A Small Country With A Huge Impact. The world’s largest exporter per capita — and 3rd largest by gross volume, behind only the U.S. and China — Germany has an economy that’s an important link in global trade. German firms such as BMW, Allianz, and Siemens have sprawling international operations. Volkswagen is the No. 1 best-selling car in fast-growing China. Berlin arguably rivals London as Europe’s most important up-and-coming artistic and cultural hub, benefiting in part from inexpensive East Berlin housing that enables creative types like artists, musicians, performers, and writers to live there. Another recent arrival to in Berlin are internet start-ups, including the infamous Rocket Internet, leading to Berlin’s new moniker as the “Silicon Valley of Europe.”
Studying Abroad In Germany. German universities offer excellent opportunities for humanities students. Humboldt Universität, Heidelberg Universität and Freie Universität are ranked in the top 100 universities in the world by Times Higher Education, in particular for their reputation in the humanities. Germany has long been a destination for antiquity studies, including ancient Greek and Latin.
One of Germany’s most intriguing opportunities as a study abroad destination is for students in so-called STEM fields: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Study abroad for STEM majors has traditionally been tricky, as many international programs don’t carry appropriate STEM coursework. But Germany’s sophisticated science programs and relevant classes make it possible for American STEM students — who might not ordinarly be able to study abroad in their fields — to earn the appropriate credits for their degrees back home. Boston University in Dresden is a great example of a program that facilitiates this relatively rare study-abroad opportunity for left-brained students.
Anyone studying abroad in Germany should be prepared for a shock. As in the rest of Europe, university, academic and campus life differ noticeably in Germany from the United States. Students are expected to be much more independent. Classes are huge, interaction with professors can be minimal, and university or campus life and culture are often moribund. If you attend a university in Germany, be prepared to be highly self-driven and to rely on your own initiative, creativity, and imagination to succeed.
The good news is that fewer university services mean lower prices. Depending on your tuition at home, by directly enrolling in a German univeristy, you can potentially save a bundle.
Although some German universities offer courses and even degrees in English, for the most part German is important to learn if you plan to study abroad in Germany. German is a challenging language, but there are also benefits: German has an estimated 120 million native speakers worldwide, and it’s the most widely-spoken native language in the European Union. There are many resources for students who want to learn German in Germany, in particular a global network of German government-backed Goethe Institute centers where you can find, among other things, reasonably priced German language courses.
The German Way Of Life. Be prepared, too, for a different social culture. As a generalization, Americans have a large number of acquantainces, and Germans have a small a number of long-standing friends. When it comes time to show off your finely-honed sense of humor, be forewarned that American sarcasm can often fly over the heads of earnest-minded Germans.
The best reason to explore Germany is to have fun. Arguably the international capitol of beer ever since the famous Reinheitsgebot (German Beer Purity Law) of 1516, Germany is home to that Mecca of beer-drinking, Oktoberfest (which actually takes place in September). Even the most determined vegetarian may waver when the waiter sets down a plate of bratwurst and sauerkraut with a heavy stein of amazing German beer. Hamburg has emerged as one of Europe’s hottest cities for new music, discos and restaurants. And of course, Germany is also a world of beautiful scenery: the Bavarian Alps are epic, and many of the glories and terrors of European history await your re-discovery inside Germany’s 25,000 castles.