The Class Afloat programme allows students to spend a year volunteering in foreign countries and exploring new cultures while earning academic credits.
Travelling on the Alexander Von Humboldt II, a crew consisting of 48 students, 7 faculty members and 24 mariners work together to navigate across 15,000 nautical miles (28,000 kilometres) of the big blue sea.
Students work alongside a professional mariner crew as they learn to sail a tall ship, experience blue water sailing and travel with a reduced carbon footprint. They can sail up to 30,000 kilometres a year visiting 20 destinations on three continents.
High school students can enrol in the Class Afloat programme for a single semester spanning four and a half months or in the full year nine-month offering. This rigorous programme allows students to earn Grade 11 or Grade 12 high school credits from the province of Nova Scotia, Canada.
Students can expect engaging course offerings in English, Humanities, Mathematics, and Sciences and a unique course in Sociology of Community and Marine Biology. They are also provided with support designed to prepare them for the SAT exams. The SAT exam is used to gauge a student's readiness for university education.
High school students will also be able to access post-secondary counselling and placement services, This includes individual portfolio development and English Language (ELs) support.
Individuals who have completed high school can also enrol in the Class Afloat programme and earn university credits from Arcadia University.
Students can gain these first-year university credits in courses that include Leadership, Astronomy, Sociology, Psychology, Communications, Marine Biology, Nutrition and more. The first-year university credits can be transferred to universities located in Canada, the United States and around the world.
Additional learning opportunities are offered through cultural exploration, leadership, personal development and community service.
