Study in Greece (in English) - ISEP Direct
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
• Live and learn in the second largest city in Greece, surrounded by the world-class beaches, mountains, and countless historic sites throughout Thessaloniki!
• ACT offers classes to meet the needs of most degree programs while providing a truly immersive, cross-cultural learning experience in historic Thessaloniki, which is a student hub in Greece.
• Connect to a supportive campus environment that provides on-campus counseling, career services, and ample student organizations to join such as Safe Zone, a LGBTQIA+ club.
• Participate in immersive opportunities to engage with Greek culture through optional volunteering programs and campus-run field trips to local World Heritage Sites and other treasures within Thessaloniki.
LIFE ABROAD
Thessaloniki is a modern seaport city and world-renown cultural heritage site that is known for its breath-taking natural beauty, vast historic treasures, and 200+ inhabited islands. Stroll along the promenade for endless picturesque seaside views or wander around Aristotelous Square in the city center to go shopping at local boutiques and take in monuments that date back to 300 CE!
LIVE
Connect with other international students living in accommodations near downtown Thessaloniki that are just a short bus ride from the ACT campus. Students live in double-occupancy studio apartments with a kitchenette and ensuite bathroom. Each accommodation location has an ACT Residence Assistant to help students settle in and get to know Thessaloniki through organized outings and activities.
DINE
Taste the world-famous food of Thessaloniki, known as Greece’s first City of Gastronomy! Enjoy traditional dishes like bougatsa, soutzoujajua, or moussaka in between classes at one of the local trendy restaurants. Meal plans and grocery stores are easily accessible for participants living in student housing. Plan on spending 250-350 Euros per month on general food costs.
EXPERIENCE
Explore UNESCO World Heritage Sites through fieldtrips organized by American College of Thessaloniki such as a day at Halkidiki Beach or an overnight excursion to Meteora, one of the only places where Hellenic culture was preserved. Visit the Royal Tombs of the Macedonian dynasty in Vergina, hike Mt. Olympus, or spend an afternoon sailing around the Aegean Sea on a private sailboat!
EXPLORE
Enjoy the bustling city of Thessaloniki where there is bound to be a festival, sporting event, or a new foodie spot to sample at any time of year! Explore ancient ruins and historic museums at every turn while strolling down the stunning avenues of Thessaloniki. From the beautiful sandy beaches and crystal-clear blue waters of the Chalkidiki Peninsula, to the snow-covered ski resorts and challenging mountain treks, diverse natural wonders are all just a short trip away.
THRIVE
Maintain your physical and mental well-being and utilize the campus fitness facilities or visit the counseling center during drop-in office hours. Engage with an inclusive campus community that advocates for sexual and gender diversity and has LGBTQIA+ clubs available to students.
INTERN
Gain hands-on experience and course credit while working for a local organization by enrolling in the Business Internship course. Placements are available in local community NGOs, agencies and organizations that provide services related to healthcare, education, environmental conservation or citizenship and social activism.
VOLUNTEER
ACT’s Student Service Office operates one of the largest community service programs in Greece! As the first post-secondary institution in Greece to introduce service and community programs to such a large percentage of its student body, ACT collaborates with over 40 NGOs, providing students with the unique opportunity to volunteer and give back to the community while learning about the local culture, history, customs and economy. These programs reflect the community-focused mission to which the institution ascribes. Students also have the opportunity to enroll in a three-credit Service-Learning practicum course.
What We Love About Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is a lively university community with well over 100,000 students located in a vibrant city that invites and welcomes young people from all over the world! For the student seeking a unique study abroad site in Greece, Thessaloniki is the "road less taken," a culturally intact city: small, diverse, youthful, at the crossroads of east and west, and the gateway to Southeastern Europe.
See ISEP Direct budget and estimated expenses for Spring One
See ISEP Direct budget and estimated expenses for Spring One and Two
Course Description
ACT resembles the traditional New England (United States) colleges upon which it has been modeled. It is also one of the few institutions outside the United States with full U.S. accreditation by both NEASC and EU validation of its undergraduate programs. Choose from a wide range of courses in English, including the fields of Business, International Relations, Hellenic Studies, English Language & Literature, Communications & New Media Studies, and Computing. All courses are taught in English, with the exception of the beginner Greek language course. To help get you started on class selection, the chart below reflects some of the more popular classes students have taken in the past.
Credits Earned
Students who complete the program in good standing can expect to earn 15 credits which ISEP recommends is the equivalent of 15 U.S. Credit Hours. Each course is usually worth 3 credits. Students can expect to spend 3 hours per week in each class.
If you use financial aid, please speak with a qualified financial aid advisor to understand your academic obligations and the requirements for using financial aid.
Sample Classes Available:
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Social Sciences |
History |
Communication |
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International Business Law |
Contemporary Development Issues |
History of Ancient Greece |
Communication, Culture & Society |
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International Economics |
International Relations |
Foreign Policy of the USA |
Intercultural Understanding and Communication |
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Entrepreneurship and Innovation |
Adulthood and Aging |
Thessaloniki: A City and its Inhabitants |
Digital Content and Storytelling |
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E-Marketing |
Ethics |
Global Modernities: World History Since 1900 |
Media Ethics in the Digital Age |
For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please click on the "other academic conditions" dropdown link below.
