Wake Forest University Vienna: Flow House

Vienna is the city that gave waltz to the world. Mozart, Haydn, Strauss, Schubert, Brahms, and Beethoven are just a few of the many composers who lived and worked in Vienna. In addition to its rich musical history, Vienna is a culturally diverse and vibrant city. It is home to the Vienna Boys' Choir, the famous Lipizzaner stallions, and countless coffee houses (an integral part of Viennese life). Located in the heart of Europe, students may easily travel east to the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary and west to France, Italy, Spain, England, and Switzerland.

In 1998, Wake Forest purchased a three-story villa in Vienna. The acquisition was made possible through the generous donation of Vic and Roddy Flow of Winston-Salem and the House was named in their honor. Built in 1898, the house was formerly the office of the U.S. Consulate.

Flow House is situated in a northwest section of Vienna, one block from the Turkenschanz Park. Located in the prestigious 19th district, the area is well-known for its embassies, diplomatic residences, and distinguished private homes.

Each fall and spring semester, a group of Wake Forest students and a Resident Professor live and study together at Flow House.

Field trips around the city, attendance at musical performances, museum visits, and cultural events are an integral part of the academic program and are highlights for many students. Longer excursions to other cities are also part of each semester's schedule of events. Past groups have visited Salzburg, Prague, Budapest, Dresden, Leipzig, and Weimar. All students take at least three courses taught in English plus a German language course. Classes are held at Flow House. Local courses are taught by Austrian professors. Students enroll in an appropriate level German language course (beginning-advanced) and elective courses from the following subjects: Art History, Economics, Music, and History. In addition, the Wake Forest Resident Professor teaches two courses from his/her discipline. Classes are scheduled Monday through Thursday, leaving a three-day weekend to explore Vienna or travel to other destinations.

It is the student’s responsibility to speak to their major and minor advisor(s) regarding their abroad coursework and how (or if) it will count towards their degree plan.

The following German levels are taught at the Flow House:

• GER 110 (4h)
• GER 150 (4h)
• GER 214 (3h)

Fall 2021 with Nelly van Doorn Harder, Religion

REL 100: Introduction to Religion, Religious Experience (3h) (D)
In this course, we will study several aspects of the immigration experience. Moving to a new country is a profound experience accompanied by many changes. With family, and friends far away, and facing a new culture, language, and work environment, many immigrants turn to religious institutions that help stay connected with the homeland. Through course literature, excursions, and local observations, we will study how different religious groups who are new to Vienna (Muslims, Buddhists and Christians) create new forms of visual art, cuisine and music, architectural designs and social platforms.

REL 200: Youth Culture: Religion, Guilt, and Creativity (3h)
This course explores various aspects of youth culture comparing USA with Austria. Some of the issues we will look at are: history (the Second World War and forms of trans-generational and collective guilt), the role of religion, and issues of race and diversity. Apart from excursions and on site observations we will use articles, novels, movies and media such as podcasts, to study the four aspects of history, religion, race and diversity that influence how young people in the respective countries express their takes on societal and religious issues by creating their own cultures and subcultures. 

Other courses offered will include two electives taught by local professors.

HST 120 Formation of Europe: Habsburg Empire and its Successor States (3h) (D or HST major/minor credit)
The development of Central and East-Central Europe as a multiethnic unity under the Habsburgs, 1526-1918, and its dissolution into successor states and subsequent interactions, 1918-1989. 

MUS 219 Music in Vienna (3h) (D)
Study of music and musical institutions of Vienna and Central Europe 

HMN 190 Contemporary Viennese Experience (1.5h) (p/f)
Social, cultural, and environmental factors of life in contemporary Vienna.  Includes site visits, guest lectures, and interviews with Viennese.

Spring 2022 with Will Fleeson, Psychology

PSY 255: Personality Psychology (3h) (D)
Survey of theory and research on the structure and function of human personality, with attention to the relationship to cognition, emotion, motivation, and behavior.

PSY 315: Special Topics in Personality Psychology: Courage, Character and Immigration (3h) (D)
Theoretical and empirical examination of specialized areas within personality psychology. May be repeated for credit if topic varies. 

Other courses offered will include two electives taught by local professors.

HST 120 Formation of Europe: Habsburg Empire and its Successor States (3h) (D or HST major/minor credit)
The development of Central and East-Central Europe as a multiethnic unity under the Habsburgs, 1526-1918, and its dissolution into successor states and subsequent interactions, 1918-1989. 

MUS 219 Music in Vienna (3h) (D)
Study of music and musical institutions of Vienna and Central Europe 

ECN 271 International Economics (3h) (D)
This course is offered contingent on minimum enrollment

HMN 190 Contemporary Viennese Experience (1.5h) (p/f)
Social, cultural, and environmental factors of life in contemporary Vienna.  Includes site visits, guest lectures, and interviews with Viennese.
 

Fall 2022 with Timo Thonhauser, Physics

PHY 113. General Physics I. (3h) (D)
This is an introductory physics class, required for all pre-health students, dealing with fundamental concepts of motion and mechanics. Although the class is calculus based, we will only use a minimum of calculus. The course will be lecture-based and focus on conceptual understanding with hands-on and virtual demonstrations. Austria and Vienna were the cultural and scientific center of Europe for many years before the Second World War and many famous scientists lived and/or spent significant time in Austria (e.g. Kaplan, Tesla, Freud, Doppler, Ehrenfest, Gödel, Kohn, Mach, Pauli, Schrödinger, and many more). Because of this, we have many famous sites to visit that offer a scientific twist on the normal cultural activities. For example, we will visit the Vienna coffee houses. There was a special atmosphere in the Vienna coffee houses and a certain freedom in thinking that led to the development of a number of scientists and amazing advances in science in general and physics in particular. Some of the scientists mentioned above were instrumental in the development of quantum mechanics, which brought about a fundamentally new understanding of our universe and the mechanics that will be learned in this class. While Austria and Vienna are well known for a culture and mindset that led to a rich scene in music, art, and literature, the same mindset also fostered those fundamental developments in physics—something that is often forgotten and that will be emphasized in this program.

