Discover Vienna at the WFU Flow House: BEM 391 - Creating Social Change Here and There
This 3-credit course offers students a unique opportunity to explore how organizations across various sectors— including corporations, startups, and non-profits—approach, create, and measure social impact within their industries. Using the Viennese tourism industry as a detailed case study, students will explore via primary and secondary research the social impact of the tourism industry on the most ‘liveable city in the world’.
The course integrates theoretical learning with practical experiences, allowing students to engage directly with Vienna’s local community via their cultural institutions and tourism stakeholders. Throughout the course, students will develop and refine their own social impact assessment proposals, drawing on site visits and stakeholder guest speakers experienced in Vienna. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the knowledge of primary and secondary research methods and research design to develop and propose strategies for social impact assessments, an ability of which will allow them to provide valuable insights into the contributions of organizations to the social fabric and economic development of urban environments.
Summer Session I:
June 3 - July 6, 2025 |
Overview |
BEM 391: (3hrs)
This 3-credit course offers students a unique opportunity to explore how organizations across various sectors— including corporations, startups, and non-profits—approach, create, and measure social impact within their industries. Using the Viennese tourism industry as a detailed case study, students will explore via primary and secondary research the social impact of the tourism industry on the most ‘liveable city in the world’.
The course integrates theoretical learning with practical experiences, allowing students to engage directly with Vienna’s local community via their cultural institutions and tourism stakeholders. Throughout the course, students will develop and refine their own social impact assessment proposals, drawing on site visits and stakeholder guest speakers experienced in Vienna. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the knowledge of primary and secondary research methods and research design to develop and propose strategies for social impact assessments, an ability of which will allow them to provide valuable insights into the contributions of organizations to the social fabric and economic development of urban environments.
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Location |
Vienna is famous for music, through renowned musicians such as Mozart, Brahms, and Beethoven, who lived and worked here, and it is also home to many other wonderful artists and patrons of the arts. Vienna’s best loved artist is Gustav Klimt, who was part of a vibrant artistic scene at the beginning of the 20th century visual art collections. The city’s world class museums have collections that span prehistoric to contemporary art. Vienna is a culturally diverse and vibrant city. It is home to the Vienna Boys' Choir, the famous Lipizzaner stallions, and countless coffee houses (an integral part of Viennese life). Located in the heart of Europe, students may easily travel east to the Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary and west to France, Italy, Spain, England, and Switzerland.
In 1998, Wake Forest purchased a three-story villa in Vienna. The acquisition was made possible through the generous donation of Vic and Roddy Flow of Winston-Salem and the House was named in their honor. Built in 1898, the house was formerly the office of the U.S. Consulate.
Flow House is situated in a northwest section of Vienna, one block from the Turkenschanz Park. Located in the prestigious 19th district, the area is well-known for its embassies, diplomatic residences, and distinguished private homes. |
Program |
BEM 391 - This 3-credit course offers students a unique opportunity to explore how organizations across various sectors— including corporations, startups, and non-profits—approach, create, and measure social impact within their industries. Using the Viennese tourism industry as a detailed case study, students will explore via primary and secondary research the social impact of the tourism industry on the most ‘liveable city in the world’.
Possible excursions/site visits are to: Naschmarkt, Vienna Museum (Wienn Museum), MuseumsQuartier, Spanish Riding School, Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna Tourist Board, Vienna City Hall |
Faculty |
Summer Krstevska
Business & Economics Librarian
E-mail: krstevs@wfu.edu
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Accommodation |
Students will stay in the WFU property, the Flow House, which is situated in a northwest section of Vienna, one block from the Turkenschanz Park. Located in the prestigious 19th district, the area is well-known for its embassies, diplomatic residences, and distinguished private homes.
Flow House can accommodate sixteen students. There are five student bedrooms on the top floor. A classroom, spacious kitchen, library with state-of-the-art technology, dining room, and living room are located on the middle floor. The house is wired for Internet access and students may bring their laptop computers. A three-bedroom faculty apartment is on the first floor. The house contains separate laundry facilities for faculty and students.
NOTE: All students participating in the WFU Flow House program are required to live in program-provided housing. Housing accommodations you may have on campus do not automatically transfer to abroad and certain housing accommodations (single rooms and private bathrooms, for example) may not be available. |
Excursions |
Possible excursions/site visits are to: Naschmarkt, Vienna Museum (Wienn Museum), MuseumsQuartier, Spanish Riding School, Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna Tourist Board, Vienna City Hall |
Selection |
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Costs |
The total cost of summer study abroad can be broken down into four categories:
Program Fee - Usually covers room, in-country travel, excursions, some meals and other costs associated with the program.
Tuition – Students on WFU summer programs pay WFU summer school tuition per credit hour. The summer 2025 rate is $950/per credit hour.
Airfare (estimated) – Varies per location. Students are responsible for their own airfare unless otherwise noted.
Personal Expenses (estimated) – These will vary depending on the students' spending habits, cost of living in the destination country, and the number of meals included in the program fee. This may also include visa fees, vaccinations, academic supplies/books and other miscellaneous daily expenses.
Fees are currently estimated for Summer 2024
Program Fee - TBD
Tuition (3 hrs) - $2,850
Airfare (estimated) - TBD
Estimated Personal Expenses - TBD
Estimated total cost - TBD |
Scholarships |
Scholarships are available through the Center for Global Programs and Studies.
Scholarship deadline through Global Programs and Studies is February 1st. |
Visa & Passport |
Passport Information
Students need to check their passport's expiration date and ensure that it will be valid for at least 6 months after the program's end date.
Students going on a summer program need to make sure their passport is valid through at least mid-February of the following year.
US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State's passport website for information on this process.
Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country's passport office.
Visa Information
If you are a US citizen, you most likely will not require a visa for your summer abroad program. If you do, details will be shared with you by GPS. Non-US passport holders should check with their host country's embassy or consulate to find out if a visa is required for their program or not. |
Contact |
Summer 2025 Resident Professor:
Summer Krstevska
Business and Economics Librarian
E-mail: krstevs@wfu.edu
Amanda Batten
Study Abroad Advisor
Center for Global Programs and Studies
336-758-3194
battena@wfu.edu
House Address:
Flow House
Gustaf Tschermakgasse 20
1190 Vienna, Austria
Phone: 011-431-367-0740
Fax: 011-431-367-1442 |
Testimonials |
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