Academics
Other Academic Conditions
ACT offers a variety of courses in business, communications, computer science, English literature, Hellenic heritage, humanities, international relations, new media studies, psychology and social sciences. All courses are taught in English, with the exception of the beginner Greek language course.
ACT's Course Offerings page provides a list of sample course offerings at ACT as well as the course lists for upcoming semesters.
Below is a summary of ACT's academic departments open to ISEP and study abroad students.
Hellenic Heritage:
The Hellenic Heritage program is designed for study abroad students who have a passion for the legacy of Hellenism in subject areas such as history, ethnography, linguistics, mythology and the arts and who would like to explore their interests in real-world circumstances. Two tracks of study are offered: one focusing on antiquity, the other dedicated to modern manifestations of Hellenism. These programs allow students to gain a solid foundation in Greek language, history, art and literature, and forms of spirituality. Students are given the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich heritage of Hellenism in a location in northern Greece that is unique for its historical diversity, its cosmopolitan past and its authentically vibrant present-day culture.
Humanities, Social Sciences & Psychology:
The Division of Humanities and Social Sciences provides introductory and advanced instruction in all areas of the human sciences, with undergraduate programs of distinction in English and New Media, and International Relations. Teaching and research strengths within the division include: history, politics, and European integration; communication and media, modern literature, and language teaching methodology; psychology; anthropology; social and cultural studies. In addition, the Division offers a solid liberal arts course basis to all ACT’s academic and professional programs.
English, Communications & New Media Studies:
Students gain vital knowledge in the subject areas of media, communication and culture and understand the impact of social and new media in education, communication and the working environment through theory and practice. Students also have the opportunity to enhance their conceptual, creative and analytical skills by engaging in projects on and off campus, including the RadioACTive team and the Photojournalism Group on campus, the Thessaloniki International Film Festival, the Documentary Film Festival and local TV offices.
Psychology:
ACT’s BS in Psychology is designed to be a novel and contemporary program up to date to the academic and professional trends. Based on prevalent US and UK standards, it will be characterized by a firm grounding in the disciplinary foundations to the Psychology degree, such as theory, main concepts, methods, debates and applications in Psychology. Courses familiarize the students with clinical, developmental, educational, counseling, experimental, social, forensic psychology and neuroscience. They will also comprise practical experience of designing and carrying out psychological research, as well as evaluating and reporting its results. Students will learn to work with data, synthesize hypotheses and use information technology.
International Relations:
The undergraduate courses in the broader area of International Relations have a firm grounding in the disciplinary foundations of the IR degree, with courses in IR theory, international law, European integration, foreign policy, and political economy. Students also receive a solid training in the social sciences, with an emphasis on culture, gender, ethnography, and economic relations. Located in a strategic and cosmopolitan crossroad in Greece and South-East Europe, ACT's International Relations program is particularly strong in American and EU politics, contemporary Balkan and Aegean affairs. Learning components involve engaging with the city and off campus communities, as well as many extracurricular activities.
Business:
ACT's Business Administration program has four main concentrations: Entrepreneurial Management, Marketing, Finance and International Business. All of ACT's courses combine international experience with a local point of view. The Anatolia School of Business accepts students from various countries and blends theory with contemporary market developments. Business students at ACT can participate in two different undergraduate internship courses, business plan and portfolio management competitions, an entrepreneurship hub and company visits.
Computing:
ACT’s Computing curriculum is a rigorous and challenging program that provides students not only with a theoretical background, but also with the practical skills needed by organizations and companies in all fields. ACT offers two degrees in the area of Computing: A BSc in Computer Science addressing the theoretical aspects of Computer Science and a BSc in Business Computing focusing on applications of Computer Science. The college’s specialized, state-of-the-art IT facilities and computer labs, the Niarchos Technology Center, the CISCO Networking laboratory, the Microelectronics-Robotics laboratory and a new Fabrication Lab are fully available to students in the program. Students can also participate in the on-campus Makers Society, company visits and faculty-led research projects.
All credits and grades are issued in U.S. credit equivalencies.
Enrollment in the following number of course credits per term is included in students' comprehensive ISEP Direct program fee:
Fall: 15 credits
Spring I: 15 credits
Full Year (Fall + Spring I): 30 credits
Spring I & II: 21 credits
Spring II + Summer: 12 credits
Enrollment in credits beyond the amount listed above are charged at the discount rate of $340 per credit (price subject to change), payable directly to ACT.
Semester dates typically run as follows:
Fall
Arrival and orientation: Second week of September
Courses start: Last week of August
Exams: Second week of December
Spring
Arrival and orientation: First week January
Courses start: Second week of January
Spring 1 Exams: First two weeks of April
Spring I + II Exams: First two weeks of June
Semester & Prices (based on your filters)
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