About Millersville in Marburg (MIM)
The Millersville in Marburg program is a one or two semester study abroad program that has been offered at Philipps-Universität in Marburg, Germany since 1963. Outstanding features of the program include a German only requirement and the presence of an on-site Resident Director in Marburg who provides academic support and personal help to participants.
In the fall, students begin their studies with a six week orientation consisting of an intensive German Language and Grammar Review course and a Contemporary German Culture and History course. In the spring, during orientation, only the intensive German Language and Grammar course is offered. Also during orientation, students participate in several excursions to places of cultural and historic interest. After the orientation period, students select from the Philipps-Universität catalog to take the rest of their courses with the general student population. All courses are taught in German.
About Marburg
The Millersville in Marburg program is located in the ancient university town of Marburg, centrally located in Germany. The North Sea coast and the Alpine peaks, the industrial "Ruhrgebiet" and Berlin are all less than a day's drive from Marburg. Excellent public transportation enables students and residents alike to travel easily to any city in Germany and to many European capitals.
Marburg's magnificent location is characterized by wooded hills and the winding curve of the Lahn River. In summer, Marburg offers boating on the Lahn, strolls through the castle grounds and the extensive forests encircling the town, and hikes to nearby villages. A swimming pool, the sports stadium, tennis courts, and riding schools supply plentiful recreation. In the winter, there is the opportunity to ice skate and ski in the neighboring winter resorts.
The cultural atmosphere of Marburg is that of a large city, offering, among many other attractions, the Marburg Theater, a concert series featuring international artists, many film series, the Kunstmarkt, and lectures by noted speakers. Marburg retains, however, the more sedate pace and friendly atmosphere of a small city of some 50,000 inhabitants (80,000 in the greater Marburg area). The traditional folk and religious festivals of Marburg and of the ancient villages surrounding it offer memorable experiences for the American student.
About Philipps-Universität
Philipps-Universität was founded in 1527, shortly after the beginning of the Reformation, as the first university in Europe with a Protestant theological faculty. Founder of the university was Philipp the Magnanimous, Landgrave (Count) of Hesse, and descendant of St. Elisabeth. St. Elisabeth's Cathedral, the first Gothic church on German soil, dates from the 13th century. Towering over the city is the castle, once residence of the Landgraves of Hesse and now used, in part, by the university.
From the castle walls one can see the many university buildings scattered over the city. The view presents a striking contrast: century-old sandstone buildings and the modern steel and glass structures of the post-war years. The Philipp's University of Marburg, one of the best in Germany, is on its way to becoming one of the most modern in Western Europe, but its surroundings have lost none of their original charm.
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In this Section
Program Offerings
Cost
Insurance
Financial Assistance
Dates
Accommodation
Resident Director
Eligibility
Transfer of Credit
To Apply
Links
Marburg Home Page
MIM Home Page
Philipps-Universität Home Page
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Program Offerings
Students confirm their course selections under the guidance of the Resident Director during the orientation period. Courses are not posted until just before the semester begins, however the University offers essentially the same courses each year. Please note that a maximum of 36 credits per year may be earned during the Millersville in Marburg program, up to six during the Orientation Session. Many students find it advisable to enroll in fewer courses for credit in Marburg than they would at their home campus, and a minimum course load of twelve credits is required and no more than fifteen credits per semester is recommended. Courses in the areas of Language, History, Art, Music and Social Science are recommended for Millersville in Marburg participants.
*One paid internship per year is available for 3-4 weeks at the Sparkasse (local bank). Students can apply for the internship upon arrival in Germany and in the consultation with the Resident Director.
Please contact the Office of Global Education & Partnerships for a representative list of courses taken by members of recent groups from the large selection offered by the University.
Cost
Students pay Millersville University tuition (in-state or out-of-state depending on residency), MU fees and a Millersville in Marburg program charge directly to Millersville. There is also a $400 non-refundable, non-transferable MU program participation fee due to Millersville approximately one month after program acceptance. Prices are approximates and may be lower or higher on the final billing statement due to currency fluctuations and other factors beyond our control. The Millersville in Marburg program charge includes an orientation in Germany, accommodations, accommodations security deposit, Marburg semester/technology fees, and full-time support of an on-site Resident Director. These costs do not include mandatory health insurance in Germany, meals, student visa, passport, trans-Atlantic transportation, transportation to and from the airport, books and supplies, or incidental expenses such as clothing, laundry, and entertainment.
