Around the World
Global Semester
Depart about Sept 1; return about Jan 25
Campus Program Adviser: Donna McMillan (Regents Hall NS, x3589)
2010-11 Field Supervisors: William Sonnega (Speech-Theater 218 x3177) and Michelle Sonnega
The Global Semester is a five-month academic program offering five courses in different parts of the world under the supervision of St. Olaf faculty. In cooperation with academic institutions in four countries, courses are designed to enable students to develop windows on the world from distinct academic perspectives through class lectures, field trips, and other activities. The program aims to facilitate immersion in the daily life of each community and develop comparisons with American society. Students are encouraged to incorporate a global view into their liberal arts study of what it means to be a citizen of the world.
Extending over the first semester and the January Interim, the Global Semester provides students with a series of unique opportunities to gain insight into issues confronting the non-Western world. The countries selected figure prominently in the political and cultural life of the Middle East, South Asia and East Asia . Direct academic involvement through lectures, discussion, field trips, reading and exams deepens each student's understanding of the prevailing issues and provides a total experience readily evaluated in terms of normal standards of academic measurement.
The itinerary takes the group around the world with visits to Switzerland (the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva ), Egypt , India , Thailand , Hong Kong , China and South Korea . The academic program focuses for one month each on four countries: Egypt , India , Hong Kong and South Korea . In cooperation with coordinators in each of the four countries and in association with staff members of The American University ( Cairo , Egypt ), the Ecumenical Christian Centre ( Bangalore , India ), Chinese University of Hong Kong and Yonsei University ( Seoul , South Korea ), students study Egyptian history, religions of South Asia , Chinese art and Korean society. A St. Olaf faculty member, serving as field supervisor, provides concurrent interpretations and evaluations of the curricular and co-curricular experience and offers a course of study that relates his or her own academic field to the overall program topic, “Global Issues.”
Eligibility
Group size is limited to a maximum of 28 and a minimum of 25 students. This program is open to qualified students of other institutions. Sophomores, juniors and seniors are eligible. Final selection is made on the basis of an applicant's scholastic standing, aptitude for the type of program involved, faculty recomendations, interview, and class in college.
Obligations
Around-the-world group ticketing includes the domestic transportation from a participant's nearest major airport. St. Olaf students must return to the St. Olaf campus in time for regularly scheduled second semester registration.
Except during the break periods, participants are required to remain with the group at all times and take part in all curricular and co-curricular activities and to travel internationally with the group in accordance with group rate regulations.
Costs
The cost for the 2009-2010 program was $12, 990 over and above the St. Olaf tuition. The program covers the following: around-the-world group travel via regularly scheduled jet aircraft in economy class; tuition and fees; accommodations en route in standard hotels two to three persons sharing a room; breakfast and one main meal per day; accommodations in student hostels or similar establishments in the four principal university centers; participation in scheduled sightseeing programs according to itinerary; transportation of 44 pounds of baggage, checked or unchecked. The program cost does not cover meals, accommodations and travel during break periods.
Courses of Study
Five courses are offered. The interdisciplinary course is taught by the St. Olaf faculty member.
Field Supervisor's Course
Interdisciplinary 257: Global Issues: Media and the Global Village
An interdisciplinary and introductory study of global issues: poverty, population, health and nutrition, energy use, gender roles, development alternatives, and the cultural dimensions of development. Readings, lectures, agency briefings, site visits and cultural events provide an intellectual and experiential framework for comparison and contrast among the countries studied. International agencies and local experts provide many of the planned experiences. Each Field Supervisor provides topical emphasis.
2010-11 Topical emphasis:
In the 1960's, the media scholar Marshall McLuhan foresaw a future in which the world, fully networked by electronic communication, would
one day become a "global village." In many ways, McLuhan appears to have been prophetic and the media-linked world he envisioned has come about. In this course we will interrogate McLuhan's thesis from multiple and at times competing perspectives. What is at stake for individuals and communities as they are assimilated into the global village and its mediated lifestyles? How are Western values inscribed in Eastern cultures, and vice versa, as a result of 21st century communication technologies and the globalization of commerce? What can we learn from the Global experience about the benefits and liabilities of mass media as an agent of social change?
History GL 257: Themes in Ancient Graeco-Roman and Islamic-Egyptian History Lectures, discussions and extensive field trips provide understanding of significant developments and themes in Egypt 's ancient and medieval past with emphasis on dynastic Coptic and Islamic periods. Field trips include a visit to Luxor . Counts toward major. GE: Historical Studies in Western Culture (HWC).
Religion GL 251: Religions of India Lectures, discussions and field trips provide the basis for an understanding of the history and practice of Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and other religions in India . Religious scholars from India provide the background for an understanding of the assumptions, views, nature, traditions and contemporary practices of the dominant religious expressions in India . Counts toward major.
Art GL 241: The Arts of China Survey of Chinese art, its function, technique and aesthetic elements from bronzes and oracle bones of the Shang Dynasty to porcelain and scroll paintings of the Ching Dynasty. Counts toward major. GE: Artistic Studies (ALS-A), Multicultural Studies Course (MCS-G).
Sociology GL 255: Korean Society Introduction to the social structure and institutions of contemporary South Korea, including population, urbanization, social class and mobility, work organizations and labor relations, family and women. Counts toward major. GE: Studies in Human Behavior and Society (HBS). Multicultural Studies Course (MCS-G).
Grading Letter grades are recorded on the student's transcript, but not computed in the grade point average. There is one exception: students have the option of taking the course taught by the accompanying field supervisor either graded or S/U. In this case, the graded course is figured into the G.P.A.; if S/U, no course credit is given where the grade earned is below C-.
