FAQ: German + Engineering

What is the Engineering German Dual Degrees?

The Engineering German Dual Degrees, EGDD, combines an education in the fundamentals of engineering and design with advanced German language proficiency and intercultural competency. Students completing the program earn two undergraduate degrees: one in a specific engineering discipline and the other with a major in German. The Engineering German Dual Degrees has four major components:

• Engineering fundamentals and design as well as other courses leading to an undergraduate degree in a specific engineering discipline;
• German language and culture courses leading to a second undergraduate degree with a major in German;
• One semester of study at a German technical university (currently the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology);
• An engineering-focused internship for 3 to 4 months with a company in Germany.

The program is co-sponsored by the College of Engineering and the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies.

Do I already need to know German? Did I have to have taken German in high school?

No!  You do not need to have any experience in or know German to enter the program. If you do not know any German or you took one year or less of German in high school, then you should start with GRMN 1001 Elementary German I in YOUR FIRST SEMESTER at UGA. If you took two years or more of German in high school, take the placement test and either register for GRMN 1110 Accelerated Elementary German or for a higher level German course, such as GRMN 2001 Intermediate German I, based on the placement test results.

Standard GRMN Course Sequence – First Three Years Only:

• (GRMN 1001 and GRMN 1002) or GRMN 1110 (first year)
• GRMN 2001 and GRMN 2002 (second year)
• GRMN 3015, GRMN 3020, plus and additional 3000 level GRMN course (third year)

If interested in the Engineering – German Program, do I need to apply/register for the program?

YES, you need to complete a registration form. The purpose of the registration form is simply for you to declare your intention to join the program and for us to know who is in the program pursuing the EGDD. You may complete the regisrtation online or obtain a registration from the College of Engineering Director of Experiential Programs, Lauren Anglin. 

ADDITIONALLY, you need to declare that you are both an engineering and German major in Athena.

Do I need to tell my engineering academic advisor that I want to do both engineering and German?

YES! Your engineering academic advisor needs to know so that the correct courses are selected in the correct order. Once again, this is why it is imperative that you select both engineering and German as your major in Athena.

I did not know about Engineering German Dual Degrees until after I started at UGA. Is it too late?

It is possible to enter the program after starting at UGA, contingent upon your previous experience with German and/or your progress toward your engineering degree. That being said, the sooner you enter the program, the better. Contact Dr. Katie Chapman in Germanic and Slavic Studies for allowable options. It is important to have preapproval before doing non-UGA options to ensure that they are equivalent and thus eligible for transfer credit back to UGA.

If I am planning on transferring to UGA, what German courses do I need to have completed before arriving at UGA?

In general, most transfer students will need to have completed German language courses equivalent to UGA’s GRMN 2002 (second semester, second year or second semester intermediate German) before transferring at UGA. If you are a student at a University System of Georgia institution (a public college/university in Georgia), your current academic advisor should be able to tell you the course at your current school that is equivalent to UGA’s GRMN 2002.

If your current institution does not have a course equivalent to UGA’s GRMN 2002 or you are not attending a University System of Georgia institution, contact Dr. Katie Chapman in Germanic and Slavic Studies for other allowable options. It is important to have preapproval before doing non-UGA options to ensure that they are equivalent and thus eligible for transfer credit to UGA.

What is the basic process to expect during my year in Germany?

You first will spend approximately four weeks in intensive language training at the Goethe Institute in Bonn and then transition to the German technical university. Upon your arrival at the university approximately one month before classes start, you will have additional language training, an orientation program and obtain your housing assignment. During these initial few weeks at the university, you also will work with a faculty mentor who will help you select the engineering classes to take.  Before you go to Germany, you should also coordinate with the engineering and German program advisors to prepare an initial list of courses to consider taking, but the actual selection process will not be done until your meeting with the German university advisors.

What are the requirements for the year of study and internship in Germany?

 There are five basic requirements that a student must meet before attending the German technical university and participating in a German based internship as part of the UGA Engineering – German Program.

1. A student must be formally registered with the Engineering – German Program and have declared both engineering and German as their major in Athena.
2. Students who participate in the dual degree program, like all other students who major in German, will be required to earn a grade of C or higher in any course they wish to apply toward their German major. Furthermore, in order to be considered eligible for the year of study and work abroad (designed to be students’ fourth year of study), they must demonstrate their readiness by successful completion of the fifth-semester German language course for engineers (GRMN 3010-E).
3. An additional course taught in German at the 3000/4000 level is highly encouraged before going to Germany.
4. The student must successfully complete an oral interview in German conducted by the UGA Engineering German Program faculty.
5. The student must have completed a minimum of 24 semester hours of engineering courses appropriate for their degree objective.  UGA students participating in the Engineering and German exchange program will be required to have, at the time of their application to the program, a minimum B average (3.0 GPA) in their German and Engineering courses counting toward the completion of the two degree programs.
6. Meet any other UGA requirements for study-abroad.

Are there any scholarships available for the year in Germany?

Competitive scholarships are available to assist with transportation, intensive language instruction, and living expenses while in Germany. Please contact Dr. Katie Chapman for details.

When I am studying at the German technical university, will the classes be taught in German?

A major benefit of the Engineering German Dual Degrees is that it allows you to become immersed in another language and culture. Thus, students will take some courses taught only in German. The actual courses a student will take will be determined for each specific student and approved in advance by the specific engineering program coordinators. 

Before beginning classes, you will have several weeks of intensive German language instruction in Germany.  Students will take one or two courses taught in German and perhaps one or two courses in English as well.  Most of the engineering courses will be taught in German, however some departments at the German university may have some courses available that are also taught in English.

What are the internship options in Germany?

Internship opportunities will really depend upon your major and your areas of interest.  Internships are treated a little differently within the German culture, but the opportunities are wide and varied. In some situations, it may be possible to get an internship with a firm that has operations in both the U.S. and Germany, and some companies actually prefer that you do an internship with the company first in the U.S. to begin to learn the corporate culture and business.  Internship options can be discussed with Director of Expeirence Programs or with program faculty member, Dr. Tom Lawrence.