Program Details
Location
Berlin & Munich,
Germany
Term
May Session
Languages Taught In
English
Program Eligibility
Student Type
UofM Students
Non UofM Students
Student Year
Freshmen
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
Graduate Students
GPA
2.5
About
Examine how photography and journalism have shaped the history of Germany and learn how the language of documentary images has impacted our world. In this course you will develop an understanding of the impact journalistic images have in our culture by exploring powerful images from various historical periods, including World War II and the Cold War in Germany.
Berlin is a mecca for visual art and music in Germany, and those expressions offer a window into the increasingly diverse culture of the country and its social and economic opportunities and issues. Through visits to local museums and historical sites, meetings with local photojournalists, readings, and other activities, you will learn to compare differences in documentary images, visual styles, and ethics between Germany and the United States.
You are welcome to participate in this program regardless of your major. Previous experience with photography or photojournalism is not required.
Housing & Meals
Live in shared housing with other program participants. A welcome and farewell meal are included in the program fee, some additional meals may be included. Additional meals not included can be taken at local restaurants and cafés.
Excursions
Excursions and activities in Germany may include:
- Visit to the photograhy exhibits and museums such as the Museum für Fotografie
- Guest lectures from local photojournalists, story tellers, and experts in Germany history
- Visit to the Holocaust Museum and Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
- Visit to the Stasimuseum (a museum focused on the history East Germany's notorious secret police and intelligence agency that existed from 1950 to 1990)
- Visit to the Bundesarchiv (The German Federal Archives)
- Visit to The Wall Museum to learn about the Berlin Wall
- Walk to Checkpoint Charlie
- Visit to Sachsenhausen memorial center and museum
Additional day trips or overnight trips to the following locations may be included:
- Munich, Germany
- Wannsee and/or Potsdam, Germany
- Leipzig and/or Dreden, Germany
- Salzburg, Austria
*Excursions and day trips are subject to change
Accessibility
If you have a disability and plan to study abroad, visit our Accessibility Abroad page to learn about considerations, answer questions, and request accommodations before you go abroad.
Flight
The LAC will provide information on booking a designated flight. This flight will be the one the leader travels on and/or will include airport pick-up and transfers in-country. Estimated flight costs are noted in the budget, but fares may change until booked. You are advised not to book flights until given program confirmation from the LAC.
Learning Outcomes
- Socialize as global professionals who understand that human interaction and culture are relevant to achieving professional goals
- Discover and connect with the University of Minnesota campus and community
- Think critically, analyze topics, and appreciate diverse perspectives through pre-departure coursework, studying abroad, and guided reflection
- Function as an effective team member by utilizing personal strengths in a group setting
- Develop an understanding of the importance of future international and intercultural learning
This program will also give you the opportunity to:
- Develop an understanding of the impact journalistic images have in our culture and in other cultures
- Learn some of the history of Germany and the role photography played in that history, including how photography influenced Germany during World War II and the Cold War eras
- Improve your understanding of what makes an image more or less impactful and be better able to evaluate photographs for both artistic and journalistic value
- Develop an understanding of another (or multiple) cultures’ norms and how ethical issues in photography and journalism apply in different contexts
Faculty & Staff
This program is led by Regina McCombs, Senior Lecturer and Senior Fellow of visual communication and photojournalism in the College of Liberal Arts.
Program Structure
Program Level
3000 level coursework
Courseload
One 3-credit course
Global Seminars are 3-week study abroad programs led by University of Minnesota faculty and staff that feature:
- Intensive learning in a location that illuminates the topic
- Small groups of 15–25 students
- No prerequisites or language requirements
- Included excursions and cultural activities
- Instruction in English
Coursework
On this course, you will examine photography as a way into life in Berlin and Germany at large; its history, culture, languages, biases, and opportunities. Through museum trips, readings, and visits from current German photojournalists, you will learn to understand the language of documentary images and how those images have impacted our world, particularly during the Second World War and Cold War eras when Germany was a focus of world events.
You will write short essays about cultural differences in visual taste, takeaways from guest speakers, as well as do a presentation on a photographer who did significant work in Germany. Using phones or personal cameras, you will also do a photo essay on an aspect of culture in Germany.
You are welcome to participate in this program regardless of your major. Previous experience with photography or photojournalism is not required.
Receive credit for: JOUR 3590
Fulfills: TBD
Approved for: TBD
Syllabus forthcoming
Sustainability
The Learning Abroad Center is committed to sustainability and incorporating this into our programs. This course can be tied to Sustainable Development Goals through course content and program activities including:
SDG 10: Reduced Inequities—Sessions look at how photography both perpetrated stereotypes and exposed them throughout German photographic eras.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions— Post World War II Germany faced the wrongs that had been perpetuated before and during the war, and museums and exhibits display the work that has been done to bring about peace and a strong democracy in the formerly divided East and West Germany. In East Germany, photography played a large role in making connections between East and West that helped bring about the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Dates Details
Submit the online application and complete the assigned application checklist according to the appropriate deadline:
| Term | Program Dates | Final Application Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| May Session 2027 | Mid-May to early June, 2027 | February 15, 2027 |
Program dates are subject to change.
