Pitt in Greece

Pitt in Greece is a true travel adventure! This is a mobile program that has us spending a number of days at various cities throughout Greece. We have our “second home” on our own bus that magically takes us through the Greek countryside and mountains to our next destination! Along the way, you meet all kinds of people! You literally “see” history as you make your own history! We learn as we go; we don’t stop! We’ll teach and be taught as we traverse the country, as we interact with locals and key people in their respective fields and life experiences; and we want to produce learning products in many and diverse formats. You will “play” too! You dance their dances, sing their songs and enjoy the country’s natural beauty at its beaches, on its boats, in its mountains, cities and towns! Life while on Pitt in Greece is a kaleidoscope of sensations and experiences, and one that you owe to yourself while at Pitt!

What You'll Accomplish

As an engaged and active participant in this program, you will have the opportunity to:

Study the history of sports from ancient Greece to the Modern Olympics
Understand how tourism can be an all-encompassing socioeconomic phenomenon
Develop a sense of how the Greek people have confronted the economic and political crises

At the crossroads of the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, Greece’s unique location reveals itself in the diverse artifacts of its antiquity, the people that you see from around the world there as tourists and immigrants. The natural, physical beauty of Greece will entrance you with its thousands of islands in the deep blue Aegean Sea. The mountains and plains of Mainland Greece and the Peloponnese contrast beautifully with the self-sufficient rugged beauty of Crete. The setting for learning and playing is truly designed by the gods!

Unlike many study abroad programs, Pitt in Greece is not based in only one city. Students will begin the program in Athens. You will spend time in various Greek cities and regions, including the following: Athens, Epidauros, Nafplio, Sparta, Olympia, Delphi, and Karpathos.

Where You'll Live

Due to the traveling aspect of the program, you will be housed in double or triple hotel rooms at each location. A full itinerary of hotels will be given to you at orientation.

You can expect the following in each hotel:

Double or triple rooms
Bedding
Breakfast
Shared bathrooms
Communal lounge space
Wifi
Laundry service – extra fee

We do our best to provide the most accurate information about housing and amenities but due to the nature of the locations in which we offer programs and limited availability, these items are subject to change. Contact your program manager with any questions.

What You'll Study

You will take two courses for six credits.

If you are seeking to count these courses towards a major, minor or certificate requirement, please meet with your respective advisor to discuss the program and what the courses will fulfill for you. Information about how the courses on this program count towards general education requirements for different schools and campuses can be found here.

Sociology of Sports (SOC0465)

This course aims to systematically introduce the phenomenon of sports through Sociological “lenses” in such as way that we can see the multitude of ways that sports is, and has been, embedded in our societies throughout human history. Sports are not new. The way that sports have evolved is very interesting, as have been the influences on sports from religion, culture and economy. We will introduce some comparative-historical foundations of sports and the impact that they have had on societies.

Syllabus:

Download SOC 0465 Draft Syllabus.pdf (425.83 KB)

Community and Tourism Analysis: Greece (SOC1437)

This course aims to build a critical understanding of the processes involved in what is arguably the world's largest economic activity: tourism. Through coursework and presentations from numerous guest lecturers, you will obtain the knowledge and tools necessary to understand the emergence of tourism, its dissemination, and the social, economic, political, and ecological implications of the undertaking.

Syllabus:

Download SOC 1437 Draft Syllabus.pdf (461.65 KB)

Your Pitt Study Abroad Contacts

Nazir Noori

Salam! I’m Nazir and I'm your Study Abroad Program Manager. I was born and raised abroad and went to schools in Afghanistan, Iran, and the U.S. I also took classes in India and United Arab Emirates. I worked for the U.S. Department of State, USAID, and German Foreign Office for over ten years before moving to Pittsburgh in 2014. At the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, I assisted Afghan students to study in the U.S., and now I'm glad I have the opportunity to help American students study abroad.

Stop by the office during my walk-in hours (Tue, Wed, Thu from 2-4pm) or get in touch with me at nazir.noori@pitt.edu or 412-383-4827 to discuss the study abroad options.

Your In-Country Contacts

Dr. Mike Epitropoulos

Dr. Mike Epitropoulos is the faculty director for the Pitt in Cyprus program. His interests are grounded first and foremost in teaching Sociology because he sincerely believes in the liberating power of the discipline. In that spirit, he has expressed his training and expertise in the Sociology of Development, State Theory, and Social Movements both inside and outside of the classroom. He has done so in the spirit of Public Sociology, which seeks to engage people from all spheres of society in a multiplicity of ways. He has spent most of his academic career engaging students in the classroom: over 160 courses, in both public and private universities, in the US and Europe, in two languages. He has published books on American Culture and Tourism Development. His current research project focuses on Sustainable Development in small-island, rural communities.

Items Billed by Pitt
	In-State	Out-of-State
Tuition	$4,656	$4,856
Program Fee	$1,043	$1,043
Study Abroad Fee	$300	$300
Total Billed by Pitt	$5,999	$6,199

Estimated Additional Out-of-Pocket Costs
Airfare		~1,300
Meals and Personal Expenses		$800 - $1,200

Remember that your lifestyle and spending choices can greatly affect the amount of money you'll need while abroad. Visit our Budgeting page for more information.

What's Included

As a part of your Pitt in Greece program fee, the follow are included in the program:

Tuition for six credits
Accommodation for the duration of the program
International travel health insurance
Excursions to local areas of interest
Local transportation between cities
Airport transfers

What Else You Need to Know

This program is highly mobile. You should expect to spend a significant amount of time on a chartered bus traveling between destinations.
Due to the nature of the program, the schedule is subject to change. There may be instances where a guest speaker or visit needs to be rescheduled. We ask for your patience and understanding in advance.