Academic Program

The highly ranked University of Virginia (U.Va.) is the academic sponsor of Semester at Sea.

• Students that sail on Semester at Sea voyages are visiting students at U.Va.
• Semester at Sea students gain access to U.Va. library and research sources during the voyage.

As academic sponsor, U.Va. grants academic credit for participation in Semester at Sea courses.

• All faculty members for each voyage submit course syllabi for review by their respective academic departments at U.Va. Courses undergo a rigorous review process prior to approval.
• All courses offered on Semester at Sea have been approved by U.Va. This means that courses meet the academic expectations and rigor of any course offered on Grounds.

A U.Va. transcript will be provided to facilitate credit transfer to your home institution.

• At the conclusion of the voyage, official grades are reported to the U.Va. Office of the Registrar. Within three weeks, transcripts are sent to the appropriate office at your home institution.
• Credit transfer varies by school, so it is strongly recommended that you coordinate with your academic advisor(s) prior to sailing to better facilitate transfer of credits after the voyage. At the very least, you should notify your advisor and/or study abroad office of your sailing so they know to expect a transcript at the conclusion of the voyage. Though U.Va. issues credit, the decision of how your credits will transfer after the voyage rests solely in the policies of your home institution.

The courses taught aboard the ship examine global issues in the comparative context of the nations that are visited during the semester.

• Since each voyage is comprised of a unique group of faculty members spanning the gamut of academic disciplines, courses vary from voyage to voyage.
• Faculty members tailor their course syllabi to the voyage and to the curriculum the Academic Dean has in place.
• The opportunity to study important issues in the global context while en route to the locations impacted by these issues is remarkable and enhances classroom learning.

The on-board class sessions are augmented by participation in off-ship field programs while in port.

• Twenty percent of the grade in every course on Semester at Sea is comprised of work done in the field.
• Faculty members specially design faculty directed practica (FDP), and as experts in the areas of the practica, they lead their students on trips to further expand the boundaries of the traditional classroom.
• Students are also able to collaborate with faculty members to create other field experiences that can strengthen their coursework.