Athens Greece
Message from the Director
I would like to welcome you to BCA Athens. Studying
in Athens means choosing the land where the gods and
the heroes have left their traces. Athens is a city of more
than four million inhabitants, the capital of Greece,
connected with the Port of Piraeus. Known from ancient
times as the cradle of civilization and the birthplace
of democracy, Athens is today a modern city with the
Parthenon on the Acropolis to remind the you of the
glory of the past. It is a link between old wise Europe
and the colorful Orient. The city has an international
character, and the ruins of ancient theaters and temples
among the Byzantine churches make it unique.
The experience of living abroad in Athens is exceptional. You walk through the alleys of the ancient ruins
and you hear the secret voices of Aristotle, Plato and
Socrates. You rest under the shade of an olive tree and
you feel the wisdom of the goddess Athena guiding you.
You stare at the youths opposite you and you see the
smile of the goddess of love, Aphrodite, tempting you.
Walking on the narrow streets of Plaka on the slopes
of the Acropolis you can find a thousand small shops,
picturesque tavernas and cafes in the open air. You can
find fine jewelry and worry beads as well as austere
saints on the Byzantine icons. You can rest for a while to
taste souvlaki or drink a bitter thick Greek coffee.
Athens is a multilayered kaleidoscope, which must be
experienced with all the senses. It is an endless source
of beauty, excitement, peace and most of all, learning.
Action and color are everywhere. But you can discover
also a quiet peaceful Athens to take you out of modern
life.
In Athens your eyes and heart are never at rest.
Physically, you are standing there, but mentally you are
back in time, and wondering: who stood here? What
happened here? You are the link connecting the present with the past. On hot summer evenings you can
discover the Athens of sounds and scents. People live
outdoors. The city at nighttime is as alive and colorful as
in daytime.
Coming here you will have the opportunity to experience both the aesthetic and intellectual beauties of Athens
for yourselves. I look forward to meeting you in Athens.
Kali andamosi stin Athina,
Aphrodite Vavouyios
Resident Director, BCA Athens
Aphrodite Vavouyios is very much at home in her native
Greece. Before joining BCA, she worked for 20 years as a director
and professor of Greek language and culture at the American
Embassy. She also taught Greek language, culture and literature
at the University of La Verne, Athens. Aphrodite has worked with
BCA students for more than 19 years and serves as academic advisor, cultural liaison, tour guide and counselor. She gives special
lectures, escorts students to many wonderful sites and helps with
university relations
Cover Image
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Athens, Greece ◆ BCA Study Abroad
The Erechtheion at the Acropolis.
Local to Global: Connecting to Ideas that Matter
Since 1962, BCA Study Abroad has
been committed to helping students
understand the complexities of the
contemporary world by providing
challenging academic programs and
cross-cultural learning in locations
around the globe.
From this start, BCA focused its educational mission on engaging students
with ideas that matter.
As educators, we are convinced that
no genuine understanding of global
issues can be gained without a strong
intellectual grounding in the histories,
societies and cultures of the region in
which our students pursue their studies. Furthermore, we believe that
student learning depends heavily on
meaningful direct contact with local
people whose lives are entwined with
and affected by the issues we aim to
understand.
By design, a significant component of
BCA’s study abroad programs, both
through traditional classroom education
and in-field learning, is grasping the
historical, social and cultural context of
the big questions of the human condition.
Through this model, BCA strives to
convey a more comprehensive and
precise understanding of the world
to the students who participate in
our programs.
BCA Study Abroad ◆ Athens, Greece
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Athens, Greece ◆ BCA Study Abroad
About the Program
Our multifaceted Athens program is a rich combination of university academics, once-in-a-lifetime
educational excursions and individualized learning
opportunities. Few programs can offer the diversity
of experience that BCA Athens does; every semester
students have the opportunity to study and
experience firsthand the most important themes of
our time: social justice through the lenses of poverty,
immigration, the environment, cultural identity and
democratization.
BCA Study Abroad ◆ Athens, Greece
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City Unity College (CU)
City Unity College (formerly City University of
Seattle in Athens) is one of the most contemporary Colleges in Athens. It was established in
1999 as an official branch of City University of
Seattle (Washington, USA). Today, City Unity
College has expanded its academic partnerships and offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programs in fields of
Business Administration, Hospitality & Tourism
Management, Technology, Psychology,
Education, Maritime, Sport Sciences, Graphic
Arts and Interior Design.
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Athens, Greece ◆ BCA Study Abroad
Student Learning
At City Unity College, BCA students
have access to many academic disciplines
typically found at a small liberal arts
college. Instruction is in English and taught
by professors distinguished in the areas
of business, education and government.
