What is Semester at Sea?
Semester at Sea is a shipboard program that enriches the lives of thousands of young people by providing a globe-circling adventure in international education. The program began in 1963 and was first known as the University of the Seven Seas and World Campus Afloat before becoming known as Semester at Sea in 1977. The University of Pittsburgh recently ended a 24-year sponsorship of Semester at Sea after concerns of safety and ship operations. In the summer 2005 voyage, a 50-foot wave hit the ship while it was carrying hundreds of college students across the Pacific. A window was broken, causing damage and leaving the ship to run on only one engine. Three crew members were injured when the wave broke through the windows. Beginning with the summer 2006 session, the University of Virginia serves as the academic sponsor of the program.
Semester at Sea, a program offered by the Institute for Shipboard Education at the University of Virginia, gives students the opportunity to spend a semester studying and traveling the world on a ship. The largest and best known Semester at Sea program is offered to undergraduate students, but there are also programs available for continuing education students and elders, elementary school teachers, and engineering students. Semester at Sea allows students to learn about the world’s cultures firsthand while completing coursework for their degree. Both traditional fall and spring semesters and shorter summer semester programs are available. Students of any accredited institution are welcome, and Semester at Sea can accommodate students of any major. Financial aid can be used towards the tuition, and credits are transferable to the student’s home institution. About 600 students attend each voyage. Semester at Sea began in 1963 as World Campus Afloat and changed to its current name 14 yea
It’s a program that lets you visit a dozen countries during your semester instead of just one, and earn just as many units (although you should always consult with your academic counselor to make sure the units will be honored). The Semester at Sea program has been around for decades, and it’s a great way for a student to travel around the world while working toward a degree. There are programs for teachers and seniors as well, so even if you’re out of school you can still do a sail around the world without paying the outrageous price that most cruise lines would charge for the same itinerary. Some financial aid is available for students and you can use any federal aid or loans that you receive, such as Pell Grants and Stafford loans, as well. Talk to your academic adviser to find out more about how you can make a semester sailing the high seas work into your graduation plans, then get your passport and visas, and your ISIC. (It’s good all over the place!
Hello! My name is Megan and you can use the button below to donate to my Paypal account to go on the Semester At Sea voyage in the Spring of 2005!! I plan on graduating in 2006 with a degree in Psychology and a degree in Anthropology. The reason I have set up this site is to possibly make a little money to go on this voyage around the world and show people how much education really costs!! I would take out student loans but I do not have a cosigner due to financial difficulties in my family. It costs about $15,000 to do this but I don’t expect to receive that much in donations. I also work part time while I am attending school and full time during the summer and winter breaks. I also plan on selling photography pieces on Ebay but I am not sure how well that will work! Thank you for visiting my site and thank you for your donations!!!
