summer contemporary turkish studies

Quick Info

By Term

• Summer 2013
• Summer 2014

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Program Overview

Spend your summer in Istanbul pursuing a wide variety of academic fields and gaining a deeper understanding of contemporary Turkey as a society undergoing rapid urbanization and social transformation.

Through studies at one of the most prestigious private universities in the country, volunteering, and a variety of cultural activities and excursions, you’ll immerse youself in Tukey’s fascinating history, traditions, and people.

Study abroad in Istanbul and you will:

• Experience an exciting summer in a country that offers a unique blend of east and west—rich in history and tradition, yet undergoing rapid social transformation
• Study and live with local and international students on a beautiful campus near the Black Sea and Bosphorus
• Learn about Turkish history, politics, culture, and literature, take a beginning Turkish language course, or select from a wide range of other courses taught in English during the Koç University summer session
• Engage in weekly guest lectures, visits to NGOs, historical, and cultural sites, and a CIEE overnight excursion

The CIEE Difference

Coursework

You can enroll in a variety of courses exploring Turkish, language, history, literature, visual arts and music, politics, and society. You’ll also have access to a host of elective courses offered by Koç University.

Excursions

Enjoy a number of group excursions which allow you to explore and compare the varied regions of Turkey. Local field trips include visits to the main Byzantine and Ottoman monuments in the Sultanahmet district, including Haghia Sophia, Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace. The summer session also includes one overnight excursion.

Volunteering

Study abroad in Istanbul offers various community service/volunteer opportunities with various NGOs, schools, and community centers. Volunteer work has included teaching English to children in low-income neighborhoods and developing websites and brochures for local organizations.

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

Summer 2013 (7 wks)

Extended to: 04/15/2013

06/14/2013

08/04/2013

$6,650

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 **

$5,198

Housing

$1,050

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

$600

International Airfare *

$1,750

Local Transportation

$125

Books & Supplies

$100

Visa Fees

$60

Personal expenses

$600

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

• Overall GPA 2.75

Recommended Credit

Total recommended credit for the summer program is 6 semester/ 9 quarter hours. Contact hours are 42 hours and recommended credit is 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours per content course.

Program Requirements

Students are required to enroll in two courses.

About The City

The city of Istanbul spans two continents, and over 3,000 years of history. Once the seat of both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, Istanbul is now the cultural and economic capital of the Republic of Turkey as well as its largest city, with an estimated population of 15 million. Istanbul has seen the rise and fall of great empires and the ongoing transformations wrought by rapid migration and urbanization. The CIEE summer study abroad program in Istanbul provides students many opportunities to experience how the influences of the past, present, and possible futures shape and impact the physical and cultural landscapes of Turkey.

Meet The Staff

Kathryn Bourgeois

Originally from California, Kathryn Bourgeois has been a resident of Turkey since 1997. She comes to CIEE with many years experience in the study abroad field and is particularly adept with issues surrounding intercultural communication. Kathryn has served in study abroad capacities with Pitzer and Scripps Colleges in the U.S. and in TurkeyKathryn holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Scripps College, has completed graduate work in Sociology at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, and is a Certified Teacher of English as a Foreign Language (CTEFL).

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Your hands are warmed by endless cups of çay; your ears become attuned to the sounds of the call to prayer, arabesk, and pop alaturca; your feet get used to walking on marble ruins, ancient pathways, and the uneven and crowded pavement of city streets; your mouth becomes accustomed to the phrase “Inshallah” and the sweet taste of baklava; your eyes are delighted by the striking variety and beauty of the country and its historical and cultural sites; your mind is challenged by the contradictions experienced in your daily encounters with Turkish people and society.

Istanbul is a microcosm of Turkey, reflecting the diversity and complexity of the nation’s ethnic, religious, and cultural identities. The forces of rapid urbanization, gentrification, and globalization are clearly visible in the city’s public spaces and in the lifestyles of its inhabitants. From its skyline dominated by the minarets of the Blue Mosque, the dome of Haghia Sophia, and modern skyscrapers, to the synthesis of middle eastern and western motifs in the music and clothing sold on the city’s famed Istiklal Caddesi, Istanbul offers a feast for the senses and the opportunity to explore a nation trying to balance tradition with modernity in an age of rapid social transformation.

— Kathryn Bourgeois, Resident Director

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Koray Unur

A native of Istanbul, Program Coordinator Koray Unur has a B.A. in History and an M.A. in Cultural Studies from Bilgi University. His research interest centers on the construction and representation of history in photography. Program Assistant, Pinar Guçtekin, is a Ph.D. candidate in Media Studies at Bahcesehir University. Her research interests include contemporary video practices in Turkey, and critical theory.

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Where You'll Study

Founded in 1993, Koç University is a private university located on a beautiful hillside campus overlooking the Black Sea, near the Sariyer district of Istanbul and approximately 45 minutes from the central part of the city. A liberal arts university, courses are taught in English, and most of the faculty received their graduate degrees from universities in North America and Western Europe. The campus includes facilities consistent with those found on U.S. campuses, and there is a vibrant student campus life offering numerous clubs and special activities.

Housing & Meals

All study abroad students live in residence halls on the Koç University campus. Students typically share a double room with a CIEE or Turkish roommate. The residence halls are close to all campus buildings and include laundry and kitchen facilities.

Meals are not included in the program fee and are the responsibility of the student. Students can prepare their own meals in the residence hall or eat at on-campus or neighborhood restaurants and cafés. The University has its own small grocery store and several restaurants and cafés, some of which are open 24 hours.

Orientations

The mandatory three-day on-site orientation program will introduce you to the country, culture, language, and academic program, and provide practical information about living in Turkey. During this period, you'll attend special CIEE survival Turkish language sessions. The orientation includes specially-designed CIEE activities, city tours, and discussions designed to help you adjust to life in Istanbul.

Internet

You are encouraged to bring a wireless-enabled laptop. You'll have access to the Internet throughout the Koç University campus, including all residence halls and academic buildings. You will also be able to use the University computer labs.

Culture

Cultural Activities and Field Trips

Visits to NGOs and places of historical and cultural interest are a regular part of the CIEE Summer Contemporary Turkish Studies study abroad program. Local field trips include visits to the main Byzantine and Ottoman monuments in the Sultanahmet district, including Haghia Sophia, Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace. Visits to community, art, and research centers, museums, and NGOs enable you to develop different perspectives on various elements of Turkish society. CIEE group excursions provide you the opportunity to explore and compare the varied regions of Turkey. The summer session includes one overnight excursion.

Immersion

Volunteering

In consultation with CIEE staff, you may take part in non-credit community service/volunteer opportunities. You may volunteer in various NGOs, schools, and community centers. Placements are competitive and cannot be guaranteed. Former study abroad students have done a variety of volunteer work, including teaching English to children in low-income neighborhoods and developing websites and brochures for local organizations.

CIEE Student Assistants

Student assistants recruited by CIEE from Koç University organize weekly activities for CIEE students both on and off campus throughout the semester. Activities may include Turkish movie nights, cooking workshops, coffee and discussion, and sporting events.

Academics

The CIEE Summer Contemporary Turkish Studies study abroad program offers students a variety of courses in Turkish history, literature, visual arts and music, politics, and society. The program is offered in a single, six-week session. Students select two elective courses from among the subjects offered by Koç University during its summer session.

Academic Culture

All Koç University courses are taught in English and combine lecture and discussion formats. Class-size tends to be small, allowing for maximum interaction between students and faculty. Some introductory level courses combine large lectures with smaller discussion sections. The Turkish language courses are small and include weekly practice sessions with peer tutors for optimal language acquisition. Students will be in class three to four hours per day, four to five days a week, as summer courses are condensed versions of semester-long courses. Students may take any course offered as long as they have completed the necessary prerequisites and received permission from the instructor.

Nature of Classes

Participants take classes with Turkish, international, and fellow CIEE study abroad students.

CIEE Community Language Commitment

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

Grading System

Grades (A–F with pluses and minuses, based on the scale of 100) are assigned based on mid-term and final exams and, depending on the course, additional assignments such as a research paper or class presentation. Attendance and class participation are also incorporated into the final grade for the program courses. Class attendance is mandatory in all classes.

Languages of Instruction

English, Turkish (language course only)

Faculty

All courses are taught by faculty from Koç University

Course Description

Program Blog

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