Academics

The Academic Year in Freiburg program begins in early September with a month-long orientation, for which students receive 3 credits. The focus of the orientation course is intensive language acquisition and includes a broad cultural introduction to the region as well.

The winter semester at the university runs from mid-October to mid-February and includes a two-week break during the Christmas holiday. After a two-month winter break, the summer semester begins in mid-April and runs for 12 to 13 weeks. There is a one-week break after Pentecost. The actual dates vary from year to year.

During the winter and summer semester, students can enroll in a combination of specially-designed program courses offered exclusively to AYF participants and a variety of courses at the university and other local educational institutions.

The AYF program includes intensive language courses utilizing texts and media on current events in Germany. The small class size and experienced instructors in these classes help students to improve their German language skills rapidly.

The program also offers a small number of specially designed AYF topics courses, taught in German by experienced local instructors and the Academic Director, which provide a broad survey of literary or historical periods.

Usually, a program course on German history is taught each winter semester while either a course on German Green Energy Policy or on the European Union is offered each summer semester. Additional AYF topics courses are added as needed based on the size of the AYF cohort.