Insurance
Students are required to purchase German health insurance (DAK) through the Millersville in Marburg Program. The cost is approximately 58€ per month. The DAK provides the same coverage as available to any German citizen, including doctor’s visits, hospitalization, and more. In addition to the insurance cost, there is a 10€ co-pay per 3 months charged to the student IF any doctor’s visits are needed. The insurance and co-pay will be paid by the student in Germany.
Financial Assistance
Students should investigate loans that may be available such as the application for Federal Student Aid. Scholarships have individual regulations, and students should contact their home institution's Financial Aid Office to determine if their scholarships are transferable. Please see Financial Considerations for more information.
Dates
Students may choose to study abroad at Philipps-Universität for either a semester or for a full academic year. The academic calendar is divided into two semesters (called winter and summer). The winter semester lasts from October until early or mid-February. First semester exams take place in early February. The summer semester begins in March and ends in July. Second semester/full-year exams take place in June/July.
Fall/winter semester study is only for students not returning to M.U. for the spring/summer semester.
Accommodation
The Millersville in Marburg students are housed in University dormitories. Students live in the Studentendorf, which has seven buildings with a population of 800 students and is located on a wooded hillside overlooking Marburg.
The Studentendorf features single rooms with a sink, common kitchens and bathrooms, television rooms, game rooms, libraries and laundry facilities. The American students are distributed throughout the "Dorf," so that they have the maximum opportunity for contact with German students.
A 150 Euro security deposit will be collected as part of the MIM Program Charge. This deposit money will be paid to the Studentenwerk (Philipps-Universität Accommodations organization) on the student’s behalf. Arrangements for a refund of this security deposit will be made, by the student, with the Studentenwerk Office PRIOR to the student’s departure from Marburg.
Resident Director
Mrs. Wyrola Biedebach manages the Millersville in Marburg Program on-site. Born and raised in the Spreewald, near Berlin, she studied German and Russian at the Pädagogische Hochschule in Leipzig, the Puschkin Institute in Moscow, and the Philipps-Universität in Marburg earning the 1st and 2nd Staatsexamen for the gymnasium. Mrs. Biedebach taught at the Volkshochschule in Marburg and Frankfurt. Since August 2000 she has been teaching at the Vocational/Technological School in Biedenkopf. She has been in charge of the Marburg Program since January 2001 and has taught classes at the University since 2000.
Eligibility
Most students who study abroad are traditionally juniors. However, students can and do study abroad anytime after they have completed 24 credits. Students should complete an application to study abroad one semester before wishing to go abroad. Please contact the Office of Global Education and Partnerships for an application and ask about deadlines. A minimum of a 2.0 GPA, a minimum language proficiency of "202" level German (proficiency test may be required), a $40 application fee, an official University transcript and two letters of recommendation from professors from your home University are also required. At least one letter of recommendation must be from a German professor. The Director of Global Education and Partnerships will then interview students and a selection will be made shortly after the interviews are completed.
Transfer of Credit
Students should work with their advisors to select courses which will fit into their major(s), minor(s), and General Education requirements, if appropriate. Students will receive Millersville University credit for coursework completed at Marburg. It is the student's responsibility to follow the procedures and policies of his/her home institution with regard to transfer credit and appropriateness of course choices for his/her academic program. After the study abroad program is completed and a transcript is sent to Millersville University, the Registrar will award credit subject to normal Millersville University rules and requirements. Please note that all Millersville University academic policies (impact on G.P.A., incompletes, etc.) directly apply, as if you were actually studying at Millersville.
To Apply
Applications for the Millersville in Marburg Program are available in the Office of Global Education and Partnerships, Cumberland House. For fall study or the entire academic year, applications are due mid-February. For spring study, applications are due mid-September.
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