Study abroad is an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum in The College. About a third of each graduating class completes coursework overseas. Each student has different reasons for studying abroad. You might be inspired by a subject that you have discovered in your classes. Perhaps you hope to develop fluency in another language,or immersion in another culture. Maybe you seek adventure; or wish to pursue career-enhancing international experience. Whatever your motives, you’ll find that your overseas studies complement your academic concentrations, and allow you to develop new interests leading to future research or career endeavors.
Scholarly pursuits distinguish study abroad from independent travel. Study abroad places you in an intensified learning environment in another country. Classroom instruction and library research are complemented by homestays, academic internships, field study, or community service. These create a rich context for experiential learning. You will return well-informed about customs and conditions in other countries, and with a keen understanding of what it means to be American.
Go to the Center for Study Abroad website for more information.
Please visit the Arezzo website for more information.
Program Dates: May 30th to June 28th, 2008
German Brochure (PDF)
German Program (PDF)
Burton Application (PDF)
Burton Faculty Recomendation (PDF)
Geographically and politically at the center of the new Europe, Berlin links Eastern and Western Europe and will show you the world as you've never seen it before. The city offers an exciting mix of 21st century cosmopolitanism and quaint, small-town German neighborhoods (or Kiezeauf Berlinerisch!)
German-language classes at all levels are offered through Berlin's international language center, the Neue Schule. Students take a placement exam upon arrival to ensure they are enrolled in level-appropriate course. Students move from level to level based on personal readiness, so each student has the opportunity to advance as his/her own pace.
Students enroll in either German 157 or German 207. Both courses can be counted toward a humanities cluster in German, or toward the major or the minor in German. Students receive 6 credits.
One year of college German or equivalent, or consent from the director.
Students will have the benefit of a family homestay experience while in Berlin. Students will have private rooms in the home, but will be incorporated into daily family life. Families will provide students with breakfast and one other meal every day. Homestays give students a sense of the "everyday" German experience, and allow students to experience the diverse urban, social and cultural environments of Berlin first hand, "from the inside."
The group will tour Berlin and the surrounding areas by land and by boat. Students will discover the famous film studios in Babelsberg, visit Wannsee and the palace of Sanssouci, attend plays and concerts, and visit museums. Students also take one longer, overnight trip, and one day-long excursion in the surrounding area of Brandenburg. Past trips have included visits to Weimar to see Goethe's house and Schiller's house, as well as the nearby concentration camp Buchenwald. Students will also have one weekend free to travel at their leisure.
The Modern Languages and Cultures Mildred R. Burton Fund helps defray costs for UR undergraduates studying language abroad. Applications are due in early February and may be obtained from the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures. In addition, the Fehn Fellowship Fund provides money for students who wish to study in Berlin. Applications for the Fehn Fellowship can be obtained from the Undergraduate Advisor for German.
The program fee is $6000. Please consult the departmental website for the exact fee, which includes tuition (6 UR credits), family homestay with 2 meals, transportation in Berlin and the surrounding areas, all excursions, cell phone rental, and most cultural events. The UR Program Director or the Studienforum Coordinator will meet students at the airport or train station in Berlin upon arrival and accompany them to the homes of their host families.
Application deadline is March 3, though late applications wil be considered on an individual basis. Applications may be obtained from the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures in Lattimore Hall, or online by clicking here.
For more information, contact Professor Jennifer Creech
Lattimore 428
Phone: 585-275-4273
Email: jennifer.creech@rochester.edu
Information about this program is tentative and subject to change. Please check with program director for most recent information.
Program Dates: May 30th to June 27th, 2008
Summer Study Abroad Application (PDF)
Burton Application (PDF)
Burton Faculty Recomendation (PDF)
Oaxaca de Juárez, a beautiful colonial-era city located in a high valley 330 miles south of Mexico City, is the site of the UR summer Spanish immersion program. Founded by the Spaniards in 1522, present-day Oaxaca remains surrounded by small villages, home to Mixtec and Zapotec peoples who farm and create fine quality weavings, ceramics and wood carvings. The Sierra Madre mountains that encircle the broad valley are visible in the distance from every vantage point in the city, which in addition to its spectacular geography enjoys a pleasant climate of hot, sunny days and cool nights. Oaxaqueños are justifiably proud of their city, and they welcome visitors with great warmth and generosity. Wonderful food, an active night life, gorgeous museums and churches, and unique shopping are just a few of the pleasures that Oaxaca offers for your exploration.
