 |
| THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME |
Studying abroad while sailing the globe is the unique invention of Semester at Sea and its predecessor programs. Since 1963, we've stayed true to our mission as an educational non-profit: the development of global understanding through life-changing international experiences.
The learning environment aboard ship is complemented by field encounters designed to give you first-hand insight into various cultures and societies--experiences that will stay with you for the rest of your life. The academic, career, and personal benefits of studying abroad are limitless.
 Semester at Sea allows you to develop aspirations about things in your life that you would have not thought possible before. Such a vision only comes from an experience that begins when the shore slowly disappears over the horizon, the enormity of the ocean strikes your consciousness, and you reach a point of understanding the vastness of the world in which we live... only to be reminded days later when tying up at the first port of call that there are other
countries, people, and cultures, that are waiting to be explored and understood by you, so that you may come back home with a new found passion and perspective that will position you for a lifetime of understanding and experience that can only come from being a global citizen.
|
 Program Fees (Cost)
Summer Voyages
Cabin Types and Fees
|
Summer 2010 |
Deck 4
Junior Suite
Outside Double
Inside Double |
$15,525
$14,485
$13,755 |
Deck 3
Outside Double
Inside Double |
$13,965
$13,245 |
Deck 2
Outside Double
Inside Double |
$12,415
$11,695 |
| Economy |
$10,995 |
Fall and Spring Voyages
| Cabin Types and Fees |
Fall 2009 |
Spring 2010** |
Fall 2010 |
Deck 4
Junior Suite
Outside Double
Inside Double |
$30,395
$27,895
$26,895 |
$31,495
$29,395
$27,925 |
$31,495
$29,395
$27,925 |
Deck 3
Outside Double
Inside Double |
$26,895
$25,895 |
$28,345
$26,875 |
$28,345
$26,875 |
Deck 2
Outside Double
Inside Double |
$24,395
$22,895 |
$25,195 $23,935 |
$25,195
$23,935 |
| Economy |
$20,895 |
$22,395 |
$22,395 |
Program fees are subject to change. All cabin categories subject to availability.
** Air transportation from London to New York or a voucher equivalent for the lowest one-way airfare between cities provided. Add-on airfares to other U.S. destinations will be available.
The program fee is per person and includes tuition, room, board, premium travel health insurance, and email account. The program fee may increase at any time before sailing. You may have certain rights to cancel without charge in the event of certain fee increases. See ticket contract for details. Expenses related to travel to and from the ports of embarkation and debarkation, textbooks, in-country travel, personal spending, and incidental fees are additional. Learn more about SAS Tuition, Cost, and Value.
The Institute for Shipboard Education reserves the right to reinstate a fuel supplement for all participants at up to $9 per person per day should the price of light sweet crude oil--according to the NY Mercantile Exchange Index--increase above $70 per barrel.
Single cabins are not available to students at the point of admission. If space allows, single cabins will be made available to confirmed participants 30 days prior to sailing for an additional fee.
Other Costs to Keep in Mind
- Overnight stay prior to embarkation
- Flights to embarkation/from debarkation
- Travel visas
- Textbooks
- SAS field practica
- Any appropriate vaccinations
- Between-meal food & beverages while on board
- Laundry
- Independent travel
|
Admission Requirements
Semester at Sea is a rigorous academic experience in a unique environment. Our goal in the admission process is to measure the readiness of each applicant and assess their promise of succeeding in this distinctive academic venture.
Admission Requirements
- Students must be enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program at an accredited college/university (domestic or international)
- Students must have completed at least one full term at the post-secondary level
- Students must demonstrate at least a 2.75 cumulative GPA
- Students must be in good academic and judicial standing at time of application
- Students must demonstrate their writing skills in a 300-500 word essay as indicated on the application
- Click here for Admission Requirements for International Students
|
Transferring Credit
Credits earned will meet the generally accepted standards for transfer. It is incumbent upon students to determine their home institution's procedures for credit transfer. Most importantly it must be ascertained that the courses taken meet the requirements for individual academic programs in terms of major and/or general degree requirements. The Institute will provide assistance in this process. Students are urged to make these determinations prior to sailing.
Some questions to ask your academic advisor:
- Will I receive letter grades?
