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The experiences of study and travel overseas provide an essential dimension of a liberal arts education that can be obtained in no other way. For this reason, international programs have been designed to provide any Seaver College student, regardless of major, the opportunity to study, live, and travel overseas without interrupting other studies or postponing a career. Year-round or semester program locations in Heidelberg, Germany; London, United Kingdom; Florence, Italy; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Shanghai, China; Lausanne, Switzerland; and Washington, D.C., offer students a unique opportunity to gain both an academic and a personal understanding of other cultures, institutions, and languages. Summer language programs in Switzerland and Spain or Argentina allow beginning students to complete their language requirement and offer advanced students the opportunity to study both the language and the culture of the country. Other summer programs provide special opportunities to focus on business, humanities, religion, science, medicine, theatre, music, or studio art. Upon graduation, many students conclude that participation in an international program was the single most significant experience of their undergraduate years.
Each program is a serious adventure in study and scholarship. A sufficient number and variety of courses are offered at each location to allow the student to arrange a full academic schedule. Classes are taught by visiting University faculty members from the Malibu campus, by Pepperdine University faculty members who reside in the host country, and by a group of well-qualified and distinguished local professors who have been specially selected to teach in the program. The curriculum has been designed so that students may complete a substantial portion of their general education requirements while enrolled.
Many students elect to participate during the sophomore year, although any qualified student above the first-year level may apply.
The program design recognizes that selective travel is a valuable part of the educational process, but class attendance and academic performance are regarded as first priorities. Classroom instruction is augmented each semester by educational excursions to significant locations lasting several days. These educational field trips to locations of historic, literary, musical, or other significance may include guided city tours; visits to museums and historical sites; attending concerts, plays, and operas; or listening to guest lecturers.
Students in Heidelberg, London, Florence, Shanghai, Lausanne, and Washington, D.C., live in University housing along with the Seaver faculty family. The same residential housing rules that prevail in Malibu apply insofar as possible, with certain exceptions made necessary by local conditions.
Students in the Buenos Aires program and some summer language programs live with host families.
Heidelberg, Germany
Heidelberg, a beautiful and romantic city that has been a university center for over 500 years, is an ideal location for studying and absorbing European cultural heritage. Heidelberg is known for its institutions of higher education.
International progr ams 95 The University of Heidelberg, founded in 1836, is one of Europe’s oldest and most prestigious universities.
Student residential housing is located in University-owned Moore Haus, a spacious turn-of-the-century mansion that commands a breathtaking view of the Neckar Valley. Moore Haus also contains a study area, student center, computer facility, and offices. It is adjacent to Heidelberg’s famous castle, very near the University of Heidelberg, and within convenient walking distance of the downtown areas of the city.
Classes are conducted in a modern classroom facility in the center of the city. The language of instruction is English, but all students must register for a course in German, which must be taken for a letter grade. Students planning to participate in the program must begin their study of German before going overseas.
London, United Kingdom
London is one of the world’s largest and most important cultural and commercial centers. This crossroads of the globe is an ideal place for students to study the literature, history, culture, and institutions which provide many of the foundations of American civilization. Students in London have access to educational resources unmatched elsewhere in the world. Visits to the museums, art galleries, libraries, houses of Parliament, and other historical and cultural sites are an integral part of the program. The central location of the program allows students to reach London’s theatres, concert halls, and shopping areas in a matter of minutes.
Students reside in the University-owned building in South Kensington in the Knightsbridge area near the Victoria and Albert museum. This facility, which is a splendid example of Victorian architecture, contains two classrooms, a study area, a computer laboratory, offices, a student kitchen, and a student center, and is adjacent to a private park. Central London is but minutes away by Underground.
Across the street from the Pepperdine facility is Imperial College, a prestigious institution specializing in science, engineering, business, and medicine. Students have access to the library of Imperial College and, by special arrangements, to other university and museum collections throughout London. During the fall semester and a six-week summer term, Pepperdine University’s School of Law operates a program for second-year law students which shares the classrooms, study area, and computer laboratory.
Florence, Italy
Florence, the city that gave birth to the Renaissance, was home to Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli, and the Medici family. One of the world’s greatest centers of artistic, literary, and historical treasures and traditions, Florence is filled with buildings that are themselves works of art, filled with art treasures. Scheduled visits to these sites are a regular part of the academic program.
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This former republic and once-capital of Italy provides an ideal location for the study of art, history, music, and literature. Florence is located almost at the center of the Italian peninsula. Rome lies only 145 miles away and France, Switzerland, Austria, and all of central Europe are but a few hours away.
Students reside in a University-owned facility which consists of the 19th-century Villa Di Loreto and the contiguous Residenza Tagliaferri. Students live in rooms with private baths, most meals are prepared in the facility’s kitchen, and they attend classes in fully-equipped classrooms in the same facility. This property also contains a study area and recreational facilities. It is located within walking distance of the historic district of Florence with its numerous museums and historic sites and the city’s main railway station.
The language of instruction is English, but all students must register for a course in Italian, which must be taken for a letter grade. Students planning to participate in the program must begin their study of Italian before going overseas. A special summer program, offered in alternate years, is designed for art majors.
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Buenos Aires is one of the most interesting and exciting cities in the world.
Its wide streets, often lined by sidewalk cafes, are responsible for its being known as the “Paris of South America.” The large metropolitan area includes the Federal District, the nation’s capital, and is home to busy commercial, historic, educational, and cultural centers.
Pepperdine students who study here live with selected host families and travel to their classes on one of the world’s better public transportation systems, which includes both a metro and extensive bus routes. Casa Holden includes offices, a computer laboratory, and student center. Adjacent to Casa Holden is Casa Olleros, where a Pepperdine library is located and classes are held. The language of instruction is English, but all students must register for a course in Spanish, which must be taken for a letter grade. Students planning to participate in the program must begin their study of Spanish before going to Argentina.
In addition to class attendance, scheduled visits to museums, attendance at local musical and theatrical performances, and visits to other cultural and educational locations are a regular part of the program. Educational field trips, also included in the program, may take the students to various locations in Argentina, or to places such as the magnificent falls at Iguazu, or the beautiful plains of Patagonia.
Students planning to attend the Buenos Aires program should remember that the city’s summer months are from December to February, when the mean high temperature is 83°F. The winter months are from June to August. The average annual temperature is a mild 60°F. Frosts may occur in the winter, but snowfall is rare.
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Shanghai, China
Shanghai, the largest city in the People’s Republic of China, is located on the Yangtze River in Eastern China. Since market restrictions were lifted, Shanghai has been a leading force in China’s economic reform, embracing the forces of business and emerging as an international metropolis with both modern and traditional Chinese features. Shanghainese enjoy one of the highest standards of living in China. As one of the nation’s most cultural, commercial, financial, and industrial centers, it’s no surprise that Shanghai was host to the 2010 World Expo.
Students reside in a Pepperdine-operated house in which all students live together. The house is centrally located near the prestigious French Concession—an area of Shanghai that includes many consulates, including the U.S. consulate. A visiting faculty family from Pepperdine lives with the students. The language of instruction is English, but all students must register for a course in Chinese language, which must be taken for a letter grade. Students planning to participate in the program must begin the study of Chinese before going overseas. Most courses are taught by professors from Fudan University, one of the most prestigious universities in China. The partnership with Fudan provides the opportunity for Pepperdine students to engage in interaction with Chinese students and enjoy the resources of this world-renowned Chinese university.
Lausanne, Switzerland
Lausanne is a city on Lake Geneva in the heart of the French-speaking area of western Switzerland. The city is large enough to provide the rich cultural life of an international experience, yet smaller than many major European cities.
The central location of Lausanne in Europe allows for easy train access to all the major cities of Europe. It is only 30 minutes from Geneva, four hours from Paris by bullet train, and one hour from the best ski slopes in the Swiss Alps.
Students reside in a University-owned facility in downtown Lausanne, only a few minutes from the train station. Lausanne has a reputation for being a city friendly to American students and provides a good environment in which students can speak French and experience French culture. It is also home to the International Olympic Organization and is conveniently located near the world-famous Montreux Jazz Festival. The proximity to Geneva will allow students to experience a city known for its international influence–Geneva is home to the European headquarters of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Red Cross, and the World Council of Churches. The language of instruction is English, but all students must register for a course in French, which must be taken for a letter grade. Students planning to participate in the program must begin their study of French before going overseas. During the summer, students can participate in an internship program through which they intern in one of many reputable companies or organizations.
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Washington, D.C., Program
Washington, D.C. is an important center for communications, business, the arts and many other endeavors. While studying there, students can visit the U.S. Capitol building and see Congress in session; they can visit the city’s many free museums or monuments, including the National Museum of American History, the Washington monument, or the Vietnam Memorial; they can tour the Supreme Court; and they can visit one of 174 foreign embassies.
Students reside and study in a University-owned facility in the heart of Washington, D.C., just four blocks from the White House on Pennsylvania Avenue. George Washington University is directly across the street, and Georgetown University is only a few blocks away. It is conveniently located close to several Metro stops, which makes it easy to access an internship.
The Washington, D.C., program is designed to assist students with their career development through internships and global engagement. The future labor force demands prior work experience and a global mind set. Students from all majors have the opportunity to gain real world experience by interning in the nation’s capital. Prior participants have interned in such organizations as the White House, the State Department, CNN, the Embassy of Venezuela, Congressional and Senate offices, the Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and many others.
In addition to an internship, the program will provide opportunities for global engagement. The program offers GE courses that have an international focus and weekly briefings that allow students to dialogue with diplomats, ambassadors and international affairs experts. During the academic year, students will participate in a 10-day international study tour to the Middle East (fall semester) and an international study tour to Cuba or Haiti in the spring semester.
Spanish Language Program
An upper-division Spanish language program is offered each summer, alternating between Madrid and Buenos Aires. Classes are taught by Pepperdine faculty members and by local professors. Classes include advanced conversation and Latin American or Spanish culture and civilization courses.
Educational excursions to locations of cultural or historic interest are included in the program. Local activities include attending plays and concerts and visiting museums. Students live with selected host families. All instruction in this program is in Spanish. After arriving in Madrid or Buenos Aires, students are expected to take a pledge to speak only in Spanish throughout their stay.
French Language Program
An intensive French language program is offered in alternate summers in Lausanne, Switzerland. Classes are taught by Pepperdine faculty members or by local faculty members. Classes may include contemporary French culture and French cinema. Educational excursions to locations of cultural or historic interest are included in the program. All instruction in this program is in
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French. After arriving, upper-division students are expected to take a pledge to speak only in French throughout their stay.
Other Program Opportunities
Students may participate in a variety of programs that are offered in various summers. They include but are not limited to the following opportunities:
students may participate in a medical mission service-learning program conducted in Fiji; theatre students may participate in a program in London and Edinburgh; art majors may study at Studio Art Centers International (SACI) in Florence and live in Pepperdine’s residential facility there; music students may study in a program in Heidelberg; and students may examine cross-cultural communication, global poverty, and economic development in East Africa.