Study Tours
Where will your learning take you?
Travel with your classmates and see your academics from a new perspective through Study Tours, a signature part of the DIS experience. Led by your faculty, Study Tours take you into real-world settings where you will apply what you’ve learned outside the classroom.
Highlights from past Study Tours
See your academics from a new perspective
Study climate change and wildlife in the Arctic alongside local experts and researchers.
Take a mock “press tour” to Croatia and write about your travel experiences.
Meet politicians working in the heart of the European Union: Brussels.
Learn from researchers at Berlin’s leading computer science institutions.
Visit historic locations related to Viking culture, history, and mythology.
Discover how art elicits emotional neurological responses in Paris.
How you will learn
Take your learning
on the road
Only so much of your learning can happen within the walls of a classroom. On Study Tour, you will apply key course concepts to the world around you, gaining a deeper understanding of your academics.
With the Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Europe Core Course, Melanie (she/her, Vanderbilt University) spent a week learning about Berlin’s startup ecosystem, as well as local history.
Tharaly (she/her, Spelman College) traveled with her Positive Psychology Core Course to Italy and Austria, exploring the power of the “flow” state and Viktor Frankl’s life and philosophy.
What is included
A fully planned tour
at no extra cost
Included in your DIS tuition, Study Tours and their locations are carefully planned to deepen your academic experience. We take care of the logistics so all you need to do is participate, ready and willing to learn. While there are many different kinds of tours, every Study Tour will include the following.
Two Study Tour leaders
Academic visits and lectures
Cultural activities
Round-trip transportation
Accommodations
Semester
Each student chooses one Core Course and three to four electives—and your Core Course determines which Study Tour you’ll take. Throughout the semester, you will travel on Study Tour with your Core Course faculty and classmates twice: on your Short Study Tour and your Long Study Tour.
Short Study Tour
Early in your semester, you will spend five days entirely with your Core Course: two days in your host city (Copenhagen or Stockholm) and three days traveling to a nearby destination.
Long Study Tour
Later in the semester, you and your Core Course will travel for a full week to another European country, applying academic concepts in a new cultural context.
Continuing our Long Study Tour highlights ✨
🐎 World of the Vikings: Students explored Viking landmarks and historical sites and even went horseback riding through the Icelandic countryside.
🛡️ European Security Dilemmas: The class met with security experts in Budapest gaining a nuanced understanding of Hungary’s contemporary sociopolitical landscape.
🎨 Neuroscience of Emotion: In Paris, students studied the connection between emotions and art while taking in the city’s sights.
Captured by Maggie (@wesstudyabroad), Alexandra (@globalskidmore), and Jiaying (@pomonaidpo).
#DISstockholm #DISabroad #StudyAbroad
The Ice Cores and Ice Ages Core Course ventured to Kangerlussuaq, Greenland on Study Tour last week. One of the most unforgettable moments? Standing on the ice sheet at Point 660. 🧊
The week brought classroom learning to life — from observing environmental changes in the landscape to gaining perspective on the challenges facing Greenlanders and exploring the social context of modern Arctic society.
“It truly was the trip of a lifetime. The community we felt stepping into a town of fewer than 500 people, meeting locals, and spending quality time together as students and friends was vital to our tour’s success. Between scaling rocks and hiking in knee-deep snow, we experienced it all: snow, ice, sun, and rain.”
— Student Photographer Gabby (@loyolamarylandabroad).
#DIScopenhagen #DISabroad #StudyAbroad
Join Jiho as he shares about his Study Tour to Finland! 🇫🇮⛴️
Just last week, Jiho traveled by ferry with his Engineering Sustainable Environments in Scandinavia Core Course. Using Helsinki as a case study for sustainable practices and infrastructure, the group visited the iconic Oodi Library, explored an upcycling studio that repurposes glass bottles, and stopped by an exhibit showcasing designs for a cooler planet. Later, they ventured to Nuuksio National Park, where they foraged for mushrooms, enjoyed a hearty meal, and even tried a traditional Finnish smoke sauna.
Read Jiho’s (@northwestern_abroad) full blog at the link in bio.
#DISstockholm #DISabroad #StudyAbroad
From IKEA and fika to ABBA and Avicii, Swedish culture is full of iconic names and traditions. But what is it really like to live in Stockholm?
With its vast urban green spaces, stunning architecture, clean and efficient public transit, and more, students attest that Stockholm is an excellent place to live, study, and explore.
Don’t just take it from us! Hear directly from students about living and learning in Sweden — link in bio.
Photos by Student Photographers Alexandra (@globalskidmore) and Bertha (@vassarcollege).
#DISstockholm #DISabroad #StudyAbroad
Summer
You will travel with your session for a full week to another European country, where you will take your learning even further.
Summer students in the following sessions will travel on Study Tour:
Select courses in other sessions may also travel on Study Tour or include a similar fieldwork and travel component.
