Liberal Arts and Sciences - University College Freiburg - Universität ...

3Welcome!The Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) Bachelor program at the University of Freiburg– the fi rst of its kind in Germany – is an exciting, groundbreaking venture. Developingour own specifi c perspective on a long tradition of Liberal Education in the UnitedStates and on recent highly successful interpretations of that tradition in the Netherlands,we emphasize problem-orientation, student-centeredness and an internationaloutlook.Against the backdrop of a challenging and exciting period of transformation in Europeanhigher education, the idea of a LAS program in Germany, specifi cally in Freiburg,fi rst emerged several years back. With much enthusiasm and involvement a-cross faculties, we have since established our educational concept and founded theUniversity College Freiburg, a platform for interdisciplinary teaching at the Universityof Freiburg and the host institution for the LAS program. We welcomed the fi rst generationof LAS students in October 2012.The University of Freiburg is especially suited to initiate a LAS program at a UniversityCollege: It is one of Germany’s leading research and higher education institutionsand has a longstanding tradition in interdisciplinary research and teaching. Furthermore,Freiburg is one of Germany’s most beautiful and agreeable cities, situated atthe heart of Europe, in direct proximity to both Switzerland and France.The following pages will introduce you to the LAS program, its guiding ideas, organizingprinciples and intellectual emphases. Whether you are a potential student collectinginformation on study choices, an educator at another institution looking forideas, an academic contemplating co-operations, a student parent or a potentialbenefactor, we hope to be able to raise and keep your interest and answer the questionsyou might have about LAS at University College Freiburg.Prof. Dr. Bernhard Zimmermann,Dean of StudiesDr. Nicholas Eschenbruch,Director of Education

41. Liberal Arts and Sciences in BriefThe four-year Bachelor’s Degree in LiberalArts and Sciences is the Universityof Freiburg’s fi rst interdisciplinary, English-taughtundergraduate program andthe fi rst of its kind in Germany. It is hostedby the University College Freiburgand started in October 2012 with a pioneergroup of 78 students. Reaching a-cross academic fi elds, the LAS Bacheloris complementary to the University’sexisting disciplinary Bachelor programs.The program consists of four study areas:Website: www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/areas

5The LAS program is mostly organized ina block schedule. This gives studentsand teachers the opportunity to engagevery closely with each other and the topicat hand. It also provides space for innovativeforms of instruction that characterizethe entire program.The LAS program is selective. Selectionplaces a strong emphasis on personalinterviews in order to assess the motivationof applicants and the matching betweenthe program and interested students.Its target group is students withhigh levels of intellectual curiosity, selfrelianceand responsibility, who arelooking for problem-oriented work acrossdisciplines and are flexible and open tochallenges.The Core (66 ECTS points) constitutesthe intellectual identity of LAS at the Universityof Freiburg: All students are intensivelytrained in general academic skills(researching and presenting study material,effective writing, numerical literacyetc.). In order to put these skills into contextand to exemplify the necessity andcomplexity of interdisciplinary thoughtand action, the first year of the programfocusses on contemporary societal challenges(such as Global Inequality, PublicHealth, Environmental Issues). In thehigher semesters of the Core Program,the students’ coursework is continuouslycomplemented by instruction in the theoryof science, knowledge and research.Finally, students follow a curriculum inresponsibility and leadership and havethe opportunity to engage in extracurricularactivities.The Language part of the program (36ECTS) ensures that all LAS students cancommunicate on academic topics in excellentEnglish and good German, andideally acquire a good grounding in athird language.The Major (90 ECTS) constitutes thestudents’ thorough training in a specificacademic field of Sciences and/or theHumanities that is, in itself, interdisciplinary.It aims to provide sufficient depth tomake admission into disciplinary M.A. orM.Sc. programs possible.An Electives area of the curriculum (48ECTS) enables students to either pursueinterdisciplinary studies of their choice,engage in more practically oriented projectsor undertake specific additionaltraining necessary for admission intotheir chosen M.A. or M.Sc. programs.

