Summer Study Abroad in Germany

Schwäbisch Gmünd

GENERAL INFORMATION

The European Council of the University System of Georgia organizes a variety of educational activities related to the European continent.  One of the Council's major activities is an annual five-week study program in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany.  UNCW has joined this program and this website describes information pertinent to UNCW students.  Students at other universities should consult the following website for information:  http://www.valdosta.edu/oip/europeancouncil/students/germany/index.html

Each summer, faculty members from UNCW and participating Georgia institutions offer a range of courses that are taught in English and are open to students enrolled in any accredited college or university. For more information or a program booklet and application, UNCW students should contact:

Dr. Roger C. Lowery
Political Science Department
260 Lakeside Hall
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
601 South College Road
Wilmington, NC   28403-5607

email:   lowery@uncw.edu
phone:  910-962-3225

PROGRAM DATES, STRUCTURE, AND COURSE OFFERINGS
PROGRAM LOCATION
ACCOMMODATIONS, MEALS, AND FACILITIES
APPLICATION AND ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM
PROGRAM COSTS
FINANCIAL AID
PAYMENT SCHEDULE
REFUNDS
REGISTRATION
HEALTH MATTERS AND INSURANCE
PASSPORTS AND VISAS
INTERNATIONAL ID CARDS
COURSE OFFERINGS
 

      
Tübingen                                                           Ludwigsburg               

PROGRAM DATES, STRUCTURE, AND COURSE OFFERINGS

Participants depart from Atlanta International Airport for Schwäbisch Gmünd on June 22, 2004, and return to Atlanta on July 27, 2004. Students may take a maximum of six semester hours (two three-hour courses). Each course (taught in English by UNCW or University System of Georgia-system faculty) meets in class two days a week and has a required day-long field experience each week, when faculty members accompany students to sites related to their fields of study. Weekends involve either free travel or optional overnight group excursions to locations outside the Schwäbisch Gmünd area.  In 2004, courses are offered in political science, business, economics, and management; German and German culture; history and world civilizations; literature and the humanities; music; psychology; and women’s studies.  Each course is described later in this brochure.

 

PROGRAM LOCATION

ACCOMMODATIONS, MEALS, AND FACILITIES

The accommodations in halls of residence are double rooms with shared bathroom and shower facilities.  Meals included as part of the package are served in the University Park's dining hall, the UniBistro. The schedule of meals is designed to accommodate field trips and travel away from the campus.  A full breakfast will be offered Monday through Friday and brunch on weekends; lunch will be offered on Mondays and Wednesdays; dinner will be offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays.  There is also a common kitchen in each residence hall where students may cook. The Student Union Building (SUB) houses a fitness center, a television/video room, a game room, and a student bar with attached beer garden. Other facilities on campus include a racquetball court and outdoor basketball and tennis courts.

Student Housing

APPLICATION AND ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM

Any full-time or part-time UNCW student is eligible to participate in the program and receive UNCW academic credit by enrolling and paying tuition at UNCW.

An application form is available from Dr. Lowery (LH-260) or the UNCW Office of International Programs (UU-103).  Completed applications should be submitted to Dr. Lowery, along with a required application fee of $150 (personal check made out to Valdosta State University) and four passport-size photographs.  Completed applications will be forwarded to the program office at Valdosta State University only when the application fee has been paid.

Because of space limitations, acceptance is on a first come, first served basis, according to the date of receipt of the application and application fee.  UNCW students are encouraged to apply well in advance of the application deadline to assure them of a place in the program.  The application deadline for the 2004 program is Friday, March 12, 2004.

Students must be in good standing in order to be admitted to the program.  Completion of an application form does not guarantee acceptance into the program.  Note also that individual campuses may require letters of reference or other information beyond that required by the European Council.


 

PROGRAM COSTS

The package cost is $3,770 for the five-week program.  This cost includes the following items:

* Roundtrip airfare between Atlanta and Stuttgart, Germany
* Group transportation by bus from the Stuttgart airport to the Schwäbisch Gmünd campus, on arrival,
   and transportation to the airport from the campus at the end of the program
* Accommodations in Schwäbisch Gmünd for the full five weeks
* Many meals, as noted in the section on Accommodations, Meals, and Facilities
* A 10-day Eurail Flexi Pass for unlimited travel by train throughout Europe
* A primary health insurance policy that provides basic coverage for medical expenses
* An International Student Identification Card (ISIC) that provides reduced-fare admissions to tourist
   sites and supplemental health insurance
* A half-day guided tour of Stuttgart
* A day-long excursion to Rothenburg ob der Tauber

The package cost does NOT include tuition, textbooks, excluded meals, passport and related expenses, spending money, transport to and from the Atlanta airport, or any other costs beyond those listed above.

