DIS-American Student Program in Denmark Past Review
By A student (Brandeis University) - abroad from 02/20/2017 to 05/13/2017 with
DIS Copenhagen: Semester
Learned to live abroad.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
DIS had some very interesting course offerings that spanned many different areas. The courses I took were rigorous and provided many off campus and real world experiences which I would never had gotten otherwise. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was placed in a kollegium. I lived in an apartment style dorm with three other flat mates. While I expected to be living with Danes, we were all international students from the US, Canada, and the UK. The flat was better housing than at my home university. |
| * Food: |
Due to living in a kollegium, I received a $600 usd food stipend. This could be used at several major grocery stores and convenience stores. Lasted me until the almost the end but I went out to eat also. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was hard to meet Danes and feel involved in the culture. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Had an allergic reaction and went to hospital. Immediate healthcare was free and convenient. Getting an appointment with a GP takes a while (2 weeks or so). |
| * Safety: |
Copenhagen has a very low crime rate. Always felt safe walking around even at night. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
Copenhagen was freezing January until May when I left. It was a beautiful city but definitely need a heavy jacket. I liked my courses but they were all with Americans and I never really felt involved with Danes or the Danish culture. |
Finances
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* 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) |
Copenhagen is very expensive. While it is possible to be frugal and only grocery shop at minimal expense, other activities can get very expensive. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $125 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Shop at Bilka! |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Used Danish in class and not much else. Everyone spoke English. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Beginner |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | None |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | How to cook. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Academic or LinguistYou went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you! |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Positive Psychology |
| Course Department: | Psychology |
| Instructor: | Line Kamstrup |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | The course had plenty of fascinating presentations and trips. Line was a great teacher who was always available to discuss the material. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Art and Archaeology |
| Course Department: | Art History |
| Instructor: | Thyge Bro |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | With weekly trips to a number of museums and galleries, this class was one of my favorites. Thyge was very knowledgable about the art and the history of the pieces. Grades were determined by three papers and participation. Participation was easy due to Thyge's engaging teaching style and the papers were definitely manageable. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
