Budapest
Area Studies and Culture

Program Options

Students on the Lexia Budapest Area Studies and Culture program can choose whether to study abroad for a five-week summer term, a semester, or the academic year.  When deciding how long to study abroad, students should consult their academic advisor, financial aid counselor, study abroad office and their family. Lexia staff can assist students with this decision.  A list of courses and course descriptions can be found below:

Summer Program

Students on the Lexia Budapest Area Studies and Culture summer program take two courses for a total of 8 semester credits or 12 quarter credits. 

• Hungarian Area Studies and Culture Seminar
• Hungarian Language Course

Semester Program

Students on the Lexia Budapest Area Studies and Culture semester program take four courses for a total of 16 semester credits or 24 quarter credits. 

• Hungarian Area Studies and Culture Seminar
• Hungarian Language Course
• Research Methods Seminar
• Field Research Project 

Academic Year

Students on the Lexia Budapest Area Studies and Culture academic year program take eight courses during two semesters for a total of 32 semester credits or 48 quarter credits. 

Students on academic year programs complete the regular semester program described above during the first semester. In the second semester, students continue language training and their Field Research Project and choose two Elective Courses to complete their academic program. Key to a second semester in Budapest is designing a program of study that immerses the student in the local culture via language study, internship or volunteer experiences, course work, and independent study and projects. Students are also encouraged to consider spending the spring semester at a different Lexia site, conducting a comparative or complementary Field Research Project. 

Semester 1

• Hungarian Area Studies and Culture Seminar
• Hungarian Language Course
• Research Methods Seminar
• Field Research Project

Semester 2

• Field Research Project
• Hungarian Language Course
• Elective Course 1
• Elective Course 2

Courses

Hungarian Area Studies and Culture Seminar (Four semester/six quarter credits)

The Hungarian Area Studies and Culture Seminar is designed to introduce students to a variety of topics in Hungarian history, art, architecture, politics, society, and economics.  Class format ranges from lectures and discussions to the close reading of documents and art works, and incorporates several excursions within the city of Budapest. Grades are determined on the basis of class discussion, participation in the excursions, and written work, including a midterm and a final examination consisting of extended essay questions. Classroom time totals approximately 60 hours, including instruction during excursions.

Hungarian Language Course (Four semester/six quarter credits)

Hungarian language courses are taught at the elementary, intermediate, or advanced levels at the Eötvös Collegium with other international students.

Research Methods Seminar (Four semester/six quarter credits)

This seminar teaches a range of methods for engaging in sustained, original inquiry in the field and sets the framework for developing rigorous, individual projects. By exposing the students to the diverse environments of Budapest and Hungary, this course encourages students to examine and revise their ideas of Hungarian culture. By extension, students begin to question their own sense of self and to explore the culturally embedded nature of identities in general.

The course introduces a variety of research skills, methodologies and techniques including reading, listening, observing, choosing, questioning, summarizing, organizing, writing, presenting, and reflecting. A variety of techniques for collecting and analyzing data will also be examined.

Budapest offers students a myriad of visual and cultural encounters, from architecture to the collections of images housed in museums, to the fascinating, often fleeting exchanges on every street corner and subway ride. Through a series of visual and writing exercises, students explore language ability, visual skills, ethical issues, theorizing about experience, and how to synthesize field knowledge into original work and/or formal academic writing.

Field Research Project (Four semester/six quarter credits)

The Field Research Project offers students the opportunity to pursue an independent, self-designed project in a specialized field of interest. A faculty member, professional, artist, architect, or other mentor serves as advisor for the project, meeting periodically with the student to provide necessary supervision and support. For academic year students, one topic may be explored in-depth throughout the academic year or different topics may be chosen each semester. Students are encouraged to use their language skills and knowledge of the local culture and subject matter to investigate their selected topic(s).

The range of potential projects is wide – from public culture and fine arts to urban life and business. The final product can take a variety of forms, but must express a rigorous, sustained inquiry into the chosen topic and demonstrate the student’s ability to engage with the resources available in Budapest. Projects might range from a 20-25 page paper or summary of laboratory work to a collection of short stories or personal essays, dance performance, photo essay, or other project.

Students spend a minimum of 60 hours per semester conducting research for their project, meeting for a minimum of eight hours with their advisor and/or the Resident Director. A week at the end of each semester is planned for the synthesis of the students’ findings, writing, or other work, followed by the presentation and discussion of the projects in the group.

Grades for the Field Research Project are based on the required paper or project, meetings with the advisor and the final presentation. The faculty advisor and the Resident Director make final grade assessments. The final project must be submitted before departure from Budapest. Late projects are not accepted.

