Your Year in Munich
Academic Program
The school year in Germany is divided into two semesters. The Fall Semester (Wintersemester) begins mid-October and runs until the end of January or mid-February. The Spring Semester (Sommersemester) starts mid-April and goes until mid-July. Spring vacation (Semesterferien) between semesters lasts from mid-February through mid-April. Christmas break generally lasts from the last Friday before December 24 until January 6.
Courses
You will be able to take courses through the Year of Study in Munich, the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, the Technische Universität München and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München.
Courses offered by the Year of Study in Munich
The format of the classes offered by the Year of Study in Munich is very much like the format of classes at your home institution: lecture/discussion, readings, quizzes, papers, oral reports and a final exam. There are also excursions outside the classroom which accompany the coursework, such as visiting museums, theaters, and other cultural events. All courses are graded and conducted in German.
Year of Study classes are held in a classroom located near the university. The institute is easily accessible from the Studentenstadt by U-Bahn or bike.
Courses offered by the University of Munich
Students can attend Seminare and Proseminare, for which they will give a presentation (Referat), write a paper and/or take an exam. Participation in class discussions is expected. At the end of the Seminar, you will receive a certificate stating that you have completeted the requirements for the course, along with a grade. In order to learn more about the vast course offerings at the University of Munich, please see the Vorlesungsverzeichnis.
Field Trips
During the orientation period, excursions to Neuschwanstein, Augsburg and Regensburg are offered to acquaint students with the history and culture of the state of Bavaria. A one-week trip takes students to Berlin. Here students learn the differences between the historical developments in Prussia and Bavaria, and compare political and social developments in the DDR and BRD. They also observe firsthand the issues surrounding German unification. In the past we have also taken field trips to Weimar, Dresden, Prague and Vienna during the summer semester.
Internships and Deutschland 2015
During the semester break (February/March) we encourage students to participate in an internship. Students may also participate in Deutschland 2015: Each year they have the opportunity to apply for travel grants in order to work on a topic related to German culture, economy or politics. During the semester break they travel through Germany, meet with representatives from German institutions, and write a report on what they have learned. They select a topic of interest which is approved by the director. Deutschland 2015 offers a challenge for those students who are interested in discovering Germany on their own.
Credits
Students must enroll for 16 hours per semester. Year of Study courses are 4 semester hours. Exams and/or term papers are required in all courses taken for credit. Letter grades are given at the end of each semester.
At the end of the program, the director evaluates all course work and forwards this information to the Registrar at Lewis & Clark College. This information is then forwarded to your home institution. You should receive an official transcript directly from your registrar.
Transportation in Munich
Some students travel around Munich by bicycle and others prefer the U-Bahn which is fast, clean and safe. The ride from the Studentenstadt into town or to the L&C-Institute takes about 15 minutes. If you prefer to see where you’re going, make use of the excellent Strassenbahn system. You can purchase a Monatskarte at a substantially reduced rate as a student. You will be informed in detail about transportation when you arrive.