german in Austria
I learned very quickly once I was in Vienna that if you want to learn a language, it is very important to be in a country where they speak it. Not only are you learning the language in class, you are also living the language. Vienna is also the center of Europe. Being very centrally located and surrounded by so many different languages is an added valuable component of this program.
Emily FreiburgerGIA Spring 2019
Course Planning
The German in Austria program offers a unique combination of core courses and electives so that students continue to make progress towards graduation while taking advantage of academic opportunities available only in Vienna.
Additional German language courses are available at the University of Vienna (UW). Business German is offered at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). Elective courses are offered at our other partner and several affiliated Austrian universities, covering everything from accountancy to zoology.
Program Core Courses (highly recommended)
Language of Instruction: GERMAN
Participants who successfully complete program core courses taught by IiVP staff may receive GLL credit as follows:
Conversation and Writing (GER 211, extra/advanced work for GER 212 or GER 401) - fall and spring
Introduction to German Literature and Culture (GER 331 or GER 332) - fall and spring
German Cultural History (GER 420) - fall
European Integration (GER 385 or PS 385)- spring
Language of Instruction: ENGLISH
GER 205 Austria and Europe (Gen. Ed.: Humanities - Hist & Phil, Cultural Studies - Western)--taught in English.
Spring-semester participants also may receive 1-hour KIN credit for successful participation in the IiVP Ski Week.
The Illinois in Vienna Programs permit a course load of 34 credit hours/academic year (maximum of 18 credit hours/semester). Participants must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours/semester to maintain full-time status.
Make sure you meet with your academic advisor to plan your remaining semesters, identifying any courses you must complete while abroad. Some students have full flexibility with their schedules.
Elective Courses
Participants regularly receive GLL credit for the following courses with coursework outside the Program core in German language (also business and technical German), German literature and culture:
GER 320 German for Business | GER 321 German for Economics | GER 405 History of Translation | GER 420 German Cultural History (University of Vienna)
GER 465 Ling Structures of German | GER 470 Middle Ages to Baroque | GER 471 Enlightenment to Romanticism
GER 472 Realism to Expressionism | GER 473 1920s to Today
Selected when the course catalogue is available at the specific institutions.
Vienna Universities - Course Catalogues
Participants enroll in a wide variety of courses at the University of Vienna, the Vienna University of Economics and Business, Vienna University of Technology, and University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna. These include courses in many disciplines for which they may receive Illinois credit, also for specific Illinois courses, including General Education courses. The language of instruction usually is German. The number of courses offered with English as the language of instruction is increasing rapidly.
Course catalogues are published in June-July for the fall semester (Wintersemester=WS) and in December-January for the spring semester (Sommersemester=SS).
The Wirtschaftsuniversität Wien (WU, University of Economics and Business) course search. Please consult the WU International Office website for information on courses offered in English.
The Universität Wien (UW, University of Vienna) course search. When searching for courses offered in English with key words, add "lang:en" to the keyword you enter in the search field. When searching for courses from spring 2021 add "2021S“. (for example: “European Union lang:en 2021S”)
The Technische Universität (TU, Vienna University of Technology) Wien course search. Use "extended search" to access information on courses offered in various languages of instruction.
The Universität für Bodenkultur (BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences) course search. You can use the filter "Language of instruction" to access information on courses offered in various languages of instruction. Click here for more information on BOKU courses.
BOKU Semester Packages: Courses in English (sorted by subject area as PDF)