May 18 - June 2, 2025
Students should apply for the Global Ambassador Scholarship in October 2024 on Academic Works and will find out what/if they received the scholarship before the first payment due date.
Estimated Total Program Cost: $3,000 - $3,500 (subject to change)
First payment due November 8, 2024
Second payment due December 10, 2024
Third payment due January 10, 2025
PAYMENTS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
Pending financial aid does not cover study abroad payments. Please call Student Accounts for more details at 978.665.4126.
POLS or HIST 2110: Europe Today
3 Credits
LAS Attributes: AIA, CTW, GDC, HI, or IHIP
Take this 3 credit course that introduces major themes in contemporary European history, politics and economics before traveling to see some of the most significant places in the world. During the program, you will travel to three European countries; the Netherlands, Germany and Poland with Professor Spero and your classmates. You will meet and engage informally with collegial German and Polish university students. Together, we’ll experience incredible cultures and societies with this window into the heart of Europe, as we walk centuries-old cobblestone streets and witness some of the most extraordinary architecture and cities internationally.
Our course and its European program expand our partnership with European and other international students and faculty at Rhine-Waal University, our exchange partner in Germany (Kleve and Kamp Lintfort Campuses), as well as our emerging partnership with the University of Warsaw in Poland. Students from both countries participate in workshops with us on US-European relations and continue advancing our cooperative university-to-university research project to enhance our "US-European Transatlantic Relationship."
We will also decompress a lot with Europe’s wonderful café culture for ample time to relax and sightsee, in addition to our touring such significant, historic, and monumental European sites as:
- Amsterdam and the International Court of Justice/The Hague (both in the Netherlands);
- Rhine-Waal University (RWU) and its Kleve/Kamp Lintfort cities (in Northwest Rhineland / Germany);
- University of Warsaw, its government and palatial architecture, old town and Warsaw Ghetto (in Northern Poland);
- And, finally, via train from Warsaw to Kraków (Southern Poland), the latter with its Wawel Castle, and our excursions to the famous Wieliczka Salt Mine and the important Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum.
Students from all majors and years should apply.
For more information please email Professor Joshua Spero jspero@fitchburgstate.edu or the Office of International Education inthelp@fitchburgstate.edu.
Itinerary (subject to change)
| Sun. May 18 | Depart from Boston Logan Airport for Amsterdam/overnight flight |
| Mon. May 19 | Met at the airport by Rhine-Waal University (RWU) Faculty by bus / hopefully, RWU students / visit to North Sea and The Hague. Free time / Lunch with Profs. or in small groups – on own and around Amsterdam. Bus to Kleve in late afternoon. Arrive at Hotel Zur Post. Kleve / Free time: Dinner with Profs. or in small groups on own. |
| Tues. May 20 | After breakfast at hotel walking tour of Kleve. Early afternoon lunch and walking tour – Kamp-Lintfort. Free time: Students in small groups to walk around Kleve / including dinner on own. |
| Wed. May 21 | After breakfast on own depart hotel in morning and walk to RWU. Presentations and discussions on European security, Ukraine, and transatlantic ties / preparation for tomorrow’s Student Simulation Crisis Management Decision-making Game. Free time: Students encouraged in small groups to continue seeing Kleve / including dinner on own. |
| Thurs. May 22 | After breakfast on own depart hotel in morning and walk to RWU. From late morning thru mid-afternoon: Student Simulation Crisis Management Decision-making Game /Lessons Learned. Free time: Students encouraged in small groups to continue seeing Kleve / including dinner on own. |
| Fri. May 23 | Breakfast on own. Free time. Sightseeing. Decide where to go for late morning and early afternoon. Free time/Pack at night to be ready to depart hotel early (8 a.m.) |
| Sat. May 24 | Depart Germany by bus to Amsterdam airport / direct flight from Amsterdam to Warsaw / with early afternoon arrival. Met at airport by Polish Academic Programs International (API) Representative and check-in at hotel. API overview of Warsaw and Poland and then free time: Dinner with Prof. or in small groups on own. |
| Sun. May 25 | After breakfast on own. Mid-morning to early afternoon neighborhood walking tour - Old Town, main streets, and Warsaw Ghetto area. Mid-afternoon to Evening: Free time/Lunch with Prof. or in small groups – on own Recommended places to visit on own: Warsaw Rising Museum, Museum / History of Polish Jews, Palace of Culture and Science Free time: Dinner with Prof. or in small groups on own. |
| Mon. May 26 | Breakfast on own and free time. Depart hotel and walk to University of Warsaw (UW) for presentations and discussions European security, Ukraine, and transatlantic ties. Free time: Students in small groups to walk around Warsaw / including dinner on own. |
| Tues. May 27 | After breakfast on own depart hotel in morning and walk to UW. From late morning thru mid-afternoon: Student Simulation Crisis Management Decision-making Game/Lessons Learned. Free time: Students encouraged in small groups to continue seeing Warsaw/ including dinner on own. Late evening at hotel pack luggage for next morning’s departure to Kraków by train. |
| Wed. May 28 | Breakfast on own. Depart Warsaw for Kraków by train (early/mid-morning / ~3 hours / buy food / drinks at train station). Check-in at hotel about 5 minutes walk from train station. Walking tour – Main Square, Wawel Castle, Kazimierz District. Walk to heritage cemetery (@Entrance by 3:30 pm pre-close). Free time: Dinner with Prof. or in small groups on own. |
| Thurs. May 29 | Breakfast on own. Late morning: Travel to Nowa Huta (communist era city with historic sights). Tour and lunch in Nowa Huta Return in mid-afternoon. Rest of day/night free time. Free time: Dinner with Prof. or in small groups on own. |
| Fri. May 30 | Breakfast on own. (Early departure / hotel) Travel to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum by bus (lunch available). Dinner with Prof. or in small groups on own. |
| Sat. May 31 | Breakfast on own. Then mid-morning tour Wieliczka Salt Mine. Snacks/lunch on own at Salt Mine. Free time: Dinner with Prof. or in small groups on own. |
| Sun. June 1 | Breakfast on own and then free time. Mid-afternoon train back to Warsaw. Stay in Airport Hotel overnight. Free time and pack at night. Ready to depart hotel very early ( 4 a.m.) |
| Mon. June 2 | Depart hotel early (4 a.m.). Flight from Warsaw to Amsterdam and connect Amsterdam to Boston. |
Hear from our students
Heart of Europe Study Abroad Reflections (2023)
Sean Krieger
Karla Taveras Guerra
