India
Jaipur & Delhi
May 12 - June 1, 2013
Total Program Fee: $4659
Academics and Courses Application, Cost, and Important Details
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Program Location:
India has been referred to as the planet’s most multidimensional country. It is the largest democracy in the world, and will become the world’s most populous country in the next decade. The recorded history of India dates back 5,000 years and has been home to some of the oldest civilizations on Earth. India has become a leading economic power in the 21st Century. It boasts a high quality educational system and has produced high profile professionals from medicine to business. However, India does have a problematic social structure and traditions which suppress much of its population (e.g. caste system). Therefore, India is an ideal setting for studying a wide range of academic fields. A three-week study in this country will certainly be a life-changing experience for students.
Program Description:
Student will begin the program with three days in India’s capital, Delhi. Some site visits may include the Lotus Temple, Akshardham, Qutb Minar, Raj Ghat, and Jama Masjid. The next two days include driving and an overnight stay in Agra, site of the majestic Taj Mahal. The remainder of the program is in Jaipur, where the “Pink City” is at the heart of daily life. With busy bazaars, bicycle rickshaws and innumerable street hawkers, one will experience all that India has to offer. An optional excursion to Ranthambore National (Tiger) Park is also planned. All courses offered will incorporate into the curriculum the local culture, including visits to local religious sites, historical sites, visiting a local hospital, and guest lecturers from local guides or university professors.
SERVICE LEARNING: All students will be required to participate in a faculty directed service learning project during the India program. Each student will earn up to 25% of their course grade through a service learning project, most likely with a local non-profit school. The project can include an educational activity utilizing the English language, geospatial skills and cultural awareness. Your professor will instruct you as to the project you will undertake.
Please Note: Prospective students should be aware that study abroad programs require a great deal of walking. You should be prepared to walk at least a mile or two each day. You may also walk over uneven, possibly slippery or rocky terrain even in cities. Students participating in the India program will also need to plan for temperatures reaching in excess of 100°F. Additionally, culture shock may be an issue as well. Thus, students need to be aware of the physical and mental challenges associated with study abroad.
Excursions: Excursions in addition to those already mentioned may include Red Fort, Agra Fort, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Nahagar Amber Fort, a village visit, and more. Individual professors may arrange other optional excursions related to their classes.
Classes: Classes will be held for approximately three hours a day during the week at various locations, including museums, local campuses and onsite lodging facilities. There will be ample time for students to complete reading/writing assignments, but this requires students to be efficient and effective with their time management.
Accommodations: In New Delhi Agra and Jaipur, housing will be in a tourist class hotel. All rooms will be air-conditioned and wifi accessible. Two meals a day will be included in the cost of the program: breakfast and dinner.
All TnCIS programs are academic in nature and course work that takes advantage of the program location will be the central focus. TnCIS program courses are for credit only. In India, students will enroll in ONE of the following courses:
BIOLOGY: Environmental Science w/Lab – 4 Credit hours (No Prerequisites / BIOL 1050 Recommended)
Today we hear two names prominently in all the media coverage with respect to booming economies namely India and China. But we are also aware that with the industrialization and urbanization in India, the population is also growing exponentially. This has placed significant pressure on the limited resources, which has led to severe water, air, noise, and land pollution in India. This course exposes students to and creates an awareness of significant environmental issues impacting India while adding a flavor of global perspective. The course will also focus on the effect of culture on these environmental issues through the service learning component. Field visits may be arranged to various local institutes and organizations. These field visits will help the overall understanding of how environmental issues are handled in India.
See course syllabus
GEOGRAPHY: Introduction to Human Geography (No Prerequisite)
India is an assault on the senses. The sight of squatter settlements and the Taj Mahal are incongruous. The smell of curry and body odor are curiously at odds. The cacophony of traffic paired with dulcet sitar chords will confuse the ear. It’s a McDonald’s restaurant that doesn’t sell beef or pork. Something feels odd but you just can’t place exactly what it is. But with geography, the science of space and place, a student can come to understand how this country -- and by extension the world -- works. Geography isn’t just about where something is located. It’s about understanding the how and the why through space and time. (Yes, history is a part of geography, too!) An Introduction to Human Geography will enable a student to overcome the extreme culture shock that is India. After that, the world awaits.
See course syllabus
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