College Seminars

For over 50 years, FEE has educated over 10,000 college students on the economic, ethical and legal principles of a free society at our Summer Seminars. This year we are introducing a new format with exciting new topics to make our seminars even better!

Who should apply? We are looking for students 18-24 who are intellectually curious about free market economics and the ethical and legal principles of a free society. You do not have to be a libertarian to apply; we encourage people of all ideological backgrounds (it makes the discussions much more interesting). All we ask from you is that you are open to new ideas, respectful, and prepared to engage in the lectures and activities. Our seminars are designed for people new to these ideas (except Communicating Liberty), so don’t worry if you don’t know anything about economics!

Why should you apply? Our seminars provide high quality education on topics and ideas that you won’t hear in most universities. We bring in some of the top minds in these ideas and some of the brightest students in the world for 3 days of lectures, discussions, and activities that will challenge your ideas, introduce you to new people, and leave you with an experience you will never forget.

And did we mention that you don’t have to pay a thing for tuition, housing, or meals? All you have to do is get to the seminar, and we will take care of you while you are there. 

Check out our exciting new seminars below!

Applications for "Communicating Liberty" have been reopened until Wednesday June 5th to fill a few new openings. You can find information and the application here. 

Who Will Build the Roads? And Other Questions About Free Societies 

Discussions of free markets and free societies understandably raise a lot of questions. Living in a mixed economy, where it is difficult to separate the government from almost every aspect of our lives, means it is difficult to imagine a world where the government is separated from most parts of our lives. In this seminar we will provide answers to many common questions about free markets to help you understand that free markets are possible and preferable.

 

Going Green: Free Market Environmentalism

Are you a college student concerned about the environment and not satisfied by the government’s solutions?  Do you think there might be a better way to save endangered animals and have less pollution?  Are you interested in learning about basic economic concepts and how they help explain controversial topics?  Check out “Going Green: Free Market Environmentalism,” June 24-27 at the University of Washington in Seattle!

 

Liberty: The Original Trendsetter

Art, culture, and liberty have been intertwined since the earliest human civilizations. The first written language, Sumerian Cuneiform, contained the first written expression of liberty called an “Amagi” back in 2350 BC. Since that time, people have expressed themes of liberty in every artistic medium from paintings and sculpture, to plays, poems, music, movies, TV, and even reality TV shows. This seminar will look at the ways liberty has influenced art and ways art has influenced liberty. It will also use examples from movies, TV, and literature to teach fundamental principles of liberty and free markets.

 

The True Costs of War

War is undoubtedly destructive to human lives and there are various moral and political arguments that revolve around justifications for and against war. Though wars are inherently destructive, there are many who claim there are economic benefits to war. “World War II ended the Depression,” we are told in high school and college history and economics courses. However, is it true that prosperity can come from destruction? And what else is destroyed in war in addition to lives and property? Is there a connection between war, growing government, and shrinking liberties?

 

Made in China: Economic Development

Are you a college student with an interest in developing countries?  Are you troubled by how ineffective foreign aid is and how corrupt leaders stay in power?  Do you want to learn more about what makes some countries poor while others are rich?  Come hear about these topics and more at “Made in China: Economic Development,” July 26-29 at Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA!

 

Rebels with a Cause

What really caused the 2008 Housing Crisis? Why can’t socialism and central planning work? Why do we add more and more regulations and yet still have scandals like Enron and Bernie Madoff? What are the main drivers of innovation and progress?

Find out the answers to the questions and more as you learn about the Austrian School of Economics. This school has a long tradition, but until recently has been relegated to the fringes of the economic world. With the recent financial crises, however, people are taking notice of the lessons of Menger, Mises, and Hayek to understand what happened and how we can prevent the dreaded Boom and Bust Cycle.