Semester at Sea (SAS) represents a distinctive model in study-abroad programs, offering undergraduate students an immersive global education experience aboard a cruise ship. Founded in 1963, this program is managed by the nonprofit Institute for Shipboard Education (ISE), based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Currently, Colorado State University serves as its academic sponsor, ensuring the academic rigor and credit transferability for participating students.
This innovative approach allows students to travel the world while continuing their studies, blending academic coursework with direct cultural engagement in multiple countries.
Origins and Evolution of Shipboard Education
The concept of education at sea predates Semester at Sea. In 1926, James Edwin Lough of New York University organized the "Floating University," an educational seven-month around-the-world voyage. Lough, serving as dean, sailed aboard the Holland America liner SS Ryndam. This pioneering journey embarked from and returned to Hoboken, New Jersey, on September 18, after covering 35,000 miles and visiting 47 ports in 33 countries. Notable participants included former Kansas Governor Henry J. Allen, who sailed as a faculty member, and a government class that interviewed figures like the King of Siam and Benito Mussolini. Commencement exercises were reportedly held aboard the ship, marking what was believed to be the first college graduation ceremony at sea. The King of Siam even invited the group to Bangkok as official guests during the voyage. The Floating University conducted a second voyage in 1928 aboard the SS President Wilson. Contemporary commentary likened this program to the traditional European "Grand Tour," viewing it as part of a broader movement to integrate international travel into undergraduate education.
Semester at Sea's Modern Legacy
Building on this historical precedent, Semester at Sea has evolved into a significant study-abroad program. Since its inception, nearly 73,000 undergraduate students from over 1,500 colleges and universities have participated. The program has seen various academic sponsorships, moving from the University of Pittsburgh to the University of Virginia in 2005, and currently sponsored by Colorado State University. These sponsorships are crucial for validating the academic credits earned by students during their voyages.
Over the years, Semester at Sea has hosted distinguished individuals, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu, who made his first full sailing as a distinguished lecturer in residence during the Spring 2007 voyage. He sailed again in 2010, receiving the Lifetime African Achievement award from the Millennium Excellence Foundation in Ghana, a country the ship visited. The program celebrated its 100th voyage with the fall semester in 2009, marking a century of continuous innovation in global education.
