Academics in Berlin

Students on the Maryland-in-Berlin program are fully integrated into the FU-BEST program, but they also have the advantage of taking two courses with Maryland's Resident Director.

All students on the Maryland-in-Berlin program take a total of 15 credits during the Fall semester in Germany. 

• Maryland Resident Director courses (6 credits)
• FU-BEST language courses (6 credits)
• 1-2 FU-BEST electives (3-6 credits)

 University of Maryland Courses

The Resident Director for the Fall 2009 program is Dr. Guenter Pfister, Emeritus Professor of German at the University of Maryland.  All Maryland-in-Berlin students will be enrolled in the following courses, taught by Dr. Pfister, for Fall 2009:

• GERM389G (3 credits): German American Cultural Contrasts
•  Required for Maryland-in-Berlin students
• GERM439J (3 credits): The Individual, and The Demands of Global Cultural Existence
• Required for Maryland-in-Berlin students, open to all FU-BEST students

FU-BEST Courses

In addition to the two Maryland courses, all Maryland-in-Berlin students take an intensive language course and one FU-BEST elective.

Language courses: (6 credits) All students take a placement test upon arrival to determine their language level. Students will complete two levels while they are in Berlin. The levels from which Maryland students may choose are

• Beginner 1 & 2
• Intermediate 1 & 2
• Advanced 1 & 2

FU_BEST Electives (3-6 credits) All elective courses at FU-BEST are taught by German faculty members, and all are worth 3 credits. All courses are taught in English unless otherwise specified. For Fall 2009, the following courses will be offered. UM equivalencies, where available, are listed in parentheses. Otherwise, courses can transfer as electives.

• Contemporary Germany in European Perspective (GVPT399)
• Integration, Conflict and Security in Europe (GVPT399)
• History of Central European Classical Music: Baroque to Contemporary
• Perspectives on 20th Century Art in Central Europe (300-level ARTH)
• German Cinema before 1945 (GERM285)
• The Human Condition and the Totalitarian Experience (GERM399)
• Berlin: History, Memory, Literature (GERM489)
• Modern German History in European Context: A Thematic Approach
• The Promise of German Philosophy: Kant to Hegel
• Islam and Europe: Historical and Contemporary Dimensions (GVPT399)
• European Business Cultures: Management and Marketing in Cross-National Perspective
• Architecture in Berlin from the 19th Century to Today
• Literatur und Film in Deutschland seit der Wende (GERM285 – taught in German)

For course syllabi and further information about FU-BEST course offerings, please refer to the FU-BEST website at http://web.fu-berlin.de/fubest/course.shtml. 

Extended Classroom: As part of the FU-BEST coursework, all students are required to complete independent projects that require them to explore different sites within Berlin.

Academic Credit and Transcripts

The two Resident Director courses appear on your Maryland transcript, with UM course numbers and grades. Grades for these courses apply towards your cumulative Maryland GPA.

The FU-BEST language and elective courses appear on a Freie Universität transcript and are transferred in to Maryland. Students must receive the equivalent of a C or higher in order to receive credit. Transfer credit does not apply towards the UM GPA.