Environmental Studies & Sustainability

You take 15-19 credits per semester. Environmental Studies courses are worth 3 credits each and are taught in English. Language courses are 3 or 4 credits each and are taught in German. Courses are held Monday through Friday. 

Create your own academic experience by selecting from the following required and optional components: 

• German language course (required, 3 credits; optional extension for 1 additional credit)
• Four consecutive Environmental Studies courses (required, 3 credits each)
• Optional post-program module or research assistantship (3 credits) 

Academic Structure

Language Intensive

• German Language intensive course (required, 3 credits)

Module 1 (3 weeks)

• Environmental Studies module
• German Language - extension (1 credit; optional)

Module 2 (3 weeks)

• Environmental Studies module
• German Language - extension (1 credit; optional)

Module 3 (3 weeks)

• Environmental Studies module
• German Language - extension (1 credit; optional)

Module 4 (3 weeks)

• Environmental Studies module
• German Language - extension (1 credit; optional)

Post-Program Options

• Optional Environmental Studies Module offered at the University (3 credits, additional charge)
• Optional Research Assistantship with a faculty at the University (3 credits, additional charge)

German Language Course

The program begins with orientation and a required three-week intensive German course at the University for 3 credits. You continue your German study for three hours per week during the regular university semester to earn an additional 1 credit of German. 

Field Study

Several of our courses offer field study opportunities, which allow you to go beyond the classroom and take a hands-on approach to learning about the environment and sustainability. Through these field studies, you will get to know many local organizations, sustainable farms, and neighborhoods in the region. Some of these field studies will even take you to completely new landscapes, such as the Swiss Alps!

• Freiburg Green City (Vauban): The ambitious environmental policies of the "Green City" Freiburg are evident everywhere you go in the city, but nowhere more than the neighborhood of Vauban, which has been leading the way in sustainable urban planning since the 1990s.
• Freiburg City Hall: Be prepared to be impressed by the new Freiburg City Hall, which became the world's first public building net-surplus-energy building when it was completed in 2018. And in Germany’s sunniest city, there is no shortage of sunlight to be captured by the nearly 900 solar panels found on its surfaces.
• Sustainable Food & Agriculture: Get a true taste of sustainable food and agriculture practices by visiting local farms and organizations that are putting innovative ideas into action.

Four Consecutive Environmental Studies Courses 

The Environmental Studies courses are “modules,” where you take one course at a time for three weeks. Courses are taught in English, and most courses are taught by IES Abroad. A limited number of modules may be offered in the Master’s degree program in the Department of Forestry and Ecology Management at the Albert-Ludwigs- Universität Freiburg. Modules at the University are taught at a first-year graduate level but are appropriate for undergraduate IES Abroad students. Tutorial support is available. Students from the same department at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität may enroll in IES Abroad-taught Environmental Studies courses. 

Please note that many of the ESS modules utilize Freiburg as a classroom and offer out-of-classroom excursions; these experiential learning opportunities may require additional physical demands. Course syllabi provide more detail on the experiential learning opportunities. Additionally, once on-site, the IES Abroad Freiburg academic advising team can provide more detail as to the physical requirements and expectations of these excursions as you finalize your course selections. For further clarification on course-related physical demands or requests for accommodation, please reach out to your IES Abroad Advisor.   

Note:
This is a list of tentative course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account. Additionally, IES Abroad reserves the right to cancel a course due to insufficient enrollment or circumstances beyond our control.

With 75 years of experience, we are proud to set the standard for health and safety in study abroad. Our Chicago-based and on-site staff are all highly trained and experienced in the matters of health, safety, and crisis management. We are here for you from predeparture to your return, and are ready to support you—no matter which time zone you’re in. We plan for "what ifs" so that you don’t have to. From international health insurance included in your program cost to highly trained local staff who can connect you with English-speaking healthcare providers, we work around the clock to ensure your health and safety while abroad.