Embark on a Global, Personalized Educational Experience

Webster Vienna Private University’s undergraduate programs offer the best of two worlds: an American liberal arts education prioritizing faculty mentorship, excellence in teaching and small class sizes. Plus, as a European research university, we’re setting the standard for academic and intellectual achievement.

Our average undergraduate degree takes four years to complete. With us, you’ll spend approximately half of your time focused on your chosen major of study. Your remaining time will include our Common Core curriculum and electives. To graduate, our students must have 240 ECTS (120 U.S. credit hours) of coursework, including a major and our Common Core requirements.

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Webster Vienna: Undergraduate Programs

Certificate in Diplomacy and International Organizations

The Webster Vienna Diplomacy and International Organizations certificate program enables students to deepen their knowledge and expertise in fields relevant for careers in international organizations, diplomacy, global corporations and NGOs.

Apply for this program if you want to gain knowledge about operations of international organizations and diplomacy including negotiation techniques, international communication, and global governance. During the program, your courses will provide expertise in key issues and regions of world politics.

Course Examples Include:

  • Diplomatic History
  • Advocacy, NGOs, and Civil Society
  • Model U.N.

Study in Austria's Capital City
Vienna is an ideal location to study Diplomacy and International Organizations as this city is home to dozens of international organizations including the United Nations, and regularly hosts high-level diplomatic events and negotiations on various global issues.

WVPU and its International Relations Department are ideally placed to harness both on the academic expertise available within the department and beyond as well as on the practice-oriented resources available in the city. Some of the courses involve guest lectures from experts. 

Who Can Apply?
Students from various academic disciplines as well as non-degree-seeking students can apply. Non-degree-seeking students are not eligible to apply for a residence permit. To apply, you will submit an online application and gather your required supporting documents including:

  • Academic transcripts;
  • English test scores;
  • Essay;
  • Recommendation letters; and
  • Copy of a valid passport.

Current bachelor's degree applicants and current students only need to inform their advisor about adding the certificate to their courseload.

Tuition Fees

See Bachelor's Degree Tuition Rates.

Student in the webster vienna library

Our Approach to Teaching and Learning

Student in the webster vienna library

At WVPU, we focus on delivering essential skills through innovative teaching and student mentorship. We believe quality education begins with curiosity and questioning, matures to critical analysis and takes a permanent place in the students' minds, leading to a lifelong desire for learning. You can expect small, culturally diverse classes with student-centered and interactive instruction, as well as helpful faculty/student mentorship.

Our Commitment

We are committed to introducing our students to the many lines of inquiry, modes of thought and forms of individual and collective action essential to contributing to greater scientific advancement and advancing positive social change.

By encouraging creativity and scholarship and promoting diverse, global perspectives using innovative educational approaches (e.g., simulations and mock presentations), WVPU’s faculty help develop confident, analytical problem solvers with a sense of global citizenship.

Our Common Core Module provides our undergraduates with a shared foundation in theoretical principles, problem-solving skills and practical competencies essential to engaging with some of the most pressing social and scientific problems of our time.

Webster Vienna Private University's Intensive English and International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Exam Preparation Course develops the advanced academic English skills and confidence students need to succeed in academia, pass the IELTS exam for admission to Webster Vienna Private University's degree programs or enter the workforce.

The course takes one to four semesters to improve mastery of English and learn advanced English for Academic Purposes (EAP) fundamentals, such as academic writing, active listening, critical thinking, presentation and research skills.

Why You Should Study With Us

  • Achieve confident and accurate speaking, reading, writing and comprehension of English at an advanced level.
  • Analyze, research and present information on an academic topic in preparation for academic study.
  • Produce written work on academic topics using correct grammar, appropriate language, creative language when necessary and correct referencing in APA style.
  • Present effectively using reading or listening materials and achieve your goals.

How We Support You

Upon arrival in the beautiful, historic city of Vienna, you will be greeted by a member of our team and given an assessment to ensure you are placed in the right program.

Our professional and motivated faculty will then ensure that you reach your goal and take the next step in your studies or career.

