Overview | Academics | Cost | Location | Life Abroad | Student Voices
DIS offers more than 150 high-quality courses across a broad spectrum of disciplines covering everything from European civilization to the burning issues of our time and all tailor-made for study abroad students and with easy credit transfer to home universities. Instruction is interactive, and learning outcome objectives frame your learning. At DIS class sizes are small, so you receive close academic attention.
Study Abroad at DIS and enhance your major, broaden your horizons, and acquire valuable cross-cultural skills and experiences with other motivated, curious and energetic students from selective U.S. colleges and universities. Learn and experience Europe through forward-thinking academic study abroad programs and courses, integrated study tours across Europe, unique accommodation options and an extensive cultural immersion program.
The DIS experience provides:
Academically Challenging Study Abroad Courses Taught in English
Cross-Cultural Leadership Skills for the Global Job Market
Europe as your Study Abroad Classroom
Experience through Cultural Immersion
Living Like a Local with Unique Housing Options
Copenhagen: Experience the New Copenhagen is a friendly, open city crammed with cute cafes, varied clubs that regularly host international bands and DJs, cool clothing stores and a large number of clean parks and beaches. Thanks to an excellent transport system, compact city center, bicycle paths practically everywhere and DIS? central location, the life and soul of Copenhagen are easy to discover.
Small-town Metropolis
Copenhagen is a metropolis of 1.8 million people. It is the capital of Denmark and the center of the Danish-Swedish ?resund Region, with a population of 3.8 million. Yet it has an inviting small-town atmosphere of friendliness, intimacy and safety.
A dense network of walking streets, squares and waterfronts cover the old downtown area where DIS is located. Denmark may be an ultra-efficient country, but Danes know how to relax and have fun. You will truly enjoy the cozy vibe of this happening European capital. Exciting and creative Copenhagen
Copenhagen has a long-established reputation for being a fashionable and culturally forward-thinking capital, with sleek design, great shopping, concerts, indigenous cinema, festivals and well-dressed locals. Street art, galleries, ground-breaking architecture, ethnic restaurants, the Royal Opera and open-air jazz performances complete the reality of an active European capital.
A safe, livable city
Denmark is a small country, with a balance of Scandinavian and European influences. We are proud of our democracy and our commitment to peace and security for everyone. Copenhagen as a city is in the same league. Though a capital city, Copenhagen has a comparatively low crime rate and personal safety is high.
A city with a history
Copenhagen was founded in 1167, and every age and stage in European history has left its imprint on the city. Winding medieval streets, great Renaissance palaces, Baroque splendor, early-modern ramparts, a historic harbor plus all the trappings of the modern age are part and parcel of the city fabric.
Getting to Your Program
Students plan and book their own flights to Copenhagen. Student should plan to arrive in at the Copenhagen airport at the time specified by DIS on the official start date of their program in order to be met by DIS staff. They will be waiting both in and outside of the baggage claim area to direct students. DIS will provide bus transportation from the Copenhagen airport to the DIS orientation/registration location for students who arrive in the airport between those times.
Visa
All fall, spring, or academic year students who will be living in Denmark for longer than three months and do not hold a passport from a European Union member country, Iceland or Norway need a visa. U.S. citizens must have a U.S. passport valid for at least six months beyond the end of the program. DIS will provide you with visa information.
Orientation
After a full day of registration and orientation, students will retreat to their new homes with their host families or Danish roommates and get settled with a warm, welcoming dinner. Students living in the Kollegium, Folkeh?jskoles, or DIS Residential Communities will have a chance to socialize with other students living in their housing option with a group dinner following their introduction to facilities.
Arrival Workshop
DIS holds a full arrival workshop planned to help students adjust to life in Copenhagen. Students will have intensive Danish language lessons, seminars on DIS services, and help with practical matters like transportation passes. There will also be social events throughout the week to help students meet one another. Participation in the full orientation program in Copenhagen is mandatory for all students.
Housing
Living Like a Local ? Unique Housing Options
Choose to live with a host family and get the opportunity to really integrate into Danish daily life and build what are often lifelong friendships!
