Semester at Sea: An Unforgettable Voyage of Global Education

Are you ready to take your education beyond the traditional classroom? Semester at Sea offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore the world while earning college credits. Imagine studying aboard a ship, visiting multiple countries, and immersing yourself in diverse cultures. This transformative experience combines academic rigor with hands-on learning, fostering personal growth and a global perspective.

What is Semester at Sea?

Semester at Sea is a unique study abroad program that takes students on a voyage around the world. As the old adage goes, “So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.” Instead of being confined to a single country, you'll visit multiple destinations, experiencing new cultures, trying new foods, and gaining a broader understanding of the world.

Since 1963, more than 73,000 students from 1,700 colleges and universities around the world have studied with Semester at Sea. The program prioritizes in-country exploration and interaction with local communities. It offers students the chance to engage in global comparative education.

The Academic Experience

At the core of the Semester at Sea academic experience is a team of innovative, stimulating, and flexible educators who are passionate about global education. The unparalleled environment of Semester at Sea provides engaging shipboard courses in unique combination with field work. On board the MV World Odyssey, students have the opportunity to select from a wide range of disciplines.

Accredited Courses

All Semester at Sea academic credits are earned through fully accredited courses. The University appoints the academic dean from among its most accomplished faculty, oversees curriculum, and approves course syllabi for the Semester at Sea academic program. Students earn 12-15 credits from Colorado State University.

Read also: Start Date: SUU Summer

Global Engagement Certificate

To address the global challenges of today and tomorrow, innovative problem solving derived from multiple perspectives and diverse backgrounds is necessary. The 12-credit interdisciplinary Global Engagement Certificate is designed to generate knowledge of global issues, international perspectives, sustainable development, and intercultural skills that can help to distinguish recipients of this certificate as individuals prepared to positively impact our world. A Global Engagement Certificate can complement careers in business, education, government, economics, nonprofit, media, travel, and health.

This interdisciplinary certificate is only offered to students participating in Semester at Sea. It draws upon the Semester at Sea experience, unites the expertise of varied disciplines and further supports the intercultural competencies necessary to succeed in today’s global market.

Learning by Doing

At Sea|mester, academics are woven into real-world experiences, giving you the chance to apply what you learn in meaningful, hands-on ways. It’s not just education-it’s education that sticks with you long after you return to shore. The Semester at Sea program itineraries are built around international challenges, trends, and issues. Past voyages have included internationally recognized experts on social movements and media, environmental systems, international business, intercultural communication, and world cinema, as well as a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and a Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year. With the world as their campus, Semester at Sea faculty teach in a global context and excel in the ﬁeld of experiential learning.

Life Onboard the MV World Odyssey

On board the MV World Odyssey, a seven-deck, 590-foot ship, you will have the opportunity to select from 70-72 courses across a wide range of disciplines. You'll attend class while sailing the sea, watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean, or stare up at the Mediterranean stars. The shipboard community is truly one-of-a-kind-tight-knit, supportive, and full of energy.

Community

This program is unique when it comes to having your entire campus in the middle of the ocean. You live with your professors, classmates, and faculty, which creates a special sense of community you won't get anywhere else. With almost 600 students and life long learning, there is no shortage of finding your people.

Accommodation and Amenities

The rooms are small but they are very nice for a cruise ship. The ship crew is one of a kind and the most giving, caring crew you could imagine. The food on the ship is decent and after a couple months gets repetitive but there are other options like fancy dinner and the pool bar to change it up when needed. There are activities almost every night, whether they are organized or not, you can always find something to do.

Experiential Learning

The ability to explore and compare multiple cultures in one educational experience is unique and semester at sea takes full advantage of that. You will study your field from the smallest to largest scale and visit real businesses, organizations, and governments to understand how your studies are applied around the world.

In-Country Experiences

Semester at Sea prioritizes in-country exploration and interaction with local communities. In one semester, you will get exposure to 10+ countries across multiple continents, earn 12-15 credits from Colorado State University, and transit over 20,000 nautical miles.

Field Programs

While docked, you can join field programs or explore each country independently. In-country travel was another wonderful experience that forced students out of their comfort zones in so many good ways. Students can use multiple SAS field programs to travel in groups but also do independent travel with their friends from SAS.