Our support services include one-on-one tutoring in the Language Center, a Student Resource Center, Counseling Services, Career Services and our Student Government Association, which organizes a variety of social activities, parties and extracurricular events to help you enjoy your time with us.

Do You Need to Pass the IELTS Exam for Study or Immigration?

Our program is taught by experienced, dedicated faculty using state-of-the-art instructional materials in both face-to-face and online courses. Webster Vienna Private University, in partnership with the British Council Austria, helps students achieve their goal of passing the IELTS exam and realize their dream of higher study, international immigration or their dream job.

Application Process

Students who wish to complete the above preparation program do so with the intention of qualifying for and starting a full bachelor’s or master’s degree program. Students must therefore submit and complete a regular online admissions application and submit their academic transcripts, original applicant essay, English language test scores (information on current level of English), valid passport copy and recommendation letter. Details on application deadlines, steps and required documents are published online.

For questions or more information, send an email to admissions@webster.ac.at.

Tuition Fees

Please refer to the information on our Tuition and Fees page.

Call or Message via WhatsApp: +43 (0)664 427 364

Or email: admissions@webster.ac.at

The Common Core Module (CCM) is a uniform set of courses (60 ECTS in total for Bachelor of Arts programs and 54 ECTS for Bachelor of Science (BSc) programs) designed to introduce students to the many lines of inquiry, modes of thought and forms of individual and collective action essential to contributing to scientific advancement and positive social change. WVPU’s CCM satisfies Webster University’s Global Citizenship Program (GCP) requirements, thereby ensuring that WVPU students share the same learning outcomes as all other Webster University undergraduates, regardless of where they study. Two of the CCM’s courses (12 ECTS) count toward WVPU’s Methods Road Map, which establishes a common foundation in methods, training and statistics. The CCM delivers on the University’s promise to educate global citizens. It provides undergraduate students with a shared foundation in theoretical principles, problem-solving skills and practical competencies essential to engaging with pressing social and scientific problems and ensures that its graduates are critical, ethical and global thinkers who understand their role in shaping the world around them. Most importantly, it intensifies students’ understanding of how their field of study intersects with debates about the role of scientific inquiry in society, as well as its impact upon them and the communities to which they belong, cultivating critical thinking and innovation.

The CCM consists of pre-selected, required courses that enhance knowledge and skills relevant to their respective degree programs covering key knowledge areas. While the CCM is a required, in-residence module in all undergraduate programs, the University reserves the right to approve and assign transferred credits as equivalencies to the courses. Students undertaking studies for Bachelor of Science degrees are exempt from the quantitative knowledge component as such studies are incorporated into the substance of their studies.

For previous versions of the CCM (CCM-1 and CCM-2,) please visit WVPU's Advising page on Connections (requires Webster login.)

Table 1: CCM-3 (9/10 courses; 54/60 ECTS) as of September 2024

Course ECTS Global Citizenship Program Knowledge Areas
GLBC 1200 Global Cornerstone Seminar: Scientific Reasoning and Society* 6 First Year Seminar
STAT 1100 Descriptive Statistics* 6 Quantitative Literacy (QL)
KEYS 4014 Social Movements and the Impact of Technologies 6 Keystone Seminar

Students select 2 courses (12 ECTS) with different prefixes from the list below:

  • ENGL 1044 Topics in Literature: Science Fiction as Harbinger of Social and Technological Change
  • HIST 2240 Contemporary Europe 1890-1945
  • HIST 2610 Reading Course: Introductory
  • PHIL 2525 The Scientific Revolution and The Enlightenment
12 Roots of Culture (ROC)

Students select 2 courses (12 ECTS) with different prefixes from the list below:

  • ANSO 1095 Introduction to Geography: World and Regional
  • ANSO 1050 Global Social Problems
  • MDST 2800 Media, Diversity and Society
  • PHIL 2350 Introduction to the Philosophy of Leadership and Management
  • POLT 2610 Reading Course: Introductory
  • WGST 2610 Women, Gender and Sexuality in Social Justice Organizations
  • WGST 1010 Women Gender and Sexuality Around the World
12 Social Systems and Human Behavior (SSHB)

Students select 1 course (6 ECTS) from the list below:

