CIEE Amsterdam
Ratings
Academics: 4
Support: 1
Fun: 5
Housing: 5
Safety: 5
Review
While I understand most if not all programs, work environments, schools, etc all over the world were all re-acclimating and recovering from the global pandemic, I was unfortunately quite disappointed with many parts of my time studying abroad in Amsterdam with CIEE in Spring of 2022.
I would like to start by saying that I overall had a wonderful experience. I met amazing people, was fortunate enough to travel, and felt I personally grew a lot. But with that, those experiences were not due to CIEE and the program isn't was almost completely unhelpful the entire time.
Would you recommend this program?
No, I would not
Year Completed
2022
Private Note to Provider (optional)
I still haven't received my transcript (it is currently mid October and they told us we would get them 12 weeks after we left on June 4th). Not only do I need my grades for my home institution but for an additional scholarship I receive (that my family very much needs) which thinks I didn't attend any schooling last semester.
Additionally on the course aspect of things. I was placed into two courses at UvA. One being Sexology, and the other being a dual psychology course Child Development Psychology and Child School Clinical Psychology. To start, I am a Psychology Major with a Minor in Women and Gender studies. The sexology course was truly an abomination. I can't explain it in any other way. The lecturers were extremely uneducated, one even using the f slur (the derogatory word for gay), and when corrected not to use the word because it made many of the students uncomfortable, then proceeded to assume it was the word Lesbian that was the word he wasn't supposed to say; it was ridiculous how uneducated these people were in their own field. Every single part of the class was centered around cis gendered, white, heterosexual people. As a student that studies all of this I was appalled at the sheer lack of inclusion, recognition, or insight about anything other than studies and research surrounded by this specific identity grouping. Additionally, the material was outdated, insensitive, and was not consistent with the exams, which were our entire grading system. This class should not be taken, OR it needs to be fixed immediately. I would also like to add that almost all of the speakers were white straight dutch men. While that doesn't mean you cannot be an educator in fields regarding marginalized identities and structure, it does mean that you need to constantly reeducate yourself and put effort into breaking down what makes your presentation of the material different from someone else, and how much harm you cause when you share incorrect information.
For the other class, in the Psych Department, it was a wonderful experience and I am so grateful I was able to be in that space. However, I was put in this class of third year students, in a program that I believe is 12th in the world for psychology, and I was not properly able to do well in this course. I showed up, I learned, I did the work, but the only grading was based on essays and exams with structures I'd never done before which led to my failing the course. I had reached out to lecturers and TAs for assistance in writing these papers early on when I saw it would be difficult, and I was unfortunately brushed off and told I would be fine - which I was not. Now, I don't blame UvA, they are a big school and I was a transfer for a single semester, obviously I would be behind, but I wasn't properly informed on this class by CIEE. They placed me in a course without any information other than the title, and I had no way of knowing that I wouldn't be able to keep up and I just wished there was more transparency and communication from CIEE before coming to campus. Regarding classes, but also with housing and honestly in general. It was very confusing and upsetting for many of us on the program.
Additionally on the course aspect of things. I was placed into two courses at UvA. One being Sexology, and the other being a dual psychology course Child Development Psychology and Child School Clinical Psychology. To start, I am a Psychology Major with a Minor in Women and Gender studies. The sexology course was truly an abomination. I can't explain it in any other way. The lecturers were extremely uneducated, one even using the f slur (the derogatory word for gay), and when corrected not to use the word because it made many of the students uncomfortable, then proceeded to assume it was the word Lesbian that was the word he wasn't supposed to say; it was ridiculous how uneducated these people were in their own field. Every single part of the class was centered around cis gendered, white, heterosexual people. As a student that studies all of this I was appalled at the sheer lack of inclusion, recognition, or insight about anything other than studies and research surrounded by this specific identity grouping. Additionally, the material was outdated, insensitive, and was not consistent with the exams, which were our entire grading system. This class should not be taken, OR it needs to be fixed immediately. I would also like to add that almost all of the speakers were white straight dutch men. While that doesn't mean you cannot be an educator in fields regarding marginalized identities and structure, it does mean that you need to constantly reeducate yourself and put effort into breaking down what makes your presentation of the material different from someone else, and how much harm you cause when you share incorrect information.
For the other class, in the Psych Department, it was a wonderful experience and I am so grateful I was able to be in that space. However, I was put in this class of third year students, in a program that I believe is 12th in the world for psychology, and I was not properly able to do well in this course. I showed up, I learned, I did the work, but the only grading was based on essays and exams with structures I'd never done before which led to my failing the course. I had reached out to lecturers and TAs for assistance in writing these papers early on when I saw it would be difficult, and I was unfortunately brushed off and told I would be fine - which I was not. Now, I don't blame UvA, they are a big school and I was a transfer for a single semester, obviously I would be behind, but I wasn't properly informed on this class by CIEE. They placed me in a course without any information other than the title, and I had no way of knowing that I wouldn't be able to keep up and I just wished there was more transparency and communication from CIEE before coming to campus. Regarding classes, but also with housing and honestly in general. It was very confusing and upsetting for many of us on the program.