Metropolitan Development: The Case of Berlin (1cr.)
Berlin provides a unique opportunity to study the policy approach in transforming both a city and the entire country from being what The Economist characterized as “The Sick Man of Europe” at the turn of the century, to one of the leading economic engines of today. Most notably, Berlin has emerged as the entrepreneurial and innovative hot spot of Europe. Policy has succeeded in transforming a stagnant economy into a global powerhouse.
Places you will visit during the Berlin program
Learn more about the Berlin program
March 15 - 22, 2025
V482/V582 – Metropolitan Development: The Case of Berlin (1cr.)
Program Director: David Audretsch
The focus of the course will be on the policy approach of Berlin and Germany to generate economic resilience in a turbulent global economy. The course will examine seven particular policy aspects attributed to the economic success of Berlin and Germany. The course will be structured around The Seven Secrets of Germany: Economic Resilience in a Turbulent Global Economy, by David B. Audretsch and Erik E. Lehman (Oxford University Press, 2016). Each morning will consist of formal classroom instruction focusing on a particular aspect of Berlin and German public policy. This will be coupled with either a guest speaker or a site visit to a policy institution in the afternoon.
- Spree River Boat Cruise
- Parliament Building Tour
- Sachenhausen Concentration Camp
- Walking Tour of Berlin
- Topography of Terror Documentation Center
You will be housed in a Berlin hotel and will share a double room. Breakfast will be provided each morning. You will be responsible for your own lunches and dinners, with the exception of two class dinners held on the first and final evening of the program.
All O’Neill International programs are academic, credit-bearing courses that take place abroad. As such, your bursar will be charged two amounts for participation in this program:
- Program Fee for O’Neill in Berlin (made in two payments)
- Tuition for the course (1 credit at the normal IU-Bloomington tuition rate)
2025 Program Fee: $850
The Program Fee for this program includes:
- Lodging for 1-week in Berlin
- Site visits and guest speakers
- Cultural excursions
- Some meals
- International health insurance
The Program Fee will be charged to your IU Bloomington Bursar account in two installments:
- A $250 non-refundable pre-payment will be charged shortly after you confirm your participation in the program
- The remaining balance will be charged in January
Tuition for O’Neill in Berlin course: 1 credit hour paid at your IU-Bloomington tuition rate (resident/non-resident, grad/UG, etc.)
Note – for this course, if you are enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student on the Bloomington campus during the spring semester and enroll in the course as part of your block credits, there is no additional tuition cost to participate in this program.
Graduate students, students from other IU campuses, and part-time students will pay for 1 credit hour of tuition, based on your student status (resident/non-resident) on the Bloomington campus.
Additional Costs
Students will pay for their own flight to and from Germany, meals that are not included in the Program Fee, and other personal incidentals.
Scholarships
The O’Neill International Office offers several scholarships to support students studying abroad. The O’Neill International Equal Opportunity Scholarship is a need-based award available to help O'Neill students from IUB and IUI to be able to study abroad. Please visit our scholarship page for eligibility requirements and application deadlines. Other need and merit-based scholarships are available on a competitive basis. Students are encouraged to apply widely to all scholarships they are eligible for. Please email us at oio@iu.edu if you want help navigating different funding resources.
The program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students from any IU campus. Undergraduates must have a minimum 2.8 GPA. Graduate students must be in good academic standing.
During the application period (September 1 - October 1) an "Apply Now" button will be available at the top of this page. You will need to submit the online application by 5 pm on October 1.
Detailed application instructions
If you have any issues throughout the application process, please do not hesistate to contact the O’Neill International Office, 812-855-7568, oio@iu.edu.