Past Projects have included:

• Gypsies in Hungarian Culture
• Magyar Minorities outside Hungary
• Interior Architecture of Baroque and Gothic Cathedrals
• The Social Relevance of Folk Dance in Hungary

Dates & Deadlines

Spring 2013
Program Dates: January 11, 2013 - May 1, 2013
Application Deadline: November 15, 2012

Summer 2013
Program Dates: June 1, 2013 - July 6, 2013
Application Deadline: April 15, 2013

Fall 2013
Program Dates: September 6, 2013 - December 20, 2014
Application Deadline: May 1, 2013

Spring 2014
Program Dates: January 10, 2014 - April 30, 2014
Application Deadline: November 15, 2013

Summer 2014
Program Dates: May 31, 2014 - July 5, 2014
Application Deadline: April 15, 2014

* All dates are subject to change.  Before making travel plans based on these dates, please contact the Lexia office. 

Housing

Dormitories: Students are housed in the Eötvös Collegium dormitory. The dorm rooms, consisting mainly of triples, are comfortable and modern. The teaching facilities are located in the same building as the dormitory and a low-cost student cafeteria can be reached by foot in five minutes. Most of the students at the Collegium are from smaller towns across Hungary, allowing Lexia students the maximum intercultural and linguistic experience.

Excursions

The program fee covers all Lexia excursions, which are designed to help students discover areas and aspects of culture that are typically less easily accessible to tourists and give a broad representation of the breadth of Hungarian culture and its people. Excursions outside of Budapest may include some of the following:

Transylvánia (Romania): Sighisoara, home of Vlad the Impaler; Torocko; Corvin Castle; Prahova Valley; Rasnov Fortress

Cluj-Napoca: Babes-Bolyai University; National Theater; Palace of Justice; St. Michael’s Church; Banffy Palace; Ethnographic Museum of Transylvánia; History Museum of Transylvánia

Esztergom: Basilica; The Dark Gate; Castle Museum; Széchenyi Square

Visegrad: Castle, Solomon Tower; Royal Palace; Sibrik Hill

Lake Balaton: The Balaton Uplands National Park

Eger: Egri Vár castle; The Gothic Palace; Basilica

As part of the Area Studies Seminar, program staff also organize short field trips into Budapest to explore the cultural and political dynamics of the city first hand.  In addition, Lexia Budapest students participate in joint visits and seminars with other Lexia program sites in Central Europe, such as Berlin and Prague.  Students visit one or more of the other sites for several days, meet other Lexia students in seminars and excursions and compare their experiences as a way to further explore the legacy of East-West European divisions and the promise of a larger European identity. The Resident Director also informs students of cultural events and organizes optional excursions, such as a café tour and a folk dancing evening, and advises student on independent travel opportunities available to them.

Cost

Semester: $14,950
Tuition: $12,550
Housing: $2,400

Academic Year: $26,950
Tuition: $22,150
Housing: $4,800

Summer: $5,495
Tuition: $4,295
Housing: $1,200

Program Fees Include:

• On-Site Orientation (2-4 days)
• All Tuition and Fees
• All Scheduled Program Excursions
• Housing Costs
• Services of Lexia Resident Director and Program Staff
• Comprehensive Medical Insurance Policy
• International Student Identity Card (ISIC)
• Official Transcript from Elizabethtown College

Budget

Not included in the Program Fee are the following estimated expenses based past students' experiences during the semester-long program:

• Airfare Ranges from $800–$1,200
• Meals not Covered $2,200
• Books & Supplies $200
• Personal Expenses $1,200

Estimated Total Additional Expenses: $4,400 – $4,800

Students should also remember to budget for independent travel during the one-week break within the semester. If desired, students may choose to remain in their Lexia accommodation in Budapest during the break at no additional cost.

Instructors & Institutions

Hosted at Budapest’s Eötvös Collegium, in cooperation with the Péter Pázmány University, the Lexia program offers students opportunities to explore this historical city while confronting the daily challenges of a changing Hungarian society.  The Eötvös Collegium is affiliated with the Eötvös Loránd University, founded in 1635 by Cardinal Péter Pázmány, Archbishop of Esztergom. 

The Eötvös Collegium, founded in 1895 by Baron Loránd Eötvös, has achieved recognition in its own right.  Modeled on the French system, it was established as a haven for deserving scholars from less privileged families in the countryside.  Its best known alumni include the composer Zoltán Kodály, the poet and playwright Béla Balázs and many members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

One of the recognized strengths of the Lexia in Budapest program is the supportive faculty and staff. The Lexia Resident Director provides students with necessary information about living and learning in Hungary. The faculty of the Lexia program consists primarily of Hungarian professors from the Eötvös Collegium or other higher education institutions, with occasional lectures by specialists from government and industry. These professors also serve as advisors for the Field Research Project and offer a link to local Hungarian students.

Credits

The typical course load is four courses per semester. Students who successfully complete Lexia’s program requirements are able to earn the equivalent of one full semester or academic year of college/university level credit, pending approval from their home institution.

It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the credit transfer policies at his/her home institution and department, including advising appointments, paperwork and pre-departure or re-entry activities. We strongly suggest that students contact their study abroad or other appropriate office early in the planning stage to ensure that they complete all requirements. Elizabethtown College, a Middle States accredited US institution in Elizabethtown, PA, issues official transcripts for Lexia programs.