Washington Semester - International Law and Organizations is an excellent academic practicum! Past Review
By Casey B (Washington Semester Spring '11 - International Law and Organizations, American University) for
American University: Washington D.C - Washington Semester Program
This program was really the best choice for me. It allowed me to experience and study law, which I had never done before. This program also has many international students interested in it (my class was half students from the U.S. and half students from other parts of the world). The professor was excellent and very interested in providing the best possible experience for us and the other students were also very engaged in the learning process.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 2 weeks - 1 month |
Review Your Program
|
* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was not as much as I would have gotten at my home university but it was balanced by an extremely busy day where we had class from morning until late afternoon with frequent trips to Embassies, Agencies, and non-profits where we recieved information sessions and interviews with dignitaries and officials.The grading system was comparable to most other universities in the U.S. and my Professor was well-liked by the students. This is an excellent educational experience that I would recommend without hesitation. |
|
* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
During the traveling portion of this class we traveled through many countries in Western Europe with our professors. Our professors had extensive knowledge of the regions we traveled through and were eager to share their information with us. |
|
* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived with a student from my home school and another student from the U.K. The campus is small so all classes are easily accesible unless the class is taken on main campus, in which case, extra time is needed to either take the shuttle or to walk there. The neighborhood is a relatively safe one and it has many places to eat in very close proximity. The nightlife in DC is active and easily accessed by Metro. The kitchens are small so cooking is not easy. The rooms are large but chances are that you will get crammed into a forced triple like most people. If you're lucky, you will get a real triple where the room is enormous. |
| * Food: |
The dining options off campus are excellent and many. The food on campus is a little o be desired. |
|
* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The trip to Europe was excellent. Everyone had a great time. Also excellent were the many trips to foreign embassies and the trip to the United Nations. |
|
* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
|
| * Safety: |
Basic common sense while living in a city is required. The neighborhood that campus is located in is safe. Healthcare is easily accessible on campus and off. I had my wisdom teeth extracted while attending Washington Semester and it was easy for me to get to a dentist and to travel. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
|
Finances
|
* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
|
Other Program Information
|
* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
|
|
* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
|
A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Students interested in international relations, government, or law school will find this program very rewarding. Without a background in international affairs, some of the topics discussed could be overwhelming. |