- Does my school's financial aid apply?
- Do I need to complete any school specific study abroad applications?
- Will my school pay Semester at Sea directly?
- What deadlines do I need to keep in mind?
- What forms will I need?
- Will I need course by course approval?
- Will I be required to take a leave of absence in order to participate on Semester at Sea?
The University of Virginia
Semester at Sea students are enrolled as visiting students of the University of Virginia, the nation's #2 public university according to U.S. News & World Report. Courses on Semester at Sea appear as regular U.Va. courses. Grades are recorded at the University of Virginia and students receive official transcripts from the University of Virginia.
Although credits earned are fully transferable, admission to Semester at Sea does not constitute admission to the University of Virginia. Students from other institutions of higher education take Semester at Sea as a single global educational experience, returning to their home institutions upon completion of the voyage.
|
Upcoming Voyages:
Check out our upcoming study-abroad itineraries.
|
Summer 2009
Voyage Theme: Human Rights and Social Justice in the Mediterranean World
Itinerary:
- Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Cadiz, Spain
- Civitavecchia / Naples, Italy
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Piraeus (Athens), Greece
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Varna, Bulgaria
- Alexandria (Cairo), Egypt
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Norfolk, VA, USA
**Itineraries are subject to change.
Voyage details:
- Sails June 16th to August 22nd
- 67 days, 8 countries
- 9-12 transferable credits from U.Va.
|
Fall 2009
Semester at Sea's 100th Voyage
Voyage Theme: Globalization and The Post American / Flat World
Itinerary:
- Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Cadiz, Spain
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Accra, Ghana
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Port Louis, Mauritius
- Chennai, India
- Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
- Hong Kong / Shanghai, China
- Yokohama / Kobe, Japan
- Honolulu / Hilo, Hawaii, USA
- San Diego, California, USA
**Itineraries are subject to change.
Voyage details:
- Sails August 28 to December 14
- 109 days, 11 countries
- 12-15 transferable credits from U.Va.
|
Spring 2010
Voyage Theme: Sustainability
Itinerary:
- San Diego, California USA
- Hilo, Hawaii USA
- Honolulu, Hawaii USA
- Yokohoma, Japan
- Kobe, Japan
- Shanghai, China
- Hong Kong
- Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
- Chennai, India
- Cochin, India
- Port Louis, Mauritius
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Accra, Ghana
- Salvador, Brazil
- Fort Lauderdale, FL USA
Itineraries are subject to change.
* Participants travel by motor coach from San Diego to the Port of Ensenada to board the MV Explorer.
Voyage details:
- Sails January 17 to May 5
- 109 days, 10 countries
- 12-15 transferable credits from U.Va.
|
Summer 2010
Visualization of the Mediterranean: Politics, Conflicts, and the Arts
Tentative Itinerary:
- Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Barcelona, Spain
- Civitavecchia / Naples, Italy
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Piraeus (Athens), Greece
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Alexandria, Egypt
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Norfolk, VA USA
**Itineraries are subject to change.
Voyage details:
- Sails June 15* to Aug. 21*, 2010 (dates to be confirmed)
- 9-12 transferable credits from U.Va.
|
Fall 2010
Tentative Itinerary:
- Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
- Cadiz, Spain
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Accra, Ghana
- Cape Town, South Africa
- Port Louis, Mauritius
- Chennai, India
- Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
- Hong Kong / Shanghai, China
- Yokohama / Kobe, Japan
- Honolulu / Hilo, Hawaii, USA
- San Diego, California, USA
**Itineraries are subject to change.
Voyage details:
- Sails Aug. 27* to Dec. 13*, 2010 (dates to be confirmed)
- 12-15 transferable credits from U.Va.
|
| About Enrichment Voyages
Enrichment Voyages (formerly known as Seminar at Sea) are 10-21 day educational excursions to culturally rich and diverse destinations aboard the MV Explorer.
The Institute for Shipboard Education administers Enrichment Voyages, along with the well-known Semester at Sea study abroad program sponsored by the University of Virginia. Enrichment Voyages are open to participants of all ages.
|
Academic Life:
|
| University of Virginia
"Students who participate in Semester at Sea develop a deeper understanding of the diversities that distinguish various cultures around the world, as well as the common bonds that tie us together in an age of global interdependence."
