Austria Info

"I had an incredible overall experience and the excursions just made it so much more enjoyable. Vienna is in my eyes an ideal city to study abroad in."
- Tiffany Curtin

Courses are offered in history, psychology, literature, fine arts, social science, and business. A faculty member from an American university teaches one course. Additional courses are taught by European faculty who have extensive experience in teaching for study abroad programs. All of the courses, with the exception of German language, are taught in English. Academic standards in Vienna are consistent with those at the sponsoring universities. Grades are based on examinations, written papers, study projects, class participation, and attendance.

The Vienna program site is centally located in the main part of the city. The classroom facilities are just off the "Ring," a main thoroughfare that encircles the First District of the city, and offers easy access by bus, streetcar and subway. From the AHA site, students are within walking distance of many of the city's main government buildings such as the Parliament Building, the Rathaus (City Hall), the University of Vienna, the Economics University and many of Vienna's most beautiful city parks.

A central feature of the Vienna program is placement with a host family. Students are housed (usually in pairs) as "paying guests" in private homes located within easy commuting distance of classes. A light breakfast is provided. Students are responsible for other meals.

Field trips to important cultural and historical sites in the region are part of the course work and are carefully planned to take advantage of the rich history of the locale. They also encourage the student to practice German and make contact with native speakers. Trips may include visits to local points of interest, such as museums, the United Nations, Freud House, U.S. Embassy and opera performance(s). Also during the semester, an academic excursion of two to three days may be planned to a more distant location, such as Prague and the Czech Republic. The exact destinations vary from semester to semester and are determined at the beginning of the program.