central european studies

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By Term

• Fall 2013
• Spring 2013
• Spring 2014

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Program Overview

Spend a semester or a year in studying in Warsaw, the bustling city at the center of Poland’s economic and cultural life.

In this thriving Central European capital, you’ll gain a greater understanding of the region, and Polish history, culture, experience, and perspective. You'll also have the opportunity to study business practices and economics in Poland and the European Union through courses at the Warsaw School of Economics. And with Polish language learning, cultural activities, and excursions to sites of interest in and around the city, studying abroad in Poland offers you an exciting and immersive international experience.

Study abroad in Poland and you will:

• Study business, economics, and political science with Polish and other European students in English-taught classes; students with fluent Polish language may take courses taught in Polish
• Live in a country which has made the most successful transformation from a state-controlled to a democratic market-based system in the region
• Visit Gdansk and the Solidarity Museum; Kraków, Auschwitz and the Holocaust Museum; and Lublin to see very well preserved artifacts of Polish Jews
• Take advanced level business courses
• Explore Polish culture and get reimbursed through the Cultural Reimbursement Program

The CIEE Difference

Coursework

Enjoy a variety of specialized language and area studies courses including Polish history and literature, Social Issues in Contemporary Poland, and Jews in Poland and the Holocaust.

Interested in taking classes in business or economics? Direct enrolment options are available at the Warsaw School of Economics.

Excursions

Enjoy visits to sites of historic and cultural importance in and around Warsaw. Take a study tour to Gdansk, the home of the Solidarity Movement, as well as a four-day study tour to Kraków and the surrounding area, including a visit to Auschwitz, the Nazi death camp. Visits to other Polish cities (like Olsztyn or Lublin) are included as class field trips. You’ll also attend opera performances, classical music concerts, and a variety of other cultural events.

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.

Program

Application Due

Start Date

End Date

Costs

Fall 2013 (16 wks)

Extended to: 05/01/2013

08/31/2013

12/19/2013

$14,850

Program Date Notes

Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.

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 **

$13,048

Housing

$1,400

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

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee

$1,500

International Airfare *

$1,450

Local Transportation

$150

Books & Supplies

$100

Visa Fees **

$80

Potential travel to consulate for visa

$500

Personal expenses

$1,950

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

** average cost

Spring 2013 (16 wks)

11/15/2012

01/26/2013

05/18/2013

$14,850

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 **

$13,048

Housing

$1,400

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

Estimated Additional Costs

Meals not included in program fee

$1,500

International Airfare *

$1,450

Local Transportation

$150

Books & Supplies

$100

Visa Fees **

$80

Potential travel to consulate for visa

$500

Personal expenses

$1,950

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

** average cost

Spring 2014

----

to be announced

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Eligibility

• Overall GPA 2.75

Recommended Credit

Total recommended credit for the semester is 16 semester/24 quarter hours.

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

Program Requirements

All study abroad students take the required Polish language course at their level and four CIEE area studies courses taught in English, or an equivalent number of WSE courses.

For students at the advanced level of business studies, business courses in English are also available at the Warsaw School of Economics through the Community of European Management Schools (CEMS), the European network of business schools, or Erasmus Student’s Program network. Enrollment in these courses requires the prior approval of the student’s home university.

About The City

A relatively young city by Polish standards, Warsaw was founded in the 14th century and became the nation’s capital in 1596. Warsaw is a bustling city at the center of Poland’s economic and cultural life, and a thriving Central European capital. It has an excellent public transportation system and is easily navigable. The city is divided by the Vistula River, and has many parks, royal palaces, and a colorful Old Town area. Enjoy the many theaters, museums, cafés, and discos while studying abroad in the most rapidly growing city in Central Europe.

Meet The Staff

Bogdan Radomski

Dr. Bogdan A. Radomski, a native of Poland, received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Economics from the Warsaw School of Economics and currently also serves as an Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer of International Finance at WSE. Bogdan began as CIEE Resident Director in Warsaw in 1989 with the program’s inception. He strongly believes that personal contacts—developed by living with people of different nationalities, cultures, and habits—help eliminate stereotypes and xenophobia, and thus, furthers better understanding in today’s world.

Read More

The CIEE Study Center in Poland opened in 1989, as the first CIEE program in Central Europe. Poland today is the most successful country in the Region in transforming its society, economy, laws, and public institutions from a Communist regime to a free market democracy. May 1, 2004 was a turning point in the history of Poland. On that date, Poland became a member of the European Union, and the dreams of millions of Solidarity members were fulfilled. Poland entered to European Union as the sixths biggest country in Europe and started to adjust its political, economic, institutional system to European Union standards. This process is also very successful in Poland because Poland is one of few countries in Europe which are not affected by current economic and financial crisis.

The CIEE Study Center in Warsaw offers a unique opportunity for ambitious students to study such processes in reality, rather than reading about them in books. or learn stereotype opinions from media. The country is truly a laboratory to study social, political, and economic changes. In fact, the transition from a totalitarian political system with a command economy to a democratic society with a market economy had never happened before anywhere in history. There have been both many achievements and failures since Solidarity defeated communism in Poland. It is indeed fascinating to observe ongoing processes of change in Poland, and the successful accession to the European Union provides yet another interesting case study Students who choose this program are coming to the right country and studying at the right institution if they want to learn about a rapidly changing country and region. Students will confront existing stereotypes about Poland and Central Europe and compare them with the day-to-day reality of life in the region. Studies on modern Poland are very nicely balances with studies on very old Polish history and culture and its interconnections with culture of the regional countries and the rest of Europe.

— Dr. Bogdan Radomski, Resident Director

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Malgorzata "Gosia" Nowicka

Malgorzata (Gosia) Nowicka, Program Assistant received her M.A. in American Studies at Warsaw University. She studied abroad in Germany on a Socrates Erasmus Scholarship.

Read More

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Where You'll Study

Established in 1906, the Warsaw School of Economics (WSE) is the oldest and largest economics university in Poland, with 17,000 students. Located close to the city center, WSE offers programs in economics, management, statistics, computer science, demography, and public-sector economics. WSE has developed close contacts with universities and institutes abroad, and its academic staff plays an active role in the private sector and state administration, as well as in numerous domestic and international organizations. The student dormitory is very close to the WSE campus.

Housing & Meals

Housing is included in the program fee. Study abroad students live together in double rooms in a Warsaw School of Economics dormitory, with shared bath and kitchen facilities. Polish and other international students live in the dormitory as well. The dormitory is located very close to the campus, and city bus and tramway stops. The metro station is a short 10-minute walk from the dormitory. Meals are not included in the program fee and are the responsibility of the student. Meals may be prepared in the dormitory, or eaten at any of the various student cafeterias or restaurants and cafés in Warsaw.

Orientations

You'll begin your study abroad experience in Warsaw 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 identify your objectives so that you arrive well-informed and return home having made significant progress towards your goals.

A mandatory week-long orientation conducted in Warsaw at the beginning of the program, introduces you to the country, culture, and academic program, and provides practical information about living in Warsaw. You'll benefit from ongoing orientation and cultural learning through their associations with CIEE Polish “Buddies,” local WSE students recruited to assist with the program students. You will meet these buddies at the beginning of orientation. Ongoing support is provided by CIEE staff on an individual and group basis throughout the program.

Internet

You are encouraged to bring a wireless-enabled laptop. You will be able to access the Internet in your dorm room and in the school buildings. Upon arrival, you may establish an email account through the University network. Please note that you'll have limited access to computers at the Warsaw School of Economics. There also are numerous Internet cafés in Warsaw for your use.

Culture

Cultural Reimbursement

The CIEE Study Center in Warsaw offers a Cultural Reimbursement Program that may be used to explore Warsaw and other areas of Poland independently. As a means of encouraging you to take maximum advantage of your time in Warsaw and in Poland, you may be reimbursed for some of your tickets to theater, Polish films, opera, ballet, and other special local events.

Academics

Established in 1989, the study abroad program provides a broad-based academic program combined with an in-country cultural experience. The program offers students Polish language instruction and a series of specially designed courses in such fields as Central European politics, literature, history, and economics, as well as the option to enroll in Warsaw School of Economics (WSE) courses taught in English or Polish.

Academic Culture

All CIEE courses are taught in English. Course content is country and region specific. The teaching method tends to be lectures, although most professors welcome discussion. CIEE courses generally meet twice a week for 90 minutes. CIEE students are registered at the Warsaw School of Economics as full time students and are granted WSE student IDs.

The CIEE program calendar follows that of the U.S. higher education system, with the fall semester running from late August to mid-December, and the spring semester from late January to mid-May. However, the academic calendar for the Warsaw School of Economics consists of a fall semester from late September to late January, and a spring semester from mid-February to late May or early June. CIEE students who directly enroll in WSE courses may request permission for early exams prior to the winter holiday break (fall semester) or summer break (spring semester), although CIEE does not guarantee approval of such requests.

Nature of Classes

CIEE courses are primarily taken by CIEE students, although Polish or other international students occasionally participate. Participants who enroll in CEMS or other Warsaw School of Economics courses take classes with CIEE, Polish, and other international students.

CIEE Community Language Commitment

As study abroad students gain proficiency in Polish, resident staff encourage them to use their language skills in everyday settings. The more students participate, the more a community that contributes to Polish language proficiency and understanding of Polish society develops.

Grading System

Grades are assigned using the Polish grading scale of 2—5.5 (with 5.5 being the highest possible grade) and converted to U.S. letter grade equivalents. Plus grades (i.e. 3+, 4+, etc.) are also assigned, but there are no minus grades awarded. Most courses have at least two means of assessment, usually a mid-term and final exam or paper. However, depending on the course, additional assignments such as a research paper or a class presentation may also be required. Attendance and class participation are also incorporated into the final grade for all courses.

Language of Instruction

English
Polish

Faculty

Courses are taught by faculty members of the Warsaw School of Economics, as well as from a number of other Polish institutions of higher education, which may include the University of Warsaw, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and universities in Kraków.

Course Description