business, communications + culture

Quick Info

By Term

• Fall 2014
• Spring 2014
• Spring 2015
• Academic year 2014-2015

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Program Overview

As a center of international finance and politics and the home to stunning architecture, a vibrant arts scene, and vast cross-section of cultures, Brussels is as fascinating a city as it is beautiful. And given its resources, it’s also the perfect site to examine the relationship between business, politics, and the rapidly changing face of new media and communication.

Through language study, cultural excursions, and internships with local and international organizations, you’ll deepen your understanding not only of the field of communications, but also its European society and culture. Study abroad in Brussels and you will:

• Enroll in English-taught courses in communications, international relations, and Belgian culture, and work with a local organization through a for-credit internship
• Advance language skills in a French-taught course at the Université Libre de Bruxelles or a Dutch-taught course at the Vrije Universiteit Brussels
• Join CIEE on field trips to EU institutions, excursions within Belgium and to France, the Netherlands, and Germany, and local cultural activities

The CIEE Difference

Coursework

In addition to enrolling in a course on the culture, economy, and politics of Belgium and it’s people, take advantage of your host institute’s robust, communications course selection including marketing and advertising, intercultural communication, scriptwriting for radio and television, international reporting in Brussels, and corporate communications and public relations.

Internships

Step out of the classroom and into the professional field. Vesalius college offers a number of very competitive internships with local institutions and organizations. While foreign language skills may be an asset, a lack of foreign language skills is not an impediment to obtaining an internship in Brussels.

Excursions

Enjoy a number of extracurricular activities and excursions throughout the semester. Previous day trips have included Bruges, Luxembourg, Ypres, Waterloo, Bastogne, and Aachen with weekend excursions to France and Germany.

Dates, Deadlines & Fees

We want to make sure you get the most out of your experience when you study abroad with CIEE, which is why we offer the most inclusions in our fees.

• Tuition and housing
• Pre-departure advising and optional on-site airport meet and greet
• Full-time program leadership and support
• Field trips and cultural activities
• CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits

Please note, program dates are subject to change. Please contact your CIEE Study Abroad Advisor before purchasing airfare. Click the button to view more detailed information about dates and fees as well as estimated additional costs. Please talk with your University Study Abroad Advisor about additional fees that may be charged by your home institution when participating in a program abroad.

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Costs

Fall 2014

04/01/2014

TBA

TBA

$17,850

Program Date Notes

Program Fees

In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Participation Confirmation *

$300

Educational Costs **

$14,348

Housing ***

$3,100

Insurance

$102

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; students who elect to take ART 361, European Studies, at Vesalius College will be billed a supplemental tuition fee of approximately $1,200 for required overnight field trips, 4-6 weeks after the program starts.

*** Most students are housed in apartments; however, some homestays will be available. Homestay students will be billed an additional fee for weekday breakfast and evening meals, approximately $1,350 per semester, 4-6 weeks after the program starts.

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee *

$2,600

International Airfare **

$1,450

Local Transportation

$500

Books & Supplies

$275

Visa Fees

$234

Potential travel to consulate for visa

$500

Personal expenses

$2,650

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

* For students housed in apartments; homestay student will be billed approximately $1,350 for homestay meal fees 4-6 weeks after the program start date.

** round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

Spring 2014 (18 wks)

10/15/2013

01/12/2014

05/18/2014

$17,850

Program Date Notes

Program Fees

In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Participation Confirmation *

$300

Educational Costs **

$14,348

Housing ***

$3,100

Insurance

$102

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; students who elect to take ART 361, European Studies, at Vesalius College will be billed a supplemental tuition fee of approximately $1,200 for required overnight field trips, 4-6 weeks after the program starts.

*** Most students are housed in apartments; however, some homestays will be available. Homestay students will be billed an additional fee for weekday breakfast and evening meals, approximately $1,350 per semester, 4-6 weeks after the program starts.

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee *

$2,600

International Airfare **

$1,450

Local Transportation

$500

Books & Supplies

$275

Visa Fees

$234

Potential travel to consulate for visa

$500

Personal expenses

$2,650

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

* For students housed in apartments; homestay student will be billed approximately $1,350 for homestay meal fees 4-6 weeks after the program start date. These students should budget $1,500 for additional meals during the semester.

** round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

Spring 2015

10/15/2014

TBA

TBA

Program Date Notes

Program Fees

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

Estimated Additional Costs

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

Academic year 2014-2015

04/01/2014

TBA

TBA

$33,900

Program Date Notes

Program Fees

In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.

Participation Confirmation *

$300

Educational Costs **

$27,298

Housing ***

$6,200

Insurance

$102

This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.

Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.

* non-refundable

** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students; students who elect to take ART 361, European Studies, at Vesalius College will be billed a supplemental tuition fee of approximately $1,200 for required overnight field trips, 4-6 weeks after the program starts.

*** Most students are housed in apartments; however, some homestays will be available. Homestay students will be billed an additional fee for weekday breakfast and evening meals, approximately $1,350 per semester, 4-6 weeks after the program starts.

