DIS Copenhagen - Psychology : Testimonials (Copenhagen)
The following program testimonial responses have been selected for publication by Office of International Programs
We want to hear about your experience!
Why did you choose this program?
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DIS offered the Positive Psychology course, which is an educational viewpoint that is not yet offered at Wofford College. It was a chance to study Psychology from a different perspective in one of the happiest countries in the world. I also heard very good things about the academics and the staff at DIS from students who had completed the program before me. DIS also offers a two week break during the semester to allow students time to travel on their own outside of the travel DIS plans for you. Most of the other programs I considered only allowed one week to ten days for independent travel.
— Jordan Hardy, Spring 2011 |
Why did you choose this program?
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I chose DIS Copenhagen because of one of the core courses offered there, the Cognitive Neuroscience of Consciousness. I really wanted to explore this topic, and Denmark was a great place to do it! The Danish approach to education is very hands-on, with frequent field studies which are hands-on activities like visiting museums and talking to local leaders. There are also two study tours included in the program, and each core course travels together to participate in hands-on activities which are not available in the Copenhagen area.
— Vanessa Zarubin, Fall 2016 |
Why did you choose this program?
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There were more class options than any other programs and the media portrayed Denmark as such an idealic place to live. It was very out of my comfort zone as a foreign country, but also within my comfort zone in that it is such a safe place with very nice people who speak English.
— Sarah Gamble, Spring 2017 |
What was your favorite aspect of this program?
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This is a hard decision to make, but the Housing staff at DIS placed me with an amazing host family. We could not have been matched better in terms of what I wanted for my experience and also what they hoped to gain by hosting a student, the home environment, location, and many other aspects. Without my host family, my experience in Denmark would not have been the same.
— Jordan Hardy, Spring 2011 |
What was your favorite aspect of this program?
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My favorite part of this program was my core course – it was just as interesting as I had hoped! My class also got along extremely well and those classmates were my closest friends in Copenhagen. Copenhagen itself is a close second for my favorite part of the program. It's a very beautiful and very safe city with a fantastic atmosphere. I didn't choose the program for the place at all – which just made it an even better surprise when I fell in love with the city!
— Vanessa Zarubin, Fall 2016 |
What was your favorite aspect of this program?
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My absolute favorite part of the program was the study trip we did with our core class. I had the chance to go to Budapest with my Positive Psychology class and I loved it! Budapest was my favorite place I visited while abroad and I thoroughly enjoyed all of the class activities we did while there.
— Rachel Shinnick, Spring 2018 |
What was your housing situation like?
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I lived with a host family about a 45 minute commute from the city center. I really enjoyed the chance to get out of the city and into the more rural suburbs every day when I went home. I also found that I enjoyed my commute and used the time to be productive or to relax.
— Vanessa Zarubin, Fall 2016 |
What was your housing situation like?
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A new, large apartment that had every amenity we needed. There were 70 total DIS students in my apartment building with an RA on every floor and two apartments of each floor with three triples.
— Sarah Gamble, Spring 2017 |
What was your housing situation like?
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I lived in a residential community, which is a shared apartment. I had five roommates, three girls and two boys. We had a shared kitchen, bathroom and common room. It was spacious and accommodating. The rooms were basically like an average dorm, I shared one room with my roommate, the two boys shared a room and the two other girls shared a room. DIS provided a bed with sheets, a pillow and comforter, a wardrobe with hangers, a desk and lamp. We also had access to all kitchen ware you would need to be able to cook etc..
— Rachel Shinnick, Spring 2018 |
What was your favorite class and why?
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Positive Psychology was my favorite class because it gave me the opportunity to study Psychology from a different perspective. My professor was very open to structuring her lectures in a way that would make the most sense to us, namely by incorporating empirical data from studies in Positive Psychology into her class discussions. However, she also balanced comfort with challenges with a group project and by making us keep a gratitude journal for a week to encourage first-hand learning of some of the class material.
— Jordan Hardy, Spring 2011 |
What was your favorite class and why?
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My favorite class was definitely my core course, Cognitive Neuroscience of Consciousness. I find that it's a very interesting topic to me and the professor was fantastic. It's really a class that's at the intersection of neuroscience and philosophy, which led to many lively class discussions. The class was challenging, but definitely manageable and the professor was fantastic about helping students who asked during her office hours.
— Vanessa Zarubin, Fall 2016 |
What was your favorite class and why?
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Gang Crime in Scandinavia because the work load wasn't large, but it challenged my critical thinking skills and challenged my biases. All DIS professors asked to be called by their first names and were much less formal, which allowed the class discussion to be a lot more authentic, my professor in this class was no different.
— Sarah Gamble, Spring 2017 |
What was your favorite class and why?
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My favorite class was my Human Trafficking in a Global Context course. It was extremely informative and we had riveting conversations and debates about the impact human trafficking has on the world. I learned so much from this class in terms of things I had not previously known, but also ways to adapt my current mindset and behavior to reflect that of a human being who cares for her neighbor and sees the way in which actions affect others.
— Rachel Shinnick, Spring 2018 |
What did you gain from studying abroad?
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I gained a better idea of what my strengths are as a person and feel more confident in my abilities to navigate difficult situations by myself. I feel that I have matured both mentally and emotionally in ways I would not have if I had stayed home.
— Jordan Hardy, Spring 2011 |
What did you gain from studying abroad?
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I gained a lot of independence over the course of the semester. I'm definitely much more confident in navigating public transit and finding my way around new places. I also loved coming in contact with people from all over the US and from Denmark who had different backgrounds and different views of the world. I've changed some on my beliefs after considering them in a new light, while others have become strengthened because they were challenged and I now know why I have certain habits. As a result, I'm more confident in myself as a person and I'm open to evaluating my beliefs and adapting as necessary.
— Vanessa Zarubin, Fall 2016 |
What did you gain from studying abroad?
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I gained too much to put into words, but to try, I gained independence. Going to school out of state where I didn't know anyone, I thought I was independent, but I wasn't. I realized that I wasn't as independent as I thought I was when I got on the plane to go abroad and thought I had made a huge mistake, but I made it and traveled to many more countries in my time abroad. I not only survived, but thrived. I also didn't have a meal plan, so I had plan feeding myself everyday and buy groceries and cook. In this way, this was a step up of independence from college in the direction of life after college. I don't think I would be as able to confront life post-graduation as I am now, if I had not studied abroad. I also met and lived with people from all across America with view points drastically different from most at Wofford, which was refreshing and educating. I also got to experience a country different from the US and see many other countries and really realize that the US way of life isn't the only way of life and there is a huge world out there to explore.
— Sarah Gamble, Spring 2017 |
What did you gain from studying abroad?
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I gained so many skills from studying abroad. One of which was the ability to cook! I was forced out of my comfort zone to buy groceries and make my own meals as a cheaper alternative to eating out every night, and I'm so glad I learned because I have continued to cook even after I arrived home. Probably the most important thing I learned abroad though was how to learn and cope completely on my own. I had to be able to advocate for myself and figure things out if something didn't go quite according to plan. These are skills that will help me excel in the future and I am so grateful for my time abroad. It is truly a life changing experience to have.
— Rachel Shinnick, Spring 2018 |