University of Wollongong
Director Spring 2011: Professor Ken Segall, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Program prerequisites | Course descriptions | Living arrangements | Extra costs | Deadlines | Further Information | Helpful Links
The University of Wollongong, located on the coast of New South Wales, approximately 50 miles south of Sydney, is the study site for the Australia Study Group. This study-abroad program is designed for students who are intending to concentrate in one of the Natural Sciences or Mathematics and are interested in experiencing the rich diversity of environments and cultures that are a part of Australia. The academic offerings and extensive resources of the University of Wollongong, as well as the living and studying opportunities with Australian students, allow study-group participants a unique means to broaden and deepen their understanding of the cultural and biological diversity of Australia.
The overall goal of this study group experience is to acquaint students with the historical, geographic and cultural processes that have shaped the modern state of Australia while providing them the opportunity to continue their concentration at a foreign institution. This experience will immerse students in a foreign culture, exposing them to contrasting ways of thinking about and configuring the world, which will deepen their understanding of their own beliefs and identity.
Although students from any department or program are eligible to participate in the Australia Study Group, preference will be given to individuals with a concentration or minor in the Natural Sciences and Mathematics Division. Preference also will be granted to those students who will have completed their distribution requirements in the humanities, the natural sciences and mathematics, and the social sciences at Colgate. Additionally, the University of Wollongong requires a GPA of 3.0 for matriculation in their international student Study Abroad Program.
Courses
All participants are required to enroll in and complete four courses during the spring term at the University of Wollongong. Students elect three courses and must enroll in the one required course described below.
PHYS 210 Nonlinearity and Complexity (Pending Curriculum Committee Approval) (Prof. Ken Segall)
This course provides an introduction to the concepts of nonlinearity and complexity and their role in science today. The fundamental theme of the course is that complicated systems of many interacting entities can produce complex behavior, even if the rules that govern any one entity are simple. Particularly interesting collective phenomena such as chaos, localization or synchronization occur when the governing rules are nonlinear in nature. In this class we will explore these ideas through recently published scientific texts and though mathematical investigation of nonlinear differential equations. The physical systems explored will be interdisciplinary in nature and may include chemical reactions, lasers, predator-prey models, firefly synchronization, circadian rhythms and lithographically fabricated integrated circuits. Some familiarity with mathematics at the college level, such as through a Calculus or Statistics course, is preferred.
Three Course Electives (University of Wollongong Faculty)
The remaining three courses are electives that will be chosen by the student in consultation with the program director and the student’s academic advisor at Colgate.
One elective must be chosen from a group of courses that explore the cultural and social history of Australia. These courses vary from one semester to the next but in the past have included ABST150 (Introduction to Aboriginal Australia) and HIST203 (Australia and the Great War). Of the other electives, one must be in the Natural Sciences or Mathematics.
Australian History Seminar (John McQuilton, University of Wollongong)
This mini-course is a four-day seminar held during Thursday-Friday of orientation week and Saturday-Sunday during a subsequent weekend. The first two days includes lecture and discussion of the history, politics, and culture of Australia. A later two-day session includes an overnight trip to Canberra to visit the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery, and Parliament House.
Australia Study Group participants: Please read the following information regarding Wollongong courses and print the course approval form. The completed approval form is due in the Registrar's Office.
Australia Study Group credit information
Colgate course approval form
Living arrangements
Students live in one of several residence halls of the University of Wollongong (e.g., Campus East, Weerona College). Amenities vary with housing selection. Dining facilities, computers, and internet access is available. Colgate students have access to the social, athletic, recreational, computer, and library facilities of the University of Wollongong. Some of these require payment of a separate fee.
Extra costs
Costs above Colgate’s tuition include room and board, airfare, and necessary out-of-pocket expenses. On the average students can expect to spend $5,500-$6,500 more than a semester on campus. These increased costs are used in calculating the aid packages of students who receive financial aid, provided this is their first study group experience.
Students who are planning extensive personal travel will need to increase their budget accordingly.
Estimate Student Expenses Australia II Study Group
Calendar and deadlines
Information will be provided at the annual off-campus study fair on Wednesday, November 4 from 6-7:30 pm. An informational session for this group will take place on Monday, November 9 at 5:00 in Ho 101. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend.
Applications are available in Off-Campus Study/International Programs (McGregory 201) or from Prof. Segall.
The deadline for applications to the 2011 Spring Australia Study Group is Friday, November 20, 2009. Please submit applications to Ho 218. Only finalists in the selection process will be interviewed. Student notification of selections will be completed in early to mid-January 2010. Written confirmation of participation is expected by January 22, 2010. The application process to the University of Wollongong will commence in earnest in September and course selections in late October and early November. During fall 2010, the study group director will work with students to complete visa applications and required medical examinations.
The Study Group will depart for Australia around February 10, 2011. The academic calendar for the autumn session at the University of Wollongong runs fourteen weeks (classes should start on February 22, 2010) with a scheduled one-week-long recess in April. Final examinations are scheduled during the third and fourth weeks of June 2011 and students must stay for exams.
Further information
You may gather additional information from the University of Wollongong's web site for international students at www.uow.edu.au. Also, you may contact Professor Ken Segall, 317 Ho Science Center, Department of Physics and Astronomy, ksegall@colgate.edu
Helpful links
Sponsoring departments
Gerneral information