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Quick Facts

At a Glance

Founded

  • Founded in 1963, Semester at Sea is the world's premier shipboard program for study abroad.

Character

  • Global, comparative international education.
  • Administered by the Institute for Shipboard Education, a non-profit, 501c3 organization.
  • The University of Virginia is the academic sponsor.

Location

  • Charlottesville, VA

Campus

  • The MV Explorer, one of the world's safest passenger ships, has been specially outfitted as its floating university

Alumni

  • Approximately 50,000

Student Body

Tuition

  • Please see Program Fees for costs associated with tuition, room, and board for upcoming voyages.

Admission

  • Conducted on a rolling basis
  • Minimum G.P.A. (cumulative): 2.75

Financial Aid

  • $3.25 - $4 million of ISE financial aid distributed to students each year; grants range from $1,000 to $10,000.
  • Generally, 40% of participants apply for and receive ISE financial aid.

Academics

Four Voyages for Transferable Credit Each Year

  • Fall and Spring voyages circumnavigate the globe in 108 days
  • Summer voyages explore a world region in 65-70 days
  • Short-term voyages examine a central theme, such as engineering, in 20-30 days

Credits awarded by the University of Virginia

  • Fall and Spring voyages: 12-15 credits
  • Summer voyages: 9-12 credits
  • Short-term voyages: 4-5 credits

Course offerings

  • 20 disciplines of study
  • 75+ course offerings in the fall and spring terms
  • 30+ in the summer term
  • Extensive in-country field program comprises 20% of coursework

Lecturers and Guests

  • Curricula bolstered by interport lecturers, interport students, world leaders, and other experts

Honor Code

  • Participants subscribe to the Honor System of the University of Virginia.

Campus (Our Ship)

The MV Explorer

  • 590-feet long
  • 24,500 tons
  • Built in 2002 by Blohm & Voss in Hamburg, Germany
  • Fastest passenger ship of its kind in the world

Learning facilities

  • State-of-the-art classrooms
  • Study areas
  • 8,000-volume library
  • Wireless Internet
  • Computer lab

Recreational facilities

  • 2 dining rooms
  • Outdoor pool
  • Fitness center
  • Sports court
  • Wellness center

Student Life

Co-curricular and Extracurricular Activities

Typically, over 50 organizations emerge each voyage in the following categories:

  • Performing and visual arts
  • Service organizations
  • Multicultural organizations
  • Media/Web/Publications
  • Program Board
  • Student Government

Student Services and Resources

  • Health Services
  • Mental Health Services
  • Academic Support/Learning Skills

Library

Collections and Public Service

  • The collection is maintained by the University of Virginia and contains approximately 8,000 volumes specifically tailored to international study, travel, world cultures, religion, art, history and to the curriculum and itinerary of each voyage. There is an extensive map collection containing physical, political, topographical and historical maps. The library also has a significant collection of videos and DVDs for educational and recreational purposes.

Library Services for Faculty and Students

  • The librarian for each voyage works with the staff of the University of Virginia Library to provide reference services, interlibrary loan, and access to U.Va. online resources for faculty and students.

Online Resources

  • Semester at Sea faculty and students have access to all of U.Va.'s digital resources during the voyage.
  • Full-text resources include:
    • Handbook of Latin American Studies Online
    • CIAO: Columbia International Affairs Online
    • ENVIROnetBASE
    • Ethnic NewsWatch
    • Latin American Network Information Center
    • FACTIVA
    • Lexis/Nexis
    • Journals available online through Blackwell Synergy, EBSCO Electronic Journals Service, Elsevier's Science Direct service, JSTOR, and Project Muse.

Technology

  • 20 computers with Windows XP, Microsoft Office XP, DVD Player, and USB ports.
  • Lab equipped with HP LaserJet printers. Free printing.
  • Wireless connection.
  • All cabins are equipped with a telephone and television set.

Prominent Alumni

  • Betsy AARON, F94 (journalist, married to journalist Richard Threlkeld)
  • David AL-CHOKHACHY [David Chokachi], S89 (actor on Baywatch)
  • Adrian BELIC, S91, F96 (filmmaker, Genghis Blues)
  • Andrew BRIGGS, S02 (president, Freedom in Creation)
  • Arthur C. CLARKE, F80, S83, S84, F84, F85 (novelist, wrote 2001: A Space Odyssey)
  • Stuart DAMON, C05 (General Hospital)
  • Jim DI SPIRITO, S86 (musician with Rusted Root band)
  • Jessica Flannery (co-founder, Kiva.org
  • Gary FOSTER, S82 (film producer, Sleepless in Seattle)
  • Robert FULGHUM, S01 (author, All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten)
  • Stephen GAGHAN, F86 (screen writer, Traffic)
  • Cathy HELLER Keating, S71 (wife of Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating)
  • Richard LAMM, S91 (former Governor of Colorado)
  • Jane LAUDER, F93 (granddaughter of perfume-maker Estée Lauder)
  • Joan LUNDEN F67 (tv host)
  • Bob MCKNIGHT, F73 (CEO, Quiksilver, Inc.)
  • Jonathan MURRAY, S99 (MTV producer, Road Rules)
  • Cynthia NIXON, S86 (actress - "Miranda" on TV show Sex and the City)
  • Kristoffer POLAHA, F97 (actor)
  • Todd ROTONDI, F96 (actor)
  • Scott Siemens, (Co-founder, Crocs, Inc. Shoes)
  • Sam SCHOEMANN, F85 (tv producer)
  • Daphne SHELDRICK, S01 (Kenyan naturalist, expert on elephants)
  • Kerri STRUG, F00 (Olympic athlete)
  • Richard THRELKELD, F94 (journalist)
  • B.J. (Brian) AVERELL, S02, CBS's The Amazing Race 9 winner
  • Tyler MACNIVEN, S02, CBS's The Amazing Race 9 winner
  • Iliza SCHLESINGER, S04, NBC's The Last Comic Standing winner

Notable Lecturers and Guests

  • Fidel Castro (Cuban President)
  • Anwar Sadat (Egyptian President)
  • Indira Gandhi (Indian Prime Minister)
  • Mikhail Gorbachev (USSR President)
  • Corazon Aquino (President of the Philippines)
  • SHRM King Mohamed VI (King of Morocco)
  • HRH Moulay Rachid (Prince of Morocco)
  • Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Nobel Laureate)
  • Mother Teresa (Nobel Laureate)
  • Nelson Mandela (First President of South Africa, Nobel Laureate)
  • Arthur C. Clark (Author of 2001: A Space Odyssey)
  • Pete Peterson (First U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam)
  • C.H. Tung (first Chief Executive of Hong Kong after end of British colonial rule)