Students should plan to budget a minimum of $750 to $1,000 for extra meals, theater tickets, entrance fees, and evening entertainment. If students plan extended travel or major shopping, additional funds should be budgeted.  Some course excursions might involve additional fees; course instructors will inform students if such fees apply.

All costs are subject to change because of unanticipated increases in airfares or other program elements or fluctuations in monetary exchange rates.  The European Council will make every effort to keep program costs as advertised and will inform prospective participants of any changes as they occur.

Scenes from Schwäbisch Gmünd

    
                                    

FINANCIAL AID

Courses in the 2004 Germany Study Program are part of the regular offerings of member institutions; therefore, students may apply for loans or grants for which they would normally be eligible. Students should apply for financial aid at the campus where they are registering for courses. Campus representatives will assist students in obtaining information about financial aid.

Students must meet all campus requirements in applying for financial aid.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

February 2, 2004:      $150 application fee*

*Because course enrollments are limited to 15 students and filled on a first-come-first-served basis, UNCW students are strongly urged to pay this $150 fee and submit their application and course schedules as soon as possible instead of waiting until the March 12th deadline.

March 12, 2004:      $1875

April 23, 2004:        $1,745
______________________

Total payment:        $3,770

May 15, 2004:  Payment of $200 train pass surcharge for participants age 26 and older
 

REFUNDS

Students' application fees and other payments are applied towards required advances, purchase of airline tickets, and other costs related to the program.  Note that $100 of the $150 application fee is non-refundable and covers processing and reservation fees.  Participants who withdraw from the program after the application deadline will receive a refund according to the following schedule:

Withdrawal by April 1:                                  All but $100 will be refunded.

Withdrawal between April 2 and May 2:     All but $250 will be refunded.

Withdrawal between May 3 and May 30:   All but $1,850 will be refunded.

Withdrawal after May 30:                            No money will be refunded.

Note:  All withdrawals must be made in writing to the program office at Valdosta State University in order for refunds to be processed.

REGISTRATION

UNCW has identified courses and course numbers for the courses being offered by faculty members from University System of Georgia campuses.  This enables UNCW students to register for courses, pay tuition, and receive academic credit at their home institution. 

Students may earn three or six semester hours of credit in standard courses offering three hours of credit each.  Students may take one or two of these courses.

Students who need to maintain full-time status for financial aid eligibility may enroll prior to departure for Schwäbisch Gmünd in May or early summer sessions at their home campuses. Some professors may also offer directed study options during the five-week program in Germany.

Note that the program package cost does NOT include tuition fees. Tuition is paid directly to the college or university where you are registering.

Rococo building in Schwäbisch Gmünd

HEALTH MATTERS AND INSURANCE

Participants are provided with health-care insurance that covers them while they are abroad. The policy has a $50 deductible for doctors' visits and a $250 deductible for hospitalization. Supplementary insurance is provided with the International Student Identity Card (ISIC), included as one of the benefits of the Schwäbisch Gmünd Study Program.  The ISIC Card, which provides a variety of benefits besides insurance, is described in a later section of the brochure.

Students with special medical problems may be required to provide a physician's assurance of their ability to undertake foreign travel and study. It is not possible for the European Council to guarantee accessible facilities abroad for students with special needs.

Participants should bring medications they regularly depend upon and should have copies of prescriptions in generic form in case they need to acquire additional medications. 

No special immunizations are needed to enter Germany, and the International Immunization Certificate is not required.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS

Everyone who travels to Germany must have a valid passport.  Participants with expired passports should have them renewed. Participants who have never had a passport should begin the process of obtaining one immediately; it sometimes takes six to eight weeks to get a passport.  Inquire at your local post office for instructions on obtaining a passport.

Holders of U.S. passports do not need visas to enter Germany for summer study.  Participants traveling on passports of other countries should contact their campus representative for assistance in determining whether they need a visa.

 
INTERNATIONAL ID CARDS

The International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is available to students pursuing a diploma or degree.  In addition to serving as a common means of identification, the ISIC card provides many benefits, including insurance coverage for accidental death or dismemberment, accident-related medical expenses, and in-hospital sickness outside the U.S. It also provides a 24-hour traveler's assistance hotline and discounts on a wide range of admission fees and travel services.  Normally, the ISIC card costs about $22.  All 2004 program participants receive an ISIC card as a benefit of participation. 

