The Austria Summer Experience offers innovative, transformative courses in a beautiful, contemplative setting. In addition to classes, students participate in a rich communal living centered around the Mass, hikes, day-trips, intellectual discussion, and a shared rhythm of life.
May 16 – June 6, 2025, optional week-long trip to France to follow
Available Courses
Bioethics in the Shadow of Death: Morality, Mortality, and Medicine – With Dr. Matthew Shea
- Examine a Catholic vision of death and dying through philosophical reflection on medicine, the value of life, and pressing ethical issues in our time.
Family Dinners and Heavenly Banquets: A Theology of Dining and Feasting – With Dr. Michael Foley, author of Drinking with the Saints
- Reflection on food from a basic necessity to a mark of refinement and hospitality to the sacrificial banquet of the Eucharist.
Lyrics of Love: Poetry in the Life of Prayer – With Fr. Jonathan St. Andre, TOR
- Learn how poetry uniquely expresses the language of contemplation as you explore methods of prayer, spiritual development, and practice praying in the foothills of the Alps.
Height and Light in the House of God: On the Structure and Meaning of Gothic Cathedrals – With Dr. Justin Greenly and Prof. Carl Fougerousse
- Discover how and why Gothic architects and builders told the story of Salvation in stone and glass, with a focus on art, architecture, and engineering.
Rebuild My Church: The Re-Evangelization of Europe – With Dr. Petroc Willey and Prof. Bobette Huzovic
- Learn the fundamental principles of catechesis and effective evangelization. This class will lead a retreat in Europe.
From Gluten to Glory: Virtue Formation & Bread Making – with Dr. Brandon Dahm and Dr. Matt Breuninger
- Learn to make a hearty loaf of sourdough bread as a framework to explore the philosophy, psychology, and theology of virtue formation.
- Read more about the bread making class here.
Tapping Into Content: Marketing an Austrian Brewery – With Prof. JoAnn Sciarrino
- Learn the fundamentals of content marketing, practice evaluating marketing programs, and develop and recommend one to an award-winning brewery nestled in the Austrian Alps.
Cost & Fees
$3,950 total for the program
- $1,800 – Tuition per course
- $1,200 – Room & Board
- $950 – Austria Summer Fee (includes international health insurance, school-sponsored excursions, and additional programming)
$1,500 total for the optional France trip (June 6-15)
Additional costs to consider:
- Airfare (approximately $600-$1,000)
- Spending money (suggested $500-$1,500)