Director Spring 2014: Professor Krista Ingram, Department of Biology
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 major 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 modem state of Australia while providing them the opportunity to continue their major 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.
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:
BIOL303 Australian Biogeography and Biodiversity (Krista Ingram)
This seminar course focuses on the biodiversity of the modem Australian fauna and flora, with an emphasis on both terrestrial and marine organisms. Australia arguably has one of the most distinctive biotas on earth. We will explore the various processes - including dispersal, adaptive radiation, human hunting, land management, and fire- that have shaped life in Australia and nearby islands. The subject begins in ancient Gondwanaland and ends with modem efforts to conserve Australia's plants and animals. Some attention is paid to the relationship between people, including both aborigines and those of European descent, and nature in Australia. Field excursions will exemplify Australia's rich and diverse terrestrial and marine environments and cultural heritage and illustrate current challenges in environmental protection and management.
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. We will take a field trip to Canberra to visit the Australian War Memorial, the National Gallery, and Parliament House.
Although students from any department or program are eligible to participate in the Australia Study Group, preference will be given to individuals with a major 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.
You may gather additional information from the University of Wollongong's web site for international students at www.uow.edu.au
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.
For details of student expenses on this study group, please see the
cost estimate sheet.
The deadline to apply has already passed.
The Study Group will depart for Australia about February 15, 2014. The academic calendar for the autumn session at the University of Wollongong runs fourteen weeks (classes commence March 3, 2014) with a scheduled one-week-long recess in April. Final examinations will be scheduled between June 14 -26, 2014 and students must stay for exams.
You must confirm that your passport is valid through January 2015. With participation on this study group comes the responsibility of understanding and complying with the Australian government’s visa requirements. If you will not be traveling on a U.S. passport it is imperative that you contact an adviser in Off-Campus Study/International Programs, 101 Lathrop, and International Student Services, 103C Lathrop, to learn as much as you can about the visa requirements. For all students there are significant requirements to be met that take time, advance planning, and incur extra costs.
Australia II Study Group program approximate dates: Feb. 15 - June 26, 2014
The information sessions for this program have already passed.
For more information contact
Krista Ingram in 204 Olin Hall (315-228-7797) or
kingram@colgate.edu
Admitted study group participants: