All Courses

Course Descriptions

• German Language and Literature
• European Studies
• Communication/Business Studies
• Tourism and Hospitality
• Music
• Art
• Internships
• Extracurricular Activities
• Independent Study
• Honors Program

German Language and Literature

All students are required to enroll in one German language course. Students who have previously studied German take a placement test to help determine the appropriate class level.

• Beginning German 1 (3)
  Fundamentals of grammar, structure, and syntax, with an emphasis on comprehension of written and spoken German and its application in the day-to-day environment. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• Beginning German 2 (3)
  Continuation of the first semester course. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• Intermediate German 1 (3)
  Review of grammar, structure, and syntax. Reading and discussion of selected texts. Practice in speaking and writing. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• Intermediate German 2 (3)
  Continuation of the first semester intermediate course. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• Advanced German 1 (3)
  Practice in speaking and writing. Grammatical structure and stylistics. Readings from newspapers, magazines, and literary texts. Preparation of compositions, and directed discussions. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• Advanced German 2 (3)
  This course focuses on the further development of communication skills in German. It is designed to further the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. With the completion of this course students will have reached level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• German Conversation Int. & Adv. (3)
  The course emphasizes directed discussion, staged situations, and building of vocabulary. It is conducted at the intermediate and/or advanced level in accordance with the students' background. To be taken as a supplement to intermediate or advanced German. (Fall, Spring)
• German for Business (3)
  Practice in speaking and writing in a business-oriented environment. Business-related vocabulary, translation exercises, introduction to commercial correspondence. Prerequisite: Intermediate level German. (Fall, Spring)
• Modern Austrian Literature (3)
  Taught as an independent study in German, this class examines the works of major Austrian writers such as Schnitzler, Hofmannsthal, Karl Kraus, Rilke, Musil, Kafka, and others. Prerequisite: Advanced German or instructor's consent based on placement test (Fall, Spring)
• Austrian Literature and Culture (3)
  The independent study provides an overview of Austrian literature in the 20th century in historical and cultural context. Themes include the impact of Freud's psychoanalysis (Schnitzler), the Expressionist movement in Prague (Kafka), the critical dialogue with the Habsburg Monarchy (Musil, Hofmannsthal), and modern autobiographies (Handke, Bernhard). No language prerequisite. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

European Studies

• Economics and Politics of the European Union (3)
  An introduction to the process and institutions of European economic and political integration, followed by an examination of major issues such as the European monetary system, trade, security policies, education, the impact of new Eastern European member countries and the controversial question of Turkish membership. The long range prospects for a United States of Europe and the effects on world economic and political relationships are also explored. Includes EU experts as guest speakers and an optional trip to Brussels. (Fall, Summer)
• EU Enviromental Policy and Its Effects on European Business(3)
  Environmental protection is a key issue in post-war European politics. The European Union has developed from being a foremost "common market" to becoming a major environmental regulator. The obstacles and challenges in the process of this development will be discussed, and current conflicts as well as major issues debated. The course will then incorporate an overview of the impact of European environmental policy on various industries/businesses. It will discuss to what extent markets and businesses can anticipate changes in environmental law-making and policies, and how they can deal with these changes. (Spring)
• Understanding Austria: A Cross Cultural Exploration (3)
  An introduction to the political, intellectual, and cultural values of Austria and the former Austrian Empire from a historical and a contemporary perspective serves as a basis for cross-cultural analysis. Combined with many field experiences, this course aims to provide a deeper understanding and appreciation of Austria as well as some new perspectives on the US . Mandatory course for all students in the fall and spring program. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• A History of US-European Relations and Perceptions since World War II (3)
  In no moment since the Second World War have relations between (Western) Europe and the United States of America been as strained as they appear right now. This course explores the development of these relations since the entry of the USA into the Second World War, during the various phases of the Cold War, and the Post-Cold-War-World. Fields of investigation cover political, military, economic, social as well as cultural interaction on the background of centuries of old prejudices and clichés. (Fall semester)
• The Art of Propaganda (3)
  This course examines the role of communication and rhetoric in the workings of propaganda exemplified by German Fascism. After establishing the historical context and how and if one can identify the ideology informing and shaping propagandistic forms of communication, it takes a look at a variety of media that National Socialism utilized successfully in its effort to create the Third Reich and make it last for a thousand years. (Spring semester)

