Program Overview     

Hochschule Pforzheim University dates back to 1877 when the School of Design was founded. The School of Business, established in 1963, merged with the School of Design and the newly created School of Engineering in 1992 to form Hochschule Pforzheim.  The city of Pforzheim (population 117,000) is located in the southern Black Forest region of Germany near Stuttgart.  

Today the University has more than 4,500 students and 145 professors, and it is the third largest university of applied sciences in the State of Baden-Württemberg - and one of the biggest in Germany. 

Pforzheim University is characterized by the high academic qualifications and practical experience of the faculty, as well as by the intensive cooperation with the surrounding business community and beyond, giving students a unique study experience. The Business School was founded in 2005 as the successor to the very successful School of Business, established 40 years earlier. With its many programs, 3,000 students and 85 full-time professors, the school is one of the largest business schools in Germany, resulting in a diverse environment.

Students will learn about Germany's place in the European and Global communities in terms of business, culture and politics. This will involve visits to global businesses large and small, such as Mercedes, Daimler-Chrysler, Porsche, Bosch and Hugo Boss. Global jewelry companies headquartered here will also be included in the schedule. In addition, students will hike in the Black Forest, visit the Supreme Court in Karlsruhe and travel to cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich for on-site history, politics and cultural lessons.  Students from all majors are welcome to apply.

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You will receive credit for all academic courses taken at this institution, and all of your grades from abroad will count toward your Penn State cumulative GPA. You may not take any courses overseas on a Pass/Fail basis. Students may not take sport activity courses (e.g. sailing, bowling, golf, etc.) abroad. These courses will not be credited at Penn State.

Courses

This program offers three required courses:

• Perspectives and Developments in the EU (IB 499 - 3 credits)
• European Business, Politics, and Culture (IB 399 - 3 credits)
• German Language (GER X99 - 3 credits)

To see what kind of credit students in past semesters have received for courses taken on this program, visit the Pforzheim Course Equivalency List. Keep in mind you will need to complete the course equivalency process once you have been accepted to your program and after you have completed your registration abroad. To obtain specific instructions on this process visit our Course Equivalencies page.To learn how the courses on this program can work into your individual degree audit, meet with your academic adviser. 

Pre-requisites

Successful applicants will satisfy the pre-requisites established by the program.

• Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA

• Sophomore class standing or higher at time of study

• Applicants are recommended to have taken Econ 2 or 4 prior to enrolling in this program.

Housing and Meals

You will live in an international guest house dormitory near Pforzheim University. Each room will have 2-4 occupants and have breakfast available every day or a small meal stipend to cover the cost of breakfast.

Program Costs

For more information on program costs, please be sure to review the Summer Budget Sheet. These budget sheets include information on costs that are billable to the bursar bill, as well as estimated additional costs. Costs vary by program, so it is important to review this information carefully.

Please note that tuition rates may vary depending on major and class standing.

Penn State students studying through Education Abroad can use most components of their existing financial aid packages toward the cost of study abroad. This may include federal and state grants, VA educational benefits, federal student loans, and University scholarships and grants. Notable exceptions include work-study awards and some athletic scholarships.