Berlin

Academic Program

 

 

Language Prerequisites

 

AUTUMN QUARTER	WINTER QUARTER	SPRING QUARTER
No language requirement. Intensive onsite German required.	No language requirement. Intensive onsite German required.	GERLANG 1
NOTE: Preference will be given to students with additional language study and to those who express an interest in the Krupp Internship Program (see below).

 

All students, including native speakers, are expected to demonstrate their level of language ability (writing, verbal and reading) by providing results of a recent language placement test or previous coursework. Please set up an appointment to speak with Pat de Castries at the Stanford Language Center.

All students are required to take German language classes while enrolled in the program. Varying levels of language courses are offered, and placement will be determined in accordance with students' proficiencies. The grading basis for all regular language classes is Letter Grade Only.

Directed Reading

Students studying in Berlin can arrange a directed reading guided by a mentor who is either a local Berlin faculty member, a scholar at a local university, or a Stanford faculty member.

Those interested in pursuing a directed reading should work closely with their academic advisor on the home campus and the Berlin Program Director in developing these projects. Students planning to work with a Stanford faculty member should consult this mentor as well. A Directed Reading Proposal (downloadable form) must be submitted to the Overseas Studies office at least one month prior to the quarter of intended study. A directed reading may be taken only in addition to twelve units of regular coursework offered directly by the center.

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Course Credit

All Berlin Program courses provide credit toward Stanford graduation and most classes also count toward an undergraduate major. Students must enroll in a minimum of twelve units from the courses offered through the program. For a list of all classes and information on which ones earn departmental credit or fulfill General Education Requirements, students should consult the BOSP course database or Axess.

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Local University Coursework

Students with advanced German skills can enroll in courses at local universities in Autumn and Spring Quarters; the decision to do so is made on site during the first two weeks of the quarter. (German semesters begin a bit later than Stanford's quarters; students take courses for the duration of a quarter under a special arrangement.)

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Cultural Events and Trips

The wealth of activities available in Berlin is enhanced by the value of spending time getting to know the host city and its people. Extensive travel plans for weekends away from Berlin are likely to make it more difficult to make local friends - weekends are times for developing friendships.

Stanford students may have most success in meeting Germans by:

• Meeting their language partners regularly
• Participating in courses taught in German or English at one of Berlin's universities
• Participating in athletic classes at nearby Freie Universität ranging from speed skating to basketball, pantomime to African dance
• Forming a music group at the Center or joining a local choir (a grand piano and two acoustic guitars are available at the center for student use)
• Volunteering with Treffpunkt Hilfsbereitschaft, a government-financed agency that can place students with one of more than 170 projects and organizations in Berlin

Will Fund Trips:

Through a generous grant by alumnus H. George Will, Berlin students travel each quarter to one of the countries of Eastern Europe preparing for entry to the European Union where they meet with policy experts, explore the city with local students, and visit important cultural sites. Past trips have taken students to Poland, Latvia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, Estonia, and Hungary.

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Krupp Internship Program

The Krupp Internship Program arranges 3-6 month, fully paid internships with leading companies and institutions from all over Germany. Internships are available to students of any major/minor who have participated for at least one quarter in the Berlin Program and have completed the equivalent of one year of college-level German. Internships can be arranged in a variety of fields and with institutions from all over Germany.

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