Live with a Danish roommate, who can be your local tour guide, Danish tutor and friend
Have a unique experience by staying at a Folkeh?jskole ? a great cultural tradition that many young Danes enjoy
Live like a local student in a residence hall (kollegium) and become more independent and self-reliant.
Excursions and Activities
Europe as your Study Abroad Classroom
Do it all - why choose to study or travel when you can have the best of both worlds?
Be inspired by credit-bearing, faculty-led, course-integrated study tours that take you to amazing, academically inspirational destinations across Europe, Russia, and perhaps even to Greenland
Discover even more of Europe through field trips, adventure tours and day trips, all organized through DIS.
Experience through Cultural Immersion
Live the local culture through voluntary involvement in a range of social, sporting, religious and cultural programs
Sign up to join organizations and clubs at the `Immerse Yourself Fair?, where local groups, clubs and societies offer you the chance to join and take part in their activities
Maximize your study abroad experience by meeting and socializing with Danes your own age and interacting with the local culture.
Insurance
You will be enrolled in the UW System required health insurance through Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) and the cost of the insurance coverage is included in program fees.
On-Site Support
From the moment they arrive in Copenhagen, students are assisted by DIS' large on-site staff, offering a wide range of services from academic and personal counseling to sending mail and accessing the internet and much, much more. DIS has an information desk where staff are available to answer questions during business hours, and administrative staff have an `open door? policy so students are always welcome to come talk.
Handbooks
Use the links below to find out more information on academics, daily life and student impressions for this program.
DIS Registration and Academic Notes (Summer - 2012-13)
DIS Registration and Academic Notes (Summer - 2012-13)
DIS Fall Academic Notes (Fall - 2013-14)
Returned Student Network
Click
here to see testimonials from students abroad or to contact a returned student.
Blogs
Read about current & past students' adventures.
Sara-Spring 2013
A program at DIS focuses on a specific academic field or topic and consists of a program core course including two faculty-led course-integrated program study tours, a three-day study tour in Denmark and a week-long study tour to a European destination.
Courses at DIS include a blend of lectures, group work, and field study visits in or near Copenhagen in reasonably small sizes.
The vast majority of courses are offered by, and taught at, DIS. However, a small number of courses open to DIS students are taught in English for both Danish and international students at various universities in Copenhagen. Often these courses will differ from the regular DIS courses and from your home university courses on several counts: you will be independently responsible for keeping up with the readings and assignments and your course grade may be based on one final exam, which may be an oral exam. However, taking one of your courses at a Danish university is an introduction to the European education system and a good opportunity to potentially meet Danish and other diverse university students. Courses offered by a local Danish university will be distinguished on the individual course pages.
You will select your program at time of application. Each program has a set core course and study tour. Students are given suggested courses to complete the semester and are welcome to choose from a variety of electives. The following are a list of semester programs' core courses:
Architecture & Design
Global Economics
Psychology
Biomedicine
International Business
Public Health
Child Diversity & Development
Justice & Human Rights
Science & the Environment
Communication & Media
Medical Practice & Policy
Sociology
European Humanities
Migration & Conflict
Sustainability in Europe
European Politics
Pre-Architecture
Summer options inlcude include:
Summer session I (Education, Gender studies, Health, Psychology, Religious studies)
Summer session II(Education, Business, Health, Politcial Sicence, History, Sociology, Psychology, Sustainability)
Summer session I & II (one course per session)
Architecture and Design (Textile, Interior, Urban, Furniture, or Architectural
Links with details on each program can be found below.
Affiliate Institution(s)
DIS Study Abroad
Foreign Courses
semester courses
summer courses
DIS programs
Course Equivalents
Use the links below to see a list of courses that students have taken on this program before and the UW equivalents. Note: this list only includes pre-approved courses for your program and may not be an exhaustive list of courses or departments. You will get instructions on the course equivalent process after acceptance.
Sort by Foreign Course Titles
Sort by UW-Madison Course Titles
Group by host institution and Sort by Foreign Course Titles
Group by host institution and Sort by UW-Madison Course Titles