Recommended Courses
This is just a sampling of the rich array of courses
offered at the University. To view more courses, visit our
website at www.BCAstudyabroad.org.
HUM 310: Modern Greek Language, Oral Skills
(3 credits)
This introductory course to Modern Greek places emphasis on preparing students to use spoken Greek as well
as learn the fundamental grammar required in order to
read and write. Reading comprehension exercises will be
given during the course.
BC 306: Ethics and Leadership (Management; 3 credits)
This course provides an overview of various philosophical approaches to ethical decision-making and
practical applications involving ethical problems that
arise in business. In addition, it introduces the student
to the theory and practice of leadership. Topics include
the major ethical constructs, approaches to self-knowledge and practical leadership skills.
COM 419: Intercultural Communication
(Arts and Sciences; 3 credits)
communicating in different cultures, and helps students
develop communication skills to competently engage in
intercultural communication.
COM 314: Photojournalism (3 credits)
This course provides a study of the basic elements of
photojournalism through still photography and words.
Students are presented with equipment fundamentals,
composition, and lighting, along with producing pictures using both darkroom and digital techniques.
INT 404: Sociology of World Affairs (3 credits)
This course is an introduction to sociology of world
affairs. Topics include: society, culture, social contracts,
conflicts, global politics, social change, legitimacy,
political stability, etc. This course will help you interpret
global political and sociological phenomena.
“Modern Greek Language required more studying and concentration than I initially thought,
but I really took a lot away from it... I’m really
interested in linguistics, so I put a lot of effort
into learning and speaking the language, which
helped me communicate with native Greeks
and get around better in Athens in general. It’s
a vital course for life in Athens, in my opinion.”
Hannah Brenneman, Juniata College
This course looks at how culture affects and
shapes communication, explores the varied ways of
BCA Study Abroad ◆ Athens, Greece
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Connecting to the community
“Volunteering at the Refugee Center was a very rewarding and unique experience for us. We were given the opportunity to play with the children and
teach English to the Afghan refugees that would otherwise be left helpless ...
To see a grown man’s face light up when he learns a new word in English or
hear a child pray in their native language leaves one with an indescribable
feeling. It is a truly sobering experience to see the joy these families have
when they walk through the doors. Even though it may seem as though
they have next to nothing, they do have something—hope; the center along
with the staff and many volunteers provide them with it.”
Ashley Jones, Liberty University; Megan Dubbs, Messiah College;
and Toni Harr, Juniata College
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Athens, Greece ◆ BCA Study Abroad
BCA Signature Courses
BCA’s Signature Courses focus student
learning on intellectual development,
cross-cultural awareness and transdisciplinary study, both through traditional
classroom learning and in-field experience.
Required Courses
GRE 301: Greek Culture and Contemporary Life
(3 credits)
Students are introduced to the political, social and
cultural life of classical and modern Greece. Lectures
during the course include:
• The impact of globalization on the Greek people;
market and culture; dominant cultures- changing
habits; peace among the Balkan countries.
• Modern environmental problems on a global
schedule; environmental protection in the EuroMediterranean: Greece
HUM 310: Modern Greek Language: Writing and Grammar I (5 credits, Fall and Spring Semesters)
This course is an introductory course to Modern
Greek. The emphasis is on preparing the students to use
spoken Greek as well as learn the fundamental grammar
required to read and write. By the end of this course,
students will be able to perform simple tasks in Greek,
such as greet people, give and take directions, order
from a menu, describe the weather and entertainment
activities, explain likes and dislikes, as well as share various personal information.
“In a short period of time we learned a wide
variety of vocabulary. By the third week of
class, we could pick up words in public conversations and after six weeks of hard work, we
were easily adapting and feeling comfortable
living in Greece and speaking Greek.”
Leah Fusco, Messiah College
Volunteer at caritas athens
Caritas Refugee Center in Athens is a member
of Caritas Hellas, which is part of International
Caritas--a charitable organization of the Catholic
Church operating in more than 200 countries
around the world. CARITAS ATHENS has been
open since 1978 and is recognized by the State as
a non-profit charity (NGO). Its services are offered
to any person in need, irrespective of creed, race
or language. BCA students often volunteer at the
Center in various capacities including:
• FOOD DISTRIBUTION: Basic food packs are
prepared and distributed monthly to families
who are recent arrivals in Greece.
• CLOTHES DISTRIBUTION: Clothes, blankets,
household items, toys and other goods are distributed twice weekly to refugees and migrants,
both adults and children.
