• Description

  The Language and Culture study abroad program in Istanbul, Turkey is designed for students with a range of academic interests - archaeology, sociology, and history to engineering, business, and science. Students also have the opportunity to study Turkish language. Students enroll directly in courses alongside local students at one of Turkey's premier private universities while participating in CIEE program activities and excursions designed to introduce them to the multicultural realities of this ancient and dynamic country.

  Academic Program
  Established in the fall of 2009, the CIEE Study Center at Koc University provides a rigorous academic program through direct enrollment in Koc University language and area studies courses. In addition to Turkish language courses students select from regular Koc University courses in the social sciences, humanities, natural and physical sciences, business, and engineering.

  Academic Culture
  All Koc University courses are taught in English and combine lecture and discussion formats. Most courses are quite small, allowing for maximum interaction between students and faculty. Some introductory level courses combine large weekly lectures with smaller discussion sections. The Turkish language courses are small and include weekly practice sessions with peer tutors for optimal language acquisition. Most courses meet three to four hours per week. Students may take any course offered as long as they have completed the necessary prerequisites and received permission from the instructor.

• Highlights

  * Study in a country that is a unique blend of East and West--rich in history and tradition yet undergoing rapid social transformation
  * Study and live with local and international students on a beautiful campus near the Black Sea and the Bosphorus
  * Turkish language courses and participate in weekly practice sessions with peer language tutors
  * Engage in weekly discussion sessions, guest lectures, and visits to NGOs and cultural sites

Culture
Cultural Activities and Field trips
Visits to NGOs and places of historical and cultural interest are a regular part of the program. Local field trips include visits to the main Byzantine and Ottoman monuments on the Seraglio Point, including Haghia Sophia, the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, and Topkapi Palace. The program also introduces students to places of worship and to such cultural centers as the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, Eyup Mosque, the Sephardic Jewish Museum of Galata, and the Galata Mevlevihanesi (center for whirling dervishes). Visits to community centers, art centers and museums, research centers, and NGOs enable students to develop different perspectives on various elements of Turkish society. Participation in both local and international music, art, film, dance, and theater festivals is also part of the program each semester.

CIEE group excursions provide students the opportunity to explore and compare the varied regions of Turkey. Excursions typically include a day visit to a village or organic farm, visits to important historical and cultural sites in Istanbul, and two or three weekend trips to different regions of Turkey. Past excursions have included Cappadocia, Çanakkale, Konya, Mardin, Kars, and Van. Students can be reimbursed for some cultural activities such as concerts, films, football games, or a Turkish bath via the program's Cultural Interaction Fund.