PHY 114. General Physics II. (3h) (D)
This introductory physics class (also required for pre-health students) is the logical extension of PHY 113 and deals with the concepts of electricity and magnetism. While some more calculus is needed in this class, all concepts needed will be discussed during class. The course will be lecture-based and focus on conceptual understanding with hands-on and virtual demonstrations. We will continue the scientific and cultural activities in this class that we started in PHY 113. For example, as part of this class we will visit the science museum in Vienna (Technisches Museum, https://www.technischesmuseum.at), which has a great exhibit on electricity and magnetism.

Other courses offered will include two electives taught by local professors.

HST 120 Formation of Europe: Habsburg Empire and its Successor States (3h) (D or HST major/minor credit)
The development of Central and East-Central Europe as a multiethnic unity under the Habsburgs, 1526-1918, and its dissolution into successor states and subsequent interactions, 1918-1989. 

MUS 219 Music in Vienna (3h) (D)
Study of music and musical institutions of Vienna and Central Europe 

ECN 271 International Economics (3h) (D)
This course is offered contingent on minimum enrollment

HMN 190 Contemporary Viennese Experience (1.5h) (p/f)
Social, cultural, and environmental factors of life in contemporary Vienna.  Includes site visits, guest lectures, and interviews with Viennese.

Spring 2023 with Brian Warren, Classics 

HMN 213: Studies in European Literature (D)
Texts studied are by such authors as Dante, Montaigne, Cervantes, Goethe, Dostoevsky, and Camus

CLA 263: Greek Tragedy (D)
Study of the plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. A knowledge of the Greek language is not required

Other courses offered will include two electives taught by local professors.

HST 120 Formation of Europe: Habsburg Empire and its Successor States (3h) (D or HST major/minor credit)
The development of Central and East-Central Europe as a multiethnic unity under the Habsburgs, 1526-1918, and its dissolution into successor states and subsequent interactions, 1918-1989. 

MUS 219 Music in Vienna (3h) (D)
Study of music and musical institutions of Vienna and Central Europe 

ECN 271 International Economics (3h) (D)
This course is offered contingent on minimum enrollment

HMN 190 Contemporary Viennese Experience (1.5h) (p/f)
Social, cultural, and environmental factors of life in contemporary Vienna.  Includes site visits, guest lectures, and interviews with Viennese.

Resident Professor
Fall 2021: Dr. Nelly van Doorn Harder, Religion, vandoopa@wfu.edu
Spring 2022: Dr. Will Fleeson, Psychology, fleesonw@wfu.edu
Fall 2022: Dr. Timo Thonhauser, Physics, thonhauser@wfu.edu
Spring 2023: Brian Warren, Classics, warrenbm@wfu.edu

Flow House can accommodate sixteen students. There are five student bedrooms on the top floor. A classroom, spacious kitchen, library with state-of-the-art technology, dining room, and living room are located on the middle floor. The house is wired for Internet access and students should bring their laptop computers. A three-bedroom faculty apartment is on the first floor. The house contains separate laundry facilities for faculty and students.

The students have opportunities to go on excursions with the Resident Professors and the local professors. Generally students are taken on at least one weekend excursion outside of Austria. Some past excursions have been to Prague, Krakow, and Budapest. These excursions offer students the opportunity to see new locations and learn about their connections to Austria. The trip includes guided tours through the city and free time for the students to explore. The cost of the trip is included in the program cost and the trip is usually mandatory.

In addition excursions have also been arranged so students can attend local festivals. A past excursion included attending Almabtrieb, an annual September festival in Austria. It takes place at the Marienseerschwaig near the Alpine village of Moenichkirchen. The locals have a party marked by the driving of the cows and horses from the higher elevation meadows down to the valley before winter sets in. Everyone dresses up, including the cows, and celebrates together.

The faculty director is responsible for the selection of each group based on the following criteria:

• Academic suitability
• Social and emotional maturity
• Classification
• Seriousness of the student in pursuing the academic and cultural aims of the program
• Applicability of the program to the student's interests and studies

Students who have completed one year of college German (111 and 112 or 113) are given preference for admission, but students without German are also encouraged to apply and have participated successfully in past semester programs.  Majors in all disciplines are eligible.

Students pay current Wake Forest tuition and housing. Students are responsible for all meals, round-trip airfare, additional travel, books, visa fees, and other personal expenses.

Students are eligible for Flow House specific scholarships and in addition may apply for scholarships through the Center for Global Programs and Studies.  Students should also contact the German Department for information on their scholarship opportunities.

Dr. Rebecca Thomas, Ph.D
Director of Flow House
Professor of German
Phone: (336) 758 4408
E-mail: thomasrs@wfu.edu

Jessica Francis
Director for Study Abroad
Center for Global Programs and Studies
Reynolda Hall, Room 116
Phone: (336) 758 3890
E-mail: francija@wfu.edu

House address
Flow House
Gustav Tschermak-Gasse 20
1190 Vienna, Austria
Phone: 011-431-367-0740
Fax: 011-431-367-1442

Fall and spring semesters

The program is set up so students have most Fridays off for exploring Vienna and surrounding cities. The program includes a 10-day break generally halfway through the semester. It is important to note that students cannot travel for the first three weeks of the program due to orientation.