Vienna Central

Welcome to Vienna Central!

Imagine yourself at the end of a transatlantic flight, landing at Vienna International Airport. You leave the plane, collect your luggage, and prepare to sleep through the shuttle ride to your hotel.

But Vienna isn’t that kind of city.

No matter how jet-lagged you are, we never want to sleep once we arrive in Vienna. After you arrive, we’ll take you downtown and introduce you to the most magnificent “inner city” you will ever encounter.

 Beautiful downtown Vienna—something to discover around

every corner!

Vienna is laid out like a giant wheel, with the city center at the hub, and circled by the famous Ringstrasse. Even though Vienna is a large city of nearly two million, the city center feels very “knowable.” After just a few times downtown, you’ll be confidently strolling from the Hofburg (Imperial Palace) to the Stefansdom (cathedral), meeting friends at the Rathaus (city hall) for a brief walk to the LDS Institute, bouncing back and forth between Tichy’s and Schwedenplatz for your daily dose of Italian Eis, and picnicking to accordion music accompaniment in the Burggarten (palace park).

The open air Vienna Film Festival runs all summer long. You

Can enjoy nightly films outside the beautiful Rathaus; best

of all, it's FREE! And with the money you'll save, you can...

...splurge on a fiaker (carriage) past the Hofburg.

So prepare to meet your new favorite city. Vienna is bound to become just like a second home, only more monumental. And with better bread. (More food blog entries to follow.) See you in Vienna!

Meet the Isaaks

The boys getting creeped out by the
skeletal relic in the Peterskirche.

Allow us to introduce ourselves! We're the Isaak Family. Curtis, the director of our study abroad, works for the BYU Alumni Association. He graduated from BYU with a B.A. in German Literature, and then completed M.A.s in Language Acquisition and ESL. Kathryn did her undergraduate and graduate work in Humanities with supporting coursework in German. She now teaches Humanities and Honors Writing classes at BYU, and will be teaching the Humanities/Honors course in Vienna. Our three children have tagged along on TWO study abroad trips to Berlin and Vienna, and are excited for trip number three.

While we're in Vienna, we all become "family," as we travel together, study together, and (very importantly) EAT together. We'll visit museums, explore cathedrals and palaces, and sample the recreational delights in and around Vienna. We'll also gather regularly at our apartment for firesides, class meetings, or just informal chats about how everyone is doing.

Making friends with some of the
costumed "Mozart concert" ticket
vendors.  

Our goal is to make your experience in Vienna as rewarding and amazing as possible. Along the way, we have ridiculous amounts of fun as well. Your are always welcome to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have about the program.

We look forward to seeing you in Vienna!

Vienna Calling BYU Video

Here's a little something to get you excited for Vienna Study Abroad Summer 2011.

Enjoy!

Payment Information

Here is the general payment information. Read through it carefully. If you have questions, contact ISP Accounting by email at kennedy_accounts@byu.edu or (801) 422-3560.


Summer 2011 Study Abroad Programs
1st Payment: $500 due upon acceptance (non-refundable)
2nd Payment: $500 due March 11, 2011 (non-refundable)
3rd Payment: Program balance due by April 29, 2011
Tuition due by May 27, 2011

Program Costs

• The exact cost of your program will not be available until after the 2nd payment due date because of currency and enrollment fluctuations. When the total program cost has been determined, you will receive an email with information about the cost and the final payment amount. You will not receive a billing statement in the mail from ISP.

Tuition Questions

• The price of your program includes LDS, undergraduate tuition. You will be charged the additional cost of tuition if you are a graduate or non-LDS student. Participants who fail to register for the full academic load required by the program will be assessed additional program fees.
• Tuition for ISP programs is to be paid as scheduled above, and is due before the univerisyt tuition deadlines. You will need to sign up for the courses required by your program so tuition will be chared and you can pay it before the deadlines above.
• Financial aid will first be applied to your tuition charge—any remaining amount may then be appied to the 3rd payment then to the 2nd payment. If you are using financial aid (i.e. scholarship, Pell grant, Stafford loan, or benefit) you need to notify ISP Accounting (email kennedy_accounts@byu.edu or (801) 422-3560) of the type and amount you are to receive.

