Step far beyond the boundaries of a traditional classroom by studying abroad with SIT in Europe.
- How to Choose a Program
- View SIT Study Abroad Undergraduate Research / ISP Collection
- View the 2013 Overview Brochure (PDF, 1MB)
- View the 2013 Semester Catalog (PDF, 4MB)
- View the 2013 Summer Catalog (PDF, 1MB)
- View Our Photo Galleries on Flickr
- Academic Resources/Library
- Track Your Application Online
- US State Department "Students Abroad"
- SIT Study Abroad Gear
Phone:
888.272.7881 (toll-free in US)
802.258.3212
TTY:
802.258.3388
Fax:
802.258.3296
Mailing Address:
PO Box 676, 1 Kipling Road
Brattleboro, VT 05302 USA
Download the catalog: 2013 Programs in Europe (PDF)
Europe Programs
Angela Mazer
Angela Mazer credits her international career to the complementary yet unique learning experiences during her two semesters abroad in Switzerland and the Balkans with SIT Study Abroad.
Read full story...
"It's hard to imagine a better way to study abroad: you are welcomed into a family and a home, you are taught by local experts, learn the language, traverse the streets, eat delicious food, explore different cultural scenes, and at the end of the semester you are able to direct your own studies and conduct original research. The experience moves you beyond tourist status, gives context to conversations outside of class, and enables you to ask questions with insight."
Danielle Hayes, Washington University in St. Louis
Learn alongside talented artists, writers, and academics in cutting edge theaters and art centers; meet policymakers shaping history in the areas of multinational diplomacy and public health; gain firsthand knowledge of peacebuilding, reconciliation, and the struggle for human rights. Experience local culture by sharing daily life with European host families. Complete a year of language study in just one semester.
Areas of focus and current program options include:
- Intensive language studies.
Rapidly advance your French or Spanish by completing a year of language study in just one semester. SIT programs in Granada, Spain and Toulouse, France offer eight academic credits and complete language and cultural immersion through intensive language instruction and community involvement through service learning projects. - International studies and multilateral diplomacy.
Study current challenges to peace and stability in the international hub of Geneva. Meet with officials from the World Trade Organization, International Labor Organization, and Red Cross. Experience the challenges faced by organizations that foster multilateral diplomacy, peacebuilding, human rights, environmental accountability, international trade, and global cooperation. - Conflict transformation and human rights.
Witness the impact of conflict and its aftermath in southeast Europe. Meet groups promoting nonviolent activism, alternative cultural centers, and minority rights. Experience how Northern Ireland is rebuilding its civil society and moving toward more inclusive political processes after years of sectarianism and political violence. - Public health systems and development policy.
Examine models of health systems, development policy, and issues related to health security in Geneva, the world’s capital for international organizations dedicated to public health, social justice, and sustainable development. - Arts and social change.
Study with a dynamic community of visual, performing, and literary artists, where art and creative dissent have played a decisive role in shaping social and political change. Studio arts students have multiple opportunities for artistic production. - Identity studies.
Study the cultural norms and political structures that help shape attitudes toward sexuality and gender in the Netherlands and Morocco. - Renewable energy, resource economics, and environmental studies.
Gain firsthand exposure to renewable energy systems—particularly geothermal and hydroelectric energy—in Iceland, a world leader in developing the use of renewable energy.
"I stayed with an incredible Spanish family and became a part of their life…I went from speaking essentially zero Spanish to speaking, understanding, reading, and writing fairly proficiently. Everyone involved in the program wants you to succeed and is always willing to lend a hand or give advice. I am only now starting to realize the ways the program has changed my life."
Molly Crocker, Cornell University
LEARN FROM LEADING ACADEMICS, POLICYMAKERS, and NGO ACTIVISTS
Attend lectures and briefings by influential experts at international and nongovernmental organizations, including United Nations agencies, the Red Cross, and platforms of the World Trade Organization. Meet government officials in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland engaged in community and political activism and residents of both Republican/Catholic and Loyalist/Protestant neighborhoods. Meet peace and human rights activists working with local organizations such as the Center for Peacebuilding in Sanski Most (Bosnia-Herzegovina) and the Youth Initiative for Human Rights in Serbia.
COMPLETE COMMUNITY SERVICE WHILE GAINING ACADEMIC CREDIT
Community service projects are an excellent way to strengthen language or field research skills while giving back to a host community. Examine social change in the context of France or Spain by tutoring at a school in an immigrant neighborhood, working with an environmental nonprofit, or participating in a community-based organic agriculture organization.
CONDUCT INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ON A TOPIC OF YOUR CHOICE
Undertake independent research and primary data collection on an approved topic of interest, spanning issues as diverse as Roma identity; migration, refugees, and internally displaced persons; or development and health in complex emergencies. Final projects on the Czech Republic program may include a creative or artistic component in the visual and performing arts or creative writing.
"Through experiential learning opportunities such as attending dance performances and art exhibits, discussing underground theater and literature with my professors, and casual conversations with my host mom, I observed and experienced firsthand what my classes were teaching about Czech culture and history. The Independent Study Project allowed me to explore my topic of interest, mental health care, in the Czech cultural context--a very unique experience that has strongly shaped my future academic and career paths."
Betsy Davis, Southwestern University