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Vesalius College
Brussels, Belgium
(pop. 2 million)
Student Enrollment: 300
www.vesalius.edu
Information about the majors
The Vesalius Internship Program
PROGRAM TYPE
Academic year or semester programs
ISEP-Direct site for member and affiliate students.
Courses
Business (economics, international management, technology management, European studies, marketing): International Relations (politics, history, economics, communications and European studies); and Communications (journalism & scriptwriting, political communication, business communication and European communication studies). Internships: available in high-profile public and private organizations throughout Brussels. Internships are competitive, credit-earning and graded.
Academic Notes
By virtue of its location in Brussels, the heart of the European community, Vesalius College has targeted the three disciplines most relevant to the expertise available in the local academic and professional sectors. Our Business program thrives on the knowledge of professors and guest lecturers with experience in the headquarters of large multinational corporations. Our Communications program has its fingers on the pulse of the latest in international communication by virtue of Brussels being the home of the world’s largest press corps. As the home of NATO and heart of the European Union, Brussels feeds our International Affairs curriculum with the most knowledgeable experts in the field of public policy and European studies. Students can then confirm and apply the theory they acquire in class by participating in prestigious internships in the public and private sectors in such organizations as NATO, the United Nations, Ernst & Young, MasterCard, and many more.
Special Academic Conditions
The “Model United Nations” course is restricted to full-year students only, as it begins in the fall and ends with a trip to the United Nations in the spring. Single semester students may not enroll in this course.
Language Notes
The language of instruction at Vesalius College is English. Students from non-native English-speaking countries must submit a minimum TOEFL score of 90/120 IBT or 577/677 PBT or IELTS score of 6.5. French and Dutch are offered as foreign languages.
Program Dates
Academic year: late August to mid-May; Semester 1: late August to mid-December; Semester 2: mid-January to mid-May.
Housing and Meals
Housing and meals are NOT included in the ISEP-Direct program fee. Students will pay Vesalius separately for pre-arranged housing with a host family stay, which includes 7 breakfasts and 5 dinners (12 meals) per week, plus internet access, sheets, towels and access to the kitchen on 2 nights per week. A host family provides an opportunity to experience Belgian family life and is strongly recommended by ISEP. Students who choose not to live with a host family will be responsible for arranging their own housing and meal options; Vesalius College may provide suggestions for reasonable apartment or student hostel facilities in the area.
Student Activities
Many extracurricular activities are sponsored by the Vesalius Student Government (VSG) and the associated Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The VSG organizes regular student parties, outings, ski trips and other activities. Sports include soccer, basketball, swimming, athletics and fitness at a world class fitness center. ISEP students can also participate in student-driven academic activities such as college publications, forums and assemblies. Every semester, the college offers “European Studies” (ART 361) specifically for study abroad students at an additional fee. This course offers field trips to various European cities, with an in-class seminar introducing each trip and highlighting the art and architecture of each city.
Internships, Service Learning, Volunteering
Vesalius College offers students the opportunity to earn academic credit and professional experience through a unique graded internship program in Brussels. With over 50 internship sponsors in the public and private sectors and with partners such as the United Nations, NATO, UPS, the European Journalism Center and many more, students acquire the professional skills and make the important contacts that can propel them into the career of their dreams. Internships can earn 3 to 6 US credits depending on the number of hours worked per week.
ISEP-Direct
Information about ISEP-Direct fees and dates.
Profile
Vesalius College was founded by a collaboration between the Dutch free university of Brussels, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and Boston University in order to provide university education in the English language in the heart of Europe. Vesalius is located in the center of Brussels and is surrounded by several universities and other institutes of higher learning, including the VUB and the ULB (the French Free University of Brussels). Although the Vesalius campus is small to accommodate a small student body, our campus is nestled against that of our parent university, the VUB. As such, students have the same privileges that VUB students have, and access to the facilities of the much larger free university, including sports facilities, cafeteria, classrooms, health services, libraries, etc. Vesalius College is conveniently located within rapid walking distance to metro and train stations as well as to tram and bus stops.
Location
Brussels is known as the “Capital of Europe”. A city of approximately 2 million, it is the home of NATO and the European Commission. While largely francophone, Brussels is surrounded by Dutch-speaking communities, a peculiarity of interest in this small country with three national languages (French, Dutch and German). Visitors will be fascinated by the international and multicultural nature of this “small big city”, but will be comforted by the fact that nearly everyone knows at least some English, which is one reason many tourists call Brussels one of Europe’s friendliest cities. Furthermore, Brussels’ relatively central location offers an ideal starting point for international travel. Brussels is only 162 miles from Paris, 198 miles from London, 194 miles from Frankfurt and 108 miles from Amsterdam. Public transportation within Brussels as well as to and from Brussels is plentiful, well-designed and economical. For longer trips, students can find attractive fares on high-speed trains or discount airlines.
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