Why Not Consider a Degree Outside of the US?
for a BA from a private US uni - close to $400,000. Abroad? Less than $50K!
One of the true joys of my job is the ability to travel extensively or when I travel, I can incorporate a trip to a college or university to learn what I can and bring home some newfound knowledge to my students. Over the past few years, I’ve traveled to Canada to see the University of Toronto and McMaster University, been flown to the University of Manchester, and observed commencement at Vilnius University (no caps with “Thanks Mom” on them).
When I did my research for my summer trip to Eastern France this summer, I saw that Freiburg, Germany, a university town about 90 minutes from Strasbourg, had a BA program that was entirely in English, so I decided to make a side trip out of due diligence.
University College Freiburg is in the center of this city. You can walk to the city center, the main cathedral and many attractions. The school was founded in 1457, but none of the current buildings are that old!
The Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) Program at Freiburg is an interdisciplinary program in which students major in four possible disciplines: Culture and History; Governance; Life Sciences; Environmental and Sustainability Sciences. Half the credits are in an the core and electives. Yes, two years of German are required; however, wouldn’t you want your student to know more than how to say Guten Tag and Gesundheit?
Although the school has 25,000 students, this program has 80 spots, with 16 reserved for non-EU students. Admission is rigorous: 4 - 5 APs are required. This is consistent with the level of rigor required of the German Abitur.
Plus, your student had the ability to exchange with many Dutch, English and Swedish universities and even a few here in the US!
And, here’s the best part: annual tuition is 3000 Euros (not per course!). Your student finishes the BA or BS in THREE years and can pursue a Masters in the fourth.
Employment? We are in a global economy. Students from Freiburg routinely find themselves in consulting and research upon graduation.
Want to learn more about studying outside the US? Reach out!