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee *

$5,200

International Airfare **

$1,450

Local Transportation

$1,000

Books & Supplies

$550

Visa Fees

$234

Potential travel to consulate for visa

$500

Personal expenses

$5,300

The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.

* For students housed in apartments; homestay student will be billed approximately $1,350 for homestay meal fees 4-6 weeks after the program start date.

** round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure

Eligibility

• Overall GPA 2.75

Recommended Credit

Total recommended credit for a semester is 15 semester/22.5 quarter hours. Total recommended credit for the academic year is 30 semester/45 quarter hours.

Course contact hours are 45 hours and recommended credit is 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours, unless otherwise indicated.

Program Requirements

All study abroad students take five courses including the CIEE core course, Contemporary Europe: The Belgian Experience, one required French or Dutch language course, and three Vesalius courses taught in English. Students with adequate French or Dutch language skills may replace Vesalius courses with regular ULB or VUB courses for a maximum of two regular university courses per semester. Students with advanced language skills may replace the required language course with a regular university course taken for credit. Students chosen for the Vesalius internship may replace one Vesalius course with the internship.

About The City

Brussels has emerged as the “Capital of Europe” in political and economic terms. As the headquarters of the European Union, it is at the forefront of European integration and EU policy. Brussels is also very international; its diversity is reflected in its neighborhoods, restaurants, and languages. While French is the dominant language, Dutch (Flemish) and English are widely spoken. Because of this, Brussels does not necessarily provide the language immersion one might get in another less multilingual location. For the same reason, students feel quickly at home.

Meet The Staff

Michelangelo vanMeerten

Dr. Michelangelo van Meerten holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. He joined CIEE in 2001 as a professor of European Integration for the CIEE Study Center and became the Resident Director in the fall of 2002. Dr. van Meerten has researched and lectured in the field of economics and economic history in Groningen, the Netherlands; Leuven, Louvain-la-Neuve, and Brussels, Belgium; Krakow, Poland; and Barcelona and Madrid, Spain. Michelangelo speaks six Western European languages fluently and has traveled extensively in Europe. His interests and research areas include the history and development of the European continent, transport and communications, European integration, politics, film, and culture.

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Bruxelles est une ville que j’adore. C’est l’endroit où l’Europe du nord rencontre l’Europe du sud, où les cultures latines se mélangent avec les traditions anglo-saxonnes et germaniques. Bruxelles s’affirme chaque jour davantage comme capitale de l’Europe. On y trouve différentes institutions européennes, mais aussi l’OTAN et beaucoup de ngo’s et entreprises internationales. Mais la ville accueille également des communautés du bassin méditerranéen, de l’Europe de l’Est, de l’Afrique, et de l’Amérique latine. Cette présence multiculturelle se reflète dans le foisonnement de langues, restaurants, festivals, et activités culturelles qui animent les différents quartiers de la ville. C’est une ville idéale pour connaître l’Europe!

— Michelangelo van Meerten, Resident Director

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Chloe Peebles

Resident Coordinator Chloe Peebles has an M.A in international relations from the Université Libre de Bruxelles in Brussels. She has been working for CIEE Brussels since August 2012, but has lived in Brussels since 2006. She grew up in an expat family and lived in different countries (Bulgaria, Haiti, France, USA and Spain) but fell in love with Brussels. She speaks French, English and Spanish fluently. She studied abroad in Madrid, Spain and loves to share her experience in discovering new cultures.

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Where You'll Study

Vesalius College, the international English-language college in Brussels, is a small, independent, academic institution with a student body of approximately 300. Vesalius is located southeast of central Brussels, next to the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), a partner of Vesalius College. Students with the necessary French or Dutch skills may also take courses at VUB or Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) which is considered the premier French-speaking university in Belgium.

Housing & Meals

Housing is included in the study abroad program fee. There are a limited number of homestays available with families from a variety of linguistic backgrounds. The non-homestay option, shared housing, includes a combination of individual rooms, with or without other students, and shared common spaces with landlords. Housing is mainly located in the southeast of central Brussels. An excellent public transportation system makes it easy to commute. All housing placements are made on site at the beginning of the semester.

Meals are not included in the program fee and are the responsibility of the student. Students who opt for a homestay usually share weekday breakfast and evening meals with their hosts. Students will be billed approximately four to six weeks after the program start date for the host family meal fee. Students in non-homestay shared housing have access to cooking facilities in order to prepare their own meals, and may also eat meals in university cafeterias or area restaurants.

Orientations

You'll begin your study abroad experience in Brussels even before leaving home by participating in a CIEE online pre-departure orientation. Meeting with students online, the resident director shares information about the program and site, highlighting issues that alumni have said are important, and giving you time to ask questions. The online orientation allows you to connect with others in the group, reflect on what you want to get out of the program, and learn what others in the group would like to accomplish. CIEE’s aim for the pre-departure orientation is simple—to help you understand more about the program, and to identify your objectives so that you arrive well-informed and return home having made significant progress towards your goals.

