Education Abroad Opportunities
International field studies on tourism, society, and the environment
RPTM 497A South Island, New Zealand (4 credits)
RPTM 497B North Queensland, Australia (4 credits)
These courses are available to all qualified Penn State students.
Study Abroad Award Opportunity
The Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management Study Abroad Award
The purpose of this travel award shall be to provide recognition and financial incentive to 2 undergraduates majoring in Recreation, Park and Tourism Management who are enrolled in International Field Studies on Tourism, Society, and the Environment New Zealand or Australia. (1 award will be given per course)
Award Amount: $750
Application Deadline: December 3, 2008
Who Is Eligible?
Consideration for this award shall be given to all full-time undergraduate students majoring in Recreation, Park and Tourism Management enrolled in International Field Studies on Tourism, Society, and the Environment New Zealand or Australia. Awards are one-time only and are non-renewable on subsequent program participation.
What Are The Application Requirements?
Complete the application and submit it along with a personal essay (1- 2 pages) answering the following questions: What are your goals for participating in this particular course? How will this award be particularly beneficial, meaningful, or helpful to you in the pursuit of your academic, personal, prospective professional goals? Submit both documents in print to Angela Rothrock in 803 Ford Building.
About the program
These 3.5-week study embedded courses will meet biweekly during Spring semester, then travel abroad for 3.5 weeks. The courses examine the natural (and related social) history and environmental conservation of North Queensland, Australia and South Island, New Zealand. Our courses focus on topics related to sustainable development through educational travel, field trips, active participation, lecture presentations and seminars, and coursework exercises. The goal of these courses is to use regions in the South Pacific as cases to integrate the different perspectives of diverse natural, biological, and social science disciplines to improve understanding of relationships between human societies and the natural environment and the role of tourism in those interactions.
Students will receive 4 credits for either of these courses. Grades in the course will count toward students' Penn State cumulative GPA. The courses may meet requirements in some majors and/or minors; therefore, you are encouraged to discuss your intention to take this course with your advisor and with RPTM's student advisor Angela Rothrock (arb184@psu.edu).
In New Zealand (RPTM 497A)
After an initial week of study with lectures from expert faculty in Christchurch, we embark on a 2.5 week field trip to national parks, reserves, and coastal areas of New Zealand's magnificent South Island. This is one of the most environmentally diverse countries on the planet and many of its plants and animals are found nowhere else in the world. The natural context provides a unique opportunity to learn about issues such as ecotourism, sustainable development, global warming, conservation, and indigenous Maori cultures.
In Australia (RPTM 497B)
We begin with a week on campus on the coast of Queensland and end the course with a couple of days back on campus to complete the program. In between, we will have a 2.5 week field trip where we will snorkel (scuba diving is optional) to explore the marine biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef; learn about Aboriginal culture and history through interactions with indigenous communities in the Outback; and study the diverse wildlife and flora as well as natural resource management and ecotourism practices in the tropical rainforest of the Daintree World Heritage Area.
Registration
You must register for the class as a spring course. Contact Angela Rothrock (arb184@psu.edu) for more information.
RPTM 497A (New Zealand) begins on May 17 and ends on June 11
RPTM 497B (Australia) begins on May 26 and ends on June 18
Requirements
- 2.5 minimum GPA
- Evidence of maturity, stability, adaptability, self-discipline, and strong academic motivation
Prerequisites
Education Abroad (EA) and the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management do not require the completion of specific courses prior to enrollment or departure.
Courses or areas of study
This program is about how indigenous communities, national governments, and tourists impact, protect and interact with the natural environment.
Housing and meals
You will be housed in dormitories while on campus, and in a variety of accommodation styles when traveling, including shared room in budget-style establishments, eco-resorts and national park lodges, serviced apartments and camping. You will be responsible for about 50% of your meals.
Financial aid
Standard forms of financial assistance are available through the Office of Student Aid. Since Penn State students on Education Abroad-sponsored programs continue to be registered at Penn State, most awards remain in effect while students are abroad. More information about financial aid and scholarship options for education abroad is available on the Education Abroad website.
Estimated costs and billing
The course fee will be approximately $4,250 including Penn State tuition for spring, all accommodations, in-country transportation, approximately 50 percent of meals, and all excursions and activities. Additional costs include international airfare (approximately $1,200 round-trip from Los Angeles, with optional group airfare available) and other miscellaneous expenses (approximately $600).
Health insurance
All students participating in Penn State-sponsored education abroad programs—regardless of any existing insurance plans they may already have through any other source—will be automatically enrolled in a comprehensive health insurance plan designed for students studying abroad.
Find out more about these courses on Facebook.
Watch Course Videos on YouTube!
Australia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rVBEM54fE0
New Zealand:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4g377HzGfIo
Contacts and information
If you are interested in one of these courses you may direct questions to:
Angela Rothrock, RPTM Student Advisor (arb184@psu.edu)
Duarte B. Morais, Faculty responsible for Ed Abroad courses (dmorais@psu.edu)
Information for Parents
Why should I send my son or daughter on this course?
Study abroad is fast becoming an integral component to a college education. Many students are preparing to work in more global work environments here in the U.S. and abroad. Studying abroad prepares them for this by exposing them to new cultures, people and places different from what they are used to. This gives them a broader worldview and enables them to navigate in different cultures and environments. Due to our multi-disciplinary approach, students will be able to take what they learn on this course and apply it to their studies and lives once they return. Also because of the length of this course, students can get a feel for international travel and see if they might want to do a longer study abroad program in the future.
If they are not in classrooms the whole time, is this a class or just a vacation trip?
Both courses are heavily experiential education based, which means when students are snorkeling or kayaking, they are learning as they go. They get to see and experience what they are learning about first hand and in many cases, students learn much better this way because they can apply their knowledge immediately in the real world. The students will be responsible for “modules”, which are writing assignments they complete throughout the course. As they travel throughout the country, they will get to meet a variety of professionals and academics who are experts in environmental and cultural fields of study.
More bang for your buck!
The price includes half of the students’ food and all of their in-country travel. In New Zealand and Australia, students will be on the move constantly; sometimes only staying in a place 2 or 3 nights. This allows us to literally cover a lot of ground, in New Zealand they will go around the entire south island and in Australia, travel through 3 different ecosystems in Queensland. With the amount of travel and the number of activities that they do, students get to experience and learn far more than they would in university classroom setting like many traditional study abroad programs offer.
Is it safe?
Australia and New Zealand are both safe countries which do not have widespread problems of violence or internal conflict. Penn State faculty will be in-country with them and within easy contact even during the few days when students will have free time on their own. In the spring component of the course (here on campus), students will be given information and advice about how to stay safe during the in-country component. As stated above, they will automatically be enrolled in the Penn State health insurance plan regardless of whether they are covered under another plan or not.
Share in the experience!
Ask your son or daughter what they are learning in the spring about the country they are going to. They will most likely be coming home before departing for New Zealand or Australia, so ask them if they have any fears or concerns about traveling, being away for 3.5 weeks, or being in a new place with new people! You will be able to keep in contact with them through payphones or cell phones (many companies have international plans-some students took their phones to Australia last year) during the course and they will occasionally be able to check email. Think about planning a family trip and possibly joining your son or daughter before or after the course to do some traveling, this could be an excellent opportunity for you to experience a new place as well!