Communication/Business Studies

• Intercultural Communication (3)
  An introduction to Intercultural Communication Theory and Practice, with an emphasis on the Central European and American cultures. The German-Austrian environment and travel experiences serve as major resources. Communication majors may develop an independent study project in connection with the course to earn advanced credit. (Fall, Spring)
• International Public Relations: Focus EU (3)
  A comparative study of the public relations practices and philosophies in Europe. Case studies of selected multinational companies and PR agencies and related field trips are important components of the course. (Fall, Spring)
• Global Marketing: A European Perspective (3)
  This course is designed to help students understand modern European marketing. The course introduces students to the issues that are emerging within the EU and its relations to the wider Europe and the rest of the world. Topics include global environment, product development, pricing, distribution, and promotion strategies for EU and global markets. Special attention is given to the management of cultural differences encountered by marketing managers. (Fall, Spring)

• Cultural Business and Marketing (3)
  The business of music and art is a global industry comprised of a relatively small amount of individuals creating the music and art work, and a whole lot of people doing everything else: distribution, publishing, recording, artist management, promotion, producing, and legal counsel. The goal of this course is to give an understanding of the cultural business as a whole and to explain the various marketing aspects of the business. (Summer)

Tourism and Hospitality

• Tourism and Hospitality Marketing and Management (3)
  Through our partnership with the University of Applied Sciences here in Salzburg we offer several courses in Tourism and Hospitality Marketing and Management. The course offerings vary depending on the semester. Please inquire about current course offerings. (Fall, Spring) 

Music

• History of Music: Baroque to Classic (3)
  An introduction to the study of music and musical forms and an analysis of the baroque and classical periods. In the Salzburg context, special emphasis is placed on the life and work of M. Hayden and Mozart. An important aspect of the course is the attendance of concerts and opera performances in Salzburg and Vienna. (Additional expenses for concert tickets) (Summer)
• History of Music: Classic to Romantic (3)
  An introduction to the study of music and musical forms and an analysis of the classical, romantic and early modern periods. In the Salzburg context, special emphasis is placed on the life and work of Mozart. An important aspect of the course is the attendance of concerts and opera performances in Salzburg and Vienna. (Additional expenses for concert tickets) (Fall, Spring)

• Vocal and Instrumental Arranging (3)

  The course provides an introduction to the musical craft of arranging as related to the setting of music for various combinations of instruments. Topics will include transpositions and instrumental/voice ranges. Students will participate in class exercises and prepare weekly assigned arrangements as well as a final project. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• Music Composition (3)                                                   Music Composition is a private studio course in which students receive critiques and assistance on their composition projects. Students meet twice a week during the second block with the instructor to receive critiques and discuss progress. Students are expected to make significant progress on their projects between lessons. Students set their own goals and work in styles of their own preference. Seminars will be scheduled in the latter half of the course to enable students to hear each other's work, make comments on this work, and discuss technique together. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• The Mozart Project (3)
  An independent study designed for music history and music performance majors. Based on the special resources on the life and work of W. A. Mozart available in Salzburg, students design a project that combines research and performance. The results are presented in a lecture recital at the end of the semester. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• Music Performance (1-3)
  Private instruction by highly qualified faculty is available to music students. Approval and granting of credit must be arranged through the student's own music department. There is an additional fee for private instruction. Instruction fee applies. (Fall, Spring, Summer)

