Germany » Baden-Württemberg » Academic Program

Academic Program

This exchange program enables undergraduate and graduate students with diverse majors and interests to study at one of thirteen universities in Baden-Württemberg for an academic year or a semester. Sites include Freiburg, Heidelberg, Hohenheim, Ludwigsburg, Karlsruhe, Konstanz, Mannheim, Stuttgart, Trossingen, Tübingen, and Ulm. You can choose between a large modern city or a charming historic university town. You may live at the edge of the Black Forest, on a lake near the Swiss border, or in the heart of the Neckar river valley. You may select between traditional liberal arts or technical universities, a top rated business school, or institutions specializing in teacher education, music, or art.

Orientations

To prepare adequately for their academic program in Germany, students are required to participate in an all-day pre-departure orientation in Oregon (in May). Upon arrival in Germany, students participate in a four-week orientation in Tübingen (link to handbook p. 39) during the month of September. This is an intensive language and cultural course for which you will receive three credits. After this on-site orientation, you will move to your chosen university.

Courses in Germany

There are two types of courses Oregon students can take while in Germany: DaF (German as a second language) courses and regular university courses.

Students with one or two years of college-level German can take a variety of classes in the “German as second language” (DaF = Deutsch als Fremdsprache) section of each university. These courses will typically translate as German language credits in Oregon.

Students with more advanced language proficiency can enroll in regular university classes in the humanities, natural and social sciences, education, business, communications, engineering, computer science, architecture, music, art and more. In some cases, classes are taught in English.

Registration and Credits:

Students participating in this program will be registered at their home university in Oregon and will receive home campus credits for courses taken at their university in Baden-Württemberg. Students’ course work will be reviewed and evaluated by appropriate academic departments at their home institutions. Students must keep detailed records of course outlines, reading lists, exam results, and other work completed to facilitate accurate evaluation by their home university academic departments.

Students are advised to consult with their academic advisor about their plans to study in the Germany program. Students wishing to earn major or minor credits for courses taken in Baden-Württemberg are strongly advised to be in frequent communication with their advisor to determine what’s possible.

Because of the nature of this program, courses and credits are applied after completion of the program.

During the orientation in Tübingen, the Resident Director will give an in-depth overview of academic issues, such as registering for courses at the German university, how many courses you need to take to maintain full-time status, how courses transfer, etc. During your semester or year in Germany, she will check in with each student regularly and counsel and assist with academic issues.

Course Equivalencies:

Most OUS institutions have either a database or a list of courses that have previously been taken by students from that institution in Germany. It might be helpful to take a look at the courses (where available) to get an idea what kind of credit is typically given for courses taken in BW. Once classes have begun in Germany, the Resident Director will ask each student to submit a study list. The study list includes all of the courses (including course title, instructor and contact hours) a student is taking during the semester. The RD then forwards the study lists to the respective OUS Campus Contact. The CC checks if an equivalency already exists for that particular course. If it does not, the CC asks the RD that a course description be submitted for the course. The RD works with the student to create a CD. The CD is then sent to the CC, who will submit it to the respective home university department. The department then determines what home campus equivalency is given for that course.

Partner Universities in Baden-Württemberg:

University of Freiburg

The University of Freiburg was founded in 1457. Today, about 19,000 students are enrolled there, including about 3,000 international students. The university offers a wide range of courses in the liberal arts and the sciences. It also offers degrees in Theology, Law, Business, Medicine, Pharmacy, Earth Sciences and Forestry.

University of Heidelberg

Founded in 1386, the University of Heidelberg is the oldest university in Germany. Heidelberg has a student population of about 25,000, nearly 20% of which are international students. Heidelberg has excellent offerings in the humanities, natural and social sciences. It offers a variety of German as a Second language classes as well as many other modern languages. In addition, Heidelberg also has Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, Law, Oriental and Classical Studies, among others, and is known for research in the molecular biology, medical sciences, astronomy and nuclear physics.

