Berlin: Metropolis in Motion
Program Dates
May 16 through June 15, 2025*
*Students should arrange to arrive in The Netherlands on the morning of the program start date.
Program Overview
No other city in Europe, since the First World War, underwent such a variety of rapid changes in politics, economy, film, theater, the visual arts, and its physical appearance than the city of Berlin. This 4-week interdisciplinary program includes the study of history, visual arts, architecture, literature, and film to provide a deep dive into the development of Germany and its capital from a small town to one of the most important metropolises in the world. The courses cover the German Empire, the First World War and its aftermath, the Roaring Twenties, the rise and fall of the Nazis, the Cold War, the Fall of the Berlin Wall, the unification of city and country, and present day Berlin and its people.
Program Eligibility & Admission
- Open to rising sophomores, juniors and seniors.
- Open to all majors and minors.
Course Information
Total of 8 credits. Students will be required to be enrolled by Emerson College in the following two courses:
- IN 323 - Global Cities: Berlin
- HI 200 - Contemporary World History
Academic Highlights
- This course shows how Germany and its capital Berlin recovered from the scars of two major world wars and the division between East and West to grow into a young, diverse, and vibrant global city.
- The focus will be on the development of today’s Berlin and Germany in its correlation to European and world history, art, and architecture.
- This program combines academic classes, city trips, museums, cultural sites and memorial visits. The students will also have free time to focus on their own academic and cultural interests in Berlin.
Cultural Highlights
- Live and learn during the first part of the program in the beautiful Kasteel Well in The Netherlands and take day trips to Cologne, Germany and to important historical sites of German-Dutch history of World War II.
- Spend two more full weeks in the heart of bustling Berlin, exploring the city and visiting over a dozen significant historic and cultural sites including several castles.
- Enjoy a Spree River cruise, Berlin Underground, the famous Flea Market and other unique sites.
- Learn more about Berlin as the center of Europe’s developing film industry.
- Immersive art component: visit art venues, private collections, and artist’s studios to experience Berlin’s contemporary art scene.
Cost & Inclusions
Program Fee: $TBD
Included in Program Fee
- Tuition (8 credits @ $850/credit)
- Registration Fee
- Housing at Kasteel Well and Berlin
- Excursions
Not Included in Program Fee
- Round-trip airfare to/from the program sites (Est. $1,500)
- Airport transfers
- Local transportation
- Meals and incidental or personal expenses
- Passports (or visas, if required)
- International Health Insurance*
*May be waived by those with alternate comparable insurance.
*Health Insurance Coverage: Participants must have an insurance plan that provides coverage while abroad. If you feel your current insurance is not adequate, please research a plan that is.
For information on Supplemental Health Plans, please visit our Health Insurance Requirements page.