in Heidelberg, Jena, Dessau & Berlin
May 17 - July 6, 2013 - 28th Year
View photos from past workshops.
Objectives: The exhilaration of total immersion in a foreign language is combined in this program with the thrill of living and traveling in Europe. The intensive workshop is designed to give students the opportunity to complete one full year of college German at the intermediate (200) or the advanced (300) level. Students completing the intermediate level, satisfying the Miami Arts & Science language requirement, are prepared to enter advanced German. Those completing the third-year course may continue to take courses at the advanced level, having earned credit toward either a minor or major in German. The 300-level students may also complete a Miami Plan Thematic Sequence (201, 202 required). The program presents fine preparation for any students hoping to study later at a German university.
Eligibility: All students in good standing at any accredited college or university may apply, provided they have completed one year of college-level German or the equivalent. Incoming first-year students with at least two years of high school German are welcome. Students not now at Miami who complete this course and then wish to continue their studies either at the European Center in Luxembourg or at our three campuses in Ohio must apply for admission to the University through the Office of Admission.
Courses: Both sequences offered -- intermediate and advanced -- carry eight credit hours and include conversation, composition, and reading in German literature, culture, and current events. The intermediate course also includes intense grammar development, while the advanced sequence focuses on reading, listening, and advanced writing skills. Classes are held at the Central Language Laboratory of the University of Heidelberg, which is situated in the oldest part of the city and offers modern equipment and excellent, up-to-date materials. Living with families in the Heidelberg and area and personally exploring Dessau and Berlin provide an invaluable cultural supplement to formal language instruction. Staying with families in Jena gives a close look at life in the former East Germany. Guided excursions to sites around Heidelberg and trips to places such as Erfurt, Wittenberg, Leipzig, and Weimar further acquaint students with the rich and diverse German history and culture.
Staff: The courses are team-taught by Prof. John M. Jeep, PhD, experienced Program Director, along with adjunct instructors and other local experts.
Locations: The University of Heidelberg, site of the first part of the program, celebrated its 625th anniversary in 2011 and is thus the oldest -- and perhaps best-known -- university in Germany. Heidelberg itself, historic and completely spared in World War II, is located on the beautiful Neckar River. The old university town of Jena with nearby cultural centers Weimar, Erfurt, and Eisenach, permits us to explore the cradle of the Reformation and the German Classical Period. Our stay in Dessau as guests of the Moses Mendelssohn-Gesellschaft enhances our understanding of the former East Germany, of the history of Jewish-German relations, and of an emerging center of federal environmental efforts. The last ten days of the program are spent in Berlin, with excursions to various sites in the vicinity. The former and present capital of Germany, Berlin offers unique opportunities for students to learn about and absorb German history, culture, and a world perspective.
Accommodations: Participants in the program are welcomed as paying guests in private homes in Heidelberg (or Neckargemünd, a small town just upstream from Heidelberg on the picturesque Neckar River), in Jena, and in Berlin. In Dessau, we are placed in student housing.
Cost: The projected cost -- based on current fees and exchange rates, hence subject to revision -- for the seven-week program, including tuition and academic fees, accommodations in Heidelberg, Jena, Dessau, and Berlin, and all program-related expenses such as admissions, and ground transportation after arrival in Heidelberg, is as follows: Ohio residents circa $6,000; non-Ohio residents circa $8,500. (These fees include $1,750 program + tuition/fees.) Each participant is responsible for transportation from home to Heidelberg and from Berlin home. The range in fares (depending on home location and carrier) typically has been approximately $1,200. Daily lunch and dinner and incidental expenses are not included and are thus the responsibility of the student.
Support: In addition to your current aid, which may be applicable to the summer program, the Max Kade Foundation (New York) has supported Miami students who are German majors or minors for the program the past three years, covering some 40% of our program expenses. A few very modest scholarships for international workshop participants enrolled at Miami University are available. Scholarship application forms may be secured from the Office of Lifelong Learning; due early December. For other financial aid, inquire at the Office of Student Financial Aid, Edwards House, and at GREAL. Non-Miami students, while not eligible for Miami support, are encouraged to apply for aid from their home institutions.
Deadlines: Anticipated enrollment limit for the program is 20. Ongoing admission. Minimum depends on budget considerations. The application period opens on Monday, October 15, 2012. Admission to the program is based upon payment of a $750 deposit (applied to program fees) and an interview with the director. The balance -– program fees and summer tuition -- is due no later than Friday, March 22, 2013. All checks should be made payable to Miami University: pay program fees to the GREAL office, 170 Irvin Hall; tuition/fees to the Bursar via Office of Lifelong Learning.
Application: The application can be downloaded and printed here or from the Office of Lifelong Learning. Your space in the program is secured with a fee deposit ($750, fully refundable) to Office of Lifelong Learning (McGuffey Hall 127).
Information: Additional information and application forms may also be obtained from:
Dr. John M. Jeep
Department of German, Russian, and East Asian Languages
166 Irvin Hall or 170 Irvin Hall (GREAL Office)
Miami University
Oxford, Ohio 45056
Tel.: (513) 529-2526, or (513) 529-1852
Fax: (513) 529-2296