New summer faculty-led travel courses are now open to students
Chapman University’s Center for Global Education (CGE) has recently opened up new courses for its summer 2024 study abroad program that all students are able to attend.
These faculty-led travel courses will take students to various locations around the globe, ranging from a few days to a few weeks. The courses will also allow students the opportunity to study different topics including anthropology, animation, literature, culinary culture, the environment and many more.
Among the available courses is one currently being led by Stephanie Takaragawa, the associate dean for academic programs in the Wilkinson College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. ANTH 335C/HIST 335C, titled “Anthropology, Politics of Space and Place in Japan,” which will allow students to study anthropology and politics in Japan. In the past, Takaragawa has held travel courses in Cameroon, Germany and Denmark.
“I think it’s important for students to be immersed in a new cultural context to fully understand what it means to be a global citizen. Education is being challenged to broaden your perspectives, and study abroad is an excellent way to do this.”
Takaragawa explained that studying abroad gave students a better idea of just how large the world is and how varied its culture can be. She stated that the ability for students to be immersed in a different culture and to approach it with an open mind allows them to have a better idea of how people live across the world.
“Students learn how large and different the world is,” Takaragawa said. “They learn that there isn’t just one way to live. It helps to create a larger frame of reference for what it means to be human.”
The current catalog of travel courses includes other locations such as Sweden, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Spain. The CGE notes that new courses may become available up until March 2024, since the application deadline for new courses closes on March 26 at 4 p.m. The list itself will update if any courses close.
“(The) most common concern is usually funding, but the CGE does a great job at helping students navigate the costs and how to fund their study abroad experience,” said Julye Bidmead, Chapman’s director of the Office of Fellowships and Scholar Programs who is also an experienced professor with the study abroad program.
Bidmead continued: “Other concerns are often about making sure they are able to get the classes they take abroad to transfer to Chapman. Again, there are mechanisms in place to help the student through this process.”
Paired with the current summer travel course program is the Summer Sessions Abroad program, which allows students to study at an institution outside the U.S. over the summer. During this program, students will be able to pursue major, minor, general education or other degree requirements of their choice. Two courses are currently being offered for Summer Sessions Abroad: CEA CAPA in San José, Costa Rica at Véritas University and ISEP Direct at Hanyang University in Seoul, South Korea. The deadline to apply is Feb. 23 at 11:59 p.m.
“What everyone says when they come back (from studying abroad) is that (the program) is the best experience that they had in their college career. And, if you talk with anyone who hasn’t studied abroad and ask them about study abroad, they’ll tell you that’s the number one regret they have from college: that they never did study abroad.”
Garcia reiterated similar points of Bidmead, pointing out that students who do study abroad will ultimately have a similarly priced and sometimes cheaper experience compared to a regular semester at Chapman. Financial aid equally applies to summer travel courses, allowing students to pay more or less the same tuition as they would for a semester at Chapman. Garcia did note that the program cost can vary based on location, something shown on the courses page for each summer travel course.
“I have been teaching travel courses (short-term study abroad) for more than 25 years both at Chapman and other schools. Almost always, students come away from these courses learning so much and have remarked how the course was a life-changing, fun and rich academic experience.””
Students with questions about studying abroad can email the CGE via Outlook at globaled@chapman.edu. The CGE is also hosting information meetings known as Global First Steps throughout the month, where students can ask questions about studying abroad in person. Steps for applying can also be found on the CGE’s page for the summer program.