  • ANSO 2890 Health, Illness and Power
  • BIOL 1040 Human Genetics
  • SCIN 1510 Global Climate Change
6 Physical and Natural World (PNW)

Students select 1 course (6 ECTS) from the list below:

  • HRTS 2500 Current Problems in Human Rights
  • HIST 1010: Topics in History
  • MNGT 3690 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) (for all but BSBA emphasis human resource management students)
  • MDST 3260 Global Media Practice (for all but Strategic Communication students)
  • PSYC 2850 Psychology of Peace and Conflict (for all but Psychology students)
6 Global Understanding (GLBL)

Students select 1 course (6 ECTS) from the list below:

  • DESN 1210 Design Concepts: Arts and Politics
  • SPCM 1040 Public Speaking
  • EPMD 1000 Introduction to Media Production
  • AUDI 1063 Introduction to Podcasting
  • MUSC 1001 A Musical Odyssey
  • MUSC 1050 Introduction to Music Appreciation
6 Arts Appreciation (ARTS)

*Students enrolled in for Bachelor of Science (BSc) degrees are exempt from the quantitative knowledge component as such studies are incorporated into the mathematics modules of their programs.

Note: GCP Skill Areas (Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning, Intercultural Competence, Oral Communication and Written Communication) may be covered by any so-tagged course in a student’s curriculum.

Learning Outcomes

Through their completion of the Common Core, students will be able to:

  1. Make informed judgments about how their own scholarly, civic, social and professional interests relate to wider social and scientific problems.
  2. Develop advanced knowledge of the various theoretical frameworks and practical strategies used to confront contemporary social and scientific problems.
  3. Successfully assess and analyze quantitative and qualitative data.
  4. Demonstrate critical thinking through the production and communication of original, written, oral and visual analytical material and media contents.
  5. Assess the relevance and basic viability of research questions, theoretical and methodological frameworks and innovative lines of inquiry.
  6. Contribute to the development of a shared intellectual community that will enable them to participate in debates about contemporary social and scientific problems across disciplinary boundaries.
  7. Evaluate and employ the various questions, methodologies, contributions and limitations of disciplinary perspectives to confront contemporary social and scientific problems and anticipate and adjust to future global and local challenges.

Webster University’s Global Citizenship Program (GCP)

The mission of Webster University’s Global Citizenship Program (GCP) is to ensure that every undergraduate student emerges from our University with the core competencies required for responsible global citizenship in the 21st century. The GCP program constitutes the core liberal arts component for all Webster University undergraduate programs worldwide.

WVPU’s Common Core Module (CCM) satisfies all the requirements of the GCP. All WVPU undergraduate students who complete the CCM module will automatically fulfill the GCP requirements.

To fulfill these requirements, students must pass at least 10 courses, which include:

  • A Global Cornerstone Seminar in the first semester.
  • Eight courses that satisfy each of six "Knowledge Areas" (Roots of Cultures, Social Systems and Human Behavior, Physical and Natural World, Global Understanding, Arts Appreciation and Quantitative Literacy.)
  • One course each to satisfy the five ‘Skill Areas’ (Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning, Intercultural Competence, Oral Communication and Written Communication.)
  • A Keystone Seminar taken upon completion of the other requirements.

The Methods Road Map (MRM) is a checklist of four compulsory and sequential undergraduate methods and research design courses (24 ECTS). The MRM encourages student growth in the area of research-focused writing and underscores the importance of formulating research questions, constructing research designs, distinguishing among methodological approaches and choosing appropriate methods whether qualitative or quantitative to address them.

Undergraduates take four MRM courses over their first six semesters, establishing a basis for more advanced method or tool-specific courses as they progress toward their thesis project. It ensures that all students are properly prepared to undertake a thesis project and graduate with the requisite scholarly research skills requisite for a European Qualifications Framework (EQF) an Austrian National Qualification Framework (NQF) Level VI qualification. Two MRM courses are included within the common Core Module (12 ECTS) and the remaining discipline-specific courses are part of Module 2 of the different undergraduate degree programs.

