You are here
Vienna – Psychology & Social Sciences
$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid
Academics
Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best study abroad program possible—which includes the highest quality academic and cultural experiences. We offer unique courses that explore Psychology & Social Sciences and many other topics through an in-depth and hands-on approach. Our world-class professors, as well as course options at the prestigious Universität Wien, enhance your academic experience and provide you with new perspectives both in and out of class.
You take 16–19 credits per semester and all courses are worth 3 credits unless otherwise specified. Language courses are taught in German, and all other courses are taught in English unless otherwise noted. Academic programming is scheduled five days a week.
If you have taken fewer than 4 semesters of college-level German or the equivalent, you enroll in IES Abroad courses in English. If you have advanced German language proficiency, you may enroll in IES Abroad courses in German and English. Students with advanced language skills can also enroll in partner university courses.
You create your academic experience by selecting from the following required and optional program components:
- IES Abroad German language course (required, 4 credits)
- IES Abroad area studies courses* (3-4 credits) are offered at the IES Abroad Center in English and German in a wide range of disciplines.
- Please see the European Society & Culture Program page for additional course options
- German-taught courses at Universität Wien (advanced German required, credits vary)
- IES Abroad Internship (includes internship and seminar, 3 credits)
*In addition to your program’s specified coursework, you can take any of the area studies courses offered through our European Society & Culture Program.
Courses
This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.
In addition to your program’s specified coursework, you can take any of the area studies courses offered through our European Society & Culture Program.
To learn more about IES Abroad’s innovative theoretical and pedagogical approaches to teaching language abroad, refer to the IES Abroad MAP for Language & Intercultural Communication.
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| AN/SO 328 - The Culture of Immigration | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| AN/SO 345 - Comparative Austrian and European Youth Cultures: Theories and Practices | Fall | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| IN/ED 395 - Supervised Teaching Field Experience | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| GR 101 - German Language in Context: Novice Abroad I | Fall, Spring | German | 4 |
| GR 201 - German Language in Context: Novice Abroad III | Fall, Spring | German | 4 |
| GR 301 - German Language in Context: Emerging Independent Abroad I | Fall, Spring | German | 4 |
| GR 351 - German Language in Context: Independent Abroad I | Fall, Spring | German | 4 |
| GR 401 - German Language in Context: Emerging Competent Abroad I | Fall, Spring | German | 4 |
| GR 403 - German Language in Context: Emerging Competent Abroad III | Fall, Spring | German | 4 |
| GR 451 - German Language in Context: Competent Abroad | Fall, Spring | German | 4 |
| IB/GR 333 - Wirtschaftsdeutsch / Let's Talk Business | Spring | German | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| IB/GR 333 - Wirtschaftsdeutsch / Let's Talk Business | Spring | German | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| IC 215 - Intercultural Communication | Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| IN/ED 395 - Supervised Teaching Field Experience | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| SO/IN 395 - Supervised Public Service Internship Seminar | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| LT 281 - Vienna 1900: Literature in the Modern Metropolis | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| LT 382 - Responses to the Holocaust in Literature | Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| PO/PS 320 - Political Psychology | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| PO/PS 320 - Political Psychology | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| PS 214 - Cyberpsychology | Fall | English | 3 |
| PS 235 - Cross-Cultural Psychology | Fall | English | 3 |
| PS 321 - Personality Theories and Psychopathology | Fall | English | 3 |
| PS 330 - Psychology of Language | Fall | English | 3 |
| PS 346 - Psychoanalysis, Psychodynamic Therapy and Humanistic Psychology in Contemporary Culture | Spring | English | 3 |
| PS 350 - Vienna Project on Child Development: Culture and Developmental Psychology | Spring | English | 3 |
| PS 354 - Health Psychology and Communication Skills Training | Spring | English | 3 |
| SO/PS 340 - The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| Course Name | Term | Language | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| AN/SO 328 - The Culture of Immigration | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| AN/SO 345 - Comparative Austrian and European Youth Cultures: Theories and Practices | Fall | English | 3 |
| SO/IN 395 - Supervised Public Service Internship Seminar | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
| SO/PS 340 - The Psychology of Prejudice and Discrimination | Fall, Spring | English | 3 |
Partner Institution(s)
Universität Wien
www.univie.ac.at
Enrolling approximately 90,000 students, the Universität Wien offers a wide variety of courses in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences. The University boasts recognized academic strengths in Germanic Studies, Political Science, and Theology.