62. Study Outline 2013Year 1Your fi rst, Foundational Year focusses onthe study of fundamental real-world problemsthat are characterized by boththeir current relevance and their inherentcomplexity. For the year 2012, for example,topics included: “Using and ProtectingNature”, “Transformation of Bodyand Mind”, “Migration, Culture and Community”.These topics introduce you tostudy questions from different perspec-tives and, at the same time, instruct youin core academic skills, such as research,writing and presentation. In additionto these broad foundational modules,you choose two modules, each ofwhich provide an introduction to one ofthe Majors. Finally, as during the followingyears, you have the opportunity todevelop your language skills accordingto your interests and your needs.Term: WinterTerm: SummerIntroduction to MajorsWebsite: www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/preview

7Timetable for the academic year 2013/14While the schedule for the first year is pretty much set, the schedules on the followingpages are suggestions. They can and will be adjusted according to your interests andchoices.

8Year 2In your second year, you begin to approachin greater depth the Major thatyou have chosen: you take modules thatintroduce you to the key questions, theoriesand methods of the field in which youconcentrate your studies. Further modulesfrom the Core program address fun-damental questions of scholarly knowledge,its origins, validity and role in theworld. Finally, you take two modules thatemphasize reflexive thought and responsibleaction inside and outside of academia.Term: WinterTheories of KnowledgeCulture andCommunicationTerm: Summer

9Year 3In your third year, choice becomes moreprominent. First, you have the importantchoice to spend all or parts of this year ata university abroad. Second, concerningyour Major, you can choose from a rangeof different modules, according to yourinterests and, possibly, graduate programsthat you envisage. Choice is alsocharacteristic for the Electives in yourthird year. You can take modules at anyof the faculties of the university or do anextended internship. You thereby havethe opportunity to shape for yourselfwhat your degree in Liberal Arts and Sciencesis about.Term: WinterAnthropology and ExperienceTerm: SummerInterdisciplinary Project

10Year 4In the fourth year, you continue to personalizeyour curriculum. You can takefurther, more specialized modules inyour field or even work on a specific projectunder the supervision of a senior researcher.In your B.A./B.Sc. thesis at theend of the final year, you produce a substantialpiece of your own research. Thisconcentration in and on your Major is,again, complemented by your choice ofElectives appropriate to the level ofscholarship that you have reached bythen. In addition, you take two furthermodules in the Responsibility and Leadershipcurriculum, preparing you for professionaland civic life after graduation.Term: WinterVision andLeadershipTerm: SummerB.A./B.Sc. ThesisB.A./B.Sc. Thesis

113. The Liberal Arts and Sciences Program3.1 Core ProgramRegardless of the Major you choose, allstudents participate in the Core Program,a characteristic feature of the FreiburgLAS degree. Focusing on currentglobal challenges, it merges the students’training in personal skills, researchmethods and general epistemologyinto a comprehensive framework thathas social applicability, intellectual depthand personal relevance.The Core Program consists of three parts:The Foundational Program takes complexglobal challenges as referencepoints for a hands-on introduction to LiberalArts and Sciences. They give skillsclasses a challenging topical focus. Togetherwith language training, the FoundationalProgram makes up the fi rstyear’s classwork and ensures that students’start into academic life with LAS isboth stimulating and structured.Foundational Program (5 modules):LAS: Backgrounds, Ideas, ChallengesExploring Complex ProblemsSharing KnowledgeNumerical LiteracyInterdisciplinary ProjectsWebsite: www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/core

12The Epistemology Lectures are two centralmodules towards the middle of theprogram. At the intellectual heart of LAS,they tackle the questions what knowledgeis, how it is generated in the sciencesand humanities, how it affects theworld and is affected by it. They aretaught by two professorships for Epistemologyand Science Studies that havebeen specifically established for the LASprogram.Epistemology Lectures (2 modules):LAS Core Lecture: Theories of KnowledgeLAS Core Lecture: Contexts of KnowledgeThe Curriculum in Responsibility andLeadership extends over the Core program’slater semesters and is designedto inspire and equip students to effectivelyengage with the challenges theywill face after graduation. It prompts studentsto consider their own position inthe world, to think about their responsibilityand personal vision in life and to acquirethe skills they need in order toreach their goals. Classes combine rigorousacademic input with personal reflectionand training in more experientialformats.Responsibility and Leadership (4 modules):Anthropology and ExperienceAction and ResponsibilityVision and LeadershipCulture and Communication

