ACM will add a third European destination to its portfolio of off-campus sites when the Amsterdam program begins in fall 2017.
“This program opens up exciting new opportunities for students in the sciences, and particularly global health, because the courses are taught in English and the students will be studying at a well-respected university,” said Joan Gillespie, ACM Vice President and Director of Off-Campus Study. “There’s also a visiting professor position with the program, which I think will be very attractive to science faculty at ACM colleges.”
The program’s location in a captivating city famous for its picturesque canals and centuries-old buildings is another plus, according to Gillespie.
“Amsterdam is a great student city and a dynamic place to be,” she said. “It’s charming and historic, and people there certainly want to preserve that history, but at the same time the city is very modern and you can feel the excitement and creativity.”
ACM’s partner is Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, or VU University, an internationally-known research university that places a special focus on interactive, small-group work. Sustainability is a core value that’s woven into the fabric of the university’s research, academics, and campus culture.
“The student body at VU University reflects Amsterdam and the surrounding area, which is very diverse and multicultural,” Gillespie noted. “The university is also deeply committed to internationalizing the campus and curriculum, and it attracts students from around the world.”
ACM students will take classes and live in university residence halls with both Dutch students and international students. The residential campus is located a short five-minute bike ride or three tram stops away from the main university campus where classes are held, and is convenient to shops, a cultural center, and a sports center.
Program participants will be able to choose electives from among more than 300 undergraduate courses that are taught in English at VU Amsterdam. The university is best-known for its strong science programs, particularly global health, biomedicine, and neuroscience. Courses also are offered in disciplines such as business analytics, entrepreneurship, psychology, digital humanities, and European history.
The fall semester consists of two, seven-week modules. Students will be required to take two elective courses in each module, plus a required course in Dutch language and culture that continues through both modules, for a total of 15 semester credits.
A tram on the streets of Amsterdam.
There is the option to add on a three-credit independent study project (ISP), supervised by the ACM visiting professor, which is completed over the duration of the semester.
The ACM visiting faculty member will teach up to two elective courses in his/her area of expertise in the sciences or public health and will teach the ISP course with formal class sessions on designing and proposing research projects, the ethics of human subject research, conducting research, and presenting the results.
More information about the Amsterdam program will be available on the ACM website in late summer. Details about applying for the visiting faculty position in fall 2017 are in the position announcement.
Amsterdam ProgramQuick Facts |
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