Freiburg: German Studies
Freiburg-im-Breisgau, located in southwestern Germany near the French and Swiss borders, is a historic university town, renowned for its heritage of learning, distinctive medieval architecture, varied cultural life and magnificent countryside. The natural beauty of the Black Forest and the upper Rhine Valley offer the perfect backdrop for intellectual and spiritual growth. Although it is also a modern, cosmopolitan city, Freiburg exudes a friendly provincial charm with its many reminders of a rich past as a flourishing medieval social and cultural center.
Academic Program
The German Studies Program, offered at the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) Center, offers courses in modern German history, art history, political science, economics, and German language and literature. All instruction is in German. Students in this program are concurrently enrolled at the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität (University of Freiburg) which offers a vast array of courses in Arts and Sciences to qualified students. Two hours of tutorials supplement two hours of class work for selected University courses. The fall semester for the program runs from early September until mid-January; the spring semester from mid-February until mid-June. The University of Freiburg semester ends about three weeks later than the IES program.
Eligibility, Applications, and Deadlines
Students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and junior standing are eligible to participate. Candidates for this program must have completed four semesters of German or the equivalent for enrollment in the fall, and five semesters for the spring. Selection for the program is based on a written application and a review of transcripts. Preliminary applications are available in the International Center in Serra 315, or can be downloaded by clicking on "Applications/Forms" on the toolbar to the left. Deadlines for applications are generally in late September and late February for participation in the following semester.
Living Arrangements
Students are housed along with German students in University residence halls which are located on the outskirts of town, a 12-minute trolley ride from the University.
Expenses
Tuition for this program is the same as for full-time, on-campus attendance at USD and is paid directly to USD. Other program fees such as room and board are paid directly to IES. Estimates for these program fees and personal expenses can be obtained from the International Studies Abroad Office located in the International Center in Serra 315.
