Prague, Czech Republic

Prague, Czech Republic

The Prague Project: Travel Writing

The city of Prague, situated in the heart of the Czech Republic, is steeped in history and culture. Students will experience and explore the “Golden City of Spires,” including historic Old Town Square, picturesque Charles Bridge, the ancient Prague Castle, and many other landmarks.

Students in the Travel Writing program will practice the art and craft of travel writing and sharpen their photography skills. Led by media professionals, students will create a webzine about Prague and the Czech Republic and get a taste of being a foreign correspondent. Students will earn up to 8 transferable academic credits.

Classes take place at the Prague University of Economics in the center of the city. Students will stay in the city, with housing, breakfast and lunch 5 days a week, and a Prague transit pass included. The program includes an orientation dinner, city tour, several special trips and tours and a closing dinner.

Academic Credit

The Prague program offers both a 4-credit course in Travel Writing and a 4-credit course in Central European History (optional at no extra charge), offered in cooperation with The European Study Abroad Center and the University of Economics Prague.

University Credits

Students will receive 4 credits from the University of Economics Prague for each successfully completed course. Credits are transferable and may be accepted by your college or university. The links to the course syllabi will be helpful in clearing credits through your home campus.

The Courses

- History of Central Europe Syllabus (From the 2011 Program)

- Travel Writing

- Czech Language and Culture module (non-credit)

The Dancing House

The City

Prague, the beautiful capital of the Czech Republic, remains one of the most popular destinations for students to participate in educational programs. Prague is the political, economic and cultural center of the state. The president, government and parliament residences are located here. It is also a significant European cultural center, with many theatres, museums, galleries and exhibition halls, and historic buildings that date back many centuries.

The University

The University of Economics Prague, located in central Prague, is the top educational center of the Czech Republic. The University of Economics is a fully accredited institution of higher education that closely collaborates with other universities and academic institutions such as the European Study Abroad Center. The highly ranked International Business program provides students and subsequent graduates with knowledge and skills that are absolutely indispensable for their career in middle and top management of big multinational companies.

Travel Opportunities

Attractions and travel around Prague.

Students will have most weekends free to explore the city, or to travel to nearby cities. A Prague public transportation pass is provided for the duration of the program so that students can visit the city’s many attractions on their own. Prague’s central location also enables weekend trips to neighboring European cities like Berlin, Vienna, Budapest and more. More information on an optional excursion to Vienna.

Students

Students visit historic Prague

The program is open to up to 24 English-speaking college students and recent graduates from any school. Students from many universities — including Iowa State University, James Madison University, Louisiana State University, Ryerson University, New York University, UCLA, University of Maryland, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Temple University, Arizona State University, Gonzaga University, University of Arizona, University of Montana, Loyola College, San Jose State University, Humboldt State University, San Diego State University, Rice University, University of Nevada-Reno, Nanyang Technological University, University of British Columbia and Baylor University — have participated in past ieiMedia programs. We’ve also had students from Japan, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, Thailand and Trinidad.

Most of our students are journalism or communications majors but those majoring in other subjects are welcome as well. Non-journalism majors should have a strong interest in writing. While experience working for a college or professional publication is helpful, it is not necessary. The program is open to English-speaking students from around the world. It is also open to graduate students. We’d be happy to talk with you about supervising an independent project that would qualify for graduate credit at your school, or to offer this experience as a graduate internship.

Faculty

Students at Charles Bridge and Prague Castle

Our faculty come from leading universities and news organizations. In 2012 our faculty will include:

2012 Program Director/Digital Journalism Faculty

Frank Mungeam is an Emmy Award-winning Digital journalist and the Director of Digital Media for the NBC TV station in Portland, Oregon. He is also an Adjunct Faculty with the Center for Media and Digital Culture at Washington State University. A published author and Harvard graduate, his travel articles have appeared in multiple magazines and newspapers in the U.S. and Canada.

Dr. Katerina Prusova is an assistant professor at VSE (University of Economics, Prague) in Jewish Studies and the History of Central Europe. She is also a lecturer at American University in Prague (Art History, Photography, History of Central Europe).

Accommodations

Students will live in a local residence hall with easy access to the university classroom, sharing a room with private bath with other students. Sheets and dishes will be provided. Students should bring their own towels. Breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday are included.

Scheduled Activities

Several additional activities are included in the tuition. There will be an opening reception, including dinner. Students will also receive an orientation including lunch and a guided walking tour of central Prague. There will be an inclusive overnight stay in a unique medieval village, as well as a day trip to Karlstejn castle and a wine tasting in Prague with Wine Master Max Munson, including food. At the conclusion of the program, there will be a departing reception at a local Czech restaurant. A daily free class in Czech language, culture and protocol is also included in the tuition.

Tentative Daily Schedule

Equipment

Students are expected to bring a laptop computer and digital camera.

Language & Culture Instruction

A daily course on Czech language and culture is included in the program. The classes cover the basics of conversational Czech and provide some insight into the culture, food and way of life in the Czech Republic.

Interpreters

Students will have access to local interpreters as part of the Prague program. These interpreters can assist students as they immerse themselves in the city and culture of Prague, and craft their travel stories. In the past, students have found the process of working with these local interpreters to be one of the most rewarding experiences in the program.

Program Cost

The cost is $4,995 plus airfare. The price includes housing as well as breakfast and lunch M-F, instruction and transcripts, instruction, basic travel insurance, some special programs and activities. Transportation from the Prague airport is also included upon arrival.

Financial Aid

Students studying abroad for the summer term have limited financial aid options. Check with your school’s financial aid office to find out if assistance is available here.

Application Process

Students must fill out the online application and provide contact information for a professor or employer. College transcripts (unofficial are okay) are needed to complete the student’s file. A $500 deposit is fully refundable if a student is not accepted into the program.

For more information, fill out our contact form.