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The Scholar Ship

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File:TheScholarShipLogo.jpg
The Scholar Ship Logo. Used by permission.

The Scholar Ship (or TSS) is a recognized academic program aboard a transformed passenger ship hosting both undergraduate and postgraduate students on semester-long voyages around the world. Participants from diverse cultural backgrounds come together to co-create a transnational learning community that develops their intercultural competence and fosters lifelong friendships.

Programs aboard The Scholar Ship are 16 weeks in duration, and occur two times each year beginning in January and September. Itineraries vary, with most including journeys to seven or eight ports of call in countries on a number of continents.

Approximately 200 students participated in the inaugural voyage which sailed on September 5, 2007. The present voyage began in Hong Kong January 2, 2008 and will end in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Academic Steward Institutions

A consortium of universities contribute to The Scholar Ship's programming, oversee the quality of its academic offerings, and ensure that it adheres to high academic standards. Students receive academic credit from Macquaire University (Australia) and enhance their experience through participation in three elements of our Port Program: Academic Field Programs; Shore Excursions; and Independent Travel. Our transnational learning community integrates academic, cultural, and social experiences in programs that are designed to enhance students' personal and professional development.

Academic Programs

The Academic Steward institutions designed the TSS academic program based on five "Learning Circles" (interdisciplinary subjects) for undergraduates and three for graduate students. The courses offered are directly from the college catalogs of the Academic Steward institutions.

The undergraduate studies program of The Scholar Ship consists of two core subjects (Global Issues and Intercultural Communication) taken by all students, and an array of subjects offered within The Scholar Ship's five undergraduate Learning Circles:

Students may also select one subject from a group of General Studies offerings.

Postgraduate students have a variety of options for either earning postgraduate certificates or continuing their studies to earn postgraduate degrees from a select group of institutions worldwide accepting credit for postgraduate study aboard The Scholar Ship. Postgraduate students select a Learning Circle in which they pursue their studies throughout the semester. Specific subjects offered in each Learning Circle are drawn from the curricula of Academic Steward institutions and include offerings in:

Students must choose at least one of their elective subjects from within their own postgraduate Learning Circle and two additional subjects from those offered in any Learning Circle.

Postgraduate Degree Options

Postgraduate students have a variety of options for either earning postgraduate certificates or continuing their studies to earn postgraduate degrees from a select group of institutions worldwide accepting credit for postgraduate study aboard The Scholar Ship.

Port Programs

The Scholar Ship's Port Program provides students with experiential learning opportunities in host countries around the world that bring the onboard academic programs to life. The Port Program presents opportunities for students to explore the diverse cultures found in these countries through the four elements of the program:

Each of these four elements of the port program have been developed in collaboration with local academic and professional partners, drawing on a variety of experiential education methodologies. As a result, students learn from local experts and successful practitioners who share their knowledge, opinions and insights into each region's culture. There is also adequate time for personal exploration and leisure, recreation and pursuit of new friendships. Objectives:

  • To contribute to the overall mission of The Scholar Ship program to develop students’ intercultural competence.
  • To inspire students to heighten their stewardship of the world around them.
  • To increase students’ sense of identity within a global context.
  • To facilitate opportunities for students to gain practical experience in their field of study through hands-on participation.
  • To provide students with access to a global network of experts and organizations in their field.
  • To expose students to alternative concepts and perspectives within and beyond their field.

Onboard Residential Life

The Scholar Ship academic and residential life programs are designed develop intercultural leadership skills.

Onboard, students are immersed in a multicultural living environment. The intention is that the international student body, faculty and staff form a learning community that integrates academic, cultural, and social experiences in programs that are intended to enhance personal and professional development.

Every student belongs to a small residential community group. Residential communities congregate throughout the voyage for discussions and community-building activities that are intended to support The Scholar Ship’s learning outcomes and social aspects of the program.

The Ship

An artist's rendering of Oceanic II, aka The Scholar Ship. Used by permission.

The Scholar Ship vessel is named Oceanic II. It s a 29,000 ton, 201 meter ocean liner with 398 staterooms that can accommodate 796 students, faculty and staff. The ship also accommodates 416 crew members.

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