Cultural Immersion

Semester at Sea gives you incredible freedom: while docked, you can join field programs or explore each country independently. Through this journey, students not only learn about the world but also about themselves. In each of these countries, students are met with open arms and smiles from the locals. They want to show us their way of life and help us experience as much as we can of their culture, food, traditions, and more in the six days we have in each port.

Read also: Accelerate Your Studies at USU

Program Details

Semester at Sea voyages on the MV World Odyssey are 100+ days, explore at least 10 countries, and allow students to earn 12-15 academic credits from Colorado State University. The distinctive feature of Semester at Sea is the opportunity it affords students to engage in global comparative education. Global comparative education is a form of international study that identiﬁes and connects the world’s peoples, patterns, cultures, and traditions. Semester at Sea has served as a pioneer and leader in multiple-country, comparative education for more than 50 years.

Eligibility and Requirements

Studying on a ship to earn college credit typically has specific requirements.

Academic standing: Many programs require students to be actively enrolled in a university, often with a minimum GPA (generally 2.5 or higher).
Background check.
Language requirements: While most shipboard programs are in English, some destinations may have local language requirements or offer language immersion opportunities.
Health and vaccination requirements: Health clearances are generally required, and specific vaccinations may be mandatory in some countries.
Passport and visa: Students should hold a valid passport and may need visas for certain countries on the itinerary.

Application Process

Applications are often submitted online and may involve transcripts, recommendation letters, and a personal statement explaining why you want to study on a ship.

Financial Aid and Costs

Semester at Sea is administered by a 501c3 non-proﬁt organization - the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) - that is dedicated to enhancing a traditional academic experience with a global perspective and greater intercultural understanding. ISE offers a variety of need- and merit- based ﬁnancial awards. About 60% of Semester at Sea participants receive some type of ﬁnancial aid.

Price Details: Our program fees include up to 15 academic credits, housing, buffet style meals, travel health insurance, one in-port field class for each course, and a full-time shipboard residential and student services team. We have need and merit based grants, student assistant positions, service and journalism fellowships, and more financial aid awards available.

Studying abroad on a ship has unique expenses, so calculate program fees, travel insurance, vaccinations, and personal spending for each port city. Some programs may offer scholarships.

Visa Requirements

International shipboard programs often visit multiple countries, each with its visa requirements. Research whether a visa is needed for each stop on the itinerary.

Travel Logistics

Flight logistics are often up to you, though some programs offer advice on arrival and departure. Make sure to book flights that coincide with your program’s departure and return dates, often from major ports.

Packing Essentials

Gather your necessities for a life aboard, from study supplies to travel essentials. Many programs provide packing lists that account for varied climates and ship regulations.

Alternative Programs

While Semester at Sea programs are among the top choices, there are still other options to consider based on your academic needs.

Sea|mester: Combines hands-on marine science courses with practical seamanship and leadership skills.
SEA Semester: Offers a blend of oceanographic research and sailing experience, teaching students about marine ecosystems and environmental stewardship.
Students on Ice: Offers educational expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic, focusing on environmental science and cultural studies.
SEA Education Association's Gap Year programs: Combines classroom learning with hands-on research and sailing aboard a traditional sailing vessel.
ActionQuest: Offers summer programs that combine sailing, scuba diving, and marine biology for teenagers.
Broadreach: Provides educational adventures that include sailing, scuba diving, and marine science.

Advice from Semester at Sea Alumni

"Try everything and talk to everyone. Some of the best experiences I had in this program were the things I was nervous to try with people I never thought I'd befriend."
"Be comfortable with the uncomfortable! Step out of your comfort zone. Talk to as many people as you can (In the program and locals)."
"Waste no time! Of all the decisions I’ve made, choosing Semester at Sea as my study abroad program was by far the best."
"Be prepared for anything and be open to everything!"
"Prioritize seeing the things that you want to and do the things you want to do, even if you travel with an unfamiliar group or by yourself. I encourage you to travel with different groups of people -- not only can you meet way more people on the voyage, but you're also able to explore different travel styles."

Is Semester at Sea Right for You?

Semester at Sea is a daring adventure. You’re not only pushing yourself outside of your boundaries as a student, learning from new cultures, you’re also adapting to a new way of living that is completely at the whim of nature. It is for high energy, highly dedicated students who want to dive into the cultural and geographic differences of their subject of study. Not everyone will have the same experience, but like all things, you get out what you put in.

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