133.2 Electives (8 modules)The credits these modules represent canbe used quite freely: for attending modulesin other Majors, for more languagetraining, for meeting specific M.A./ M.Sc.requirements, for an extended period a-broad, or for a practical project or internship.3.3 Language (6 modules)The Language part of the program enables you to reach an excellent level in academicEnglish and, when necessary, a good level of German. Further language optionsare available.Websites: www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/electiveswww.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/language1

143.4 MajorsMajor: Culture and HistoryIn the Major Culture and History, we studythe arts, philosophies, religions, languages,and histories of peoples fromaround the world and through time.Broadly speaking, this Major covers thetraditional humanities disciplines in anuntraditional, interdisciplinary way.We believe that the study of culture is notjust a specialized activity of scholars, butrather is something that people do all thetime. When, for example, you argueabout the meaning of a new slang word,when you discuss the merits of a politicalparty, or when you ask yourself whatmatters most to you, you are informallystudying language, history, or philosophy.In Culture and History, we give rigor tothese debates, discussions, and reflectionsby inquiring into the relationshipbetween particular cultural forms andgeneral human problems, by putting ourown identities and commitments underscrutiny, and by opening ourselves tolearning about other peoples and otherWebsite: www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/major1times. We ask questions, for instance,about specific objects. What makessomething an artwork and is it reallydifferent from other forms of humancreation, like technical ones? When westudy an artwork, what can we learnabout the culture and time period thatproduced it? What do we learn aboutourselves in the process? In what waysdo artworks engage in politics? How arethe past, the present, and the futurebound together by our efforts to understandcultural artefacts from anothertime or place?We also ask broader questions that linkour study of objects to social and politicalchallenges. What are the limits of understandinganother culture or anothertime? Is there a responsible way to criticizeaspects of someone else’s culture?How are personal identities enmeshed incommunities, cultures, and histories? Inwhat sense are individuals responsibleto or for the histories that define their wayof life?

15In addressing these and related questions,we work in forms of knowledge thatare largely interpretive: the processingand reprocessing of cultural artefacts,the framing of strong questions, and thedevelopment of coherent lines of analyticand synthetic argumentation. As you studythese ways of knowing, you are challengedto think carefully and preciselyabout specific works (novels, paintings,films, philosophical treatises, politicalmanifestos, theoretical reflections, andso on) while also asking bigger questionsabout their meaning. Culture and Historygives you a strong foundation in humanisticacademic disciplines – history, arthistory, anthropology, literary studies,philosophy, and religious studies, amongothers – while allowing you to pursueyour own intellectual passions in a contextof critical reflection.For more information about this Major,please contact Dr. Ryan Plumley at ryan.plumley@ucf.uni-freiburg.deMajor: Methods (2 modules)Culture as a Topic of Academic InquiryHistory as a Topic of Academic InquiryMajor: Topics (6 modules)One module in each area of choice:Area 1: Culture and History up to the Early Modern PeriodArea 2: Culture and History after the Early Modern PeriodArea 3: Sociocultural Anthropology or Area StudiesArea 4: A further module from areas 1.-3.Area 5: A further module from areas 1.-3.Area 6: Contemporary Art or Literature or Music or AestheticsWithin the areas of choice, modules focus on more specific topics, and several optionsmay be available in each area.Major: Special Topics (2 modules)2 specialized modulesTwo specialized modules have a direct link to current research and enable you to workclosely with a senior academic teacher.Bachelor ThesisIn their Bachelor thesis, students work closely on one specific scientific topic from theirMajor.