Late Fees

• A $25 late fee will be charged to your account if the 2nd payment is not paid on schedule.
• A $50 late fee will be charged to your account if the 3rd payment (balance less tuition) is not paid on schedule.
• Please note the tuition deadlines above. The University will drop all of your courses if you haven’t paid your tuition by the university add/drop deadline. The does not cancel you from a program you have registered for. To cancel from a program, you must fill out the official cancellation form online.
• Students using financial aid will not be charged a late fee if they have notified ISP Accounting prior to a payment deadline and the financial aid covers the remaining cost of the program.

Cancellation/Fees

• The first two program payments are non-refundable. If you cancel after the 3rd payment due date you will be charged an additional fee of 25% of the remaining cost of your program.

Worth a Thousand Words

Let’s be honest. It would take far more than one-thousand words to describe the artistic riches you’ll discover in Vienna. From Rembrandt and Rubens, to Klimt and Kokoschka, the best of the best is here. Who wants textbook illustrations and Power Points when you can see the real thing?

The Sound of Music

Tourists may flock to the Von Trapp Family landmarks, but Salzburg is also home to one of the world’s greatest music and theatre festivals. Between performances, you can visit the many cathedrals, castles, and pleasure palaces that surround the city. And yes, we can take you to the “I Am Sixteen Going on Seventeen” pavilion from the movie. Happy now?

Let Them Eat Cake

If a culture can be judged by its baked goods, then the Austrians are at the top of the food chain. Vienna’s cafés, centers for culture and conversation, are also a pastry-lover’s dream come true.  Sink your teeth into the chocolate ganache of a slice of Sachertorte, or let fresh, warm Apfelstrudel dissolve on your tongue, and you’ll wonder why you ever liked Twinkies.

Go Green

 

Nestled in the Austrian Alps, Dorfgastein is a picture postcard village come to life. Hike to a mountain farmhouse to sample homemade cheese, stroll down the cobblestone streets, or join locals in the town hall for oom-pah band music that will make you want to get up and polka.

Just a Little Summer Getaway

Once the domain of the Habsburgs, Schönbrunn Palace is your playground now, from its tree-lined avenues and formal gardens, to its grand and gilded staterooms that once entertained the likes of Mozart. Isn’t it nice to live how the other half lives?

BYU Vienna Study Abroad Information

The Shock of the New: Art and Revolution in Vienna

Study Abroad Summer 2011

Dates:
Summer Term    20 June–10 August 2011

What Is Study Abroad?
One of the main benefits of studying abroad is the opportunity of working closely with BYU professors. As a result of small class sizes and students/professor interaction, you will get to know your professors well. Furthermore, each course features learning experiences designed to actively involve you with the people, history, arts, attitudes, and traditions of your host country.

While studying abroad, an important part of your educational experience will include visiting sites related to your course work. Visits to cultural sites as well as other field trips such as museums, cathedrals, monuments, and theatres related to your course work will be enhanced by studying about the places before and discussing them after your visits.

Vienna, Austria
From the moment you arrive in Vienna, you know that you are in an imperial city. Stroll through the city center; the majestic cathedrals, lavish palaces, grand theatres and vast museums all testify to the power and dominance of the Habsburg Empire, whose influence extended throughout Europe until the end of World War I. But Vienna is a city not only of rulers, but also of revolutionaries--in politics, culture, and the arts. Vienna is the city where Mozart simultaneously worked for the emperor, and created operas that lampooned aristocrats and championed the common man. It’s the city where self-titled “Secessionists” like Gustav Klimt and Otto Wagner met in cafés to plan their assault on academic painting and traditional architecture. It’s the city where Freud first shocked the world with his exploration of the human psyche. In short, Vienna is a city of magnificent contrasts that will breathe life into your understanding of the development of Western history and culture.