   
Zurich                                            Strasbourg                                       Salzburg
 

COURSE OFFERINGS

Students must take at least three semester hours of academic work, and many enroll for six hours of credit.  All courses are three-hour courses.

Half the courses are taught in the morning and half in the afternoon.  Morning courses meet in class from 9:00-11:30 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. Morning courses have required, whole-day field trips on Tuesdays.  Afternoon courses meet from 1:00-3:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, with Thursdays reserved for required field trips. Students taking two three-hour courses must select one morning course and one afternoon course in order to avoid a conflict in class scheduling.

Note that all courses are designated as lower-division (LD) or upper-division (UD) courses. LD courses are normally 100 or 200 level courses; UD courses are 300 or 400 level courses. (Upper-division courses may be taken for graduate credit through special arrangement with the faculty members teaching the courses.) The exact numbers assigned to courses will differ slightly from institution to institution. Check at the college or university where you plan to register to find out what course numbers will be assigned to the courses you want to take.  If you would like to find out more about any of the courses being offered, you can contact the faculty members teaching all the courses via e-mail.  Course titles and faculty e-mail addresses are listed on the European Council web site:  http://www.valdosta.edu/europeancouncil/.

All courses are dependent upon sufficient enrollment; courses with inadequate enrollment will be canceled.  Students will be kept informed of courses at risk of cancellation.

Course Offerings Germany 2004

    
Fischerviertel in Ulm                              Market  Square in Schwäbisch Gmünd

POLITICAL SCIENCE

Morning Class, Tuesday Field Trips
PLS 303, Elections and Voting Behavior (3)

Elections and Voting Behavior:  This course compares the electoral system of the United States with those found in the major European democracies of Germany, France, and the United Kingdom.  Our focus is on the interrelationships between governmental, electoral, and political-party systems.  Besides patterns of vote choice and turnout, trends in campaign strategies are examined.  Attention is also given to the electoral impact of recent changes in the educational, economic, and social characteristics of the U.S. and European electorates.  Potential field trips include visits to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, and various political offices and historical sites in Stuttgart, Bonn, and Berlin. (Dr. Roger C. Lowery, University of North Carolina at Wilmington) UD
 

PSYCHOLOGY
Morning Class, Tuesday Field Trips
PSY 294, Study Abroad (General Psychology) (3)

General Psychology: This General Psychology course is based on an environmental-biological orientation that is consistent with modern evolutionary theory and a general pragmatist position of truth. While in Germany, students will be exposed to historical and modern contributions to psychology as a science. The purpose of this course is to promote an understanding of basic psychological concepts through lectures, demonstrations, and discussions. General Psychology covers the major areas of psychology, including biopsychology, behavioral psychology, cognitive psychology, sensory and perceptual psychology, social psychology, and clinical psychology. Potential field trip sites include Heidelberg, Nuremberg, Freiburg, and Frankfurt. (Dr. John Kraft, Armstrong Atlantic State University) LD

Afternoon Class, Thursday Field Trips
PSY 365, Social Psychology (3)

Social Psychology: This course offers a survey of the richness, complexity and variety of human social behavior and how the behavior of others determines the behavior of the individual. Topics will include social beliefs and judgments, attitudes, conformity, persuasion, prejudice, attraction and intimacy, group dynamics, discrimination, and aggression.  The course emphasizes the major studies conducted in social psychology, many of which were carried out in Germany or relate to German social issues.  Potential field trip sites include Würzburg and its museum of Gestalt psychology, Vienna and its museum related to Sigmund Freud’s work, Wundt’s laboratory and museum in Leipzig, and one of many possible holocaust museums in Germany to review eugenics programs.  (Dr. John Kraft, Armstrong Atlantic State University) UD
 

HISTORY
Afternoon Class, Thursday Field Trips
HST, 103, Introduction to Global History (World Civilizations II) (3)

World Civilizations II: This core course offers an overview of world history and provides an introduction to the origin and development of the world’s civilizations and their political, social, cultural, and economic traditions. By using a global approach to world history, this course tries to emphasize the universal nature of these political, social, cultural, and economic experiences. As the heart of Western Europe, today’s Germany is in many ways a perfect place for the study of world civilizations. This region brought forth individuals like Charlemagne, Martin Luther, Karl Marx, Adolf Hitler, and others.  Potential field trips include visits to Karlsruhe, Ludwigsburg, Heidelberg, Nuremberg, and elsewhere. (Dr. Alan LeBaron, Kennesaw State University)  LD

