What is Semester at Sea?
With the world as its classroom and more than 50 years of experience, Semester at Sea integrates multiple-country study, interdisciplinary coursework, and hands-on field experience for meaningful engagement in the global community.
Over a 100-day voyage on a shipboard campus, students select academic courses drawn from 20 – 25 fields of study that are integrated with relevant field classes in up to a dozen countries, allowing for an experiential, comparative education that is truly global. Voyagers will explore 10-12 destinations across 4 continents and travel 20,000- 25,000 Nautical Miles.
We have a campus that floats.
What is Global Comparative?
Semester at Sea’s global, comparative model is an opportunity to embark on the educational and experiential journey of a lifetime. Our faculty design a global curriculum that juxtaposes the multiple countries and regions visited on the voyage, allowing students to connect the world’s peoples, patterns, cultures and traditions.
Why are students choosing Semester at Sea?
*Improved understanding of the world
*Greater awareness of cultural difference
*Improved self-confidence and autonomy
*Improved flexibility and understanding of multiple perspectives
*Better understanding of own culture
*Greater acceptance of others and their own opinions
*Ability to live in close community
Why Semester at Sea?
Fits easily into 4 years of College
During your voyage, you receive transferable college credit from one of the most prestigious public universities in the nation, Colorado State University. SAS offers the course requirements you need for your major or enhances it with a global perspective.
Maximum Value for the Investment
Dollar for dollar, it’s the highest impact, most valuable study abroad choice available in terms of miles traveled, countries experienced and cultures explored.
A Taste of the World
Get engaged through faculty-led trips and service projects that make a difference. Experiencing many countries during the course of a semester allows for a “survey of the world” that will likely influence both your future vocation and global journeys.
Teaches Adaptability and Sensitivity
SAS is not a cruise – rather, an opportunity to learn intensively about each country and region on the itinerary. Every country you visit will have different cultural characteristics – dictated by the dominant religion, geography, climate, political system, etc. Navigating these different cultures teaches adaptability and how to be sensitive to each society’s similarities and differences.
Voyage Learning Outcomes
The goal of the Learning Outcomes is to ensure that students gain the knowledge, skills and intercultural competence necessary to succeed as responsible international citizens in the complex 21st century world.
Through participation with the Semester at Sea program, students will:
Employ active methods of comparison and contrast to achieve a deeper awareness of Euro-American culture and its historical and contemporary relationship with other cultures.
Gain comprehensive knowledge of and empathy with the peoples, cultures and geography of the regions visited on the voyage.
Develop keen powers of observation and employ writing skills and various communication technologies to record and evaluate experiences throughout the voyage.
Understand the diversity of cultures and traditions in the world and develop tolerance and appreciation of differences.
Gain a sophisticated knowledge of global and regional developmental issues during ocean crossings and port visits.
Understand and critically assess the forces of globalization and nationalism that are stimulating global integration as well as conflict within and between regions.
Achieve deeper self-knowledge, self-confidence and autonomy through meaningful interactions with other voyagers and with individuals, organizations, and institutions in the ports of call.
