Institute for Shipboard Education: A History of Global Learning

The Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE) manages the Semester at Sea (SAS) program, a unique study-abroad experience founded in 1963. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, ISE offers undergraduate students the opportunity to circumnavigate the globe while earning college credit. Each spring and fall semester, up to 600 undergraduates participate in the 100- to 110-day program.

Origins and Early Voyages

The concept of shipboard education dates back to the early 20th century, with James Edwin Lough, a psychology professor at New York University, envisioning a floating university. Lough's vision eventually led to the maiden voyage of the SS Ryndam in 1926. However, the idea didn't gain traction until the 1960s when it was resurrected as the University of the Seven Seas.

In the late 1960s, Dr. M.A. Griffiths spearheaded World Campus Afloat. C.Y. Tung, a Hong Kong business magnate, provided the ship and ship management expertise to launch the program into a new era.

The Institute for Shipboard Education is Born

Chapman College, facing financial difficulties in 1976, had to abandon World Campus Afloat. With C.Y. Tung's support, Dr. Griffiths founded the Institute for Shipboard Education. The University of Colorado became the sponsoring university, and the program was renamed Semester at Sea. In 1981, the University of Pittsburgh took over the sponsorship for 25 years.

Academic Structure and Program Details

Students attend classes in various subjects and disciplines, including humanities courses relevant to the countries on the itinerary, while the ship is at sea. All students are required to take an interdisciplinary, core global-studies course. Semester at Sea is open to students from any university. No classes are taught in port, and students can take Semester at Sea-sponsored trips or travel independently in the port country. Before arriving at a port, they are briefed on the culture and societal rules of the country they are visiting. At the port of call, guest speakers deliver lectures to the students and faculty.

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The program itinerary differs each semester, and the ship typically docks at 10 or 11 ports. An early-1990s spring itinerary included Nassau, Caracas, Salvador (Brazil), Cape Town, Mombasa, Chennai, Singapore, Shanghai, Osaka and Hong Kong. More recent voyages have explored Hawaii, Japan, China, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Mauritius, South Africa, Ghana, Morocco, and the Netherlands.

The Fleet of Floating Campuses

Semester at Sea has utilized a variety of ships as its floating campus, including:

MS Seven Seas (formerly the USS Long Island)
SS Ryndam
SS Universe (formerly the SS Atlantic)
SS Universe Explorer
MV Explorer
MV World Odyssey

The SS Seawise University (formerly the RMS Queen Elizabeth) was intended for use but burned and sank in 1972 before it could be used.

Challenges and Adaptations

Over the years, Semester at Sea has faced various challenges, including:

Mechanical difficulties: The spring 1994 voyage (on the SS Universe) was plagued by mechanical issues, leading to unscheduled stops and rerouting.
Terrorism concerns: The fall 1997 voyage was rerouted due to a State Department travel warning for American citizens in the Middle East.
Accidents: A student died in a 1993 hiking accident, and five students were killed in a bus crash during a field trip in India in spring 1996.
Storms: In January 2005, the MV Explorer weathered a combination of three storms in the North Pacific, resulting in damage to the ship and injuries to crew members.
Typhoons: During the fall 2006 voyage, Typhoon Shanshan caused the MV Explorer to be rerouted to Hong Kong.
Bomb threats: The summer 2008 voyage was rerouted from Istanbul to Alexandria due to bomb threats in Turkey.
Pandemics: The Spring 2020 voyage avoided a number of countries (including China) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fall 2020 voyage did not sail as planned because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite these challenges, Semester at Sea has adapted and continued to provide students with unique educational experiences.

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The MV World Odyssey

In May 2015, a lease was announced for the ship previously known as the MS Deutschland to be renovated, re-flagged and renamed the MV World Odyssey. The MV World Odyssey is operated by V-Ships.

The Spring 2020 voyage aboard the MV World Odyssey was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The ship was rerouted to Vietnam for an extra week to make up for lost time in China. Subsequent itinerary changes were made due to quarantine concerns, with ports of call being altered or canceled.

Safety Concerns and Tragedies

The program has faced scrutiny regarding safety. In March 1996, four college students died in India, along with three other people, when their bus crashed. The bus driver had been on duty between 30 and 50 hours and was driving under the influence of alcohol.

Concerns about safety led the University of Pittsburgh to drop the program after safety and security concerns.

Academic Sponsorship and Affiliations

Semester at Sea has been sponsored by several universities throughout its history:

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University of Colorado
University of Pittsburgh
University of Virginia
Colorado State University (current academic partner as of June 1, 2016)

Colorado State University (CSU) became the new academic partner for Semester at Sea in June 2016.

A Transformative Experience

Semester at Sea aims to provide students with a transformative educational experience. Students have the opportunity to immerse themselves in different cultures, learn from guest speakers, and develop a global perspective.

Voyages and Itineraries

The program itinerary differs each semester, and the ship typically docks at 10 or 11 ports.

The fall 2019 itinerary included the Netherlands, Poland, the Kiel Canal, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Morocco, Ghana, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, the Panama Canal, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
The Summer of 2012 voyage aboard the MV Explorer included Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Morocco, and Portugal.

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