Students live with Mexican host families in carefully chosen private residences. You will have your own room and you will eat breakfast and the large midday meal with your family, providing ample opportunity for conversation and cultural exchange. The host families are experienced in introducing students from around the world to Mexican society. Vegetarian diets and other special needs are easily accommodated. The homestay is one of the most rewarding and memorable features of the month in Oaxaca, and students often stay in touch with their host families long after they return to the U.S. As one student put it, "My family was the best because they made me feel at home and they really cared about me. We talked, ate, laughed and had fun together."
The UR program offers courses in Spanish language and culture at all levels through the Instituto Cultural Oaxaca, located in a traditional-style estate with comfortable classrooms and beautifully maintained gardens and patios. Classes, which are small in size, are held from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Monday through Friday. There is a long lunch break until 3:00 or 4:00, followed on Monday through Thursday by a late afternoon workshop (choice of ceramics, weaving, music, cooking, salsa and merengue dancing); and finally an hour of conversation with an "intercambio." The "intercambio" is a Mexican university student whom you meet every day for an informal exchange of Spanish and English conversation. "The amount and type of work required for the program was more than sufficient. I learned a lot of new things and my Spanish has improved greatly."
The evenings are free for dancing, eating out, films, visiting with friends, and exploring the city. The Institute offers lectures and concerts on Friday afternoon.
The Pacific coast of the state of Oaxaca has several outstanding beach resorts, and many students take a few days after the end of the program to travel to Puerto Escondido.
"The best thing about the program was the weekly excursion. 'Hierve el Agua' [mineral springs and natural pool] was the single most amazing thing I've ever done in my life."
Weekly excursions, usually planned for Sunday, provide the students with the opportunity to get to know the surrounding area of the valley of Oaxaca. We visit the pre-Hispanic archaeological sites of Monte Albán, Mitla and Yagul; the craft villages of Teotitlán del Valle (weavings) and Atzompa (ceramics); spectacular churches in Tlacochuhuaya; and the warm mineral springs of Hierve el Agua. Expert guides accompany the group on our field trips, and we travel in our own bus.
Students receive 6 credits for either SP 157 or SP 207, "Spanish in Mexico," depending on prior coursework and placement at the Institute. Both courses count toward the Spanish major or minor, and they are part of the Humanities Cluster: "Introduction to Spanish Studies."
One year of college Spanish or the equivalent
The Modern Languages and Cultures Mildred R. Burton Fund helps defray costs for UR undergraduates studying language abroad in the summer. Applications are due February 1st and may be obtained from the Department (see information given below under "Applications").
The program fee of $3,100 includes round trip airfare from Mexico City to Oaxaca, tuition, homestay (with breakfast and midday dinner), 6 UR credits, books used in Institute classes, excursions, and several dinner parties for our group at restaurants in Oaxaca. Students must make their own round trip arrangements from the U.S. to Mexico City. This expense is not included in the program fee.
The application deadline for the Burton Fund Scholarships is February 1, 2008, and for the program it is March 3, 2008. Both applications may be obtained from the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, Box 270082, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627-0082. They may also be obtained from the Program Director, Berthe Kouroublakis.
The 2008 program will be directed by the Berthe Kouroublakis
Please contact her for additional information at:
403 Lattimore Hall
Tel. (585) 275-4251
Information about this program is tentative and subject to change. Please check with program director for most recent information.
Join us in Padova this summer. This lively city of 250,000 people in the northeastern region of Veneto is both ancient and modern. It was a prominent Roman city by 43 B.C.E. Galileo studied at its university and Giotto decorated the Scrovegni Chapel.
You can find everything you expect of Italy in Padova—wonderful food and friendly cafes, history and art, folklore and souvenirs, the old and the new.
Students live with local families and become part of the community as they interact with its daily life. They have their own room with the host family and take breakfasts and dinners together. Lunch is often organized for the group, consisting of a picnic with fresh food bought in the local shops and markets.
Classes are held at a local high school every weekday afternoon. The program director, Luisa O'Keefe, a native of Padova, instructs the intermediate-level Italian language and culture class. There are visits to local points of interest, including museums, churches, art shows, markets, beaches or the picturesque countryside
Students travel independently from the US to Venice where they are met by the UR program director. It is a short train trip from Venice to Padova and several visits are planned. In Padova there are visits to the Gothic basilica of St. Anthony and to the Giotto frescoes, as well as to archeological sites and to the collections of the Paduan fine arts museum. The group travels to Florence to see its medieval and Renaissance treasures. One "shrine" for English-speakers are the houses of Romeo and Juliet in Verona where the group also sees the museum of Castel Vecchio and the Roman arena.