16Major: Life SciencesThe Major in Life Sciences gives you thebasics you need to know about living organismsand their interaction with surroundingenvironments while at the sametime taking a broader perspective on thisfield of knowledge and its role in society,politics, and culture. The Major emphasizesquestions about the human being,but also includes the interaction of biologicaland technical systems. To this end,we consider the human being as a researchingsubject as well as the subjectof research.Throughout the program we tackle questionsof general interest using elementaryquestions of the Life Sciences: Are themind and the body separate entities orare they inextricably linked to eachother? How does consciousness emergefrom the large aggregation of cells formingthe human brain? Is a larger biologicalsystem more than the sum of itsparts? To what extent is behavior determinedby genes, and how much is it influencedby the environment? Is the extensionof our body with technical prosthesespart of the evolutionary process? Howdoes the interaction with technical systemsshape our way of life? Why are theLife Sciences so prominent in sciencefiction literature? What are the risks andbenefits of a society in which humansand robots interact?We approach such questions primarilyfrom the perspective of disciplines likeBiology, Neuroscience, Cognitive Science,Medicine, and Biotechnology, butalso discuss them in a broader context.Starting from a single cell, a biochemicalsystem in itself, we deal with larger-scalesystems like cell clusters, bodily organsand the body and mind of the humanbeing as a whole. Studying these systemsbrings us to questions about howcognition and emotions are realized biologicallyand how biological systems canbe connected to technical ones, for examplefor medical purposes.The Major in Life Sciences gives you astrong research-oriented foundation inthe natural sciences and relates thisWebsite: www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/major2

17foundation to challenging topics for thesociety of the 21st century. It is, however,not intended as a pre-med program.For more information about this Major,please contact Dr. Simon J. Büchner atbuechner@ucf.uni-freiburg.deMajor: Methods (2 modules)Empirical and Experimental MethodsMathematics and Physics for Liberal Arts and SciencesMajor: Topics (6 modules)Compulsory modules for the “Life Sciences” Major:BiochemistryPhysiologyCell BiologyData Processing and Modeling for the Life SciencesTwo modules from the following areas:Area 1: NeurosciencesArea 2: GeneticsArea 3: Biological AnthropologyArea 4: BiotechnologyArea 5: Electronic Engineering for Biology and MedicineArea 6: Mechanical Engineering for Biology and MedicineWithin the areas of choice, the later modules focus on more specific topics, and severaloptions may be available in each area.Major: Special Topics (2 modules)2 specialized modulesTwo specialized modules have a direct link to current research and enable you to workclosely with a senior academic teacher.Bachelor ThesisIn their Bachelor thesis, students work closely on one specific scientific topic from theirMajor.

18Major: Earth and Environmental SciencesEarth and environmental issues are subjectto diverse political debates and arebroadly discussed in the media. Becausethese issues are enormously complicated,they spawn a range of challengingquestions. Take climate change: Whatcauses global warming? Is it man-madeor part of larger pattern of climate developments?How does it affect humancommunities and their prospects for thefuture? Or take the related issue of biodiversity:Are we moving towards the nextmass extinction event? Will it actuallymatter if some species go extinct? Howcan we value diversity and what wouldbe its currency? Or, thirdly, take the exampleof new technologies: Can a geneticallymodified crop help sustain the environmentby, for example, reducing theneed for insecticides? Or are modificationsof natural systems inherently dangerousto the delicate balance of ecosystems?More generally, how can humanbeings use nature in an efficient but sustainablemanner?Since environmental issues involve differentkinds of processes, these topicsrequire an interdisciplinary approach.Within the Major Earth and EnvironmentalSciences you investigate our planetprimarily from three perspectives: 1) ascientific understanding of the physicalplanet, 2) a biological understanding oflife on the planet, 3) an understanding ofthe chemical interplay between physicaland biological systems on Earth and inthe environment.You do not only study our planet’s currentstate, but also its history. An explorationof the origin of our planet and theorigin of life provides you a chronologicalpicture of natural and anthropogenic environmentalchanges and helps you toevaluate the potentially disastrous changeswe face today. As part of this historicalapproach, you also learn about themethods used to gain information aboutthe Earth’s deep past, the reliability ofsuch methods, and the potential usefulnessof such information for current policydebates.Website: www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/major3

