Duke in Berlin Programs

Berlin bridge

Duke offers both semester and summer programs in one of the most exciting and cosmopolitan cities in Europe – Berlin.

Duke in Berlin was founded at the Free University of West Berlin in 1988, just before the fall of the Berlin Wall, and it continues to attract students for fall, spring and summer.

Students attend Duke University courses taught by German faculty and by the Duke in Berlin resident director. Students with sufficient German may also take courses at Berlin universities. Qualified engineering students may take courses at the Technical University in Berlin. All programs help students advance their language skills, deepen their understanding of German culture, and broaden their grasp of the social sciences, art history, and technology in a German and European context.

Semester Programs

The semester programs take place in the fall and/or spring. Students enrolled in the fall semester program take courses taught by Duke faculty. Students enrolled in the spring semester program first take courses taught by Duke faculty (early spring) and then courses in German at the Free University or Technical University (late spring/early summer). All of our programs are open to students with no prior knowledge of German.

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Highlights

  • Students take Duke courses with Berlin-based faculty and courses in their chosen major at Berlin universities.
  • Students live with host families to ensure an immersive experience of German language and culture.
  • The director and her staff lead regular explorations in Berlin to experience the city from different vantage points. 
  • The programs include several day trips to other German cities, as well as visits to museums and memorial sites, concerts and performances.
  • All programs (fall, spring, summer, academic year) are open to students at all levels, from no prior German knowledge to advanced speakers.

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Summer Program

The Duke Global Education Office for Undergraduates and Department of German also offers a six-week, two-course program in Berlin in the summer. The program is interdisciplinary in nature and attractive for students with interests in German politics and culture, but also history, environmental policy, or photography.

The summer program offers all levels of German as well as an array of upper level courses in English. Students can choose either a German-English track or an English only track with the combination track being the most popular option.  Students with no prior German are welcome, either as beginners in German language or within the English only track.

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