ED 395 - Education Internship And Seminar

The objective of this course is to prepare American students for an internship in Germany. This is achieved by describing the broader context in which a student will operate before examining in more detail the sphere of personal, direct interaction in the working world. Starting briefly with general facts about Germany (geography, demography, etc), the German system of government and the social system is explained next. Moving into the economic area, the German Social Market Economy is analyzed in view of how it forms and affects the structure of business and industry in Germany. Finally, by taking a closer look at German society and culture, this course investigates the cultural issues that inevitably surround working within a foreign environment. Theories of cultural understanding and, in particular, central German cultural standards will be analyzed. Internship placements in the past have included the local offices of the three major parties: the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Social Democratic Party (SPD), and die Grünen/Bündnis 90; Kepler Gymansium, Galli Theater, and the Eltern Initiative for Social Science and Pedagogy.