SIT Netherlands

Without a doubt, choosing the SIT Netherlands program was the best decision I could have made. As a Sociology major and a Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies minor, I was incredibly excited about the coursework, excursions, and independent study project. I had high expectations going into this program, but was still completely blown away by the experience. Although there is an emphasis on gender and sexuality, all of the professors make a committed effort to also discuss other intersections including, but not limited to, race, immigration and citizenship status, ableness, and religion. The various excursions, guest lecturers, and independent work also all helped in creating an incredibly positive, inclusive, and vast learning environment. I never felt as though we were missing out on learning opportunities and greatly appreciate all of the work done by the professors and staff to make sure that we explored a range of topics.
It is definitely unique in the way that classes are conducted- SIT brings in guest lecturers/professors to teach the different classes. I personally really liked this style of teaching/learning. I felt like it gave us the chance to hear many different perspectives and I was never bored.
Amsterdam itself is also an unbelievable city to live and study in. I have never felt safer in a city and loved being able to explore everything by bike. There is always something to do, whether you just want to sit in a cafe, go to a park, or go out at night. And, although everyone has different homestay experiences, I have to say that mine was nearly perfect. The SIT homestay coordinator did a wonderful job matching students with families and keeping in touch to help sort out any problems. I would highly recommend this program to anyone interested in learning more about the interplay of gender, sex, sexuality, race, and migration in the Netherlands!