If the deadline falls on a weekend, submit your materials on the following business day.
Important Note: Enrollment on this program is limited to 25 students. Admission is granted on a rolling basis and applications are reviewed in the order they are completed. Some programs may fill to capacity prior to the application deadline, therefore applying early is recommended. Additionally, applying early will allow for more time to plan ahead and prepare for the program.
Information Sessions
Join in-person or over Zoom. Register and learn more about this and other events on our events page.
| Date | Time | Location | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday, May 5 | 2:30 p.m. | In-person at Heller Hall 230 or online. | Registration required. |
| Wednesday, May 6 | 3:30 p.m. | Online only. | Registration required. |
| Monday, May 11 | 11:00 a.m. | Online only. | Registration required. |
Orientation Dates & Locations
The Learning Abroad Center facilitates a pre-departure orientation in collaboration with your program leader(s) in addition to any additional orientation sessions scheduled by your program leader(s). It is your responsibility to know the information shared at these orientations.
Orientation consists of several sessions, all of which are created to support your preparation to go abroad:
- Online Health & Safety Orientation: This asynchronous module can be accessed in your LAC checklist and is mandatory.
- LAC Seminar Pre-departure Orientation: This asynchronous module can be accessed in your LAC checklist and is mandatory. The discussion post is due before your LAC Program Orientation meeting.
- LAC Program Orientation: Program details and important UofM information will be covered (finances, health & safety, policies, insurance, etc.). This will be scheduled in collaboration with your program leader(s). Details will be sent to you via email from the LAC and/or your program leader(s). This is a mandatory meeting. **For embedded programs, this will likely be one of your class dates prior to departure.**
- Program Leader Orientation(s): Your program leader(s) will schedule 1–3 additional orientation sessions prior to departure. These will cover academic requirements and preparation, final travel and program logistics, cultural knowledge, and more. Details will be sent to you via email from your program leader(s). These are mandatory meetings. **For embedded programs, these will likely be included in your class dates prior to departure.**
The Learning Abroad Center also offers 2 optional orientations:
Fees
The cost of participation can vary widely due to location, cost of living, airfare, and program inclusions. The program fee generally includes tuition, group flight airfare, airport transfers, in-country program related transportation, housing, some meals, entrances to course-related excursions and site visits, program administration, and international health insurance. You must also budget for passport and passport photos, some meals, textbooks, independent travel, and miscellaneous living expenses.
Recent increases in international airfare and accommodation costs have impacted all instructor-led program fees. The LAC strives to follow best practices to provide the lowest cost program while ensuring a quality academic experience.
If you do not see a budget estimate for the term you intend to go abroad, the fee has not yet been finalized. We strive to post fees for this program at least 30 days prior to the application deadline. The Learning Abroad Center will delay the posting of some fees until enrollments, inflation and exchange rates are determined. Note the average increase in fees will be 3–10%. Program fees are based on estimates and may change depending on international economic factors.
Billing & Payments
Visit Billing for information about the billing process for application fees, deposits, and program fees.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Visit Financial Information for information on using financial aid and scholarships for study abroad.
Enrollment Note: This program is considered part of summer enrollment for the purposes of registration and financial aid.
Flight & Deposit Advance
The Flight & Deposit Advance (formerly Bridging Loan) is a no-interest/no-fees program that allows you to defer payment of your flight and LAC program deposit until your financial aid is disbursed.
Cancellation Policy
Before you apply to or confirm your participation on this program, review the Learning Abroad Center's Cancellation Policy to inform yourself of the timeline and financial obligations for canceling.
Apply
You will be charged a $50 application fee for each application you submit.
Complete
After you submit your application, you will receive an email notification confirming that your application was received. Submitted applications are assigned an application checklist, which will include the following items:
- Application Essay
Detailed descriptions and instructions for submitting each checklist item are included on the application checklist assigned to you.
If you do not meet the GPA requirement for this program you will be required to submit an additional essay. It will be added to your checklist after you start your application, and you will be notified when it has been added.
Next Steps
- After you complete all required application checklist items, you will receive an automated email message indicating your application is ready to be reviewed.
- Your completed application will be reviewed by the Learning Abroad Center.
- If admitted, the Confirmation & Payment Agreement form will be added to your checklist. Complete this form to secure your spot on the program. By submitting the form, you also give your approval for the program deposit to be billed to your UofM student account.
- Complete the confirmation checklist, which include the following items in additional to program-specific forms:
- Passport Information
- Emergency Contacts
- Health Information Form
- Online Health & Safety Orientation
- Release & Waiver
- You will receive information about additional steps from the sponsoring college/department.
After You Apply
Before your program begins, review these resources.
Health & Safety
Learn more about staying healthy and safe abroad, including mental health and wellness, international travel insurance, and safety precautions.
Power of Attorney
Consider designating someone as your power of attorney to act as your legal representative while you’re abroad.
Student Identity
Consult our resources on student identities as you prepare for your abroad experience.
Travel Resources
Ready to go abroad? Our travel resources will help you pack and learn what to expect.
Program Contact
For further information or questions about this program, send an email to
Anna DeWitt at [email protected],
or call at
612.626.2234.