Plus3 Transfer: Germany Business

 

This program is open to all Pitt Business juniors, seniors, and transfer students. If you are a junior or senior and were unable to participate in Plus3, you are eligible for this program. If you transferred into the business school during your college career after your first semester, you are eligible for this program. 
The Plus3: Germany program is the perfect opportunity for continuing Pitt Business students to participate on a program similar to the first-year only Plus3 Program. This two-week, three-credit experience allows transfer and continuing students within Pitt Business to travel to Augsburg and get a glimpse of automobiles and manufacturing through industry-specific company tours, Q&A sessions with executives, and academic lectures that provide cultural and political perspective.

  • Past company visits have included Audi, Eurocopter, Donauworth, Riegele, and Fujitsu Technical Solutions.
  • Past cultural activities have included dinner at an authentic Bavarian Restaurant, a visit to the 'Deutsches' Museum, and a concentration camp in Dachau.
  • Locations: Augsburg and more!

Student Blogs + More Information
Want to learn more?  Check out the Pitt Plus3 Germany Blog for past participant experiences.

As the third largest city in Bavaria, Augsburg has the ideal mixture of big city flair and cozy charm. There are numerous cafes, restaurants and shops in the city centre. At the same time, recreational areas such as the Siebentischwald or numerous lakes are only a stone's throw away, and thus offer an ideal alternative to the hustle and bustle of the big city. While abroad, Plus3 students will be hosted by the University of Augsburg. Established in 1970 as a comprehensive institution, it has been consistently ranked as one of the top 50 universities in Germany.
 

Where You'll Live: 

Students will be housed in shared, furnished housing at the University of Augsburg. Wireless internet included. 

What You'll Study: 

Students will receive three academic-credits for Plus3. For College of Buiness Administration students, Plus3 fulfills one of the two foreign culture requirements and a social sciences requirement. 

Plus 3 Academics
Plus3 is a 3-part program that occurs during the spring term with international travel the first two-weeks in May.

  • Pre-Departure Orientations and Workshops – Three to five cohort meetings with your faculty leader and program assistant in the spring term will help to prepare you for your time abroad.
  • Field Study – Company visits, guest lectures lectures, and a reflection blog comprise the academic portion of your two weeks in-country.
  • Post-Program Project – You will complete a project (details determined by the faculty member) that acts as a summary for your experience. 

 

Optional language classes at Pitt prior to departure
Students interested in the Germany location are encouraged (but not required) to take some langauge courses here at Pitt prior to departure. Two recommended courses are:

  • GER 0101 – Beginning German 1 (3 credits)
    • Elementary German 101 meets three times a week, and while class periods will focus on speaking and listening, you will do the writing, reading, and most of the grammar practice at home. Students are expected to study regularly on their own to keep up with the material. In this course you will learn how to interact in German from the first day on. For example, you will learn how to ask questions and give basic information about yourself, how to ask for directions, how to say the time and make an appointment, how to find an apartment and how to respond to an invitation. You will learn the necessary grammatical structures and vocabulary, but also find out about cultural differences, e.g. regarding greetings, forms of address, and punctuality. Students will be working towards the A1-Exam of the Goethe Institut, which follows the Common European Framework of Reference and is accepted worldwide.
  • GER 0001 – Elementary German 1 (Intensive) (5 credits)
    • ​This Elementary German course meets five times a week and is the next best thing to studying abroad. You will learn how to interact in German from the first day on. For example, you will learn how to ask questions and give basic information about yourself, how to ask for directions, how to say the time and make an appointment, how to find an apartment and how to respond to an invitation. You will learn the necessary grammatical structures and vocabulary, but also find out about cultural differences, e.g. regarding greetings, forms of address, and punctuality. Students will be working towards the A1-Exam of the Goethe Institut, which follows the Common European Framework of Reference and is accepted worldwide.
Plus 3 Program in Germany (BUSSPP0036)

This program provides students with the opportunity to apply concepts and tools acquired in BUSSPP 0020. Students work in teams with engineering students on research projects. Business environment and practices abroad are compared to those in the U.S. The program abroad includes company visits, lectures, and cultural excursions during a two-week study period in Germany under the guidance of a faculty member.