Art

• History of European Art (3)
  This course examines European Art in a historical perspective. It is designed to stimulate students' interest in the art work they see in museums and galleries and thus create a basis for their understanding how art has developed over the centuries. The course provides an overview of art periods and movements from the Renaissance to Post-modernity, introduces students to the seminal features of periods and styles and highlights the achievement of individual artists whose work has influenced and shaped later generations. Classroom lectures will be supplemented by special excursions to museums and exhibits as well as by relevant project assignments. (Fall, Spring)
• Photo Aesthetics: The Historical and Contemporary Image (3)
  This class is designed for anyone interested in exploring the role which photography plays in our society, both in its contemporary use in the digital age as well as its place in the history of art in the last 150 years. Not only for photography or art majors, this class will explore the aesthetics of photography via lectures and discussion as well as small workshops in which students will produce images of their own, both analogue b/w as well as digitally. Lab fee applies. (Fall, Spring, Summer)
• The Photographic Portfolio (3)
  Students enrolled in the Photography Seminar may also take "The Photographic Portfolio" as a complementary course. This is an individualized semester-long project designed to produce a comprehensive body of work on the topic of the student's own choice. At the semester's end, the student should have a body of work ready for presentation in a gallery space, a book, or a professional quality portfolio representing a personal photographic vision. Lab fee applies. (Fall, Spring)
• Art in Practice: Viewing and Creating Private and Public Messages (3)
  In this course students will learn to sharpen their attention to the intricacies of image/text production used for private and public messages as, for example, in posters or billboards, and furthermore produce their own messages based on a concept/idea of their own choosing. The means for that realization can involve drawing, painting, typography, printmaking, photography and any other legitimate mode of communication. Lab fee applies. (Fall, Spring)
• Artist in Residence: Advanced Workshop (3)
  This Independent Study under the auspices of a well-known local artist is to promote a student's individual development of a thematically specific project-based on her/his previous creative work. This could involve the areas of drawing, painting, or printmaking. Through some theoretical readings/discussions and reflection and through practical work, the student will be guided from an initially playful approach towards the topic to serious engagement with it and its artistic realization. Lab fee applies. (Fall, Spring)

Internships

• The Austrian Workplace (1)
  This one-credit course is open to all students but required in conjunction with any of the internships offered through Salzburg College. The course provides an academic and reflection-oriented framework for actual work experience in Austria. Through selected readings, lectures, and discussions, students will learn about functioning in a work environment that has a different office style, a different social etiquette, and different (corporate) cultural practices than what they may be used to from working in the US. (Fall, Spring)
• Internship: Experiencing the Austrian Workplace (Social and Cultural Learning)
  This experiential course will give students the opportunity to explore Austrian perspectives and practices at the workplace, thus gaining more insights into social, political, and economic aspects of the Austrian way of life. The specially designed internship in the second half of the semester will combine academic/reflective work with supervised, on-site practical work and will allow students to engage in intercultural thinking, requiring circumspect comparisons between C1 (the native culture) and C2 (the new, foreign culture). The course will assist students in developing intercultural problem-solving skills, cooperative learning skills, and a more nuanced, open-minded approach towards different ‘ways of world-making.' (Fall, Spring)
• International Business Internship (3)
  In the second half of the semester, students with a strong academic background in business and previous internship or professional experience may participate in a six-week unpaid internship program with an Austrian or multi-national business firm. German language proficiency is an asset but not an absolute requirement. (Fall, Spring)

Extracurricular Activities

• Austrian Cuisine
  An introduction to Austrian culture by way of its cuisine. The history of the Empire, the contribution of the multi-national state, the variety of geographical characteristics and of social groups, can all be traced in eating and drinking habits. Students learn to prepare traditional Austrian dishes. Fee applies. (Fall, Spring)
• Skiing
  This extracurricular activity takes place on specific Saturdays or Sundays. Students are accompanied by a ski instructor from Salzburg and conditions permitting, they go to a different ski resort in the Salzburg province each time. Ski resorts have been selected to offer good slopes for all levels. Students can choose between alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross country and tobogganing (snow shoeing and snow biking available in some resorts). Fee applies. (Fall, Spring)
• Hiking, Biking, Rafting
  This extracurricular activity provides students the opportunity to engage in sports related to the Austrian environment and allows participants to become familiar with different kinds of the Austrian countryside.
  A rafting trip takes students down the Saalach river from Germany into Austria. The hiking trips include an overnight stay in a cabin in the Tennengebirge and a hike up and into the Werfen Ice Caves (the largest in the world) as well as up the Zwölferhorn near St. Gilgen. Fee applies. (Fall, Spring)

Independent Study

Students are offered the option of undertaking a 3-credit hour independent study project.

You must have a relevant background in the field of study (at least 9 hours) and be able to do independent research. You will work with an Austrian expert in your field and develop a major paper. The study project should have a European focus and include field research.

To set up an independent study, contact Salzburg College two months prior to the beginning of the program to work out a proposal. Your proposal must be approved by your academic advisor at home. (Fall, Spring)

Honors Program

In-course honors credit is available to qualified students for most courses. Requests must be made to the Salzburg College director within the first two weeks of classes. The In-Course Honors Contract specifies additional readings and/or field work and will be evaluated by the appropriate instructor.

Students who are in formal honors programs at their home institutions should receive approval in advance from their honors program directors.