Semester at Sea Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Semester at Sea is a study abroad program managed by the Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is a travelling program which takes students by sea to multiple countries in various parts of the world.The vessel currently used by ISE is the M.V. Explorer, a 24,300-ton former cruise ship with a length of 590 feet. Built in 2002 by Blohm & Voss shipbuilders in Germany, it has a cruising speed of 28 knots. Each day that the ship is at sea, students attend classes in a variety of subjects and disciplines. Whenever the ship is in a port, no classes are held and students are given many field program options and may travel in the specific country.
During the Spring and Fall semesters, the Explorer usually circumnavigates the globe, travelling from the western coast of Canada or the United States, on to East Asia, India, Africa, eastern South America, and finishing in the Caribbean or Florida. The ship then repeats that voyage in the opposite direction. Sometimes, Semester at Sea transits the Suez Canal and proceeds through the Mediterranean Sea before crossing the Atlantic Ocean and finishing in North America. During the summer months, ISE also hosts a shorter Semester at Sea program that concentrates on one general region of the world. Often, summer semester programs visit various ports in East Asia or Europe. Additionally, a two-week "Seminar at Sea" program is held during December and January that visits Central America and transits the Panama Canal.
Semester at Sea has been academically sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh since 1981 and has completed more than 80 voyages. World figures such as Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, and Fidel Castro have all met with the program's participants at various times during its history. In 1999, the program's fame was boosted greatly when it was featured on a season of MTV's reality television show Road Rules.
www.SemesterAtSea.com - The program's official website This is an Article on Semester at Sea. Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Semester at Sea External Links