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International Education

O'Dowd Hall, Room 328
586 Pioneer Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4482
(location map)
(248) 370-2889
ie@oakland.edu

Office hours
Mon - Fri: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

In-person and virtual advising hours
Mon - Fri: 9 a.m. - noon and 1 - 4 p.m.

Walk-in advising hours
Mon - Thurs: 1 - 3 p.m.

Alex Zimmerman, Director
(248) 370-2843
azimmerman@oakland.edu

International Education

O'Dowd Hall, Room 328
586 Pioneer Drive
Rochester, MI 48309-4482
(location map)
(248) 370-2889
ie@oakland.edu

Office hours
Mon - Fri: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

In-person and virtual advising hours
Mon - Fri: 9 a.m. - noon and 1 - 4 p.m.

Walk-in advising hours
Mon - Thurs: 1 - 3 p.m.

Alex Zimmerman, Director
(248) 370-2843
azimmerman@oakland.edu

A view of Mannheim

Engineering in Mannheim, Germany

For more than 100 years the Hochschule Mannheim University of Applied Sciences has been anticipating future educational demands. The Mannheim University has a dynamic tradition and commitment to meeting future challenges with innovative educational concepts.

The Hochschule Mannheim sees its primary mission as the training of highly-qualified, responsible, independent minded and critical graduates who are able to present, discuss and implement solutions. The university's outlook is global, and actively promotes international, scientific and cultural exchange between students. Degree programs increasingly focus on the demands and opportunities of the international community. Summer, semester, and academic year exchange programs are available. Summer application deadline is TBD. Fall and Academic year exchange application deadline is May 15.

For more information, contact:
Alex Zimmerman, Program Director
azimmerman@oakland.edu

Apply Now

Where you will be

All courses are taught at the Hochschule Mannheim in Mannheim, Germany. The city of Mannheim is located in southwest Germany, 50 miles south of Frankfurt on the Rhein River across from Ludwigshafen, 10 miles west of Heidelberg. The city has a population of approximately 350,000 and has numerous cultural sites, restaurants and shopping. Travel throughout Europe is very convenient using the rail system. Some destinations with travel times include:

  • Paris: 5 hours
  • The Alps: 4 hours
  • Munich: 3 hours
  • Amsterdam: 4 hours
  • Prague: 8 hours  

Students may also be entitled to discounts in public transportation.

Mannheim, the city with Europe’s largest inland port is also the home of inventions that have changed the face of the world, including the bicycle and the world’s first automobile, the Carl Benz Motor Car. From 1720 to 1778 Mannheim was the residence of the prince-elector and the splendid baroque castle, among the largest of its kind anywhere on the continent.

The city is just as renowned for art and culture as it is for technical innovations. Major museums, cultural institutions, performance venues and sports arenas all contribute to the profile of a city famous for its fine jugendstil buildings. Even Mozart and Schiller spent part of their lives there. The landscape around Mannheim is another of its charms, situated as it is at the confluence of the Rhine and Neckar rivers and within easy reach of the Odenwald forest and the vineyards of the Palatinate.

What you will do and learn

In the summer classes meet Monday through Thursday, giving ample opportunity to explore on the weekends. In addition, plant trips to regional companies are included. You will select a combination of the following courses. All courses are taught in English except the German course. Due to special agreements the program can vary. Summer and Fall course informationHochshule Mannheim University website.

Summer Courses

Freshmen and sophomores: Elementary Differential Equations and Laplace Transforms (4 credits)
Solution methods for ordinary differential equations. First order equations, linear equations and constant coefficient equations. Eigenvalue methods for systems of first order linear equations. Introduction to stability and phase plane analysis. Laplace transforms and series solutions to ordinary differential equations.

Junior and Senior: Simulation of Production Systems (3 credits)
Discrete event simulation of production systems is used to measure system performance based on process models. Topics include model formulation, performance evaluation and data collection.

Junior and Senior: Innovation and Technology Management (3 credits)
Case studies, practical industry projects.

All: Conversational German (3 credits)
Have fun in learning fundamentals of the German language for speaking skills, comprehension, pronunciation and understanding the culture. You will join practical exercises i.e. in how to use public transport, order in a shop or restaurant.

Fall Courses (Check with Mannheim to confirm offerings)
  • Course Department Credits (ECTS)
  • Beginners Course in German Languages (4 credits)
  • German 1, 2 or 3 Languages (5 credits)
  • Applied Numerical Mathematics (4 credits)
  • Principles of Finite-Element-Analysis Mech. Engineering (5 credits)
  • Materials Design Mech. Engineering (5 credits)
  • Engineering Project Mech. Engineering (6 credits)
  • Modern Production Technology Mechanical Engineering (5 credits)
  • Innovation and Technol. Mgmt. Engineering Management (10 credits)

The department of mechanical engineering offers an international semester at the Hochschule Mannheim in Mannheim. All courses are taught in English.

Housing, Food and Technology

Mannheim is a city with character, many great features and is the center of the metropolitan region Rhein-Neckar, one of the most economic regions in Europe. Mannheim is also considered to be Germany's capital of pop, a shopping metropolis, a city of excellent universities and as a blueprint for multicultural life. Here you will find the ideal breeding ground for the development of personality and professional know-how.

This charming climate also creates a huge cultural offering and attractive places to live. Student dwelling houses are available centrally located at reasonable prices. Whether you are looking for an apartment or a room in a residential group, whether it is in the traditional workplace or in the classy district, there is something for every need and taste.

Most rooms are furnished and equipped with internet. Heating, hot water and floor cleaning are usually included. All the houses are within walking distance of the universities and are well connected to the dense network of buses and trains.

About Exchange

OU exchange programs offer students the opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture of a foreign country, and to study with students from their host country at an OU partner institution. Exchange programs increase understanding and tolerance of other cultures, develop independence and confidence, improve language skills and broaden social horizons.

Host institution exchange coordinators welcome students to the university campus with an orientation. Participants live in student housing with other university students. Students pay OU tuition and get OU credit for classes taken abroad and are eligible for OU scholarships and financial aid.

Exchange programs run a semester or full year, although the academic calendar at some of our partner institutions varies substantially from OU’s. Some programs offer summer classes. Many exchange programs expect students to be able to converse in the language of the host country. Most exchange students become fluent in the language of the host country within a few months.

Cost

Engineering in Mannheim, Germany

Number of credits: Summer 6-9, Academic year 12 or more per semester
Monthly living costs: Housing - $434/month, meals - $249/month
Airfare: Approximately $1,500
Local transportation: semester travel card - $190
Books and supplies: $113
Visa: Visa is not required                                                                                                            Misc. Expenses: $651
Extra costs: OU Tuition based on number of credits; Service fee $120; Health insurance $117/month Leisure $57/month