Course Description
Under the auspices of the Contemporary Studies program, this one-month, 6-credit hour residency course will take place in Berlin, Germany. Entitled “Memory, Politics, Place: Berlin’s Twentieth Century,” it offers students a chance to intensively engage with the dynamics of memory, remembrance and commemoration in the specific context of the catastrophes of Germany’s twentieth century (Nazism, the Holocaust, the Cold War). Readings will include literature, writings focusing on the Berlin of the pre- and post-World War II period, studies in cultural memory and place, and critical theory involving themes such as nostalgia, historical erasure, and national identity. The course will also involve an in-depth examination of the memorial politics of West and East Germany during the time of the Cold War, as well as an examination of the politics and aesthetics of memory in post-unification Germany.
Students will also have the chance to visit the most prominent memorial sites (and some of those less well-known) in and around Berlin, and to spend a day in Dresden. These site-visits will supplement text-based morning seminars, and will involve student exercises in description, interpretation, research and evaluation.
Dates
May 5–31, 2025
Accommodations and Seminar Location
The famous Circus Hostel is ideally located in the bustling area of Rosenthaler Platz (Berlin-Mitte), a stone’s throw away from the Humboldt Uni, Hackescher Märkt, and Museumsinsel. Trams and a subway stop are right outside the door of Circus. Students will be housed in quadruple rooms, with shared facilities. A buffet breakfast is provided in the dining room each morning, and there is wifi access throughout the building. Circus is also home to its own microbrewery and a café. Have a look at http://www.circus-berlin.de for a detailed description of the hostel, the neighbourhood and its history.
Meals
An ample breakfast is included with our accommodations, but students are responsible for all of their other meals. Students should budget approximately CAD $800–1,200.00 for meals and personal spending for the duration of the course. The Berlin-Mitte area is teeming with inexpensive bakeries, funky cafes, restaurants, and green grocers; I will prepare a list of these along with a map for the pre-departure information package.
Travel Arrangements
Students are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from Berlin.
Eligibility Criteria
Students must meet the following criteria to participate in CSP’s Berlin Study Abroad Course:
- Have completed 5 full academic credit courses at an accredited university or have permission from the instructor;
- Be in good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 2.3 or above;
- Be eligible to register at King’s or Dalhousie for the period of the international experience.
Dates and Deposits
Wednesday, November 20, 2024: Information session
Friday, January 10, 2025: Deadline for applications
Friday, February 7, 2025: Deadline for Non-Refundable deposit $500.00
February 2025 (exact date TBA): Course Registration opens.*
* To gain permission to register, students who have been accepted into the course must have:
- Completed the Dalhousie International Centre’s Online Pre-Departure Orientation Session via Brightspace;
- Submitted the “Certificate of Completion” from the Pre-Departure Orientation Session to the CSP Office;
- Paid their fees for all previous terms; and
- Paid the non-refundable tuition deposit of $500.00 to Student Accounts.
Monday, March 24, 2025: Final Deadline for Registration in the Course
Course Fees
| Tuition for a full-credit course | $1,860.00 |
| Program fee | $2,000.00 |
| Entrance fees for museums and tours | $200.00 |
| Accommodation (incl. buffet breakfast) | $2,600.00 |
| Total | $6,660.00 |
Other Costs – Estimated
| Plane fare | $1,700.00-2,000.00 |
| Meals and personal spending in Berlin | $800.00-1,200.00 |
| Transit pass (recommended) | $100.00 |
| Texts | $60.00 |
| Estimated Total | $2,660.00-3,360.00** |
**The exact total will depend on the student’s chosen travel options, personal spending preferences and the exchange rate.
Required Documents and Activities
- Mandatory online Pre-Departure Orientation Session (via Brightspace):
- Fill in form to register
- Take ~2 hour course on Brightspace, and complete required quiz
- Sign and upload the general waiver
- Sign the ROCA (Registry of Canadians Abroad)
- Upload copy of passport
- Receive a “Certificate of Completion” that must be submitted to the CSP Office in order to receive permission to register in the course
- Passport must be valid for at least 6 months after the day we return from Berlin
- Students are required to purchase Backpack Insurance (unfortunately, students cannot use personal or family insurance)
- Students must register their travel itinerary with iSOS service for emergency support
- Students must complete the Emergency Information Form
- Check Dal email address regularly for updates!
Here is the International Centre’s Pre-Departure Checklist
Financial Aid
You may be eligible for the Dalhousie University Study/Work International Fund (SWIF). From the Dalhousie International Centre’s website:
“Established by Dalhousie University as part of the Student Assistance Program, SWIF provides financial assistance to Dalhousie and King’s students who want to take part in an international placement. There is a maximum award of CAD $2,000 per applicant.”
Find out more about the eligibility criteria and application process for SWIF.
Questions?
Should you have any questions, please email the instructor directly at sarah.clift@ukings.ca or call 902-422-1271, ext. 164.
Dr. Sarah Clift, Assistant Professor
Contemporary Studies Program
University of King’s College
Second Floor, A&A Building
