Virginia Wesleyan is a small liberal arts university, located a half hour from the Atlantic Ocean, with mild winters and hot summers. 

The university's signature academic experiences include independent research opportunities, annual participation in the Model United Nations in New York City, environmental studies, theatre productions, study away courses to an array of US and international destinations, service learning, and an all-day symposium featuring students. 

Virginia Wesleyan prides itself on its small, intimate campus, which allows students to feel comfortable and at home almost immediately. Campus and city-wide transportation are limited and unreliable, so students should expect to spend the majority of their time on campus attending university events and participating in club activities. International students who would like to venture outside of campus have had success befriending local students with vehicles or utilizing a rideshare option, as it is very difficult to get around without a car. 

HOUSING

Students will be housed in a traditional dorm with shared rooms and shared bathroom and shower facilities. All housing is on-campus and within a five minute walk from any major class building or facility on campus. 

Students will be able to stay in their own housing during vacation periods.

MEALS

Meal stipends are used for on-campus dining in the Boyd Dining Hall, and is not in the form of cash. Students will also be given flex dollars on their VWU student account that they can use to purchase meals on campus during vacation periods or outside of normal dining hall hours.

Program Website

Course Description

The university uses a four-credit system that enables students to apply classroom knowledge to hands-on experiences. Students learn by doing, connect theory to practice, and link the classroom to the outside world. As an ISEP student, you build your own academic program by choosing courses from a variety of academic fields. 

We offer over 40 undergraduate bachelor degrees and wide variety minors in a variety of fields. Our academic program features liberal arts disciplines, including American studies, biology, earth and environmental science, English, history, international studies, political science, psychology, visual and performing arts, and women's and gender studies. We also offer majors with professional emphases, such as business, communication, and criminal justice

Students who complete the program in good standing can expect to earn 12-16 US credits. Students typically enroll in 3-4 courses per term. A term runs for about 15 weeks. To determine how these credits convert at your home institution, please contact your home university coordinator.

If you use financial assistance, please speak with your home coordinator to understand your academic obligations and the requirements for using financial assistance.  

Sample Classes Available:

Business 

English Language & Literature 

History 

International/Global Studies 

 
Natural Resources/ 
Conservation 

 

Principles of Management; A Project Approach 

Fiction and Criticism 

Inventions that Changed the World 

Comparative Welfare States 

General Ecology 

Enviornmental Economics 

Editing and Publishing 

History of the United States 

Model United Nations 

Climatology 

Government & Not-for-Profit Accounting 

American Gothic Fiction 

Global Religion & Social Justice 

Globalization & Its Discontent 

The Age of Oil 

Marketing Principles 

Introduction to LGBTQ Literature 

Holocaust 

Environmental Policy Analysis 

Biogeochemistry 

Student Managed Investment Fund 

Introductory Fiction Writing 

Pop and Rock Music Seminar 

American Political Thought 

Advanced Topics in Geology 

 

For detailed instructions on how to search for all available courses, please click on the "other academic conditions" dropdown link below.  

Website for Course Availability

ISEP STUDENT SERVICES OFFICER Olivia Cordero 703-504-9980 | Ocordero@isep.org Thank you for your interest in ISEP Study Abroad! I’m your Student Services Officer and main point of contact here at ISEP. As you search for programs, I’ll be available to answer any questions you might have. Feel free to contact me at any point in your search process for help, tips or advice.

Academics

Undergraduate
(in English)

Fields of Study

  • Area Studies:

    African Studies Gay/Lesbian Studies Latin American Studies Women’s Studies

  • Biology:

    Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Marine Sciences

  • Business: Recommended!

    Accounting Business Management Business Statistics Economics Entrepreneurship Finance Human Resources Management Logistics, Materials, and Supply Chain Management Marketing

  • Communication: Recommended!

    Digital Communication and Media Journalism Mass Communication/Media Studies Public Relations Speech Communication and Rhetoric

  • Education:

    Elementary Education Special Education

  • English Language and Literature: Recommended!

