graphic design + learning how to be a global citizen January 30, 2025
By A student (Wellesley College) - abroad from 08/19/2024 to 12/13/2024 with
DIS Copenhagen: Semester
I grew a lot as a person, and I definitely became more independent by learning to cook and figuring out a new city by myself.
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. |
resources often readily available, academically less rigorous than home institution |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
generally responsive and available! |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
my housing arrangement was great! everyone has different housing arrangements, but I was living in a really nice single studio apartment! |
| * Food: |
I think that the grocery stipend isn't really enough for most students, and eating out in Copenhagen is quite expensive. If possible, I would argue for more of a stipend. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Since I was surrounded by other study abroad students in this program, I didn't really feel integrated with the local culture. My only exposure through the program was with professors and the program advertising local events. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Healthcare was super accessible and DIS took care of most of the logistics! I went to the flu vaccine clinic at the DIS facilities, and everything went very smoothly. |
| * Safety: |
Very safe city—obviously keep an eye on your things, but trust is a big value in Copenhagen and it's clear that everyone is respectful of other people's space. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
the graphic design class was a BIG plus, and I met some awesome friends (who were also studying abroad from the U.S.) who I'll definitely see again. I think some things could have definitely been better (the microaggressions weren't appreciated), but overall was a good experience. |
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 a very expensive city to live in. Even though our transportation and groceries were taken care of for the most part my the program, it wasn't easy to live on a budget and simultaneously experience the local culture/cuisine. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | No |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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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? | that I would feel a lot of tourist guilt—it takes a while to get over, but it made me more aware of my place in the world & it's important to recognize |
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: |
Graphic Design Foundations Studio |
| Course Department: | AD |
| Instructor: | Morten/Katja |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | I participated in this class much more than I tend to do at my home institution, and I was very comfortable sharing in this class! The professors were very open to feedback, especially since one of them was completely new to the program, and they both were great about adjusting to the class's needs. We were assessed via longer term projects and crits, which was a class structure that I hadn't really experienced before. It was super valuable experience for me—it sparked my passion for graphic design—and I would 100% take it again! |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
