Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Sensational Scandinavian Semester Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/18/2017 to 12/14/2017 with

DIS Copenhagen: Semester

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
The experience was definitely worthwhile. I gained a lot of confidence by living on my own and experience a new culture. I also gained a lot of memories I will cherish

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 academics were solid. It was a good level of engaging material without too much work. I really enjoyed my graphic design program in particular. The teaching staff was fantastic.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The administration was well organized and fully featured

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My housing was fantastic. I stayed in the Arts LLC. It was right downtown, and the amenities were very high quality.

* Food:

The food throughout the city was very good, and DIS provided a solid stipend

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I didn't feel particularly integrated. All the students in the program are American, so it was easy to stay within that bubble

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Danish health care is free and awesome

* Safety:

Although some students experienced mild gang warfare, I always felt safe.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

The program was excellent and had so much to offer. I particularly loved the study tours

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)

It was very expensive

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? about 150
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Make sure to use the food stipend as much as possible

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

It wasn't very intense, but we were encouraged to explore

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? I hadn't taken any Danish

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The beautiful city of Copenhagen
  • The study tour programs
  • The housing
* What could be improved?
  • The cultural immersion
  • The budgeting assistance
  • Some of the classes
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I had known that I should make an active effort to meet locals from the beginning

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 Linguist
You 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:

Artificial Intelligence
Course Department: Computer Science
Instructor: Thomas Bolander
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The class was decent. Some of the lectures were quite boring, and it wasn't exactly what I had anticipated for an AI class. The teacher wasn't super engaged in the class. That being said, I did learn a good amount. We didn't have any field trips.
Credit Transfer Issues: I had no issues
Course Name/Rating:

Intro to Danish
Course Department: Danish
Instructor: Kirsten Kolstrup
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course wasn't too challenging, although some of the assignments were a bit tough. The material was quite engaging, especially the parts about Danish culture. We did several fun field trips. The teacher was awesome—very insightful, and a great discussion leader.
Credit Transfer Issues: I had no issues
Course Name/Rating:

Computational Analysis of Big Data
Course Department: Computer Science
Instructor: Ulf Aslak
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course was quite challenging, but it felt appropriate. It offered several class trips, but the bulk of the learning was in class assignments. The teacher was very cool and knowledgeable, and I really enjoyed him as a person. I participated frequently, and the assignments were engaging.
Credit Transfer Issues: I did not have issues
Course Name/Rating:

Graphic Design Foundations Studio
Course Department: Graphic Design
Instructor: Jeanette Hendeliowitz
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course was challenging. It offered frequent field trips to local design firms, as well as two big trips to Western Denmark and the Netherlands. It was a small class, so I participated frequently. I absolutely loved the teacher, and the assignments were engaging.
Credit Transfer Issues: I had no issues