Undergraduate Programs
German and European Studies Summer Program
at the University of Würzburg
May 16 - July 25, 2008
Aim
The aim of this ten-week program is to enable American students to learn about German and European history, politics, economic life and culture firsthand in Germany. The program will provide the possibility to earn 6-9 University of Texas college credits in a ten-week course of study. It will be conducted both parallel to and integrated with the regular German university semester. This way, the participants will be exposed to the normal workings of a German university and to German student life.
The program will offer the entire second-year German sequence (GER 312K and 312L; 6 credits). Students thus can fulfill their UT language requirement by attending the program. More advanced students also can take upper division composition and conversation (3 credits for either GER 330C or for GER 379). In addition, lectures on History, Politics, Literature and Art History will be conducted in English. Completion of first-year German by May 2008 is a prerequisite for participation.
The City
Würzburg is an old city of 120,000 inhabitants. Astride the river Main in northern Bavaria, 90 minutes from Frankfurt International Airport, Würzburg is a city of easily manageable size and great cultural and historical interest. The dominant influences on the character of the city include the feudal past, baroque architecture, wine culture and the University.
The University and the Faculty
The program will be conducted at the University of Würzburg by regular faculty members. The University, founded in 1582, is a renowned institution of higher learning consisting of 12 schools and divisions with approximately 20,000 students. Faculty members for the program have been recruited from the Departments of Art History, History, Economics, English and American Studies. In addition, Dr. Peter Hess from the Department of Germanic Studies at The University of Texas at Austin will teach in the Program.
University of Würzburg webpage
Course work
The Summer Program is designed as an academic program that will consist of morning and afternoon lectures and classes. Evaluation of written assignments and tests will determine the letter grades for courses.
Excursions to sites of historical and cultural interest (one overnight) will serve to complement classroom work, especially in history and art history.
This Year's Program
Travel
Arrival in Germany on Friday, May 16, 2008 (departure from US on May 15). Meet at 11:00 a.m. at the "Meeting point" in the Arrival Hall in Terminal 1, Level 1, of Frankfurt International Airport.
Transfer to Würzburg by bus or train: May 16, 2008, 11:00 a.m.
1. German Language
- A) Second-year German (GER 312K and 312L; 6 credits, 10 weekly class hours)
- B) Upper-division composition and conversation (GER 330C or GER 379; 3 credits, 5 weekly class hours). Prerequisite: four semesters of college German.
2. Germany and Europe: History — Culture (taught in English)
1.5 credits per course, 2 courses minimum, 2 weekly class hours per course
- A) History and Government: "German Unity and Europe in the 19th and 20th Century"
- B) Art History: "From the Middle Ages to the Baroque"
- C) Literature: "Cross-Cultural Impressions: Germans in America, Americans in Germany."
- D) Economics: "The Basic Concept of Social Market Economy and the Economic Prospects for the European Union."
Students can earn credit for Topics in Germanic Civilization (GRC w327E) or Germany and Europe since 1945 (EUS w356) by taking a combination of two of the above courses.
Excursions
Three one-day excursions to:
- Bamberg
- Nürnberg
- Rothenburg
and one five-day excursion to Berlin.
Program Director
Dr. Peter Hess will serve as resident director in Würzburg throughout the ten weeks of instruction. He will organize and partly teach the Program's German language courses and also be available to assist and advise participants. He will review the participants' grades for program work and will serve as a liaison to the home institution.
Accommodations
Students will be housed in local dormitories. Rooms may differ in furnishing, location and spaciousness. Each student will have a room with kitchen and bathroom access. Room assignments will be made by local staff; a change of accommodations is not possible. Each participant will be able to use public transportation in Würzburg (bus, light rail) free of charge for the time of the Program.
Insurance
All Summer School students below the age of 30 will be provided with comprehensive health insurance in Germany during the Program. Students are required to purchase the International Student ID which offers coverage to students while in transit and while travelling outside of Germany. The University of Würzburg or the University of Texas at Austin cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage sustained during the Summer School. It is therefore recommended that participants take out their own fully comprehensive insurance against illness outside Germany, loss of property or money before departure.
Where and when to apply
Students should apply through the
Center for Global Educational Opportunities
2.120 Wooldridge Hall (W O H)
600 W. 24th Street (west of Guadalupe)
(512) 471-1190.
The application form is available online (PDF, 64K)
Paper copies of the application can be obtained from the Center for Global Educational Opportunities or from Dr. Hess. The application must be received no later than February 20, 2008. For questions concerning application procedures and scholarship information, contact the Center for Global Educational Opportunities at the address above. If you have other questions about this program, contact the director, Dr. Hess (phess@mail.utexas.edu) in EPS 3.126
Important dates
All meetings will be held at the Center for Global Educational Opportunities (see above).
- Information meeting:Friday, February 1, 3:00 PM, at the Center for Global Educational Opportunities.
- Deadline for applications: February 20, 2008. Students will be invoiced for the $1000 deposit
- Orientation: Monday, March 17, 3:00 p.m., at the Center for Global Educational Opportunities ($1,500 due).
- Final meeting: Monday April 21, 3:00 p.m., at the Center for Global Educational Opportunities.
Costs
The cost for participation in the Program is as follows:
- $2,700 Program fee (includes courses in Würzburg, housing, local transportation, transfer from Frankfurt International Airport to Würzburg, excursions, local health insurance, and overnight accommodations). This fee includes a refundable $100 dorm deposit.
- UT tuition and fees for six or nine credits.
- International air fare.
- Students will need at least $25 per day for meals. Credit cards are not as widely accepted as in the U.S.A, but ATM machines are widely available.
- Incidental expenses: books, passport, international student ID, etc.
Students from other institutions will be able to participate under the same conditions.
Scholarships
The College of Liberal Arts is providing generous scholarships funding for this program. All UT program students are eligible to apply. Submit the scholarship application to Sara Spiegler in C-GEO together with your program application. The due date is February 20. Download an application form (PDF file).
Students are also encouraged to seek financial support through the International Education Fee Scholarship (IEFS) and through other scholarship programs. The IEFS deadline is March 1. The application form can be found on the C-GEO website.
Student financial aid may be applied to this program (with the exception of work study); check with your financial aid counselor. Further funding options are detailed on the C-GEO website.
Payments
A University bill for the non-refundable deposit ($1,000) will be generated on February 26, 2008. This bill must be paid through UTDirect or at the Main Building by March 2. The balance of $1,700 is due no later than March 17. Withdrawals after March 1, 2008, are subject to a cancellation charge of $1,000 (or the deposit will not be refunded after that date). The program fee includes a $100 refundable dorm deposit which will be refunded in the fall semester provided that there are no damage or cleaning charges. The University of Würzburg reserves the right to cancel an individual course if there are not enough participants.