University of Hohenheim

Hohenheim is located on the outskirts of Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg. Between 1771 and 1793, Duke Karl Eugen built a country residence there. Hohenheim castle is now the home of the University of Hohenheim. Hohenheim started as an agricultural college; today it has an enrollment of 5,500 students and offers excellent programs not only in Agricultural Sciences, but also in general and applied Natural Sciences, Biology, and Economics and Social Sciences. Hohenheim may be of special interest to students in Food Sciences (including fermentation science and organic foods), Communications, Journalism and Economics. Students have the opportunity to take German as a Second Language (DaF) courses both at Hohenheim and at the University of Stuttgart.

University if Karlsruhe

The University of Karlsruhe is mainly technically focused and is a leading research university with a student population of about 14,000. Karlsruhe is particularly attractive to students in engineering, natural sciences, engineering, computer science, architecture and economics. Courses in the humanities and social sciences are also available.

University of Konstanz

The University of Konstanz was founded in 1966 and has a modern campus with a student population of about 10,000. Courses in most liberal arts and natural sciences are offered, as well as programs in economics, law, and public policy and management.

Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg

The Pädagogische Hochschule Ludwigsburg, located about 12 km north of the Stuttgart city center, is a teacher education university with a broad range of science and liberal arts courses well suited for undergraduate students. Students in the arts can also find courses in applied art and music here that are not available at regular German universities. With 4,500 students and a campus setting, Ludwigsburg is a comparatively small university more alike the regional OUS institutions in Oregon.

University of Mannheim

Housed in an 18th century palace, the University of Mannheim is famous for its top ranked programs in business and economics. It also has a law school and offers studies in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics and computer science. Mannheim has an enrollment of approximately 11,500 students. It is the first university in Baden-Württemberg to adjust its academic calendar to correspond to the international academic year; with the fall semester running from September to December, and the spring semester from February to June. Mannheim is located about 20 minutes northwest of Heidelberg. Mannheim students have the option to enroll in some classes at the University of Heidelberg.

University of Stuttgart

The University of Stuttgart is primarily a technical university with excellent offerings in science, engineering, business and architecture and urban planning. It also has good, if limited, offerings in the liberal arts and offers a variety of DaF (Deutsch als Fremdsprache) courses. Stuttgart has an enrollment of about 10,500 students. Several graduate degree programs in the sciences and engineering are offered in English.

University of Tübingen

Founded in 1477, the University of Tübingen is among the oldest in Germany and has an international reputation for excellence in medicine, natural sciences and the humanities. In addition, Tübingen also has faculties of Law, Business, Pharmacy, Modern Languages, Geosciences and more. Tübingen also offers a wide selection of German language (DaF) courses for international students.

The Oregon Study Center (Office of the OUS Resident Director) is located in Tübingen. The September orientation for students on the exchange program takes place here. Tübingen is also the site for the Spring Intensive Program (SIP).

University of Ulm

The University of Ulm was founded in 1967 and focuses on the sciences, medicine, engineering, and mathematics/ economics. With an enrollment of approximately 7200 students, it belongs to the smaller universities in Germany. There are some DaF (Deutsch als Fremdsprache) courses available, but the selection is more limited than at other universities.

Art/Music Academies:

Music majors may choose to apply one of the two following Baden-Württemberg institutions:

• Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst, Stuttgart OR
• Staatliche Hochschule für Musik, Trossingen

Art majors have the option to apply to the Staatliche Akademie der Bildenden Künste, Stuttgart

Students planning to apply to one of the music or art academies should communicate their intention to their Study Abroad Adviser very early on since some advance planning will be necessary. A portfolio, audition recording or even an audition in person may be required.

Academic Calendar

The universities in Baden-Württemberg are on a two semester calendar. The Wintersemester typically runs from mid-October to mid-February. The Sommersemester begins mid-April and ends in mid- to late July. Students will have a two-month semester break between winter and summer semesters (mid-February to mid-April). Beginning with the 2010-11 academic year, Baden-Württemberg will move to a more internationally recognized academic schedule, with a fall semester that runs from September to December and a spring semester running from February to June. The University of Mannheim is the only BW university that has already switched to this new schedule.