Information for term Business + Culture
Application deadline, and cost information.
Overview
Click to OpenThis program has been suspended for fall 2021.
Explore our other active study abroad programs for fall 2021, or check out our travel assurances and updated health and safety guidelines.
Business + Culture in Berlin invites you to combine German language study with courses in international business at CIEE’s partner school, the Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL). Students take courses, in English, at this prestigious university following two weeks of intensive German language study at CIEE Global Institute - Berlin, which is located in the vibrant international Kreuzberg district. All courses are complemented with CIEE co-curricular activities and excursions beyond the city to enhance classroom learning and provide intercultural understanding.
Unique Experiences
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Build a stronger knowledge base
and sharpen your analytical skills at one of Germany’s most innovative business schools.
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Get a handle
on the distinctive features of Berlin, German, and EU economics.
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Live in a thriving multicultural neighborhood
with easy access to all of Berlin.
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colleges and universities
35 -
research scientists
62,000 -
miles of bike paths
390
Location & Culture
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Your Destination
Berlin is a thriving global city of 3.5 million, swirling with innovation and energy. Political and economic decisions made in the German capital reverberate throughout the EU and around the world. The city is home to countless small start-ups, with growing communications, life sciences, environmental services, media, music, and digital sectors. With reasonable living costs, excellent public transportation, plenty of green space, and tons to do, Berliners enjoy high quality of life. They are very welcoming to students and visitors from all over the world.
The Culture
EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES
- Get to know Berlin with a walking/biking/river tour.
- Take an inside-look at a range of businesses - from manufacturing facilities to small start-ups.
- Travel overnight to another economic and cultural hub like Hamburg, Frankfurt, Dresden, or Munich to visit companies and historic sites.
- See the stark contrast between the former West and East political and economic systems with a guided tour of Berlin, and visit the East Side Gallery, the Holocaust Memorial, or Tempelhof Airport Park.
- Explore the historic Reichstag building and the palaces in nearby Potsdam.
PROJECTS
Language support. In addition to language classes at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, students take part in CIEE’s German-language activities including conversation hours and film nights.
Daily Life
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HOUSING
Residence Hall: Most student live in the CIEE Global Institute Residence Hall with CIEE students and Resident Assistants (RAs) – CIEE-trained German students who help newcomers adjust to Berlin. Students live in double, triple, or quad rooms with private bathrooms, and have access to full kitchens. The hall has a café and large common areas.
Homestays and Shared Apartments: Depending on availability, a small number of students may share nearby apartments or live with Berlin hosts.
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MEALS
Residence Hall: Meals are not included. Students can prepare meals at the hall dorm, get snacks at the café, and eat at the many nearby restaurants.
Homestay: Hosts provided two meals a day. Shared apartment: Meals are not included.
Berlin, Germany Where You'll Study
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A
CIEE GLOBAL INSTITUTE
Berlin G27
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B
BERLIN SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND LAW
(BESL)
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C
Getting Around
Berlin’s 24-hour public transportation system is extensive and quickly connects to all areas of the city. Berlin is also very bike-friendly and bikes are available at the Global Institute.
Academics
Click to OpenAcademics
Students focus on the fundamentals of business practice, administration and law, in addition to studying the German language. Those with high German language proficiency can take courses in German and have access to legal studies courses in the Department of Public Administration and Department of Policing and Security Management held on the Berlin-Lichtenberg Campus, 25 minutes from the main Berlin-Schöneberg campus by subway.
The Berlin School of Economics and Law (Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin; BSEL) BSEL focuses on building business, management, and administration skills for the private and public sector. It is one of Berlin’s largest universities of applied sciences with 14 Research Centers and Institutes and enrolls more than 11,000 students.
GPA
3.0
Language Prerequisites
There are no specific language requirements for this program.
Additional Requirements
3 semesters of college-level micro or macroeconomics, accounting, finance, management, marketing, or statistics.
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Program Requirements
- One two-week pre-semester intensive German language course
- One regular semester business German language course
- Additional electives taken at BSEL
Program Credit
Total credit: 16-18 U.S. semester/24-27 quarter credits
Course Credit
- BSEL Intensive German Language courses: 2 U.S. semester/3 quarter credits; 30 contact hours
- BSEL Semester Business German Language courses: 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 50 contact hours
- BSEL Elective Courses: typically, 3 U.S. semester/4.5 quarter credits; 50 contact hours
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Academic Culture
Students are expected to work independently and responsibly, and progress through course materials with minimal guidance. Classes often meet just once a week, so students need to stay engaged in their work, research, and reading independently throughout the week. BSEL follows the German academic calendar, which begins and ends later than the average semester in the U.S.. The BSEL fall semester begins in September and ends in late February/early March. The spring semester begins in March and ends in late July/early August. Students are required to stay for the entire program.
Class Format
BSEL business courses are taught seminar-style, and typically meeting once-a-week for three hours. Students are able to pose questions and hold discussions with instructors and peers. Business courses include up to 40 students; German language classes do not exceed 25 students, and may meet more frequently.
Grading
Many courses at BSEL emphasize performance on assessments such as cumulative exams and term papers to determine the final course grade.