MRM Courses included in the Common Core Module (12 ECTS):

  • GLBC 1200 Global Cornerstone Seminar: Scientific Reasoning and Society (6 ECTS)
  • STAT 1100 Descriptive Statistics (6 ECTS)

MRM Courses that are included in Module 2 of the different degree programs (12 ECTS):

  • Bachelor of Arts in International Relations: Module 2
    • ANSO 2720 Introduction to Measurement and Statistics
    • INTL 2700 Methods of Political Inquiry
  • Bachelor of Arts in Psychology: Module 2
  • PSYC 2750 Introduction to Measurement and Statistics (6 ECTS)
  • PSYC 2825 Introduction to Research Methods (6 ECTS)
  • Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication: Module 2
  • ANSO 2720 Introduction to Measurement and Statistic
  • MDST 4200 Media Research
  • Bachelor of Arts in Strategic Communication: Module 2
    Bachelor of Arts in Management: Module 2
    Bachelor of Arts in Management with an emphasis in International Business: Module
    Bachelor of Arts in Management with an emphasis in Marketing: Module 2
    Bachelor of Science in Business Administration: Module 2
    • BUSN 2750 Introduction to Statistics (6 ECTS)
    • BUSN 2825 Introduction to Research Design and Methods (6 ECTS)

Webster University’s Global Citizenship Program (GCP) prepares our students to meet the personal and professional challenges of tomorrow through our undergraduate coursework. As a liberal arts institution, our University focuses on providing students with a general education balancing fundamental learning with applicable skills.

Requirements

WVPU’s Common Core Module (CCM) satisfies all the requirements of the Global Citizenship Program. To meet those requirements, students must pass 10 courses (60 ECTS), which include:

  • A Global Cornerstone Seminar (first semester.)
  • Eight courses that satisfy each of six Knowledge Areas (Global Understanding, Arts Appreciation, Physical and Natural World, Quantitative Literacy, Roots of Culture, Social Systems and Human Behavior.)
  • Five Skill Areas (Critical Thinking, Ethical Reasoning, Intercultural Competence, Oral Communication and Written Communication)
  • A Keystone Seminar taken on completion of the other requirements.

Students specifically need to pass two courses designated as Roots of Culture, and two designated as Social Systems and Human Behavior, one each of the remaining four knowledge areas (Physical and Natural World, Global Understanding, Arts Appreciation and Quantitative Literacy) and one course in each of the Skill Areas.

Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete the GCP program will be able to:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of human cultures and the sources of meaning (Roots of Cultures.)
  • Demonstrate knowledge of human cultures and how people and their cultures and institutions work (Social Systems and Human Behavior.)
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the physical and natural world (Physical and Natural World.)
  • Demonstrate knowledge of cultures foreign to them, international languages or the forces that draw people of the world together and forces that push them apart (Global Understanding.)
  • Demonstrate knowledge of human artistic expression (Arts Appreciation.)
  • Demonstrate an understanding of and create arguments supported by quantitative evidence and clearly communicate those arguments in a variety of formats (Quantitative Literacy.)
  • Recognize when there is a need for information and identify, locate, evaluate and responsibly use and share information relevant for the problem at hand.
  • Explore ideas, issues, images and events comprehensively by analyzing and evaluating assumptions and arguments, constructing well-supported arguments and developing innovative plans or ideas to solve problems.
  • Assess their own ethical values and apply and evaluate ethical perspectives and concepts in the social context of problems.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the complexity of elements important to members of another culture in relation to history, values, politics, communication styles, economy or beliefs and practices.
  • Communicate ideas, opinions and information effectively by preparing and delivering purposeful oral presentations designed to increase knowledge, to foster understanding or to promote change in listeners' attitudes.
  • Use language effectively to communicate in a variety of written genres.
  • Demonstrate — through effective use of genre, context and syntax — understanding of the purpose of their writing and appropriate approach to a particular audience.
  • Make connections between academic learning and life experiences across disciplines and perspectives.
  • Apply knowledge, skills and responsibilities to new settings and complex problems.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work constructively as part of a team by contributing directly, facilitating others' contributions, fostering a constructive climate and responding well to conflict.

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Founded in 1915, Webster University is committed to ensuring high-quality learning experiences that transform students for global citizenship and individual excellence. Prepare for your next step and explore our community resources.

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