Founded in 1365, the Universität Wien is one of the oldest universities in Europe.
Courses
Listed below is the broad range of disciplines available at the University. Universität Wien does not offer any undergraduate courses taught in English, and the language of the administration of the university is German. As such, only students with advanced German are encouraged to consider enrollment at this institution. For specific course offerings, visit the Universität Wien website, and click “Blättern” to browse options. Please note that course offerings vary from semester to semester.
- Business & Economics
- Chemistry
- Computer Sciences
- Earth Sciences, Geography & Astronomy
- History & Culture Studies
- Law
- Life Sciences
- Mathematics
- Molecular Biology
- Musicology
- Philology & Culture Studies
- Philosophy & Pedagogy
- Physics
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
- Sports Science & Sports
- Theology
- Translation
Internships
Interning abroad as part of your study abroad experience will help distinguish your application for graduate school or a job opportunity in today’s competitive market. It’s an exhilarating challenge, and we’re here to help guide you in securing your placement and succeeding in your internship.
Participating in an internship abroad helps you:
-
Add international work experience to your résumé
-
Gain real work experience and skills
-
Build your confidence
All of our internships are supervised and earn IES Abroad credit. You participate in a seminar to complement the practical experience you gain during the internship. Proficiency in German language is not generally required, but can be helpful in securing certain Arts & Culture and Business internship placements.
Placement Examples
Past students have interned in the following fields. Don’t see your field listed here? Just talk to your IES Abroad Advisor—new internships are always being added.
- Arts & Culture — The arts and culture internship offers first-hand experience and involvement in Austrian cultural institutions (including museums and theaters), businesses, and service organizations engaged in the fields of arts, culture, and entertainment in Austria. Proficiency in German may be required for certain placements.
- Business — Apply foreign language skills while building an international résumé. Proficiency in German may be required for certain placements.
- Education Field Experience — Supervised teaching involves 30 hours of teaching English in selected Viennese secondary schools. Students attend lectures once a week on the structure and function of the Austrian school system and comparative teaching methods. Proficiency in German is not required.
- Public Service — Supervised public service internships involve 30 hours of work with environmental, social, medical, and charitable organizations. Proficiency in German is not required.
Field Trips & Events
Although your adventure begins in Vienna, our field trips take you to other great cities in Austria and beyond to provide contrast and context for what you are learning in Vienna. These trips are partially subsidized by IES Abroad. Past destinations are listed below.
Austrian Alps
3 days | Fall & Spring
Enjoy the skiing and the breathtaking scenery!
Wachau
1 day | Fall & Spring
Visit the famous Melk Abbey.
Styria Tour
2 days | Fall & Spring
Tour this Austrian region known for its delicious wines and vineyards.
Note: IES Abroad field trip destinations, activities and lengths of stay may vary according to term and availability.
Program-Related Trip
Psychology Study Tour of Austria and Germany
4 days | Fall & Spring (Required)
As an enhancement to your coursework, you will spend four days studying Psychology and Sociology in Austria, as well as Leipzig and Dresden, Germany. Examine the impact of the Iron Curtain along the Austrian border, the collective trauma of Nazism and Communism, and the early development of Psychology in Germany.
Course-Related Trips
IES Abroad Vienna also organizes course-related trips that complement IES Abroad courses and help you build your general knowledge of Austrian culture and society. Past trips have included visits to:
- Political and economic institutions such as the Austrian Parliament and the United Nations office in the Vienna International Centre “UNO City”
- Historical sites
- Theater performances
- Classical concerts
Daily Life
Part of making you feel at home in Vienna is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it’s the orientation program that prepares you for what’s ahead, your housing that is well-located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to places off the beaten path—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.
