The following articles on study abroad programs appeared in previous issues of our newsletter, CAA Connections:
We are no longer featuring study abroad programs on a regular basis in our newsletter, but we would be glad to highlight specific programs via our Study Abroad listserv. Please contact our office for more information.
June/July 2010:
Study Abroad with the University of Delaware:
Coastal Geology and Marine Science in New Zealand
With ready access to a broad panorama of the natural world, flora and fauna found nowhere else on Earth, and the indigenous culture of the Maori, New Zealand is an ideal natural "classroom" for earth and marine sciences. Students participating in the University of Delaware's biannual study abroad program in New Zealand undertake extensive field work in the country's spectacular natural environment -- wave-swept ocean beaches, quiet harbors and estuaries, active and extinct volcanoes, thick mangrove forests and seagrass meadows, salt marshes and mudflats.
Previous programs have included a challenging 8-hour hike through the Tongariro crossing, which is considered by many to be one of the top ten day treks in the world. Says one student, "Surrounded by a variety of volcanoes, craters, and lakes I was thoroughly impressed by my surroundings. I loved seeing a full spectrum of vegetation from bare rocks to sparse mosses then tall grasses and finally lush green trees."
This year, faculty directors Art Trembanis and Doug Miller were able to bring an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) -- a torpedo-shaped robot that can swim untethered through the water to collect data. The robot, nicknamed "Dora," was featured in a New Zealand television news story.
Participants receive 6 credits for the one-month program, which will most likely run again in Winter 2012. Click here for more information.
April/May 2010:
Study Abroad with UNC Wilmington: Swansea, Wales
Students - How does a semester in Europe with a one-month spring break sound?
The University of North Carolina Wilmington is pleased to offer CAA students a semester at Swansea University in Wales, a vibrant research-led university on the beautiful Swansea Bay.
Many areas of study are available, including the arts, business and economics, engineering, environment and society, humanities, international studies, law, medicine and the physical sciences. In addition to their regular semester coursework, students conduct either a pre-semester internship or an additional academic program in Swansea or London worth three credits. Internships can be arranged in an area of interest of the student's choice.
The program is especially well suited to honors students, as they may earn an additional two credits by enrolling in an honors seminar for program participants. A visiting professor from UNCW stays in Swansea the entire semester to teach the honors seminar and organize events for the UNCW group.
Says Mark Gallovic, director of education abroad at UNCW, "This program is an excellent opportunity for students to complete an international internship, earn honors credit and take classes toward their degree - all with ocean views of campus!"
This 12-15 credit program takes place from January to June 2011 - and yes, that includes a month-long spring break! The application deadline is Sept. 30(with internship) or Oct. 15(no internship). More information.
January/February/March 2010:
Study Abroad with George Mason University:
Journalism in Jerusalem
Students - Are you a future reporter, Middle East scholar, or maybe just an NPR junkie?
This summer, George Mason University is offering an inaugural cohort of students the unique opportunity to learn reporting and communication skills from a highly regarded group of seasoned journalists in the Middle East. Among this group is Linda Gradstein, NPR's correspondent in Jerusalem for more than 20 years and recipient of several awards for her coverage of events such as the Gulf War and the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin.
The program -- offered to undergraduate and graduate students majoring in media, journalism, or communication -- gives students the opportunity to live in Jerusalem and learn about the area's culture, politics, religion, environment and business, while honing their international reporting skills.
Says Steve Klein, program director and GMU journalism professor, "The program is unique in that we are providing students access to journalists with years of on the ground experience on both the Palestinian and Israeli sides. They will be learning from people familiar with the turf, reporters on the inside who are actually doing this work."
The 6-credit program runs from June 12 to July 28 and students from all CAA institutions are encouraged to apply. There is no additional cost for non-George Mason students and the application deadline is March 19.
September/October 2009:
Study Abroad with the University of Delaware: |
Tunisia, located on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea in North Africa, is home to many jewels of ancient Phoenician, Roman and Is |
lamic heritage. Its location made Tunisia an ancient waypoint for travelers and commerce, and the resulting diversity in Tunisia has helped to create a welcoming and hospitable culture.
Arabic and French are the two major languages spoken in Tunisia and this program fits in well with UD's new and growing Arabic language program and their minor in Islamic Studies. However, students are encouraged to apply regardless of their major or academic affiliation, and there is no language prerequisite to participate. Students may apply during any year of study, including their freshman year.July/August 2009:
| Study Abroad with Drexel University: Biodiversity and Conservation on Bioko Island |
 The island of Bioko, part of the central African country of Equatorial Guinea, is one of the most beautiful and biologically significant places in all of Africa. It is home to Africa's greatest concentration of endangered primates and to more than fifty unique species of plants. Nearly 200 species of birds fly among the island's three volcanic peaks and during the dry season, butterflies gather in the rainforest and marine turtles come ashore to nest on the black sand beaches. Drexel University is proud to host a unique study abroad program on Bioko Island combining coursework and individual field work in tropical biodiversity and conservation. The program, now in its 6th year, emphasizes field work that takes advantage of Bioko's pristine rainforests, its seven species of rare monkeys and its four species of nesting turtles. Students complete coursework with local students at the National University of Equatorial Guinea, collaborate with an established conservation program, and work with an experienced African field biologist on their own individual research projects. Students live in tents while conducting field research and in a group house in the capital city of Malabo for the rest of the program. Says Daniela Ascarelli, Director of Study Abroad at Drexel, "This is a unique program and for the right student it is truly amazing! I think it is the best of study abroad - going somewhere exotic but really getting the chance to live in the community." The Bioko Island study abroad program is offered twice a year to a group of eight students. Students typically take 4 or 5 courses for a total of 18-22 quarter credits (=12-15 semester credits) during each 11-week term. The program is open to all students within the CAA. For detailed information, please click here. |
May/June 2009:
| Building Peace in the Philippines |
| This is the first in a series of articles about study abroad programs run by our member institutions. Last summer, Dr. Al Fuertes, Assistant Professor in the New Century College at George Mason University, spent a month in the Philippines with 17 students in a study abroad program described by many of them as "life-changing." The highly successful program, entitled "Grassroots Peacebuilding, Environmental Issues and Culture in the Philippines," teaches students about becoming advocates for peace and the environment, while exposing them to the culture and beauty of the Philippines. Students take courses at the Mindanao Peacebuilding Institute, a program that brings together workers for peace from around the world, many from areas rife with conflict and division. Students also visit NGOs and local programs that work with human rights, peace and justice efforts, and environmental issues. For many students, the most eye-opening part of the trip is the visit to Smoky Mountain and the chance to speak with the locals who live off this 40-year-old mountain of garbage. Students also plant rice in actual rice paddies, visit communities suffering from aerial spraying of fruit plantations owned by multi-national business corporations, and visit sites with historic and cultural significance.  "I learned more life skills in a month, more concrete lessons about life in a month, than I had learned in four years in standard college classes." "It was my first encounter with the real world outside America ... the harsh world that exists for most people." "Honestly, how can you not be touched by what we saw? How can you not be changed?" - Student Participants, 2008 This summer's group is already underway, but the program will recur in Summer 2010. This 9-credit program is open to all students within the CAA, with no additional fee for non-George Mason students. More information. |