19These debates, surrounding issues likethe ones mentioned above, demand presentsolutions. We human beings aresustained by our environment, but we donot always sustain it in return.Finally, environmental issues, groundedin an understanding of the Earth’s pastand addressed to the concerns of thepresent, are in many ways questionsabout the future, both of the planet and ofits human habitation. We need to be ableto assess them scientifically and developstrategies to tackle them. The MajorEarth and Environmental Sciences givesyou the scientific basis to follow, evaluate,and contribute scientifically to currentand future debates.For more information about this Major,please contact Dr. Karin Moll at karin.moll@ucf.uni-freiburg.deMajor: Methods (2 modules)Observing NatureMathematics and Physics for Liberal Arts and SciencesMajor: Topics (6 modules)Compulsory modules for the “Earth and Environmental Sciences” Major:ChemistryEarth SciencesEcologyModules from the following areas:Area 1: The Evolution of our Planetary SystemArea 2: The Global Circulation of Matter, Substances and MaterialsArea 3: Health and the EnvironmentWithin the areas of choice, the later modules focus on more specific topics, and severaloptions may be available in each area.Major: Special Topics (2 modules)2 specialized modulesTwo specialized modules have a direct link to current research and enable you to workclosely with a senior academic teacher.Bachelor ThesisIn their Bachelor thesis, students work closely on one specific scientific topic from theirMajor.

20Major: GovernanceIs the financial crisis a political or an economicproblem? What is the role ofNGOs in global governance? Are politicalparties outdated? Do we need moreEurope? Does it still make sense tospeak of Left and Right in politics? Candemocracy and expert advice go hand inhand? Can public administration be managedlike a company? Is there a newsocial question? How can commongoods be organized? Are we beyond thenation-state? Is democratization of countriesfrom the outside democratic? Questionslike these are at the heart of theMajor Governance.This Major is embedded in the social sciences,such as political science, sociology,economics, and legal studies. Itsspecific focus, Governance, is on howwe, as human beings, deal with commonproblems. How and by whom are suchproblems identified? By which institutions(like markets, states, public-privatepartnerships) and which means (like policies,hard and soft law, public communication)are these problems addressed?What conflicts and disputes are entailedin such problem solving? Our approachto these key questions have the followingcharacteristics: 1) a historical perspective– how all of these problems and institutionschange over time, in particularhow we can understand the currentchanges; 2) a focus on the interpretations,justifications and arguments givenby social and political actors; 3) the investigationof current practical politicalproblems with a reflection on fundamentalconceptual questions. Finally, the programputs specific emphasis on phenomenaand problems with a Europeandimension.If you opt for Governance as your Major,you take modules in your second yearthat introduce you to both key conceptsof knowledge about the social and politicalworld (e.g., analytical, evaluative,practical) as well as to the key methodologies(interpretative, qualitative, quantitative)used in their study. Building onthis, you can choose from a range ofmodules, many of which combine severalWebsite: www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/major4

21social science disciplines as well as insightsfrom the Humanities, such as: Lawand Society; War and Images; ClimateChange and Global Justice; Culture andConflict. Even more importantly, you willbe prepared to understand crucial currentproblems and, on this basis, to makerelevant and insightful contributions todealing with them.For more information about this Major,please contact Dr. Volker Balli at volker.balli@ucf.uni-freiburg.deMajor: Methods (2 modules)Theoretical Foundations and Interpretative Methods in the Social SciencesEmpirical Methods in the Social SciencesMajor: Topics (6 modules)Area 1: Comparative GovernmentArea 2: Law and AdministrationArea 3: EconomicsArea 4: a further module from areas 1.-3.Area 5: a further module from areas 1.-3.Area 6: a further module from areas 1.-3., or from sociology, political theory,public management, political ethics or business ethicsWithin the areas of choice, modules focus on more specific topics, and several optionsmay be available in each area.Major: Special Topics (2 modules)2 specialized modulesTwo specialized modules have a direct link to current research and enable you to workclosely with a senior academic teacher.Bachelor ThesisIn their Bachelor thesis, students work closely on one specific scientific topic from theirMajor.

