in conversations with German students and citizens of Berlin, Potsdam and Weimar.

Time spent in Germany is busy! Visit research archives and popular culture venues. Take guided tours of the Berlin Wall, the Memorial to the German Resistance, the Jewish Museum Berlin, the New National Gallery, the final German home of Albert Einstein, a microbrewery, the Museum of Film and TV, Stasi Secret Police Prison Museum, the Museum of National History, the Bauhaus Museum and a concentration camp, to name just a few. Additionally, travel by train to Weimar, a city famous for its vast cultural heritage, for a three-day excursion.

In Potsdam, stay in a historic Dutch-style house in the city center, just minutes away from the local attractions. Breakfast and lunch are provided while dinner is typically prepared in rotating groups.

Earn 4 credits in FST 3040, GER 3040: Culture of Germany Studied in Germany. Credits apply to a German Studies major or minor.

The course is conducted primarily in German, which fosters the improvement of language skills. The format includes seminars, discussions, field trips and small group projects.

Course topics include:

• German art, including aspects of classical and modern art
• History of Germany from the 1600s onward, encompassing East and West Germany, as well as the “reunion” in 1991
• Experience culture from the past and present-day Germany firsthand

For course topics and more information, visit the program leader's website.

Participants MUST have a passport, valid for at least six months after their return to the United States.

Costs
Estimated program costs can be found here.

A non-refundable application fee of $50 will be billed to your student account upon submission of an online application. A deposit of $400 will be billed to your student account upon your confirmation of participation. The remainder of the program fee will be billed through Student Accounts Receivable.

Financial aid may be applied toward the cost of the program if you are enrolled as a full-time student. There are also study abroad scholarships for University of Minnesota students.

Orientation
At least two pre-departure orientations will be held. Pre-departure orientations will include information about financial aid, classwork and travel tips. A general study abroad handbook will be emailed prior to departure.

Familiarize yourself on financing, health and safety and policies to consider when studying abroad.

Contact
Contact Mike Mullins for program or itinerary questions. For application or registration questions, contact Arianna Austin in the International Education Office.