Sustainability Issues
Begin the summer in South Africa with Dr. Melanie Szulczewski. Based in Cape Town and the Greater Kruger Area, students will participate in local excursions to:
- Boulders Beach, home of the South African penguin
- Robben Island, site of Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment
- Table Mountain and its unique fynbos ecosystem
- Stellenbosch and a nearby waterfall and sustainable vineyard and goat cheese farm
- Cape Point Nature Reserve, the most southwestern point of the continent and home to diverse wildlife
- Langa township, an informal settlement (shantytown) originally developed during apartheid
- Kruger National Park, a region featuring some of the highest concentrations in the world of the “Big Five” animals: elephants, rhinos, cape buffalo, lions, and leopards.
All of these locations will reinforce the study of environmental and social sustainability. Following the Cape Town portion of the program, students will further experience the ecological diversity of South Africa firsthand during a four-day excursion in the Kruger National Park region.
When registering, make sure to select “Summer 2026” from the drop-down menu to find the UMW Sustainability in South Africa program registration.
May 12 – 24, 2026
Program Fee: $5,429
Registration and $500 non-refundable deposit due: November 1, 2025
Final Balance ($4,929) due: March 1, 2026
Use the Make a Standard Payment button below to pay your deposit and regular program balance payment. Use the Make a Flexible Payment option to pay an alternate amount (such as additional insurance or payment in a different amount as a result of a scholarship award).
Online payees have the choice of either credit card or eCheck (ACH) payment. ACH transactions will be charged a flat fee of $0.50 per transaction. All credit card payments will incur a 2.95% service fee. For credit card payments, a minimum convenience fee of $3.00 will be applied to transactions over $20.00 and under $102.00.
Students can avoid fees by paying in-person at the UMW Cashier’s office by cash or check (made out to “UMW”). The Cashier’s office is located on the 2nd floor of Lee Hall.
In addition to the program travel during summer term, students will enroll in the Spring 2026 course EESC 360C for 4 credits. The course will meet weekly during the spring semester followed by the in-country portion of the course. Attendance and participation in both portions of the course is mandatory.
UMW Sustainability Issues in South Africa participants can also satisfy their Beyond the Classroom or Diverse and Global Perspectives general education requirement by contract with the Faculty Director.
Accommodation in twin, triple or quad-bedded rooms in a private student lodge in the Observatory district of Cape Town with shared bathrooms, living areas, fully equipped kitchen and free Wifi internet access. Students will stay in a game lodge while in the Kruger National Park region.
There are no prerequisites for this course. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA in order to participate. This program is open to all UMW students regardless of major or year of study. It is also open to non-UMW students but enrollment in EESC 360C for the Spring 2026 semester is required.
Space is limited and in addition to registering for the program, students need to complete an additional application form. Contact Dr. Melanie Szulczewski (mszulcze@umw.edu) for details, the application form, and instructions.
Included in the program fee:
- International airfare
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation per itinerary to include airport transfers
- Some meals
- Group excursions and entrance tickets per itinerary
- UMW Education Abroad Fee
- International medical insurance
Excluded in the program fee:
- Passport and/or visa fees
- Souvenirs and other personal expenses
- Personal health costs (ex. vaccination fees, COVID-19 testing, etc.)
- Some meals
- Independent site-seeing and entrance fees
Due to the nature of this program, students must be able and prepared for rigorous hiking as part of the course expectations.
International travel may require immunizations or preventative medicines. Please refer to the US Center for Disease Control’s Traveler’s Health Information Page for recommendations. The UMW Health Center provides free travel consultations by appointment, as well as travel information for UMW students. The Center for International Education recommends that each student have a personalized medical consultation prior to international travel.
Visit CIE’s Scholarships & Funding webpage to learn more about financial options as it relates to education abroad including Financial Aid, 529 Plans, etc.