Berlin: Cultures and Countercultures

In this Global Classroom, students will visit Berlin for two weeks to explore a century of art, thought, and politics in this unique city. Berlin: Cultures and Countercultures will thrust students into the heart of what has made Berlin so controversial, and so compelling, over the course of the 20th and 21st centuries. Whether as a hotbed of sexual freedom during the 1920s, a city split by a wall into East and West, a hub for start-up culture and technological development, or the current political capital of Germany, Berlin has consistently expanded our conceptions of national identity, political resistance, and cultural production. During our trip, we will encounter this radically diverse city as a plurality instead of a monolith.

The course will be arranged around topical modules, each designed to offer insight into particular social spaces, historico-political moments, and/or artistic movements: politics, party spaces, architecture, memory, art, and identities. Students will spend the first portion of their days in an intensive, interactive classroom, building up the knowledge and interpretive frameworks they will need to understand the multilayered city around them. During their afternoons, and some evenings, they will develop this knowledge through on-the-ground experiences and engagement, including site visits, performances, museums, and above all self-guided tasks, projects, and exploration.  

Click here for more information about the Berlin: Cultures and Countercultures course.

Program Dates: January 10-24, 2027

Credit: This course is 9 units. The course number is 21G.S07.

Requirements:

• Students should be in good academic standing. 
• There are no pre-requisites or language requirements. The course will be taught in English. 
• This program is open to MIT undergraduate students only.

Application opens: September 2, 2026

Application deadline: September 30, 2026 at 11:59 PM

Apply here

Program Fee: The program fee is $800. Airfare for students who are US citizens will be covered. All other students will be supported in applying for external funding (e.g. Kelly Douglas Fund) to offset this cost. 

Additional Costs: 

The program will cover breakfasts as well as some lunches and dinners. Students will be responsible for paying for the other meals.

Financial Aid:

The program fee for this Global Classroom is $800 per undergraduate student. Applications will be reviewed without regard for financial aid need. This amount will be pro-rated based on the financial needs of each selected student. Thus, a student receiving 100% financial aid from MIT will be able to attend the Global Classroom free of cost, while someone receiving 50% financial aid will have a $400 fee. The Global Classroom will cover in-country travel, accommodation, multiple meals, and program activities. 

The students will be staying in a hostel in shared rooms of 2-3 people. The hostel includes kitchen access and common spaces.

Students from the US and many other countries do not need a visa to stay in Germany for less than 90 days. Students who do need a visa will be assisted in the application process. 

This program is walk-intensive, and students should expect to spend 2-4 hours of each day on their feet. We will be in Berlin in January, so students should come prepared for wet, and potentially icy, cold conditions. Some public transportation stops are not handicap accessible, so students should expect to climb stairs. 

Students with questions about accessibility are encouraged to contact Emily Goodling (goodling [at] mit.edu) and MIT Disability and Access Services (das-student [at] mit.edu (das-student[at]mit[dot]edu)) early to discuss accommodations.