224. Questions and AnswersQ: What is the Freiburg “Liberal Arts and Sciences” program about?A: LAS is the fi rst four-year, English-taught undergraduate program of its kind at aGerman university. It is an interdisciplinary alternative to existing B.A. or B.Sc. degreeprograms. It teaches its students to think across academic disciplines, look atproblems from a variety of scientifi c perspectives and become effective communicatorsand leaders.Q: What type of student is LAS aimed at?A: The LAS program is aimed at students with broad academic interests who arealready starting to formulate their own questions. We are looking for applicants whovalue academic rigor and in-depth study, but would also like to give their studies anindividual emphasis. If, on top of that, you enjoy new horizons and unexpected challenges,appreciate an international, hard-working and inspiring environment and areready and willing to take on responsibility for yourself and others, LAS is probably foryou.Q: Does interdisciplinarity mean I can study anything? Isn’t that a bit arbitrary?Will I learn anything concrete for my later career?A: Range and choice are important for the Liberal Arts and Sciences, but the programis not arbitrarily structured: We strike a balance between your choice of subjects andour conviction that there are things all LAS students need to learn. Regarding thecontent of the Core Program and the extent of the Language training, you have littlechoice; also, we expect you to focus your Major in one of four areas of academicenquiry: Life Sciences, Governance, Culture and History or Earth and EnvironmentalSciences. However, within each area and especially in your electives, you have awider range of topics and modules than you would have in a disciplinary B.A./B.Sc.program.Website: www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/qa

23Q: Originally, “Liberal Arts and Sciences” seems to be a North American tradition.Is the Freiburg LAS program comparable to the North American LiberalArts Colleges?A: We share with the North American colleges an emphasis on a broad curriculum,mandatory training in skills like effective writing, numerical literacy and public speaking,and the education of the whole person. There are also important differences:(1) We go directly into academic training, while many US programs spend considerabletime on the general education most Europeans are expected to get in highschool; (2) LAS in Freiburg is a small, non-residential program that offers studentsthe chance to fully integrate themselves into the city and the University of Freiburg– one of the leading research universities in Germany with 11 faculties and 24,000students. LAS in Freiburg thus has a very different atmosphere from the larger, residentialcolleges elsewhere.Q: I heard there are already some well established Liberal Arts programs inEurope, e.g. in the Netherlands. Why should I choose Freiburg?A: For Europe, the Dutch LAS programs have been groundbreaking and most of themare very good; we are proud to count University College Maastricht amongst ourpartner institutions. The few LAS programs that exist in Europe all have differingemphases and strengths. The Freiburg program stresses (1) theory of knowledge andresearch, across subjects, (2) language skills and culture, (3) responsibility and leadership.We have a strong compulsory “Core Program” and a little less emphasis onindividual choice than some of the Dutch programs. You should research them allwell to see what suits you best.Q: Is LAS an elite program?A: LAS at the University of Freiburg is selective; we expect above-average grades,above average intellectual curiosity and an above average readiness to accept responsibilityfor yourself and others. This is because we want you to take on aboveaverage challenges in your life once you graduate.

24Q: The standard German Bachelor’s degree takes three years. Why does LAStake four?A: We have a clear idea about the general academic competencies, language skillsand intellectual abilities we would like you to have. On top of that, we want you to builda sound academic specialization and to have room for your own choices and projects.It’s a well-rounded education that takes four years.Q: I already know I like one subject a lot more than others. Is LAS still good forme?A: LAS is not a normal Bachelor’s degree taught in English with a little extra skillstraining. It is a different educational approach emphasizing interdisciplinary thinking.A B.Sc. in Physics will obviously give you more exposure to Physics, a B.A. in Historywill give you more History. So, if you are looking to get maximum immersion in onesubject, you should choose an according program. If you are interested in academicinquiry across disciplines, you should consider LAS.Q: I am not sure what I would like to study. Will LAS give me the opportunityat least to start studying something and help me make up my mind later on?A: LAS in Freiburg is clearly not designed as a course of general education and academicorientation, and it will not be an easy course to follow. Rather, you will start towork on complex interdisciplinary challenges right from the beginning. Later on, makingyour own study choices will continuously demand that you make clear decisionsand take responsibility for them. If you find that difficult already, you should considercarefully if LAS is really for you.