Experiential Learning Description: 

Germany: "We learned so much more in these immersive two weeks than we could have done in a semester long class. On our site visits of SGL, BMW, KUKA, Continental and Hörauf & Kohler, we were exposed to the inner workings and behind the scenes operations of almost every aspect of the automotive supply chain.”  - Gemma Skidmore, Plus3 Germany, 2018
 

Faculty Member: TBD

Your Pitt Study Abroad Contacts: 

Dr. Philip Hnatkovich

Hi I'm Phil Hnatkovich and I'm a Global Experiences Manager in the College of Business Administration. I've worked in higher education for nearly two decades, both as a lecturer and as a study abroad manager. I came to the field of international education after years of international study, beginning with language and cultural studies in Acadie, then historical research in French, Cornish, and English port communities and pirate havens, and finally as a co-founder of an international digital educational program aimed at transcribing historical documents from the 17th century. I'm thrilled to help students find their own paths from travel to professional opportunity!
 

Schedule an appointment

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Items Billed by Pitt

  In-state Out-of-state
Program Fee & Tuition $5400 $5600
Study Abroad Fee $300 $300
Total Billed by Pitt $5700 $5900

Estimated Additional Out-of-Pocket Costs

Additional Spending Money ~$300-$500

 

What's Included: 
  • Lodging for orientation in Pittsburgh and time abroad
  • Tuition for three credits
  • Roundtrip international airfare*
  • In-country transportation
  • Excursions
  • Most meals
  • International Health Insurance

While your program fee will cover most of your expenses, keep in mind that you are also responsible for the following:

  • Study Abroad Fee ($300)
  • Additional spending money (~$300-$500)**

*The cost of airfare is included in the program fee and includes roundtrip airfare to the host country and back to the United States on the scheduled departure and return dates. Upon the end of the program, students will have the option for their return destination to be Pittsburgh (PIT) or Philadelphia (PHL). Students are responsible for any cost of airfare beyond the price of the original itinerary from PIT to PIT or PHL. If another flight is required to return home, then the additional booking and the cost will be the responsibility of the student. 

**Remember that your lifestyle and spending choices can greatly affect the amount of money you'll need while abroad. Visit our budgeting page for more information.

 

Scholarships

Pitt Business students may also apply for additional scholarships through the CBA Global Experiences Scholarship here, as well as crowdfund using the Pitt Business Fund My Travel page. Please note that the application deadline for the CBA Global Experiences Scholarship is the same as the program application deadline. 

When You'll Go: 

Dates for Plus3 2024 are May 3-17. Students will be required to report to the University of Pittsburgh on the 3rd (designated time, based on location, will be determined in spring 2024). 
 

What Else You Need to Know: 

Application Requirements

  • Juniors, seniors, or transfer Pitt Business students
  • Students must have a clean judicial record
  • Minimum of a 2.75 GPA at the end of the first semester

Passports

Students must have applied for a passport or already hold a valid passport by the application deadline. A valid passport means that it will not expire within 6 months after the program (by November 18). If a student has a new or renewal passport processing, they must upload documentation that they've expedited that process and are waiting for a new passport to arrive.
 
Students can apply at the Allegheny County of Dept. of Court Records or at your local post office (check your post office's website for more details).
City County Building
414 Grant Street
Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 4pm, Wednesdays until 7pm. 
​​​Check out our helpful Passport Guide for more information.
 

Plus3 Meeting

All participants are required to attend the virtual Plus3 meeting on December 9th at 10:00 AM. A link will be sent to all participants who complete an application. This meeting will review program details, logistics, and the study abroad agreement, which is the document that'll need signed in order to commit to the program. 

 

Plus3 Interviews

Students will be notified if they are accepted for the first round of interviews with faculty (along with their Plus3 location). Faculty interviews will take place the first week of the spring 2024 semester. Students MUST attend the Plus3 meeting on the 9th in order to be selected to interview for the program. 

 

Flights

The cost of airfare is included in the program fee and includes roundtrip airfare to the host country and back to the United States on the scheduled departure and return dates. 

All participants are required to arrive on-campus Friday, May 3rd and depart from PIT on Saturday, May 4th with the group to their location. 

Upon the end of the program, students will have the option for their return destination to be Pittsburgh (PIT) or Philadelphia (PHL). Students are responsible for any cost of airfare beyond the price of the original itinerary from PIT to PIT or PHL. If another flight is required to return home, then the additional booking and the cost will be the responsibility of the student.

Disciplinary Record

  • One or more disciplinary violations on a student's record will trigger an additional review.  
  • Students with any drugs and alcohol-related violations will not be eligible to participate in Plus3. 
  • Students under active disciplinary sanction at the time of application and/or during the program are not eligible to study abroad.