Morning Class, Tuesday Field Trips
HST 494, Study Abroad (The Contemporary World:  1945 to Present) (3)

The Contemporary World: 1945 to Present: This course offers a survey of the major themes in world history since 1945 and focuses on sociocultural and intellectual developments, political and economic relations, economic globalization, and the challenges of the future. A focus on Germany is especially relevant as it was once divided by the Iron Curtain during the Cold War Era and is one of the original charter members of the European Union. Potential field trips include visits to Frankfurt, Nuremberg, Freiburg, Strasbourg, and elsewhere. (Dr. Alan LeBaron, Kennesaw State University)   UD
 

ENGLISH
Morning Class, Tuesday Field Trips
ENG 340, Multiculturalism and Literature (Actors and Madmen) (3)

Actors and Madmen: A cynical clown, an intellectual turned wolf, exhibits in an alien zoo—such human oddities serve as literary responses to cultural trauma, revealing the demands a chaotic history makes on individuals who must recreate themselves and the shaky dividing line between such performances and madness. Exploring perspectives on modern German history, the class will cover novels and plays by German writers read in translation (Herman Hesse, Bertolt Brecht) and British and American authors (Isherwood’s Goodbye to Berlin, Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five). Potential field trips include the Black Forest region, Dresden, and the German Film Museum and various other sites in Berlin. (Dr. Maria Doyle, State University of West Georgia) UD

Afternoon Class, Thursday Field Trips
ENG 290, Themes in Literature (World Literature: Pleasures and Perils of Wanderlust) (3)

World Literature: Pleasures and Perils of Wanderlust:  “Travel is life,” posited Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō, a statement that this course will take as its central theme. Beginning with classical Greece and Rome and wending its way to the 20^th Century, this class will explore literary representations of travel and characterizations of the wanderer with a particular emphasis on texts from the Germanic tradition. Potential field trips include a Cistercian Abbey (where the historical Dr. Faustus once lived), the city of Worms (site of Germany’s national epic The Nibelungenlied), and the castle of Neuschwanstein with its elaborate murals of the Grail legend. (Dr. Maria Doyle, State University of West Georgia) LD
 

FILM STUDIES / WOMEN'S STUDIES
Morning Class, Tuesday Field Trips
FST 369, Special Topics (German Women in Film) (3)
WMS 494, Study Abroad (German Women in Film) (3)

German Women in Film: The students in this course will view movies by German women directors shown in the original German version with English subtitles. They will discover women’s voices from several major periods of German history, starting with films and documentaries of Leni Riefenstahl (who once was “Hitler’s filmmaker”) and Margarethe von Trotta’s “Lost Honor of Katharina Blum,” to Caroline Link’s “Nowhere in Africa,” who won the Oscar for best Foreign Language Film in 2003. Potential field trips include the famous Bavaria film studios in Munich and the UfA studios in Babelsberg, just outside Berlin.  (Ms. Gabrielle Stellmacher, Valdosta State University) UD  

GERMAN

Morning Class, Tuesday Field Trips
GER 101, Introductory German (3)

Beginning German I: This course will introduce students to the study of German, and what better way to do it than directly in Germany. All four components of language learning will be taught in this course (reading, writing, speaking, and listening comprehension), and these skills will be reinforced outside the classroom in everyday situations in restaurants, shopping centers, railway stations, and museums. Potential field trips include visits to the state parliament, theater, and art gallery in Stuttgart, and various castles, historic buildings, and museums in Ludwigsburg, Heidelberg, Friedrichshafen, Freiburg, and elsewhere. (Ms. Barbara Smith, North Georgia College & State University) LD

Afternoon Classes, Thursday Field Trip
GER 201, Intermediate German (3)
GER 311, German Civilization (3)

Intermediate German I: This course is for students who already have prior knowledge of German and want to reinforce and deepen their language skills. As the students have the advantage of being immersed in Germany’s cultural landscapes, they will be able to hone all four basic language skills in everyday situations in cafes, museums, shopping centers, and theaters. Potential field trips include visits to Stuttgart, Ludwigsburg, Tübingen, Ulm, and elsewhere. (Ms. Barbara Smith, North Georgia College & State University) LD