Prior to the start of each semester, there is a mandatory three-day orientation organized and conducted by CIEE at a hostel in downtown Brussels. The orientation will introduce you to Belgium and Brussels, provide practical information about the host country, daily life, academic program, housing, and cultural and educational differences, and enable you and the staff to get to know one another by participating in structured and informal activities that may include visits to museums, tours, and group meals. “Survival French” will prepare you to live in a primarily Frenchspeaking environment. Some “Survival Dutch” is introduced as well. Vesalius also offers a three-day program of academic orientation and social activities prior to the start of semester. You'll participate in both orientation programs. Ongoing support by CIEE staff is provided on an individual and group basis throughout the study abroad program.

Internet

You are encouraged to bring a wireless-enabled laptop. Wireless connections in the home are as common in Brussels as in the U.S. so you can expect to have Internet connections at your housing. However, you may find the availability of bandwidth to be more restricted than in the U.S. You may hook your laptop up to the Internet at Vesalius College and use the wireless network at VUB. You will be expected to open an email account upon receipt of your VUB student card. You will also have access to a small computer lab, with limited computers and hours, at VC, and at ULB you will have access to the computer lab and computers in the library. You should expect to use the computer labs or one of the numerous cyber cafés in Brussels.

Culture

Extracurricular activities and occasional group excursions are organized throughout the semester. Day trips may include Bruges, Luxembourg, Ypres, Bastogne, and Aachen and weekend excursions may include sites in France and Germany. Day trips to the UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague, European Parliament and Commission in Brussels, European Investment Bank, or European Court of Justice in Luxembourg may also occur. Visits to the Brussels Museum of Fine Arts, and regular visits to see French and European films complete program activities. You'll also have access to sports facilities at the VUB and may participate in student clubs and activities at Vesalius as well as ULB and VUB.

Academics

The CIEE Study Center in Brussels, Belgium was established in 1994 and moved to its current host institution, Vesalius College, in 2002. Vesalius College is unique among academic institutions in Brussels in that it is the only institution that offers a selection of courses taught in English at the undergraduate level. Through its association with the French-speaking ULB and Dutch-speaking VUB, study abroad students with adequate French or Dutch skills may take or audit one course at either of these institutions. The CIEE resident director facilitates registration for regular university courses..

Academic Culture

Vesalius College, like other European universities, offers three-year undergraduate degrees. These fall into three main areas—business, communications, and international affairs.

Vesalius College differs from most Belgian universities in the freedom its students have to take elective courses. Typically, Belgian students follow a set curriculum in their area of specialization and have few elective choices. Classes at Vesalius meet three hours a week for 15 weeks. Classes are often small, with fewer than 20 students on average. While Vesalius aspires to a similar teaching approach as found in the U.S., in practice it can be quite different because most of the professors and students are products of a European educational system. So while there may be more student-teacher interaction at Vesalius than at a regular Belgian educational institution, there will likely be less than U.S. students are accustomed.

Class size at ULB and VUB varies but is generally much larger than at Vesalius. The teaching method at ULB and VUB is primarily lecture-style. Students are advised that due to possible changes in the courses offered each term they should be flexible in course selection. Please note that ULB and VUB fall semester courses extend into January and spring semester courses extend into June. While CIEE students may request permission for early exams, CIEE does not guarantee approval of such requests.

Nature of Classes

The CIEE core course is with other CIEE study abroad students only. French and Dutch language courses are with CIEE and other international students. Regular university courses are with CIEE, Belgian, and other international students.

CIEE Community Language Commitment

As students gain proficiency in French or Dutch, resident staff encourage them to use their language skills in everyday settings. The more students participate, the more a community that contributes to French or Dutch language proficiency and understanding of Belgian society develops. Students are also encouraged to participate in conversation tables, organized by CIEE, with local students in an informal setting.

Grading System

Final grades given by Vesalius professors follow the U.S. system of letter grades and are based on a four-point scale, i.e., A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, etc. Course grades are based on a combination of factors and assignments including attendance and participation, research papers, presentations, and mid-term and final examinations. Final exams at ULB and VUB are usually oral, and the final course grade may be based on a single 15-minute oral exam. Grades are based on a numerical system of one to 20 with 10 considered a passing grade.

Internship

Vesalius College offers for-credit and unpaid internship opportunities to juniors and seniors, who are awarded a letter grade upon completion. CIEE participants may apply for available slots. However, because internships are competitive, there is no guarantee that students will be assigned an internship. Interested students should submit a résumé and cover letter with their course registration form. All internships require interviews with the sponsor of the internship. Foreign language skills may be an asset; however, a lack of foreign language skills is not an impediment to obtaining an internship in Brussels.

Study abroad students should be prepared for a workload of 150 hours over the course of the semester. There will be a mid-term meeting with, and report given to, the supervising professor. Participants should verify whether their home institution will grant credit for the internship. Students who wish to apply for an internship should send a résumé and cover letter to the resident director before the start of the program. Internship interviews usually take place the week of orientation. Registration for internships takes place only after arrival in Brussels and only after the student has been accepted by the institution, organization, or company offering the internship.

Language of Instruction

Dutch
English
French

Faculty

The CIEE core course is taught by the resident director. Regular college and university courses are taught by faculty from Vesalius College, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, and Université Libre de Bruxelles.

Course Description

Program Blog

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