Students receive 6 credits for either IT 157 or IT 207, Italian in Italy, depending on prior language experience. Either course counts toward the Italian minor or major and each is a part of a Humanities cluster.
One year of college Italian or the equivalent.
The Modern Languages and Cultures Mildred R. Burton Fund helps defray costs for UR undergraduates studying language abroad in the summer. Applications are due February 1.
The program fee of $4,050 includes transportation within Italy for all program excursions and visits, the homestay (with two meals a day), instruction, museum and church entry fees, and some meals with the group. Transatlantic airfare is not included but the program director will help students find good fares on convenient flights.
The application deadline for the Burton Fund scholarships is February 1, 2008 and for the program, March 1, 2008. Both applications can be obtained from the Program Director, Luisa O Keefe, Lattimore 209A, or from the Department.
The program will be directed by Professor Luisa O'Keefe. Please telephone her for additional information (585-383-8528) or e-mail her at laoe@mail.rochester.edu.
Or, contact the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, 585-275-4251.
Information about this program is tentative and subject to change. Please check with program director for most recent information.
Please visit the Skalny Center website for for more information.
Rennes is a fascinating blend of a center of higher education and a rich tradition of legend and history. This capital of Brittany is a town of over 300,000 which is home to many universities and institutes and to electronics and telecommunications industries. In its historic center there are architectural reminders of its long history, from a portion of the medieval gate to the lovingly restored 18th century Parlement to the most modern of shopping centers. Rennes is both a modern city--only two hours from Paris by high-speed train--and a town attached to its Celtic roots. Rennes has had a sister city relationship with Rochester for more than 40 years and has long welcomed UR students to study . A short distance away are landing beaches of Normandy, the port city from which Cartier sailed to the new world and the ancient abbey of Mont St Michel. As one of the students remarked, "It was perfect for our study. It’s small enouigh so that it’s not too overwhelming, but large enough to not get bored."
The UR program is taught by an MLC Faculty member. Students meet every weekday in a building located in a picturesque cobblestone street in central Rennes. Intermediate and more advanced students have a morning language and culture class, part of it shared and part divided in the appropriate levels. The French language classes include discussions of French culture and contemporary issues in the historical context of France, Brittany and the city of Rennes. While students also use an American grammar text as a reference, the daily newspapers and the ambiant culture provide part of the French course materials.
Afternoons and evenings are usually free for exploring the city, enjoying its cafes and restaurants, parks and markets. Along with a guided tour of the city, planned activities always include a stop at the lively Saturday morning market with a peek at the bridal parties gathered around City Hall, a visit to the Fine Arts Museum and the museum of Breton life. Weekends are free for personal activities, family excursions or an occasional optional trip to a nearby site of interest. The Fête de la Musique, an all-France, all-day and all-night musical festival, takes place every year at the Summer Solstice. Throughout Rennes there are groups performing rock and rap, classical and experimental, all of it free
Students receive 6 credits for either FR 157 or FR 207, "French in France," depending on prior language experience. Either course counts toward the French major or minor, and each is part of the Humanities Cluster: "Introduction to French Studies."
One year of college French or the equivalent.
Students are welcomed in the homes of host families in the city and the nearby suburbs. Breakfast and dinner and all weekend meals are offered by the families who in the past have included our students in family parties and vacations, weddings and christenings. All the students in 2000 agreed with the student who spoke of her family as "warm and extraordinarily affectionate. They definitely made the biggest contribution to my French progress."
When students arrive in Paris they are met by the program director and are housed in a hotel in the lively Latin Quarter.
Three days are devoted to a group orientation to all things French: food, language, customs and the stunning sights of the City of Light. On the itinerary are visits to the Gothic jewel of the Sainte Chapelle and Notre Dame de Paris, the ruins of a Roman arena and the 19th century engineering marvel that is the symbol of Paris, the Eiffel Tower. A short distance outside of Paris are the magnificent chateau and gardens of Versailles built for Louis XIV. Students may also pursue individual interests among the sights and attractions of one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
Once settled in Rennes students have weekly excursions which are an integral part of the curriculum. There are visits to the medieval abbey of Mont St Michel, perched on a rock in an estuary since the 13th century. American history is recalled on an expedition to the landing beaches of Normandy, the awe-inspiring American cemetery nearby and the Peace Museum in Caen. Shorter trips will be made to an intact castle in Vitré and to one of the mysterious megalithic monuments called menhirs which are found all over the region. Other visits in the past have included a Breton butter cookie factory, a working farm and a horticulture school and an automobile manufacture. The precise scheduling will depend on factors like the French calendar and the schedule at the Institut Franco-Américain which hosts the program, providing the classroom, the family placements and practical arrangements.
