The Department strongly recommends study at a German-speaking university, ideally during a student's junior year. Amherst maintains an annual student exchange with the prestigious Göttingen University in Germany. Göttingen University was founded in 1737 as a University of the Enlightenment, becoming a model for a new kind of humane education on both sides of the Atlantic. Today it is internationally renowned for its great research tradition and remarkable spectrum of disciplines: 13 faculties, 120 study programs, and worldwide networks. Students who participate in the Amherst-Göttingen Exchange benefit from the longstanding partnership between the institutions, providing students with extensive support before, during, and after their time studying in Germany.
While the Department encourages students to take advantage of its unique partnership with Göttingen, we understand that students may have compelling reasons to study at other universities in German-speaking countries. Students wishing to study abroad in other universities should work closely with their advisor, faculty and the Office of Global Education to identify another approved study away program.
Students who are interested in studying abroad should discuss their plans with the Department early on, in order to determine how study away can support their progress and learning goals at Amherst. Close consultation with the faculty can help ensure that students have a successful academic and cultural experience while abroad.