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Language of Instruction
German and English
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Courses
Click to OpenCourse Information
Course Notes
Students with a very advanced level of German and who pass a placement test on site may take business courses in German, many of which are offered in parallel to the English-taught courses
Host Institution Courses
Click to OpenThe Berlin School of Economics and Law (Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin; BSEL)
Required Intensive Language Courses
Intensive Beginning German
This course is designed for students who have never studied German or have had one semester of German prior to enrolling in the study abroad program. The class opens with sessions on survival language skills and is designed from a communicative perspective to help true beginners of the German language develop fundamental linguistic language skills in listening comprehension, oral communication, reading, and writing. The course encompasses all of the key areas of grammar and vocabulary typically encountered in a first semester German course.
Intensive Intermediate German
This class is designed for students with intermediate language skills. The syllabus is organized functionally around objectives that students need to adjust to living and studying in the German culture and Berlin. Through a communicative methodology, students work to improve their language skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking German. Students focus on real-life application of language. By the end of the course, students cover the basic range of grammatical tools necessary to communicate effectively. These include the present, past, and future tenses, direct and indirect object pronouns, prepositions and adverbs, and selected aspects of the subjective and conditional moods.
Intensive Advanced German
This class is designed to challenge students with increasing language ability to improve on the skills they have already acquired. The syllabus is organized functionally around objectives that students need to adjust to living and studying in the German culture. The course covers all four communicative skills (listening comprehension, oral communication, reading, and writing) with special emphasis on complex aspects of the language that are particularly challenging for English speakers. The course covers abstract functions of language such as expressing opinions, resolving conflicts, formulating complaints, making arguments, and negotiating. Grammatically, emphasis is placed on the correct use of the tools needed to achieve these aims - complex aspects of the various past tenses, the full range of subjunctive and conditional moods, and formal and informal registers.
Required Semester-Long German Language Courses
All Berlin School of Economics and Law semester-long German language courses will introduce vocabulary related to banking, business communications, meetings, résumé terms, taxes, marketing, finance, etc. All students must enroll in one of the following:
- Business German Beginner 1
- Business German Beginner 2
- Business German Beginner 3
- Business German Beginner 4
- Business German Intermediate 1
- Business German Intermediate 2
- Business German Intermediate 3
- Business German Intermediate 4
- Business German Advanced
Elective Courses Taught In English at The Berlin School Of Economics And Law*
*Not all courses are offered every semester, and some courses have prerequisites. The final list of courses is made available during the enrollment period on site.
- Basics of External Accounting
- Basics of Internal Accounting/Controlling
- Business Application
- Business Mathematics
- Business Mathematics and Economics
- Business Organization, Company, Work Seen from the Perspective of History and the Social Sciences
- Business Simulation
- Communication and Interaction on the Job
- Communication Strategies and Consumer Behavior
- Corporate Finance
- Cost Accounting
- European Economic Policy
- Finance and Investment Policies in Business
- Financial Analysis and Valuation
- Fundamentals of Business Law
- Fundamentals of Corporate Finance
- Group Accounting and Managerial Accounting
- History, Politics, and Economics of the Host Country
- Human Resource Management
- Human Resources and Organization
- Instruments of Controlling
- Intercultural Communications
- International Business Accounting
- International Law & Human Conflicts in Regions of Africa
- International Management
- Internationalization of Economic Processes - Goals, Instruments, & Actors of Regulation
- Introduction to Business Information Systems
- Introduction to Financial Accounting
- Investment and Finance
- Labor Market and Social Welfare State in Europe
- Macroeconomics I: The Economic Cycle and Employment
- Macroeconomics II: World Market and Currency
- Macroeconomics: The Economic Cycle and Employment
- Management Accounting and Controlling
- Management Issues: Business Ethics
- Management Issues: International Project Management
- Management Issues: Management Consulting
- Management Issues: Multinational Enterprises in Emerging Markets
- Management Issues: Total Quality Management
- Market Research
- Marketing
- Mathematics for Business and Economics
- Microeconomics: Allocation and Distribution
- National and International Financial Relations
- Operations Management
- Organizational Behavior in International Companies
- Political Economy and Social Structure of Modern Society
- Principles of Business Information Systems
- Principles of Financial Accounting
- Principles of Corporate Finance
- Product and Distribution Management
- Regional Studies
- Selected Issues in Business Finance
- Selected Issues in Marketing
- Self-Management
- Statistics
- Strategic Management
- Work, Business, and Society
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple Global Institutes and CIEE Centers.
Scholarships
Click to OpenScholarships & Grants
CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application. Learn more at the Scholarships & Grants section of our website.
See more scholarship infoDates & Fees
Click to OpenDates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2022 22 weeks | Nov 1, 2021 | Mar 3, 2022* | Aug 1, 2022* |
*Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, ask your college or university study abroad advisor if your school charges additional fees for study abroad.
Looking for funding?
What's Included
Click to OpenWhat's Included
Our Staff
Click to OpenOur Staff
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Dr. Ullrich Lohrmann
Director
Ullrich has been working in study abroad for over 25 years in Germany.
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John Roper, Ph.D.
Academic Director
Since summer 2014, John has taught courses at CIEE focusing on German cultural history, art, and architecture, as well as gender and sexuality in contemporary Germany.
Get Started
Here's what you need to do to take the next steps:-
1
START AN APPLICATION
Apply Now
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2
CONNECT WITH YOUR CAMPUS STUDY ABROAD OFFICE
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad. -
3
Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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