Orientation
The program begins with an orientation that introduces you to the IES Abroad staff, your fellow students, and the city of Vienna. Topics such as academics, housing, transportation, and health and safety are covered.
Additionally, CORE™, IES Abroad’s Comprehensive Orientation & Re-entry Experience, begins during orientation and continues throughout the semester with activities focusing on cultural adjustment, goal achievement, and preparing for the return home.
During the weeks following orientation, you spend half of each day in intensive German language instruction. The rest of your time is spent in academic advising, lectures on contemporary Europe, Austria, and Vienna, and tours of Vienna and the surrounding area.
Housing
We want to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding which landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Vienna, it will feel like home.
Shared Apartments – You have the option to live in an apartment that houses between three and six students. Some apartments are set aside for students interested in taking a language pledge and speaking only in German while at home.
Single Studio Apartments - You have the option to live on your own in a single studio apartment. This option carries an additional cost.
Housing with Local Residents – You have the opportunity to live with one or more IES Abroad students and an Austrian landlady/landlord or Resident Assistant.
Residence Halls – Allowing you to live among Austrian and international students, residence halls feature double rooms with a shared bath. This option carries an additional cost.
In all options, you have full access to kitchen facilities for preparing meals, which are not included in the program fee. All housing options include free Internet access.
Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events
Redefine the way you live and learn in Vienna through our cultural events, such as:
- City tours
- Museum visits
- Theater events
- Extracurricular sporting activities through the Universitätssportinstitut (for a minimal fee)
IES Abroad Vienna participates in a “buddy system” for language learning with native German speakers. The program lets you practice German and meet local students.
Get to Know Your New City
Experience an Opera at the Wiener Staatsoper
Students have the incredible opportunity to see world-class opera performances for only a few euros.
Relax Along the Danube Canal
Enjoy the late afternoon sun while you take in the tranquility of this waterway.
Visit a Museum or Two on a Rainy Day
Whether you’re into classic or modern art, history, science, architecture, or nearly anything else, at least one of the 100+ museums of Vienna will interest you.
Ride the Praterturm at Prater Park
The “Prater Tower” is the highest swing ride in the world, providing both thrills and spectacular views of the city!
Sip Wine at an Authentic Heuriger
These Viennese wine taverns serve locally-produced wines and snacks to thirsty and hungry patrons who sit at long picnic tables.
Program Cost
Consider these prices as a starting point. We encourage you to contact your study abroad office to determine the actual cost to you when factoring in financial aid, scholarships, your home school policies, and other factors.
Scholarships & Aid
Program-Specific Scholarships
Clarence & Alberta Giese Endowed Scholarship
In September 1950, 23 American students boarded the SS Volendam to begin their journey to Vienna where they would spend the next year living and studying in the Austrian capital. Paul Koutny, an idealistic Austrian student who envisioned the project together with Clarence and Alberta Giese, who were two of the original 23 students, launched the Institute for European Studies -- now IES Abroad -- from these humble beginnings. “The Clarence and Alberta Giese Endowed Scholarship” honors the Gieses and was established in recognition of the 60th anniversary of IES Abroad in 2010.
Use our budget worksheet to calculate your costs
$6+ Million in Scholarships & Aid
Our Center
While in Vienna, we want to ensure you have every opportunity to immerse yourself in new experiences. That’s why our IES Abroad Vienna Center staff is committed to providing outstanding academic and student support services. We take care of the details, so you can soak up every moment of your Vienna experience.
Also known as the Palais Corbelli, the IES Abroad Vienna Center is an elegant, early 18th-century palace in the heart of the city and is just minutes from many of the museums, theaters, and other cultural attractions that have bestowed international fame on Vienna.
Our Center is your connection point for all things IES Abroad.
