Is this Program Right for You? Amsterdam is full of life, day and night, with world-renowned museums, art galleries, music, opera, theater, and dance. It is a truly international and multicultural city. Amsterdammers are easy-going and welcoming to foreigners, and English is the unofficial second language. With 750,000 inhabitants, Amsterdam offers the advantages of a cosmopolitan center with a small-town feel. Because the city is so compact, bicycles are perhaps the most convenient means of transportation: in fact, bicycles outnumber the people in Amsterdam!

This program is geared for advanced undergraduates with a strong interest and background in the social sciences and humanities who seek course work with a research component, are able to work independently, and wish to live and study in an increasingly international and multicultural European capital city.

The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is the largest and one of the most prestigious universities in the Netherlands.  It has a strong commitment to international education, as reflected in its international student body and curriculum; about 250 courses are offered in English in a variety of fields. The CIEE Study Center’s office is located on the Prins Hendrik Kade onthe eastern waterfront several blocks from UvA’s International School where many classes are held and in close proximity to the UvA residences where CIEE participants are housed.  Nearby are Amsterdam’s Central Station, Nemo, and temporary home of the Stedelijk contemporary art museum.

Highlights:
• Live in an accessible, multicultural European capital city
• Wide range of courses in humanities and social sciences
• Opportunity to explore another region of the Netherlands through program excursions
• Opportunity to study Dutch language and integrate into the Dutch and international student community

The Courses / Program: The program provides challenging and stimulating courses in the humanities and social sciences at the University of Amsterdam, and aims to increase students’ understanding of social, political, and cultural realities in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and Europe.  Subject areas include: Anthropology, Art/Art History, Communications, Cultural/Urban Studies, European Studies, Gender Studies, Geography, History, International Relations, Literature, Political Science, Social Science, and Dutch Language.  CIEE participants are not required to take a Dutch language course, but Dutch language study is strongly recommended, particularly for those students who wish to stay the entire academic year.

The CIEE Study Center at UvA was established in 1993.  The program is based at the International School (ISHSS) which offers a number of humanities and social sciences courses in English. Students can also take regular UvA courses in English for which they meet the prerequisites.  Classes are comprised of many different nationalities, offering a wide range of perspectives. This diversity enables students to analyze and discuss issues from multiple viewpoints, an increasingly valuable skill in today’s world. Students who are fluent in Dutch, French, German, Italian, or Spanish may elect to take a UvA course taught in one of those languages for credit.

Housing:  Single rooms in dorm-like residence halls, all within a short walk or bike ride to class.

Duration/Deadlines: 
The academic calendar is different in The Netherlands; semesters end in late January and late June.  In order to match the U.S. calendar, CIEE students will be given early assessment.

• Spring Semester: early February – late May / Application Deadline: November 1st
• Fall Semester: early September – late December / Application Deadline: April 1st
• Academic Year : early September – late May / Application Deadline: April 1st

Requirements: (Languages of Instruction: Dutch, English)
• 3.0 GPA

Program Cost Includes:  An optional on-site airport meet and greet, tuition, housing, orientation, cultural activities (such as visits to museums and cultural institutions, group dinners, and performances), excursions to typical Dutch towns, pre-departure advising, insurance, University of Amsterdam student ID, and a Museum Card. For more information: www.ciee.org.  Catalogues are available in ISAP’s Resource Rooms.  Please note: The information on this sheet is for reference purposes only.  It is your responsibility to confirm details and deadlines.

Is this Program Right for You?  The Gerrit Rietveld Academie is a progressive, innovative Dutch art and design school that values the productive interplay between theory and practice, research and experimentation.  Stressing independence and creativity through highly individualized curriculum and instruction, students are expected to be self-reliant and highly motivated.  Within the GRA’s unstructured, group studio environment, students are not given assignments or syllabi, but receive individual coaching from the Academie tutors.

The Gerrit Rietveld Academie is located in the South of Amsterdam.  Amsterdam offers students the best in historical and contemporary art through its numerous museums and galleries.

The Courses/Program:  The Gerrit Rietveld Academie is a leading Dutch university level art school with over 800 students. The Academie employs 200 tutors, many of whom are independent artists or designers. Students at the Academie work on projects under the supervision of their tutors and take courses in theory that include museum excursions, films and lectures by experts. Art courses offered include visual arts, audiovisual, graphic arts and design, photography, fashion design, architectural design, industrial design, ceramics, jewelry, glass design, textile design as well as painting and sculpture. The school has well-equipped studios including up to date computer facilities using a Macintosh platform. Students specialize in one department but can take electives in other departments. All participate in a weekly art theory and history course and receive 16 credits for a full-time semester program.

Housing:  IES students live in spacious co-ed apartments with other IES and/or international students in single or shared rooms, with a shared kitchen and shared bathrooms.  Local Resident Assistants live in some of the apartments and are a great resource for IES students as they integrate into the Dutch way of life.  Students can opt to walk, bike, or take public transportation to get to and from the Academie.

Duration/Deadlines:
• Spring Semester: early January – late June / Application Deadline: October 15th
• Fall Semester: late August – late December / Application Deadline: April 1st
• Academic Year : late August – late June / Application Deadline: April 1st

Requirements:
• 3.0 GPA
• Applicants for the Gerrit Rietveld Academie should have a strong background in art or design.  Please visit www.iesabroad.org for information on how to apply to the Academie (students are required to submit a portfolio, statement of purpose essay, and résumé). 
• Please note: This IES program is available for Visual Arts majors.

Program Cost Includes:  Tuition, orientation, housing and some meals, pre-departure materials and emergency medical evaluation insurance coverage.  For more information: www.iesabroad.org.  Catalogues are available in ISAP’s Resource Rooms.  Please note: The information on this sheet is for reference purposes only.  It is your responsibility to confirm details and deadlines.