Located on the Neckar River and dominated by the massive ruins of the famous castle perched on the mountainside, Heidelberg is home to Germany’s oldest and finest university. Founded in 1386, the University is home to 30,000 students and is consistently ranked among the top in the world.
Application - Deadline for application is February 15.
Earn 7 hours of academic credit taught by Universität Heidelberg faculty:
- Ger 202: German Language and Travel (3 credits) (Tiffin campus GER 201 or 306)
Course description: This course has two components:- Language instruction - Monday through Friday there will be 2 hrs. of language instruction. The class will use an interactive language learning approach using a reader as well as online materials provided by the Goethe Institute and Deutsche Welle.
- Travel - Using the GermanRail pass students will have the opportunity to travel to
- Germany’s capital Berlin (group travel)
- Munich and Neuschwanstein castle (individual travel)
- Strasbourg and the European Parliament (group travel)
- Basel, Switzerland (group travel)
- Salzburg, Austria (individual travel)
Basis of grade: a) Regular attendance and participation in the language class. Homework assignments, quizzes and a final test. B) Students turn in a travel journal.
- Ger 307a: German Cultural Sampler (2 credits) (Tiffin campus HIS 290 Germ History & Culture)
Course Description: Students obtain an insight into the diversity of contemporary German cultural life by experiencing the cultural highlights of the summer in Heidelberg and other nearby cities: A visit to the Ludwigshafen Summer Film Festival, an evening of ballet at Mannheim National Theatre, a tour of the Schwetzingen castle and gardens; a performance of the Student Prince at the Heidelberg Castle Festival, and more. Students will also visit a monastery which brews its own beer, meet a local artist in his studio, and visit a Black Forest open air museum. Special attention is given to the rich history of Heidelberg and the region, i.e. Celtic and Roman sites, Heidelberg as the center of the Electoral Palatinate during the Middle Ages, or its role during the Thirty Years’ war, to name some examples.
Basis of grade: Attendance of all events. Brief introductory reports prior to the events or written reports on the events. Students can do a research or reflection paper in order to earn History credit.
- Ger 307b: Germany and the European Union (2 credits) (Tiffin campus POL 380)
Starting with a brief overview of the founding and growth (from the EEC to the EC to the EU), this seminar will focus on the challenges that confront the European Union such as expansion and membership, monetary issues, agricultural policy, and the impact of continuing immigration upon domestic policies in Germany and in other European states. The class will visit the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
Basis of grade: Classroom presentations and final exam.
Students will also:
- Stay in homes of German families
- Take day trips to medieval monasteries, walled cities and castles
- Experience theater, art , music and culture
- Participate in a study trip to Berlin
- Enjoy GermanRail pass for weekend travel
Classes for the Summer Program in German and European Studies are held in the office of the American Junior Year Abroad Program, which is located in the historic town center. Courses in History and Political Science are taught in English. Students are eligible who are enrolled at Heidelberg University (Tiffin, Ohio), and have successfully completed at least one semester of college-level or one year of high school German, and have a cumulative grade point average of B or better.
Program fee of $6000 includes tuition, housing, breakfast and supper, Heidelberg Public Transportation, excursions and cultural events, GermanRail pass, official transcript, and transportation to and from the Frankfurt airport. Students should discuss financial aid opportunities with Heidelberg’s Financial Aid Office. Scholarships up to $3000 are available.