25Q: What is the University of Freiburg like? How is LAS integrated into it?A: The University of Freiburg was founded in 1457. It is a research university with 11faculties, covering the whole spectrum of subjects, from Philosophy and Theology toEngineering and Computer Science. It has repeatedly achieved highest ranks innationwide competitions in the areas of research, teaching and continuing education.You could hardly find a better institutional context for a LAS program. And while thevast majority of LAS modules are specifically created for and administered by theprogram, you will, at the same time, be a regular student of the university: you will beable to attend talks and lectures, use central facilities like the university library, participatein the university sports program or join any number of student societies andactivities.Q: Sounds great – but is Freiburg also a good place to live, beyond the university?A: Yes! Freiburg is widely considered one of the most attractive mid-size cities inGermany. It has a charming historical setting, a pleasantly mild climate, and the BlackForest is in easy reach by public transport for hiking in summer and skiing in winter.Freiburg has an open-minded atmosphere and a lively cultural scene. A lot of studentschoose Freiburg for its close-knit university community. Finally, as a “GreenCity”, it is especially noted for its strengths in ecology and sustainability. At the sametime, European metropolitan centers like Zurich, Frankfurt and Strasbourg are allwithin a two-hour train ride, while Paris, Milan and the Mediterranean make for convenientweekend destinations. France is just a twenty minute drive away, Switzerlandonly a little more, so we are truly at the heart of Europe.

26Q: The Freiburg LAS program started in autumn 2012. Is it not a little risky tobe amongst the first generations in a new program?A: Yes, in some sense it is. Modules and procedures are being developed and improved,and occasional misunderstandings and challenges will probably come up. However,joining a new program is also a unique opportunity. Later generations will nothave such an influence on the future of the program: we will continuously monitor ourfirst students’ experiences and progress and listen closely to feedback. Finally, wecan rely on the many resources of a large and prestigious university and on the greatenthusiasm our initiative is generating. So, while we cannot deny some risk, it correspondswith great opportunities, and great opportunities are always a little risky. Bea pioneer and join us on this exciting trip!Q: How does the selection process work?A: Selection is competitive, based on academic merit and personal motivation. Academicmerit is represented by the over-all grade of your German higher educationentrance qualification (Abitur) or an officially recognized equivalent. Also, you needto provide proof of English at the B2 level of the CEFR scale (Common EuropeanFramework of Reference for Languages). We then interview you in person, in English,and modify the initial grade in the light of your personal aptitude for the program andother achievements such as volunteer service or a stay aboard. SATs or similar testsare not relevant to the process.

27Q: What do international applicants have to consider?A: There are some significant differences from application processes in the Englishspeakingworld which you must bear in mind. Most of all, international applicants aswell as German applicants with non-German qualifications need to make sure wellin advance that their qualifications are considered equivalent to the German “Abitur”.Here, nationwide legal regulations apply which we cannot overrule. Only once youmeet these requirements will you be allowed to enter the LAS selection process itself.Refer to our website (www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/application) for further informationor enquire at the university department for International Admissions (www.ucf.unifreiburg.de/go/qualification).Q: Do I need to know German in order to apply?A: No. We want to attract applicants from all over the world who are interested in LASregardless of their language and cultural background. However, you are expected tostudy German and to pass an exam equivalent to at least A2 on the CEFR scale afteryour second year. Coursework designed to prepare you for that exam is part of theprogram, and you are encouraged to study German to a higher standard as part ofyour language options.Q: I am already studying something else – can I join the LAS program in ahigher semester?A: If you meet the requirements which are laid out in the Rules and Regulations(www.ucf.uni-freiburg.de/go/stupo) and if there is free capacity, you can apply. However,since we are currently focusing on our first cohort of regular students, we do notencourage you to transfer into LAS from another degree program right now, as youwould face complicated issues of cross-semester scheduling and credit recognition,possibly prolonging your studies.

28Q: During the LAS program in Freiburg, will I have the opportunity to studyabroad?A: The University of Freiburg has a broad range of exchange programs with partnersall over the world. These are, of course, open to LAS students. UCF will help you toorganize a semester or a year abroad via one of these programs, especially concerningpreparation, integration into your LAS curriculum and credit recognition. Beyondexisting, university-wide exchange programs, UCF is currently establishing structuredexchanges with our two closest partner institutions: University College Maastricht,the leading University College in the Netherlands, and Schreyer Honors College,a program for especially talented and dedicated students at Penn StateUniversity in the USA. More co-operations will be established in the coming years.The LAS Electives area, which plays a key role in the program’s second and thirdyears, is especially suited for studying or doing an internship abroad.Q: Do you charge tuition fees?A: There are no tuition fees apart from a registration fee every semester. In mostGerman federal states and at almost all of our top universities even top-level highereducation is considered a service the German state provides.Q: Do you offer scholarships?A: At present, we are unfortunately not in a position to offer scholarships locally. Youmay inquire at the German Academic Exchange Service to find out if you are eligiblefor scholarships from other sources.

