The GSP semester

Academic focus

During their first term in Freiburg, students will attend classes that focus on the political economy of inequalities in a historical and global perspective. The focus is on past and present connections between regions and the global impact of these connections through the use of theories of development and underdevelopment, world-systems analysis, post- and decolonial perspectives, and social transformations.

Regional foci may vary depending on the exact seminars being offered (see below).

Course offer

In the first term students attend three compulsory courses, which are offered by different chairs, and one elective course (out of usually three seminars on offer).

The compulsory courses are:

- lecture Global and Regional Transformations (department of Sociology, currently taught by Prof. Boatca)

- lecture Introduction to International Relations (department of International Relations, currently taught by Prof. Wunderlich)

- seminar Methods of Cultural Anthropology and Geography (department of Social and Cultural Anthropology and department of Economic Geography and Sustainable Development, currently taught by Prof. Mattissek and Prof. Haug)

The elective seminars differ every year. To give you a taste, here are some of the previous course titles: Scripts of Anti-Racism, Contested and Situated Knowledges, Dynamics of Inequalities in a Global Perspective, Modernity & Eurocentrism, European Concepts of Inequality and Power, European Social Thought: Continuities and Contestations, Global Social Thought: Decolonizing the Canon, The Haves and the Have-Mores: The Global Rich in the Worldwide Inequality Structure, and Social Differentiation and Capitalism.

These courses are framed by additional activities designed to support students at the beginning of their studies and to prepare them for the coming terms, such as an information meeting on health & safety while travelling abroad.

In the first semester at the University of Freiburg all students will be attending a compulsory methods class: “Methods of Cultural Anthropology and Geography”. This class introduces various methods from the cultural and social sciences so that students can start developing a “toolbox” for their own work.

Within the fourth term, students will attend two mandatory classes: the internship forum and the colloquium. In the internship forum, students present the internships they conducted prior to the fourth term and reflect on them. In the colloquium, students present their Master thesis projects and receive feedback on their proposals from their fellow students and their supervisors.

Course format

While some classes are visited exclusively by GSP-students (e.g. the methods course), other classes are also open to other students of the university of Freiburg.

Lectures typically have a more formal character with the lecturer presenting the content to the audience. Seminars, on the other hand, encourage student participation and discussion, and usually have a highly interactive character. While lectures usually comprise larger group sizes (40-50), seminars are usually attended by around 10 to 15 students each.

Examinations

For the lectures, examinations will mostly take the form of written exams at the end of the term. In the seminars, examination formats may vary but usually include essays being written during the term and presentations given individually or in a group. In both seminars and lectures, weekly readings will usually be expected from students.

Academic culture

The relationship between students and lecturers is an open and friendly one. Lecturers can usually be reached in their weekly office hours or via email, and students are always welcome to approach their lecturers with questions. At the University of Freiburg, most classes are offered in German. However, there are many study programmes at bachelor and master level conducted in English (an overview can be found here). Language classes for students interested in learning German (or other languages) are also available (find more information here). While studying in Freiburg the GSP office will also frequently forward invitations to English-speaking events or lecture series hosted at the university.

Living and Studying

While studying in Freiburg, students either live in one of the student dorms scattered throughout the town or live in private accommodation. The main university facilities, such as the main library and the canteen, are directly next to the buildings where most teaching will take place. Check out the Campus Tour to get an insight into the location. The university also offers an App called "myUFR" that lists many useful services and extra-curricular events.

For estimated costs of living, see this document.

Visa & immigration

Once you have your admission letter (which you can download from the application platform HISinOne) you can start applying for your visa at an agency of the German government in your native country. If you are not an EU citizen, you must apply for a residency permit at the Immigration Office of the City of Freiburg before your visa expires (or, if you live outside of Freiburg, at the immigration office of the “Landratsamt,” i.e., district administrative office). You can either keep your visa for Germany for two years or apply again for a new visa once you come back to Germany. We highly recommend getting a 2-year visa right away! If you have a two-year visa you will need to apply for a special permit allowing you to leave Germany for your semester abroad. Otherwise your visa would expire if you leave the country for more than six months. If you finish in 5 semesters, you will need to extend the visa. This can be done easily when you are back in Germany for your last semester(s).

Students' voices

To give you a better idea of the experience at the University of Freiburg, you can read what our current and former students think about the time they spent there:

“Freiburg is a beautiful student city in Southern Germany that will show you how vibrant student life in Germany can be far from the capital. At university, you are really free in focusing on your key interests and bringing in your unique knowledge from your personal and academic background. Here, you can take language classes and also listen into any lectures you might be interested in. As Freiburg is located next to the Black Forest at the Swiss and French borders, any sports or travel enthusiasts and nature lovers will quickly feel at home there – and so did I!”

Hannah, Batch 2022

"Since I was new to Social Sciences the first semester in Freiburg was a great chance to get to know this field with the help of the professors. Developing an egalitarian and critical view of world history and international relations was an important academic contribution for me. As someone who grew up in a big city I really liked living in Freiburg. I enjoyed that the transport system allows one to reach almost any spot by tram and that the city preserved its historical texture. One of my favorite features is the easy access to France and Switzerland and the opportunity to take day trips, for example to Basel. The student accommodation system at the University of Freiburg is another point that makes life in Freiburg easier. The only thing that can be tiring is dealing with the immigration center - I recommend going there with a native German speaker and making an appointment early on."

Student of Batch 2023