The program fee of $4,400 includes hotel accommodation and some meals in Paris, all local transportation and museum fees, round-trip fare on the high-speed train from Paris to Rennes, homestay (with breakfasts, dinners and weekend meals), and instruction, excursions, some meals and the gala farewell dinner. Transatlantic airfare, incidentals and most lunches are not included in the program fee.
The application deadline for the program is March 1st. Applications may be obtained from the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures, Box 270082, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627. Write or call the Director Cilas Kemedjio (Telephone 585-275-4251)
The Modern Languages and Cultures Mildred R. Burton Fund helps defray costs for UR undergraduates studying language abroad in the summer. Applications are due February 1st and may be obtained from the Department.
Information about this program is tentative and subject to change. Please check with program director for most recent information.
White Nights! Golden Onion Domes! Royal Palaces! In June, the sun doesn't set in St. Petersburg until well after midnight and the pearl of Russian Imperial architecture glows most brightly. Known as the "Venice of the North" because of its many canals and rivers, St. Petersburg is liveliest during the four weeks of our program, when the streets are bustling and opportunities for cultural contact are the greatest.
Established in 1989, the UR Summer Program in Russia began in the provincial city of Tver before moving to Moscow in 1992 and to St. Petersburg in 1994. Each, year, approximately a dozen students from the University of Rochester and elsewhere make the trip. For many, it is a life-changing experience: "This has been the most wonderful experience of my life." "The program and the Russian people have changed my life." "What I loved about this trip cannot be expressed with words". (From the 1999 trip.)
Students stay with host families who provide two meals a day, private rooms, as much Russian as you want, and the chance to see Russia though Russian eyes. Placement is supervised by the University of St. Petersburg and most families are repeat hosts. The homestays are one of the most rewarding features of the program for our students: "My hostess cared for me better than my own mother." "My family was excellent... They were willing to let me do everything and were extraordinary in helping my Russian."
No prerequisites! Begin Russian now! While we recommend one year of college Russian, the program is open to beginners as well. Come start Russian in Russia!
Students receive 6 credits for either RU 107 or RUS 157 or RUS 207, all of which are part of a humanities cluster in Russian and count towards both the major and minor in Russian and Russian Studies.
The Modern Languages & Cultures Mildred R. Burton Fund helps defray costs for UR undergraduates studying language abroad. Applications are due February 1 and may be obtained from the Department of Modern Languages & Cultures.
Participants in our month-long program attend four hours of classes a day, four days a week (Fridays and weekends are reserved for excursions). Classes rotate and include grammar, phonetics, conversation, analytical reading, and Russian culture. All classes are held on the main campus of the University of St. Petersburg and are taught by university instructors.
A typical excursion itinerary looks like this:
Week One: City tour; Peter & Paul Fortress; river and canal trip; day trip to Novgorod or overnight boat trip to island monastery of Valaam.
Week Two: Hermitage Peterhof Summer Palace; a weekend trip to Moscow (includes city tour, Red Square, Kremlin, performance at the Bolshoi Theater).
Week Three: Russian museum; opera and/or ballet performance at the Mariinsky Theater; Catherine's Palace.
Week Four: St. Isaac's Cathedral & other famous churches; Summer Garden; farewell party.
The program fee of $3,700 includes tuition, homestay, 6 UR credits & all excursions. Airfare is separate. We fly group rate on Finnair from JFK Airport in New York City, although participants are free to make their own arrangements.
Applications may be obtained from the Department of Modern Languages & Cultures, Box 270082, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627-0082. The deadline for applications is March 3, though late applications will be considered on a case-by case- basis.
The program is run by Dr. Anna Maslennikova, Professor of Linguistics at the University of St. Petersburg and a Senior Lecturer at the UR and UR Professor Kathleen Parthé.
For more information contact the department:
Phone: (585) 275-4251
e-mail: mlc@mail.rochester.edu
Information about this program is tentative and subject to change. Please check with program director for most recent information.