—JOHN T. CASTEEN, III, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA PRESIDENT
Semester at Sea is proud to be sponsored by the University of Virginia, one of the nation's most prestigious institutions of higher education.
Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University sustains the ideal of developing leaders who are well-prepared to help shape the future of the nation.
Shared Commitment
The University of Virginia became the academic sponsor of Semester at Sea in June 2006. The University's shared commitment to internationalization and global education creates a distinctive learning opportunity for Semester at Sea participants.
Academic Sponsor
As the academic sponsor, the University provides collaborative leadership in the selection and cultivation of deans, faculty, curricula, library resources, and educational programming.
Collaborative Leadership
Although Semester at Sea is administered by the 501c3 non-profit Institute for Shipboard Education, established in 1976 to promote global education and understanding, the University provides exceptional leadership in the collaborative effort to educate some of the finest global leaders of tomorrow.
|
| International Field Program
"The poor and the oppressed are no longer just statistics to us—we have eaten with them, held their hands, fallen in love with their infectious smiles and warm hospitality. The world has become smaller for us: more real, more connected, more personal."
—JOSEPHINE HWANG, STUDENT, FALL 2002
Field-based, experiential learning is a vital component of Semester at Sea. The ship becomes a campus where participants study in a traditional setting, while the world is transformed into an academic laboratory where students earn 20% of their grade.
Explorations
Semester at Sea works with a network of international scholars and local experts to construct the International Field Program—a diverse range of cross-cultural explorations for each country on the itinerary.
Significant Historical, Cultural, and Political Sites
Cu Chi Tunnels, Tuol Sleng Museum in Cambodia, Hiroshima
Natural and Manmade Wonders
Great Wall of China, Taj Mahal, Great Pyramids of Giza, Angkor Wat
Elements of Natural History
Bioluminescent Bay of Puerto Rico, Galapagos Islands, Praia Do Forte Marine Turtle Research and Preservation Project
Community Explorations and Home Stays
Dalit Village, Massai Tribe, Mekong River Delta, Khayelitsha Township
First-Hand Interaction with Host Nationals
Business professionals, professors, college students, writers, artists; has included luminaries such as Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Service Visits
Habitat for Humanity, Operation Hunger, Dalit Village Work Project, Missionaries of Charity, Calabar Favela
Exchanges with Students at International Universities
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tsinghua University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Vaieshnav College for Women, Ritsumeikan University, Osaka University, University of Cape Town, University of Zagreb
Field Program Types
Faculty Directed Practica (FDP)
Designed and led by a faculty member who has expertise in a particular culture, location, or subject matter. FDPs enhance and explore course content.
SAS Directed
Led by staff or faculty. May be recommended by a faculty member as an excellent complement to his/her syllabus.
Independent Practica
This is an opportunity for a participant to conduct independent research. Requires faculty approval to count as fulfillment of field requirement.
|
| Global, Comparative Studies
"Can we globalize in ways that are more humane and more respectful of the home that we share? I have become convinced that such a search must be our prime motivation for overseas study and for international travel."
—SCOTT SERNAU, SEMESTER AT SEA FACULTY, FALL 2005
Semester at Sea is a pioneer and leader in global, comparative education—a form of international study that focuses on surveying the world's peoples, patterns, cultures, and traditions. Global, comparative education is the element that distinguishes Semester at Sea from other study abroad programs.
Because we operate a traveling shipboard campus that allows diverse learning communities to live and learn in close quarters as they travel the world, opportunities for intensive engagement, reflection, interaction, and exchange are possible on Semester at Sea that simply aren't available with other programs.
Semester at Sea itineraries are carefully constructed to bolster our comparative, global approach. Our curricula provide examples of countries and cultures in varying stages of economic development, contrasting political systems, and great diversity of religious and cultural values.
The requisite Global Studies course provides the foundation for our academic approach and several alliances with internationally focused research and cultural outreach groups complement in-classroom and field learning.
We are currently involved in several research projects aimed at quantifying the complexities and benefits of global, comparative education and the unique academic experience that is Semester at Sea.
|
|
 |
Learn more about
Semester At Sea
Request Info |
 |
|
|
|
| LOCATION: Charlottesville VA |
|
|
|
|
