First Year Experience Abroad
The College of Charleston’s First Year Experience Abroad is designed to challenge students to explore a topic through cultural immersion. These academic programs will broaden the student's initial experience in a subject and allow them to explore an area of strong interest early in their college career.
The programs aim to demonstrate the benefits of study abroad experiential learning and encourage students to make plans early to undertake a more extensive study abroad experience later in their college career. FYE Abroad is an optional course experience for students during the spring semester of their first year. These one-credit courses are meant to introduce students to their study abroad options.
First-year students are eligible for these courses regardless of whether they choose to complete their FYE requirement in the fall or spring semester.
Go abroad during your first year!
FYE Abroad students visit Nyhavn Harbour in Copenhagen, Denmark during Spring Break 2024
FYE Abroad 2025 Opportunities
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FYET 114 (Italy): From the Plate to the Page: Food Writing in Italy
Visit small towns in Tuscany and Umbria- “the green heart”- of Italy and immerse yourself in the cultivation and culture of local food. We’ll join on a truffle hunt in Spoleto, take cooking classes from a renowned chef, make pecorino on a cheese maker’s farm, and spend time with the most famous butcher in the world. Along the way will write about our experiences to capture memorable moments and convey new insights they yield. We’ll explore how food writing can help us examine our own histories, communities, and identities, even as it expands our perspective on people and the places around the globe.
Program Directors: Miranda McCollum and Anthony Varallo
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FYET 132 (Denmark): Happiness & Sustainability in Denmark
In a major cross-cultural study of happiness, Denmark consistently rates in the top 5 happiest countries in the world. Why are the Danes so happy? In 2021 Denmark was ranked as the second-highest nation for sustainability, and Copenhagen in particular, has transformed itself in the past 4 decades into a climate-friendly city. We will explore these issues in three locations: the city of Copenhagen, the Island of Bornholm (part of Denmark), and in the neighboring country of Sweden with an overnight in Malmo. We will learn more about hygge (a Danish sense of coziness/belonging) and the traps of materialism (gaining pleasure from material objects), both in terms of the health of the planet and our personal mental health.
Program Directors: Lisa Ross and Jen Wright
Learn more about the Denmark first-year experience in the Summer 2024 issue of CofC Magazine!
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FYET 138 (Costa Rica): Got Mindfulness?
Immerse yourself in a transformative wellness and mindfulness journey in the vibrant and serene landscapes of Costa Rica! This study abroad program is designed for first-year college students in education and other caring professions. It combines research-based mindfulness practices with enriching cultural experiences. At the Chilamate Eco-Retreat, you will engage in daily activities that promote well-being, connect with local students, and explore the natural beauty of Costa Rica.
Program Directors: Techa Smalls-Brown and Dawn Bagwell
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FYET 169 (United Kingdom): Soccer Experience
An examination of the role of football in English society provides unique opportunities to investigate the complexities of contemporary England. The course examines historical and philosophical meanings associated with the sport of football as well as the role of football within English culture, politics, social conflict, and social change. The main goal of the course is to understand the socio-cultural dynamics of the relationship between football and English society. The course is designed around four main tenets: League Structure & Divisions; History & Culture; Geography; Stadiums & Grounds. Attend football matches in person, get a behind the scenes look at English football through meetings with club officials, and tour well-known stadiums as we traverse across the UK seeing London, Nottingham, and Newcastle.
Program Directors: Bruce Fleming and Cam Saleeby