VU Study Centers Abroad

Reutlingen, Germany

Who?

All students! No previous study of German is required.
You must be a sophomore, junior or senior. Generally, a GPA of 3.0 is required.
You do NOT have to be a German major or minor to study in Reutlingen. Almost all Valpo students can study in Reutlingen without delaying graduation IF they plan carefully with their academic advisor and/or German professor.
As many as 20 students each semester may study in Reutlingen, so contact your friends and plan a major road trip!

What?

One semester of study (fall or spring) on the campus of the Hochschule Reutlingen in Reutlingen, Germany. Courses are taught by the VU resident director and by German professors; all courses except German language are taught in English. You are required to take a German language (FLGR) course plus German Life and Culture, but you may select among other course offerings. Courses available for the 2007-2009 academic year are:

FLGR 101 First Semester German (required if no previous German) 4 credits
FLGR 204 German Comp. and Conv. (you may repeat for credit) 4 credits
ART 311 European Art & Architecture (fulfills Fine Arts requirement) 3 credits
GS 390 German Life & Culture 3 credits
ECON 290 Topics in Economics Auβenwirtschaft (International Trade) 3 credits (fulfills Social Analysis requirement)
THEO 322/HIST 390 Luther and Bach 3 credits
(fulfills upper level Theology or Hist/Phil requirement)

Courses meet Monday morning through Thursday noon so that students might take advantage of travel opportunities. Several long weekends will be devoted to group trips (funded by your study abroad fee). Recent past trips have included Berlin, Budapest and Munich, as well as extended visits to eastern German cities like Dresden, Leipzig, Weimar, Eisenach and Wittenberg.

Where?

Reutlingen is a town of about 95,000 located in the southwestern part of Germany, near the major city of Stuttgart. It is located between the Black Forest and the Swabian Jura, both areas of geographical interest and beauty. The town's center boasts remnants of a city wall and medieval fortifications. Students walk through lovely residential areas and a park on their way from campus to downtown (about a 20-minute walk) or they can take one of the convenient Reutlingen buses.

Students are housed in modern dormitories on the campus of the Hochschule. They live in double rooms with other VU students.. Kitchens are located on each floor of the dormitories, but many students choose to eat their main meal each day in the cafeteria. Classes are also held on the campus within easy walking distance of dormitories and the cafeteria.

How?

You must apply for the program through the International Studies Office in Meier Hall 137.
You should consult with your academic advisor and with one of the German professors as early as possible. Freshman year is not too early to begin thinking about studying in Germany. If your academic advisor is unsure about what courses you should or shouldn’t take before going to Reutlingen, please consult with one of the German professors. Careful planning means that the courses you take in Reutlingen are courses you will need for graduation anyway.

How Much? (for current fees, see the Cost Sheet)

Air fare: Students can expect to spend in the neighborhood of $1200 - $1400 for travel to and from Germany (fall semester is usually a little higher than spring semester). Many of the discount flights described in newspapers are not useful, since they are for short-term stays. The ISO will find the lowest-priced fare available for the group.

Tuition and General Fee: Students pay the same tuition and general fee they would pay in Valparaiso. All financial aid is valid for the Reutlingen semester, except work-study and other “on-campus” aid. Reutlingen scholarships in amounts of $500-$600 are sometimes available.

Study Abroad Fee: Each student who studies in Reutlingen pays an additional study abroad fee, which is used by the program director for group trips (hotels and meals) and German rail tickets.

Room and Board: Students pay only the “room” portion of Valpo’s room and board charge. Meal costs are then handled by students on an individual basis in Reutlingen. Those costs will typically be lower than at Valpo since the German government heavily subsidizes cafeteria costs for university students.

Spending Money: Count on spending at least as much as you do in Valpo for miscellaneous items; then add on for any travel you might plan. Most students purchase a two-month Eurail Pass ($1015; some lower-priced options are also available). Expenses such as these are very difficult to estimate since they are discretionary and will vary according to your interests and financial circumstances. If you decide to stay within a 100-mile radius of Reutlingen, you will still have plenty to do!

Contacts

Dr. Bjornstad Associate Professor of German Meier 124 x 5277
Dr. DeMaris Professor of German Meier 118 x 5344
Dr. Malchow Assistant Professor of German Meier 106 x 5765
Dr. McGuigan Director of International Studies Meier 137 x 5333

Contact Us: studyabroad@valpo.edu

Apply now!

Download an application in Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word format. Fill out and return to the International Studies Office. It's that simple!