Program Overview
Program Overview
Come to Groningen this summer and explore the creative and progressive ways the Netherlands is dealing with economic, environmental, and population challenges.
If you’re interested in environmental science, geography, or urban planning, this CIEE study abroad session in Groningen allows you to develop critical thinking by engaging in classroom discussions and intensive group project work.
Study abroad in Groningen this summer and you will:
- Understand how the Dutch deal with economic, environmental, and settlement challenges within the context of increasing levels of globalization
- Analyze the complexities of contemporary life in The Netherlands
- Begin to study or improve your Dutch language skills
Dates, Deadlines & Fees
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.
Application Due
Start Date
End Date
Costs
Summer 2013 (3 wks)
Extended to: 04/15/2013
06/02/2013
06/26/2013
$3,850
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, field trips, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.
Participation Confirmation *
$300
Educational Costs **
$2,798
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
Estimated Additional Costs
Meals not included in program fee
$750
International Airfare *
$1,450
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.
* round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
Summer 2014
04/01/2014
to be announced
to be announced
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.

Eligibility
Recommended Credit
Program Requirements
Program Requirements
All students take the required course during the session Society, Environment, Transportation, and Space: The Dutch Experience
About the City
About The City
Groningen is compact, yet lively, offering everything you would expect from a city with many cafés, shops, historic monuments, theaters, parks, and markets. Students comprise about 25% of the population during the academic year, and it is known as one of the Netherlands most student-focused cities. Groningen is located two hours northeast of Amsterdam by train.
Meet The Staff
Meet The Staff
Hannah Huber
Hannah Huber heads the CIEE Study Center in Amsterdam and Groningen and is responsible for, among other things; program development, the CIEE course curriculum, outreach, hosting site visitors, coordinating customized programs, and overseeing study center activity and staff. Hannah is originally from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and first ventured to the Netherlands as a Rotary exchange student in high school where she learned the language and fell in love with Dutch culture. She received her bachelor’s degree in American Studies from Dickinson College, where she also participated in Dickinson’s study abroad programs in Bologna, Italy and Norwich, England. Prior to working for CIEE, Hannah was employed by the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Washington, DC before moving to Amsterdam where she received her Master’s degree in American Studies (Thesis: Securing Country or Résumé: The History of Drivers for Study Abroad in the United States) with a minor in Educational Policy and Management. Having studied American culture from an outside perspective, and having been an exchange student to the Netherlands at a young age, Hannah is passionate about helping students adjust to their surroundings and appreciate all that the Netherlands has to offer them, as well as encourage them to give back and develop themselves while abroad.
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Jonathan Key
Jonathan Key is the Resident Coordinator of the CIEE Study Center in Groningen overseeing student affairs for CIEE students. Jonathan came to this position after graduating with a BA and MA in American Studies from the University of Groningen where he focused on the changing representation of women on American television. Born and raised in Belgium, he has been fascinated with the United States for as long as he can remember, and after being an exchange student in Oregon for a year after high shcool, he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life in the orbit of the U.S.
As resident coordinator, he hopes to draw on his theoretical understanding of how cultures work as well as his experiences on the ground to ensure that CIEE students in Groningen receive all the support they need navigating cultural, academic and day-to-day life in the Netherlands.
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Paul Van Steen
Paul Van Steen, Professor of Economic Geography and Urban and Regional Planning in the Department of Spatial Planning serves as Academic Advisor.
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Housing & Meals
Housing & Meals
Housing is included in the study abroad program fee. Students are placed in single rooms in residence halls with shared shower and kitchen facilities. Residence halls are within a short commute by foot, bike, or bus to the CIEE Study Center in Amsterdam and to the University of Groningen Meals are not included in the program fee and are the responsibility of the student. Meals may be taken at affordable restaurants, in the University cafeteria, or prepared in the residence’s kitchen facilities.
Internet
Internet
It's recommended to bring wireless-enabled laptop. Wireless Internet is available in the dorms as well as throughout the city. You will also have access to the various computer labs, available throughout the city at University academic buildings and libraries, for Internet use and printing.
Course Description
Course Description
All Courses
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.
CIEE Study Center Syllabi
To view the most recent syllabi for courses taught by CIEE at our Study Centers, visit our syllabi site.
Required CIEE Core Course
GEOG 3001 GUPS/URBS 3001 GUPS
Spatial Problems and Spatial Policies: The Dutch Experience
The core course uses the Dutch experience of defining spatial problems and devising, implementing, and monitoring spatial policies to investigate more widely applicable aspects of national, urban, and regional planning. It is taught by specialized staff from the Department of Spatial Sciences and coordinated through weekly tutorials and seminars. Lecture topics include Population Dynamics, Cultural Geography of the Netherlands, Physical Geography of the Netherlands, Dutch Water Management Policies, Transportation and Mobility, International Position of the Netherlands, Spatial Planning, Environmental Planning, Energ,y and Space, Death and Space, Rural Areas and Agriculture in the Netherlands, and Regional Economic Policies. The core course meets during the first block of the semester or “semester a” which lasts 10 weeks and delivers the historical, cultural, and environmental context and foundations for the research project that follows.
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