UMW in South Africa

Sustainability Issues

Program Dates

December 28 — January 11

Winter Break 2019-2020

Registration

This program is full for 2020.

View our cancellation policy.

Program Fees

$4,350

$500 deposit due upon registration.
Final $3,850 due October 31, 2019.

Included

Round-trip international airfare
Airport transfers and ground transportation
Housing and accommodations
Some meals
Guided tours and associated entrance fees
International health insurance
UMW Education Abroad fee

NOT Included

UMW tuition (may be part of your Spring 2020 course load)
International visa (not required for US citizens)
Some meals
Personal expenses
Supplemental meals or snacks
Souvenirs
Immunizations

Health Information

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.

This program includes moderate-to-rigorous hiking through uneven terrain and significant walking.

Begin the new year in South Africa with Dr. Melanie Szulczewski. Based in Cape Town, 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 nearby sustainable winery and vineyard
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

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. This region features some of the highest concentrations in the world of the “Big Five” animals: elephants, rhinos, cape buffalo, lions, and leopards.

Accommodations

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.

Coursework

In addition to the program travel during Winter Break, students will enroll in the Spring 2020 course EESC 360C for 4 credits. The course will meet weekly for the first 8 weeks of the spring semester following the in-country portion of the course. Attendance and participation in both portions of the course is mandatory.

This course satisfies the Experiential Learning OR Global Inquiry general education requirement by contract with the Faculty Director only.

Requirements & Prerequisites

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 2020 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 @u mw.edu) for details, the application form, and instructions.

Due to the nature of this program, students must be able and prepared for rigorous hiking as part of the course expectations.

Scholarships

Faculty-Led Program Scholarships are available to UMW students (deadlines apply).

Payment

See the program fees and payment due dates in the right column. Use the Make a Payment button below to pay your deposit and regular program payment. Use the Special Payment option to pay a special 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 payment. Credit card payments will incur a 2.75% service fee. There is no service charge for eCheck payments.

UMW in South Africa | Sustainability Issues