- Take your IES Abroad classes in the Center’s classrooms
- Relax in the lovely student lounge
- Music students can take advantage of the practice rooms, recording studio, and instrument storage
- Enjoy a student concert (or perform in one!) in the rococo concert hall, featuring a Steinway D
Other features include WiFi, printer access, computer lab, and a small library.
Our Staff
Morten Solvik, Ph.D.
Center Director
An international scholar, Dr. Solvik holds a Ph.D. in Musicology from the University of Pennsylvania and a B.A. in Music and Intellectual History from Cornell University. Born in Norway, he speaks Norwegian, German, and English fluently, and uses French as a research language.
Dr. Solvik was instrumental in setting up the IES Abroad Vienna Music Program, which he has coordinated since 1999, and has also designed and taught numerous courses in Music History. In addition to his work with IES Abroad Vienna, Dr. Solvik has served as lecturer at the Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst (The University for Music and Performing Arts). His teaching and administrative experience is augmented by his active and productive scholarly career as an expert on Gustav Mahler.
IES Abroad Vienna Staff
Ginte Stankeviciute, M. Sc.
Academics Manager
Elizabeth English
Summer Internship Coordinator and Special Programs Assistant
Katherine Mawdsley
Special Programs Manager
Meral Kölblinger
Living in Vienna Coordinator
Mathias Schmerbach
Accounting and Business Operations
Tobias Sigmund
Student Services Manager
Kaja Ciupinska
Events & Trips Coordinator
Kaja Seruga
Summer Internship Assistant
Matt Schreiber
Program Assistant
Ben Wyatt
Program Assistant
Pauline Idang
Program Assistant
Marija Milosavljevic
Program Assistant
Dieter Strobl
Facilities and IT Manager
Gianna Lowery
Student Affairs Assistant
Julia Staudacher
Housing Coordinator
Gavin Lord
Health and Safety Coordinator
Health & Safety
With 70 years of experience, we are proud to set the standard for health and safety in study abroad. Our Chicago-based and on-site staff are all highly trained and experienced in the matters of health, safety, and crisis management. We are here for you from predeparture to your return, and are ready to support you—no matter what time zone you’re in.
In response to COVID-19, enhanced safety guidelines will be implemented this spring—such as social distancing and personal protective equipment (PPE) in on-site classes, in-country field trips and travel only, and apartment or residence hall housing (no homestays) that ensures proper space should self-quarantining be necessary.
How We Support You
We plan for "what if" so that you don't have to. From international health insurance included in the cost of your program to highly-trained local staff who can connect you to English-speaking healthcare providers, we are working around the clock to ensure your health and safety while abroad.
Learn more about the support you can expect to receive on our programs, including:
- International health insurance through CISI in the case you need to see a doctor or mental health professional
- 24/7 emergency support whether you encounter an issue while traveling or in your host city
- Location-specific health and safety information presented at orienation by on-site staff
- TripTracker system allowing you to share independent travel plans in case you need to be contacted swiftly in a crisis
- A mandatory cell phone policy so that you can be contacted locally and receive any emergency updates via call or text
- Crisis drills so that you feel prepared to respond to an emergency should one arise
- And more!
Health & Safety Resources
You safety begins with being accurately informed from the moment you're considering study abroad through to the day you return home.
Take note of ways you can maintain your health and stay safe abroad while reviewing our resources, including:
- IES Abroad MAP for Student Health, Safety & Crisis Management
- Study Abroad Safety Tips for Traveling
- IES Abroad Student Blogs on Safety and Mental Health
- And more!
Spring 2021 Refund Policy
A core philosophy of our health & safety procedures is that we plan for the what ifs so that you don't have to. That includes the development of our refund policy for Spring 2021, which allows you to still plan to study abroad or intern, knowing that if for some reason you cannot participate, your program fees and Confirmation Deposit will be fully refunded up to two weeks before the start of your program.
Don't put your dreams on hold just because the world is unknown.
Latest from Vienna
Contact a Past Student
From budgeting tips to housing insight, IES Abroad Ambassadors volunteer their study abroad and internship experiences and advice.
