U of C Field Schools

[msommers]

This was brought up one my geography class last week and really got my interested, seems like a good excuse to travel, and you get school credit, and minimal academic work required.

Has anyone done this before or know someone that has? If so:

Recommend it? Cost? Your workload? Length?Location?

Thanks!:)

[Impreza]

Is this the one for Iceland/Ireland or the one that goes to several countries?

[el_fefes]

I wanted to ask the same question. I'll be going to Mexico for Latin American Studies...it's expensive $5300 for like 5 weeks. And they told us the work load is minimal...it's more about your experience there.

has anyone gone to these?

[ashee]

Search study abroad on my.ucalgary and it'll give you pages about where you can go and the costs/requirements.

[pints]

My friend did the Eastern Europe Geography Fieldschool about 2-3 years back. He had a blast, said it was mainly alot of drinking and all he had to do was hand in a travel diary type thing at the end of 6 weeks. I think Slezak was on that trip so it couldn't have been a boring or a tough go. This year I believe they have an Ireland/Iceland one as well as an Around the World trip. I think they are actually holding information meetings this week on those 2 trips.
I did fieldschool this last summer through another university, so if you find a programme you'd rather do from another school you just have to complete a form over the internet and submit to the university the course descriptions and they will usually give you the credits. I paid about $6000 for 2 months (including flights, accommodations and the tuition fees)
Most of the social science fieldschools I think are pretty slack when it comes to the workload but the experience you get is definetly worth it. Plus there's always the option of continuing your travels after the school session lets out.

[msommers]

I went to the one about the 'Around the World' trip this afternoon. It sounds really interesting, but for one month, you're paying ~11,000 plus spending money. For me, I could go for the whole summer and spend 11,000 and go exactly where I want and stay as long as I want.

The only problem I found, or the feeling I got anyways, was that it was seriously geared towards geog majors.

FYI, if anyone wants to go on the trip around the world, and more than the likely the same scenario with the iceland/ireland trip, you need to cough up 2200 bucks almost by friday, monday at the latest.

I'm still considering either trip as it would be a great experience. I still need to figure out how the course credit is going to work as I'm a Bio Sci major and I only need 2- 1/2 credits for social science.


Forgot to mention: You need to apply to this, and you qualify to go, it is not a matter of just signing your name and your in. For anyone seriously interested, they stressed how fast they need your info, money, passports to be completed etc. You need to buy your own plane ticket as well but I believe 'Travel Cuts' in Mac Hall has all that organized anyways.

[ashee]

It's less pricey to do a term abroad at an "affiliate" university somewhere, you just pay U of C tuition for that semester/year, buy a plane ticket and arrange somewhere to stay whether it's residence at that university or somewhere else in that city. You're attending classes like you would here, some are even listed as U of C classes and you get the same credit you would going to school at U of C for that semester/year.

[a social dsease]

I'm signed up for Enggineering one in Greece this May, should be a blast!

[msommers]

Sorry to bump this thread, but I recently got notice of this studying abroad program and am really interested, studying in Australia wow!!

Any done this or know someone who has?