• SOUP KITCHEN: At the premises, a daily hot
meal is offered free of charge at lunchtime from
Monday through Friday to more than 200 refugees and migrants.
• SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT: The Social
Services department provides assistance to
refugees and migrants facing numerous problems in Greece and suffering social exclusion.
BCA Study Abroad ◆ Athens, Greece
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Athens, Greece ◆ BCA Study Abroad
Living in Athens
The capital and largest city in Greece,
Athens is a modern metropolis with a rich
history that spans more than 3,000 years.
Blending old and new, modern Athens
is rapidly becoming a leading business
center in the European Union and central to economic, financial, industrial,
political and cultural life in Greece.
Athens is home to ancient monuments of the classical
era, such as the Parthenon and the Acropolis, as well as a
variety of Roman and Byzantine monuments. The city’s rich
culture spans the traditional, with museums, theaters,
galleries, neighborhood markets and concert halls to the
trendy, with hip bars, dance clubs, cafés and sports venues.
Despite its rapid growth in recent years, Athens has
many small neighborhoods each with its own personality from the exotic to the upscale. The warm
Mediterranean air invites many out onto their balconies
and into the neighborhood cafes to enjoy conversation
and wonderful Greek food. In Athens, you will meet
people with rich customs and traditions and hear several
languages spoken including German, English and French.
Housing and Student Life
BCA students live in four-bedroom apartments with
other BCA students. The apartment building also houses
Greek residents and is within walking distance to the
university campus. Each apartment includes a fully
equipped kitchen with new appliances, and a shared
bathroom.
All apartments have a lounge area that contains sofas,
a TV, a computer, a phone and internet access. All bedrooms contain desks and computer chairs, wardrobes
with hanging sections and shelves, bedside tables, carpets and curtains, bedding packs and bed linens (sheets,
pillows, duvet), and towels. BCA provides students with
a monthly meal stipend.
Activities
Students organize many activities, including theater
productions, field studies and island excursions. They
also publish a weekly newsletter, a quarterly magazine
and a yearbook. In addition, students often participate
in professional associations, cultural groups and sports
clubs.
“The BCA cultural excursions were among the
highlights of my experience and when I began
to see the foundations of Greek culture. Not
only was this an excellent opportunity to see
the rest of the country, but it turned stories and
myths into reality.”
Kelsey Ortman, Bethel College
Educational Excursions
• Ancient City of Olympia, where the first ancient Olympic games were held.
• The sacred rock of the Acropolis with the
magnificent Parthenon.
• Agora: the birth place of Democracy, where
students learn about the philosophical ideas of
Aristotle, Plato and Socrates.
• Monasteries perched on rock towers in
Meteora where students are introduced to the
philosophy of religion in classical ages, similarities and differences with the Greek Orthodox
doctrines and ethical values.
• Peloponessus Peninsula, home to Sparta,
Olympia, and many important archaeological sites.
• Ancient Corinth, the city where Apostle Paul
taught the new religion.
• Mycenae and Epidaurus
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Mission Statement
Rooted in the values of peace and justice, BCA Study Abroad
promotes international understanding, awareness of global
citizenship and academic scholarship through educational exchange.
BCA Athens Quick Facts
Dates of Study:
• Fall Semester: Mid-September through mid-December
• Spring Semester: Mid-March through late June
Application Deadlines:
• Fall Semester: April 15
• Spring Semester: October 1
BCA Study Abroad
50 Alpha Drive
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
Phone: 1-866-222-6188
Fax: 717-361-6619
Email: inquiry@BCAstudyabroad.org
BCA’s Comprehensive Fee covers:
• Tuition
• University Services
• Housing
• Academic Advising
• Meals
• Cultural and University
Orientation
• Excursions
• On-Site Resident Director • Intensive Language
(where applicable)
• Seminars and Guest
• Academic Transcript
Lectures
• On Call International
• Signature Courses
Travel Assistance
BCA Study Abroad Programs: 2012-2013
Italy: Rome
Austria: Vienna
Belgium: Brussels
Japan: Sapporo
Host University: City Unity College
China:
Dalian, Shanghai
Mexico: Xalapa
Housing and Meals: Downtown apartments near campus.
BCA provides students with a monthly meal stipend.
Ecuador:
Quito, Upper Amazon
Language of Instruction: English
England: Cheltenham
Germany: Marburg
Greece: Athens
India: Chennai
Morocco: Tetouan
Netherlands: The Hague
New Zealand: Dunedin
Palestine: Birzeit
Spain:
Valladolid, Barcelona
Ireland: Dublin/Derry
www.BCAstudyabroad.org
Greece
Athens