Germany Berlin Study Abroad: Urban Studies & Social Sciences

• All students must enroll according to, and remain in compliance with, the Boston University Study Abroad Course Load Policy.
• Admissions requirements for all programs
• Students must also meet eligibility requirements for IES Abroad.
  • Per IES Admissions policy, 2.75 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale (GPAs under 2.75 will be considered on a case-by-case basis and may require additional documentation)

Using Berlin as a case study, this English-taught program examines issues relevant to major cities today. Through comparative and interdisciplinary courses, students study topics such as cultural identity, popular culture, and urban development to better understand the modern city and its culture. Students also have the option to take a German language course.

Students will enroll in a combination of courses offered by the IES Abroad Metropolitan & Urban Studies Program:

Elective Courses

• Bio-Politics and Migration in the 21st Century
• Urban Design and Sustainability
• Evolution of the Modern City: Urban Development and Architecture
• Art and Society: Germany in the 20^th Century
• German Popular Culture
• Urban Identities in Contemporary Europe
• Jewish Life in Berlin: Past and Present
• The Circular Economy
• Designing the Sustainable City
• Transatlantic Cinema: Germany and the U.S.
• German Language (multiple levels)
• Gender in Historical Perspective: Berlin Past & Present
• Espionage and Diplomacy in International Politics
• German Political Thought
• Museums and Memories: The Practice of Public History in Berlin
• Security in Europe: Actors and Challenges
• Germany in the Global Economy
• Europe and the Middle East
• Europe in Crisis? Perspectives on the current state of the EU
• Building Walls: Borders, Violence & Separation
• The Entrepreneurial City: Strategies of Urban Governance
• The Politics of Urban Space

Apartment Style Residences

• IES Abroad offers single rooms or same-gender shared rooms in mixed-gender student apartments. Students will live with other IES Abroad students in apartments with fully equipped kitchens.

• Fall Semester: late-August to mid-December
• Spring Semester: early-February to late-May*

*dates will be different if student chooses to take courses at HU.

This program follows rolling admissions and may fill before the official deadline.

Fall Semester

• Applications Open December 15
• Applications Deadline March 15

Spring Semester

• Applications Open June 1*
• Applications Deadline October 1

This program is rolling admissions; applications are reviewed once all application materials are received, prior to all deadlines. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all required materials are received by the BU Study Abroad office. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible as some programs and internship tracks have limited space and may fill up before the deadline. Submitting a complete application prior to the application deadline, does not guarantee acceptance. Students will be emailed an admissions decision within three weeks of a completed application.

Information for BU Students Awaiting an Admissions Decision and exceptions to the standard admission calendar for all students can be found here.

In addition to completing the standard BU Study Abroad application, students must apply through the IES Abroad online system. The IES Abroad application may not yet be available for your chosen semester.

Please note: Non-U.S. citizens must contact BU Study Abroad prior to submitting an application

• 2024/2025 Tuition & Fees: $26,282
  Cost includes tuition, housing, program related activities, administrative fee, overseas medical insurance and emergency evacuation coverage.
• Estimated program budget, including cost of living expenses.
• Grants and Scholarships available