Program Details
•    This program is open to all BYU students. The course offerings will seek to satisfy a variety of General Education requirements.
•    Students will take a course in either beginning or intermediate German, as well as a course focused on Vienna’s place in the cultural history of Europe.
•    Your work in the classroom will be augmented by many experiences outside the classroom. Leave the Power Point slides behind and see real masterpieces live and in person in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Leopold, the Albertina, and the Belvedere. We’ll attend concerts in vast music halls and soaring cathedrals. And we’ll introduce you to the many unique offerings of life in Vienna, from the cakes and conversation of its café culture, to the joys of swimming in the Danube, shopping for food at the vast Naschmarkt (outdoor food market), or taking  a ride on the giant wheel at the Prater (Vienna’s amusement park).
•    The program includes a short bike tour through the Austrian countryside to the magnificent Melk Abbey, a monastery overlooking the Danube.
•    As part of the program, we will also travel to Salzburg for the opening of the annual Salzburg Folk Festival. We’ll enjoy a few days of concerts, performances, and visits to local places of interest, such as Mozart’s birthplace, the Salzburg Cathedral, and Hellbrunn Palace. From Salzburg we’ll head to the small village of Dorfgastein, nestled in the Austrian Alps, and enjoy hikes to local farmhouses where we’ll sample the fresh cheese and famous pastries. Then it’s back down the mountain for an evening of traditional music and dance at the town hall. Finally, we’ll cross in to Germany to explore Munich and its surroundings, including the famous Neuschwanstein castle built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria.
•    Students will also have the opportunity for independent weekend travel. Options include Prague, Budapest, Venice, etc.

Course Requirements
There are no prerequisites for the program. The courses in Vienna will include the following:
•    GERM 101H/102H/201H Beginning or Intermediate German Language (4 credit hours). German classes will be taught by native German speakers at the Amerika Institut located in the heart of Vienna, directly across the street from the Vienna State Opera. Students will immerse themselves in listening, speaking, and writing German and will return home with a solid foundation for further work in the language.
•    HUMANITIES 202/HONORS 295R “The Shock of the New: Art and Revolution in Vienna” (3 credit hours). Students will trace the development of art, music, architecture and literature from the late 16th Century to our contemporary time; grades will be based on journal and essay writing, unit exams, and a final student project. The course will include numerous visits to museums, concerts, and architectural landmarks in Vienna.

Where Do Students Live?
•    Students will each stay with a family selected by the Amerika Institut. This has been a very successful tradition. Families who work with our students often specifically ask for BYU students, and they take good care of them. They are under contract to feed them breakfast every day and provide one main meal a week.

Preparation for Study Abroad
•    All students must register through ISP for a one-credit, pre-departure course held Thursdays from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. during winter semester. Room to be announced.
•    Upon acceptance, all students must apply for a passport.
•    Upon receiving a passport, all students must apply for a visa in the European Union, since this program will be longer than ninety days. ISP will help you with this.

What Funding Sources Are Available?
•    Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to Study Abroad programs.
•    Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application when they apply, and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB), will be considered for a Study Abroad Scholarship.
•    Some department scholarships are available.

Application Process
•    Application deadline is Wednesday, 15 December 2010
•    You may apply online at https://kennedy.byu.edu/isp/online/app/home.php
•    Contact the directors for an initial interview once your application is complete. Early applications are encouraged.
•    ISP’s Study Abroad reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost estimates due to conditions beyond its control.

How Much Does This Cost?
•    Approximately $5,400-$5,600
•    Includes undergraduate full tuition (increased cost for graduate and non-LDS students), housing, continental breakfast, some meals while in Vienna and on excursions, and transportation in and around Vienna.
•    It does not include airfare, personal expenses, some museum entry fees, and all meals in Vienna or on excursions.

Interested Students Should Contact:
Curtis or Kathryn Isaak. Curtis currently works with the Student Alumni Association at BYU. He served an LDS mission in Germany, received a BA in German and an MA in German Language Acquisition, and taught German at BYU. Kathryn teaches Humanities and Honors Writing classes at BYU. She has an MA in Humanities with emphases in Film and German Literature. Kathryn has taught art history courses for BYU’s Berlin and Vienna Study Abroad programs.

For More Information, email:

kathryn dot isaak at gmail dot com
or
curtis dot isaak at byu dot edu