    General Literature Writing

  • Foreign Languages and Literatures:

    Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics Spanish Language and Literature

  • History Recommended!

    Holocaust and Related Studies

  • Hospitality and Tourism

  • International/Global Studies Recommended!

    International Relations and Affairs

  • Law/Criminal Justice

    Criminology

  • Mathematics

    Statistics

  • Natural Resources/Conservation: Recommended!

    Environmental Science Forestry Sustainability Studies

  • Philosophy and Religious Studies:

    Philosophy Religious Studies Theological Studies

  • Physical Sciences:

    Chemistry Geology/Earth Science Physics

  • Psychology

  • Social Sciences:

    Political Science and Government Sociology

  • Sports Studies

    Sport and Fitness Management

  • Visual and Performing Arts:

    Art History Art Studies Ceramics Design and Visual Communications Digital Arts Directing and Theatrical Production Drama and Theatre Arts Drawing Graphic Design Music Pedagogy Music Performance Music Theory and Composition Painting Photography Playwriting and Screenwriting Studio Arts Technical Theatre Design and Technology Voice and Opera

Academic Requirements

  • TOEFL iBT Score: 80
  • Institutional TOEFL Score: 550
  • IELTS Score: 6.5
  • Duolingo Total: 105
  • LPR accepted as alternate to TOEFL or IELTS
  • LPR Writing Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Reading Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Listening Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
  • LPR Speaking Score: B2 - Intermediate High-Advanced
LPR = ISEP Language Proficiency Report

Special Application Instructions

Course Prerequisites

For all areas of study, some courses may have pre-requisites that must be completed prior to enrollment in a course. 

Portfolio Requirements

Some fields of study, such as music, studio arts, dance, and other visual & performing arts, may require a portfolio in addition to your ISEP application. If you intend to take courses in any of these fields, please reach out to your ISEP Student Services Officer.

Internal Application

Incoming students are required to submit additional forms directly to the university. Virginia Wesleyan will send institutional application forms to students after receiving the ISEP application.

Accommodation Needs

Virginia Wesleyan University has certain services available to students with reasonable accommodation requests. In general, mobility, visual, and learning accommodations can be arranged. Students should speak with their ISEP Student Services Officer in advance to request if specific accommodations can be arranged. 

Please direct all inquiries about the university (i.e., courses, housing, etc.) to your ISEP Student Services Officer. 

Special Needs Support

  • Mental Health
  • Mobility
  • Hearing
  • Visual
  • Speech
  • Learning

Other Academic Conditions

Academics

How to search for courses:

- Start with the course catalog to explore available options.

- Use the search engine to check for availability during your intended term of study.

- While in the search engine, select the correct term you are planning on studying abroad in the drop-down menu, as well as "undergraduate" for the Academic level

- Ensure the course you are interested in is between the 100 (Freshman) and 400 (Senior) course level. Graduate level courses are not available to ISEP students.

Academic Limitations:

- Incoming students may take classes in all areas but some courses may have prerequisites.  

- Education and Social Work have additional requirements that may prohibit students from taking classes in these areas.  

- All graduate-level courses are closed to incoming students.  

- If you are interested in Computer and Information Science courses, you must be very flexible and may only be able to to take one course per semester. 

Academic Calendar

Typical Fall Schedule: August through December

  - Arrival: Late-August

  - Departure: Mid-December

- Typical Spring Schedule: January through May

  - Arrival: Late-January

  - Departure: Mid-May

Departure Notes

Students are responsible for staying until the end of the semester and may not leave before the final date of their semester exams. Neither ISEP nor VWU can guarantee an early departure; leaving early may result in a failing exam grade and/or forfeit of credit.

 

PASSPORT: All students must have a valid passport to participate in this program. If you do not have a valid passport, we suggest you start the application process as soon as possible.

VISA: All non-U.S. citizens will be required to obtain a visa. For more information on the process and estimated cost, please review the ISEP Country Handbook here.

Semester & Prices (based on your filters)

Select a semester to calculate the price. Semesters are named according to host university's calendar.


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Virginia Wesleyan University

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