German Culture and Civilization II: This course offers a survey of German history, culture, and geography to students of German. Potential field trips will take students to cities founded by the Romans (e.g. Trier on the Moselle river), to castles of the Habsburg dynasty, to the residence of the Prussian king Friedrich in Potsdam, to sites known from the Nazi era, and to the Berlin of the new unified Germany. (Ms. Gabrielle Stellmacher, Valdosta State University) UD


MUSIC
Morning Class, Tuesday Field Trips
MUS 494, Study Abroad (The Hero, the Devil, and Nature: Perspectives on German Romanticism)  (3)

The Hero, the Devil, and Nature: Perspectives on German Romanticism: Romanticism represents an emotional reaction to the cool, balanced reason of Classical artists. This course will examine the importance of Hero, Devil, and Nature in the context of romantic German experience through literature, music and art. Our journey will take us into the worlds of the preeminent creative minds of the time in an examination of their most influential works. Enter into the creations of such giants as Goethe, E.T.A. Hoffmann, the Brothers Grimm, Beethoven, Schumann, and Wagner. Learn what magic webs they wove as we visit places like King Ludwig’s castle Neuschwanstein and the beautiful romantic city of Heidelberg. (Dr. Richard Mercier, Georgia College & State University) UD

Afternoon Class, Thursday Field Trips
MUS 115, Survey of Music Literature (Music and Civilization) (3)

Music and Civilization: Throughout history, music has reflected the conditions and beliefs of the people who created it. In this course we will examine the role of music in society through past and current trends in a broad survey. What better way to become acquainted with the function of music in society than in a society where so much of that music originated. Classroom discussions will be reinforced by field trips to composers’ homes (!), concerts, art museums and other relevant destinations in Bayreuth, Bonn, Weimar, and elsewhere. (Dr. Richard Mercier, Georgia College & State University) LD

BUSINESS
Morning Classes, Tuesday Field Trips
MGT 352, International Management (3)
ECN 222, Principles of Macroeconomics (3)

International Business Management: As improved transportation and communication have brought the world’s people and countries into closer and more frequent contact, commerce and investments among them have multiplied dramatically. A major purpose of this course is to introduce the international management perspective to students as we analyze how marketing, human resources, economic, political and sociocultural forces affect business. Potential field trips include visits to international companies like IBM, Siemens, and Daimler Chrysler in Stuttgart, Heidelberg, Ludwigshafen, and elsewhere. (Dr. Beth Fitzgerald, Kennesaw State University) UD

Principles of Macroeconomics: This core course enables students to understand and analyze macro-economic measurements such as national income, national product, and inflation. Money and banking and their relation to national income expansion are also included. Emphasis will be on the impact of international trade and development and economic integration, especially the development of the European Monetary Union. Potential field trip sites include the European Central Bank and the German Bundesbank in Frankfurt and international companies like HP, Hoechst, and Porsche in Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, and elsewhere. (Dr. Dudley Salley, Floyd College) LD

Afternoon Classes, Thursday Field Trips
MGT 494, Study Abroad (International Human Resource Management) (3)
FIN 439, Multinational Financial Management (International Trade and Finance) (3)

International Human Resource Management: This course introduces the principles and practices of personnel management, with an emphasis on international human relations. The increased importance of international HRM is largely because of the myriad of environmental issues facing firms today that have made “people issues” of paramount importance to organizational survival and success. Areas examined include international recruitment and selection, performance management, training and development, compensation, management of expatriates and their repatriation. Potential field trips include visits to international companies like Bayer, Siemens, and Daimler Chrysler in Stuttgart, Heilbronn, Pforzheim, and elsewhere. (Dr. Beth Fitzgerald, Kennesaw State University) UD

International Trade and Finance: This course explores the theory and patterns of international trade, the reasons for and against barriers to free trade, the mechanisms for international payments, and the various systems which determine currency exchange rates. Discussion will focus on the historical development of multinational corporations and international institutions such as the World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, European Monetary Union, and the North American Free Trade Association. Potential field trips include visits to the European Central Bank and the German Bundesbank in Frankfurt and international industries like IBM, Bosch, SAP, and Daimler Chrysler in Stuttgart, Heidelberg, Mannheim, and elsewhere. (Dr. Dudley Salley, Floyd College) UD

Stuttgart Opera House
 

For more information about European Council programs, point your web browser to:

http://www.valdosta.edu/europeancouncil |