29Q: Finally, what can I do with a LAS degree later on? What academic and professionaloptions will I have?A: While we do not know what you will do with your LAS degree, we can give youinformation on what others are doing. As there is not much experience with LASgraduates in Germany yet, here’s an overview of the situation elsewhere:Concerning entrance into specialized disciplinary M.A. or M.Sc. programs, your Major(90 ECTS points) will provide you with a lot of possibilities, especially if you enquireearly on which admission criteria you need to meet: By planning ahead, you willhave the possibility to work towards those criteria in your electives (48 ECTS). Becauseof the intellectual versatility we aim to train you in, we expect our students toget into top schools once they graduate (and the Dutch programs prove that this isrealistic), but of course we cannot guarantee admission into every M.A. or M.Sc.program.LAS graduates often pursue successful careers in academia. In an essay in Councilon Undergraduate Research Quarterly from 2001, Donald Kennedy (professor ofbiology, former president at Stanford University and editor of Science) observed thatLAS graduates end up doing a PhD far more often than graduates from top researchuniversities such as Harvard or Yale – and this is true even for the natural sciences.Concerning the situation on the job market outside academia in the USA, the Associationof American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has repeatedly conductedsurveys amongst employers as well as students and published policy papers on careeropportunities for LAS graduates. If these results hold true for Europe as well,then there is a clear demand for graduates trained in interdisciplinary thought andaction.The experience at University College Maastricht indicates that a large percentage ofgraduates continue with a M.A. or M.Sc. program. At University College Freiburg aswell, the curriculum is structured in such a way to – with our support – enable entranceinto disciplinary Master programs in the areas of our Majors and obviously intointerdisciplinary ones as well.

30All this has not gone unnoticed in Germany. Time and again, the Confederation ofGerman Employers‘ Associations (BDA) has pointed out the importance of interdisciplinarytraining. This was seconded in 2010 by the German Council of Science andHumanities (Wissenschaftsrat; the most important advisory body for higher educationpolicy) that called for University Colleges at German universities. This is not idletalk. Business and employers’ associations have supported our LAS program in Freiburgfrom the first funding application in 2009 up to today and are keen on getting toknow our graduates!These opportunities and success stories are based on the facts that (1) scientific andsocietal challenges reach beyond academic disciplines and structures; (2) LAS givesstudents key qualifications for today’s dynamic and international job market: Graduateswill have learnt how to learn, will be culturally and intellectually highly flexible aswell as socially and personally responsible while having a sound grounding in a specificacademic field. As Marijk van der Wende, professor of Higher Education at theFree University Amsterdam, stated in her 2011 paper on The Emergence of LiberalArts and Sciences Education in Europe, it’s all about “the deeper need for genericskills, flexibility and interdisciplinarity required for innovation, a key factor for the successof a knowledge economy.”In summary, LAS students are prepared for work responsibilities and careers in internationalenvironments that demand fast and efficient adaptation to varying andcomplex challenges on a day to day basis. Universities, research institutions, thinktanks, international organizations, politics and administration, media as well as internationalfirms are all potential employers.So, while career path for LAS graduates may not be as clear-cut as they are for thosewho read Medicine, Law or Economics, studying LAS in Freiburg will provide you withmany prerequisites necessary for your specific career goals. The most importantingredient, however, is you: LAS gives you the freedom to shape your own education– it also challenges you to use that freedom to set out towards career goals that,ultimately, only you yourself can define.

31Q: Do you have more questions?Contact us: studyinfo@ucf.uni-freiburg.de„We are not students of some subject matter, but students of problems. Andproblems may cut right across the borders of any subject matter or discipline.“Karl PopperAs of February 2013

University College FreiburgUniversity of FreiburgBertoldstraße 1779085 Freiburg, GermanyTel. +49 761 203-67342studyinfo@ucf.uni-freiburg.deFor more information, pleasevisit www.ucf.uni-freiburg.deand join us on Facebook or Google +Printed with kind support by Baden-Badener UnternehmergesprächeAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg