Approved Summer Programs

"Trees" Lesley Merz, CC'09 Denmark

If you are interested in participating in a summer language program not on this list, you may petition for approval from the OGP. You may only receive credit for classes completed through an accredited university.

Summer Credit Approval Form (non-Columbia programs only)

Field Programs: Students from certain majors may undertake summer field studies program for credit toward the major. For example, and archeology student may participate in a summer dig, a Pre-Med student may do a summer program that focuses on Public Health. Interested students should seek the advice and approval of their major department.

For a list of approved programs, click on the regions below.


“Rwandese girl, Oruchinga Refugee Settlement”Ayla Bonfiglio, CC 09 Uganda

AFRICA

Kenya
Yale Swahili Program in Mombasa:An eight week intensive language and culture program taught at the Fort Jesus Museum. Elementary Kiswahili is a prerequisite.

Tanzania
Georgetown Summer Program in Dar-es-Salaam Based at the University of Dar-es-Salaam. This program offers Intensive Swahili language and either Environment and Marine Biology or Tanzanian Civil Society and Politics classes. Housing is in local university residential housing.

Senegal
Summer at Cheikh Anta Diop University . Sponsored by Indiana University. This program offers Wolof language classes, as well as History, Culture and Politics of West Africa coursework. Students must have at least 2 semesters college-level French as a prerequisite.

South Africa
Penn Summer Program- Intensive Intermediate-Advanced Zulu
A Fulbright-HAYS-sponsored program offered in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Pietermaritzburg. This is an 8 week program in Zulu Language.

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ASIA

China & Taiwan

Wen Zou CC'09 Vietnam

Columbia University Summer Language Program in Beijing
An intensive Chinese language program for students with at least 1 term of Chinese through the 5-th year level. Students live in homestays or in residence halls. A 9 week program from late June to late August.

Columbia Summer Business Chinese & Internship Program
Based in Shanghai, this program offers Business Chinese at the 3rd, 4th & 5th year levels, plus an internship at local organizations & companies. A 10 week program from early June to mid-August.

Center for Chinese Language and Culture Studies (CCLC) at National Taiwan Normal University. A Summer Language Program in Taipei, sponsored by the EALAC department. All levels of standard and classical Chinese offered. Early June through August.

International Chinese Language Program (ICLP)
An intensive program in Chinese language taught at all levels. Offered by National Taiwan University. An 8 week program from early June through August.

Japan
KCJS: Kyoto Consortium for Japanese Studies
Starting summer 2009, this is an intensive Japanese language program for advanced (3rd year) and classical Japanese students in Kyoto.

Hokkaido International Foundation
Intensive Japanese Language and Culture Program for students with at least 1 year of Japanese based in Hakodate. The program runs from mid-June through mid-August.

International Christian University
Summer Courses in Japanese language at the introductory through advanced levels in Tokyo. A 6 week program from early July to mid-August.

Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Study:
In Yokohama, an advanced Japanese summer program for 6 weeks from mid-June to early August.

Princeton-in-Ishikawa
An intensive language program for students with at least 1 year of Japanese in Kanazawa. An 8 week program from late May to late July.


Korea
Ewha Women’s University Korean Language Program
Intensive and non-intensive Korean language program at all levels in Seoul. Students may take either a 3 or 10 week program.

Korea University
Korean language classes at all language levels offered by the Korean Language and Culture Center at Korea University in Seaoul. A 10 week program from mid July to mid September.

Seoul National University
Beginner & Intermediate Korean classes offered by the Korean Language Education Institute. A 10 week program: Late June to Late July.

Yonsei University
Intensive and non-intensive Korean language programs at all levels offered at the Korean Language Institute. Program runs from late June to early September.

India
American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS)
Immersion language study for intermediate to advanced speakers of: Hindi (Jaipur), Bengali (Kolkata), Tamil (Madurai), Telugu (Vizag), Marathi (Pune), Urdu (Lucknow), Malayalam (Trivendrum), Sanskrit (Pune); 10 week programs.

Tibet
Llasa (on hold)
University of Virginia at Tibet University
For students with one year of Tibetan. An 8 week course: June to Mid July.

Vietnam
CET Vietnam Immersion Program
A program in beginning to advanced Vietnamese language studies based in Ho Chi Minh City. Additional courses offered in Vietnamese area studies. Program runs from mid June to mid August.

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Ferria de Corpus Christi, Michael Charley, CC '09 Spain

EUROPE

 

Bosnia/Serbia/Croatia
University of Novi Sad. International Summer School
Three week intensive Serbian language program at the Faculty of Philosophy at Novi Sad University. All levels of Serbian. Housing is in student dormitories.

University of Zagreb. University School of Croatian Language and Culture
The “Little summer school of Croatian language” Given at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb.

Bulgaria
International Center for Bulgarian Studies (ICBS). University of Veliko Turnovo International Summer Seminar for Bulgarian Studies (ISSBS). 2 or 3 week program for Bulgarian language at all levels. Housing in a local hotel.

Czech Republic
Charles University Institute of Slavonic Studies
Summer School of Slavonic Studies (the LŠSS). A 4 week Czech language program for beginners through advanced levels. Housing is in student residence halls.

Harvard Summer Program in the Czech Republic
5-week course in intensive Czech language and Bohemian culture; 6 wks- mid-Jun to late July.

Eurasia
American Councils ACTR/ACCELS Eurasian Regional Language Programs
Programs in Buryat in Ulan Ude; Georgian and Chechen in Tbilisi ; Kazakh in Almaty; Kyrgyz in Bishkek; Tajik, Persian, and Uzbek in Dushanbe; Ukrainian in Kyiv. Programs are also available for the study of Armenian, Belarusian, Dari, Pashtu, Romanian, Russian, Tatar, Turkmen, Tuvan, and Yakut. Please note that some languages are offered in more than one country.

 

France
Reid Hall
Columbia’s program in Paris for students with at least 1 year of French. Offers French language and area studies classes.

Bryn Mawr College
Advanced French language and culture program based in Avignon, France. Students may live in home stays or in pensions.This program is for students with 3+ years of French.

University of MN in Montpellier
French language program based at the University Paul Valery. Offers French language classes from the beginning to the intermediate levels. 4 or 8 week programs.

Boston University Language and Liberal Arts Program in Grenoble
Intermediate and advanced French language program for students with 3-4 semesters of prior study. Additional classes in French regional studies. A 7 week program from early June to late July.

Human Rights and Conflict Resolution in Strasbourg (Syracuse University)
French language study with a focus on human rights. Program offers lectures by human rights activists and field trips to relevant sites around Strasbourg. A 5 week program from the end of May - early July. Housing in local home stays.

Institute for American Universities
With programs in Aix-en-Provence and Avignon, these program offer French language studies for students from the beginning to advanced levels. Aix: Beginning-advanced French language courses, content courses in French and English Avignon: Site geared more towards those with prior French study.Both programs run 6 weeks from mid June to late July, housing is in home stays.

Penn-in-Tours, France
Intensive Intermediate & Advanced French language program. Additional course work in French history and media.

Germany
FUBIS: Frei Universistat Berlin
German language classes at all levels based at the FUBerlin. See Richard Korb of the German Department for details & for scholarship opportunities

Harvard Summer Program in Munich
An intensive German language and culture program for students with one year of college-level German.

University of Wisconsin- Madison at Bonn University
German language program for students with at least 1 semester of German. Program is usually for the month of August.

Goethe Institute
A language institute with 16 locations in Germany. 4 and 8 week programs open to students at all language levels.

Greece & Classics
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, School of Modern Languages
One month intensive course in Modern Greek at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

American College of Thessaloniki
One month in Northern Greece. Up to two NEASC accredited courses. Cultural and academic studies.

Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, School of Modern Greek Language
Greek language program for students with at least one semester of prior study. IASTE participant.

Summer Modern Greek Language Program (College Year In Athens)
Sessions in the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels of Modern Greek. Sessions are held in Athens, Paros & Karystos.

Cornell University Summer Session
Cultural immersion program in Crete, Greece. Program offers field trips. Usually runs from May-June.

Hungary
Lexia International (Budapest)
Summer program in Budapest based at the Eötvös Collegium. Hungarian at 3 levels and regional studies elective (in English.). Housing is in local student dorms.

Italy
Columbia in Venice
Italian Language program including cultural studies and art history in Venice at Ca’Foscari.

Vassar College: Summer in Siena
Italian language program for Italian language students of all levels & Italian studies courses based at the University of Siena.

Harvard Summer School Program in Abruzzo (Chieti and Vasto), Italy
Programs focuses on history and sociology of Italian gastronomy and language. For students with at least one year of Italian. 5 week program.

Brown University: Bologna, Intensive Elementary Italian
Program includes 90-hour intensive beginning course in Italian and a film course in English. Program usually runs for 6 weeks.

Boston University Language and Liberal Arts Program in Padova
Program offers beginning to advanced Italian language courses and two content courses in English. Offers a literature course for advanced students. Students will live in home stays, and program runs for 6 weeks.

Penn-in-Florence
Program offers Italian language courses at the beginning and intermediate levels, and Art history & history courses in English.

Norway
University of Oslo International Summer School
Norwegian language, culture and society, courses taught in English; varied courses available; dorm housing provided, 6 wks- late June to early Aug

Poland
Arizona State University Summer Practicum at the Adam Mickiewicz University (Poznan).
3 week intensive Polish program for students with at least 1 year of Polish.

Jagiellonian University (UJ).
Summer School of Polish Language and Culture (Krakow).Three-, four- and six-week programs in Polish language with optional regional electives in English & Polish. Housing is in local student dorms.

Russia
American Councils (ACTR/ACCELS) Advanced Russian Language and Area Studies Program (RLASP)
All levels of Russian taught at three sites: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Vladimir. Students stay in residence halls or home stays; Program runs from the second week of June to the first week of August

American Councils (ACTR/ACCELS)
American Councils Business Russian Language and Internship (BRLI) Program
Program focuses on the language of Russian business with an internship averaging ten to fifteen hours per week at a multinational company, business, or non-governmental organization agency in Russia. Moscow International University and the Russian State Pedagogical (Gertsen) University in St. Petersburg host this program. Advanced speakers only.

Bard College. Institute for International Liberal Education/Smolny College (St. Petersburg).
The Bard-Smolny Summer Language Intensive (SLI) is designed for those who want to have an immersion experience after having completed between two and six semesters of college-level Russian language. Both four- and eight-week programs are offered.

CIEE Summer Russian Program in St. Petersburg.
For students with 4 semesters of Russian. Advanced language classes with regional studies in English. Home stay with a Russian family

Dickinson College. Russian Language Immersion Program
The Moscow/St. Petersburg Summer Immersion Program is an intensive five-week language and culture course given at the Russian State University for the Humanities. In addition to language study, a series of English-language lectures given by experts in their fields will focus on recent developments in Russian culture, society, politics, art, architecture, and theatre. For students with 1 term of Russian and more.

Slovenia
University of Ljubljana. Centre for Slovene as a Second/Foreign Language
2 or 4 week course in Slovene language in July. Beginners through advanced levels. Housing in local student residence.

Spain
University of Pennsylvania (Alicante)
Program offers Spanish language, culture and civilization courses. It runs for 5 weeks from late June to the end of July. For students with at least one year of Spanish.

Summer Institute of Hispanic Studies/Hamilton College (León)
Spanish language, grammar and culture program for students with at least 2 semesters of prior study at the intermediate level, or four or more semesters at the advanced level. Program runs for 5 weeks from late June to the end of July.

BU Madrid Language and Liberal Arts Program
Intensive Spanish language at intermediate and advancedlevels. Students live in home stays. Program runs for six weeks at the Instituto Internacional en España.

Arcadia University- Summer in Spain [Fundación José Ortega y Gaset, Toledo]
Program offers Spanish language and culture courses for 6 weeks from mid-June to late July. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and at least 3 semesters of prior study in Spanish. Students live in home stays or dorms.

Summer Literature and Contemporary Spain Program at Universidad de Málaga (IFSA-Butler)
Intensive
Spanish language program for intermediate and advanced students. At least 3 semesters of prior study is required. Offers area studies and language courses in Spanish. Program runs for six weeks, and students live in home stays.

Sweet Briar in Seville
Program offers intermediate level Spanish classes for students with at least one year of prior study in Spanish. Runs for five weeks with 90 hours of in-class instruction. Students live in home stays.

 

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LATIN AMERICA

Argentina

Institute for Study Abroad--Butler in Buenos Aires

Ecuador Mary Alice Parks CC09

A summer language and culture program. Offers Advanced Spanish language courses as well as area courses in Spanish. A six week program. Students live in home stays.

Harvard Summer School in Buenos Aires
Program offers courses in Latin American culture and Spanish language, and runs for 5 weeks. Students live in home stays.

Penn-in-Buenos Aires
An intensive Spanish program for intermediate speakers. Program offers Spanish classes, Argentine Literature and Argentine History classes. The program runs for 5 weeks in partnership with the Universidad Torcuato di Tella. Students live with host families.

Mexico
Universidad de Guadalajara
Program offers intensive language courses at the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels with the Centro de Estudios para Extranjeros. It also offers content courses on Mexican literature and economic and political history, as well as courses in Latin American literature, Pre-Hispanic art, and Mexican cinema. Program runs for 5 weeks (50 hours).

International Studies Abroad: Universidad de Guanajuato
The first summer session runs from May 25-June 28; the second one runs from July 6-August 9. Program offers intensive language course at all levels of proficiency. Includes courses in Latin American history and literature for students at the intermediate and advanced levels. Program runs for 5 weeks.

Bolivia
Harvard Summer Program in Sucre, Bolivia
Program offers two courses in regional Bolivian studies, as well as anthropology, language, art and literature courses in Spanish. Runs for 5 weeks from early June to August. At least 2 years of Spanish is required.
(Be advised there is a U.S. State department travel warning for Bolivia)

Brazil
Harvard Summer Program in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Program encompasses Brazilian Portuguese and Brazilian culture at the intermediate level. Runs for five weeks from early June to early August. Students live in home stays.

Yale Summer Portuguese Language and Literature Program
Program offers beginning Portuguese language, literature and culture and runs for 3 weeks from early June to late July, with 4 weeks in New Haven, CT and 4 weeks in Paraty, Brazil.

Brazilian Language and Culture Program in Rio
The University of Florida/Georgetwon University offers a six-week Brazilian Language and Culture program in Rio de Janeiro. The program is hosted by the Instituto Brasil-Estados Unidos (IBEU) in Copacabana.  Students will study Portuguese language and Brazilian culture, live with homestay families.  The program offers Portuguese Language  at the intermediate and advanced levels and Brazilian Culture and Civilization course.


Venezuela

University of Minnesota in Mérida
Offers language classes at the beginning to advanced levels with the Venusa College of International Studies and Modern Languages. The summer session runs for 6 weeks from late June to early August.

Dominican Republic
CIEE/ Santiago, Community Public Health Program
Advanced Spanish Language program for Pre-Med and Public Health students. Program offers coursework on Public Health issues in the context of the Dominican Republic. There is a fieldwork component. The program runs for 7 weeks—with 6 weeks of coursework—from early June to late July. Two year of Spanish and at least one public health course is required.

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THE MIDDLE EAST

Egypt


"Al Qasr" Eygpt Nick Stephens C

Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) at the American University in Cairo
Program offers training in the Arabic language for students with at least two years of prior study in Arabic.

Arabic Language Institute (ALI), American University in Cairo
Program offers intensive courses in both modern standard and Egyptian colloquial Arabic. The summer session runs from June 7 to July 26.

Lebanon
American University of Beirut (on hold)
Center for Arab and Middle Eastern Studies
Program offers intensive language courses for students of all levels, including course in colloquial Arabic. Program runs for 6 ½ weeks from late June to August. (Be advised there is a U.S. State department travel warning for Lebanon)

Morocco
Arabic Language Institute in Fez (ALIF) (Morocco)
Program offers intensive language study at all levels in modern standard Arabic and Egyptian colloquial Arabic. The Arabic Language Institute in Fez (ALIF) offers three and six-week courses in all levels of Modern Standard Arabic and Colloquial Moroccan Arabic throughout the year.

SIT Intensive Arabic in Rabat
Program offers courses in intensive modern standard Arabic (Fus’ha) and an introduction to Moroccan culture and Moroccan Arabic (Darija) through cultural and linguistic immersion.

Arabic Language and North African Studies Summer Program
This program is sponsored by Binghamton University (SUNY) at Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane. Offers courses in Arabic language at all levels, as well as colloquial and regional courses. Runs from 4-8 weeks at various start dates.

Syria
University of Damascus Arabic Language Center
Program offers courses in modern standard Arabic, Syrian colloquial Arabic, and calligraphy Arabic for students with at least one year of prior study. Courses run for four weeks.

(Be advised there is a U.S. State department travel warning for Syria)

Institut Francais d'Etudes Arabes Damas (IFEAD)
Offers courses in modern standard Arabic and Syrian colloquial Arabic. French is helpful, but not required. Program is for students with at least one year of prior study in Arabic. Courses are intensive and run for four weeks

Yemen
Yemen Language Center (Sana'a)
The Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies offers courses in beginning to advanced Arabic language. Program runs for five weeks and has various start dates.

(Be advised there is a U.S. State department travel warning for Yemen)

Israel
University of Haifa/Department of Overseas Studies
ULPAN offers Hebrew language courses at all levels.

Hebrew University Summer Arabic Session
ULPAN offers Hebrew language courses at all levels.

West Bank (on hold)
International Summer Program (ISP) (West Bank, Palestine)
Birzeit University Continuing Education Department; PO Box 14 Birzeit, West Bank, via Israel
ULPAN offers Hebrew language courses at all levels.

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FIELD PROGRAMS (by major, departmental approval required)

Students in certain majors may participate in field programs during the summer. Departmental permission is required.

Archeology

 

Kenya
Rutgers University (Koobi Foora Field School)
Program includes a paleo-archeological dig and courses in evolutionary studies.

Spain
Mediterranean Archaeological Field School (BU)
Program includes fieldwork, lectures, museum visits and laboratory work. Runs for six weeks from late May to early June. Students live on site. No prior study in Spanish language is required.

Ecuador
Pambamarca Archaeological Project
The UCLA Field-School in the Andean Highlands investigates ancient, historic and living landscapes in Pambamarca, Ecuador. The two classes, Archaeological Fieldwork and Laboratory Training, and Ecuador Past and Present, will provide students with the field work, methods and historical and sociopolitical context of their experiences.

Honduras
Harvard Summer School in Copán
The Field School in Classic Maya Archaeology and Epigraphy offers a this four week program in English.

 

African Studies

Kenya
Peace & Conflict Studies in Kenya (University of Toronto)
Summer program in Nairobi, Masa Mara & Mombassa. And interdisciplinary course, "Conflict in Africa: Causes, Consequences, and Response" with UToronto Faculty, local experts & NGOs.

Arts

 

Ghana
Urban Ethnomusicology(SIT)
Program is based in Accra with excursions to the Volta region and Kumasi. Students study the influence, impact, and evolution of musical forms in Ghana. Program offers an ethnomusicology seminar and practical workshops.

 

Environmental Majors

 

Brazil & Dominican Republic
Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U)
Field ecology program includes lectures and independent study.

Iceland
Renewable Energy, Technology, and Resource Economics(SIT)
In Reykjavik, Akureyri and the western fjords, students explore how Iceland’s renewableenergy policy and resources fit into the larger national agenda. Students visit significant geological and energy sites in northern Iceland. Program offers an intro course in Icelandic language.

Malaysia
Harvard Summer School in Borneo
Program explores the biodiversity of Malaysia, and runs for 5 weeks from late June to late August. Students stay in hotels and bunkhouses.

School for Field Studies (SFS)
Program includes month-long field programs in Kenya, Australia, Costa Rica, and Turks & Caicos.

 

Human Rights

 

Balkans
State Building and Human Rights in the South Balkans(SIT)
Program is in Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia & Macedonia, and is a field based program exploring state-building and minority rights in a Balkan context. Includes a two week community project with a Roma community in Macedonia.

Chile
Advanced Field Research in Chile and Argentina(SIT)
Based in Santiago, students conduct advanced field research in the social sciences, environmental policy, education, or public health. Students take a methods course, Contemporary Chilean issues and undertake a research project. In Spanish.

Switzerland
International Studies, Organizations, and Social Justice(SIT)

Based in Geneva, the program examines the history and development of international organizations, the role of international organizations in the new millennium, and NGOs, as well as a critique of organizational strategies, mandates, and resources Culminates in a student research project.

Uganda & Rwanda
Peace and Conflict Studies in the Lake Victoria Basin (SIT)
The program examines the historical, political, and social dimensions of the conflicts in the Lake Victoria Basin with a focus on northern Uganda and Rwanda. The program utilizes the resources of Makerere University and the peace-building and NGO community to study the root causes of Rwandan genocide and conflict.

 

Public Health & Medicine (for pre-med students)

 

China
Community Health and Traditional Chinese Medicine(SIT)
Based in the city of Kunming and run in conjunction with the Yunnan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the program provides an introduction to the ancient philosophy, theory, history, and practices in traditional Chinese medicine, placing it in the social context of public health in China. Offers Mandarin language and Chinese culture courses.

Dominican Republic
CIEE Community Health in the Dominican Republic
Spanish-language program for pre-med students. Offers Advanced Spanish and 2 public health classes and includes urban and rural service projects. Students live in home stays.

Argentina
CIEE summer Public Health
Intensive Spanish language training with a focus on medical terminology. Program offers interdisciplinary courses in public health and includes field experience to learn about healthcare in Argentina guided by local practitioners. Students live in home stays. Course are taught in Spanish.

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