UMF 2024 Travel Course Destinations
Spring Break: Washington D.C.
Spring/May: France
May Term: Iceland, Germany and Scotland
WASHINGTON, D.C.
POS 177 (POS 101S equivalency): The Politics and Diversity of Our Nation’s Capital
Faculty: Linda Beck – linda.beck@maine.edu
Travel Dates: March 2024 (Spring Break)
This travel course to Washington, D.C. examines the political workings of the American federal government through visits to and meetings with representatives of the executive, legislative and judicial branches. During tours of the White House, Capitol, Supreme Court, and several national monuments and museums, we will explore the evolution of American politics and the incredible diversity of the American public as reflected in our nation’s capital.
Costs (including airfare):
Course Fee: $1,000
Additional Expenses: $100
Total Estimated Costs: $1,100 + Tuition (1-3 credits)
FRANCE
GEO 277/POS 277/INS 280
Faculty: Linda Beck (Linda.Beck@maine.edu); Matt McCourt (Matthew.McCourt@maine.edu)
Travel Dates: May 5 – May 13, 2024
Course Date: March – May 2024
This course combines a virtual global experience with our French international partner Le Mans University with field work in France. This course begins with an exploration of global issues of interest to the students at each university, identified in collaboration with their instructors. During the first portion of the course, the UMF & LMU students will investigate their topics together, meeting virtually each week to discuss their research and compare their findings for cases in Maine/US and France. Each group will then present a summary of their findings in a report to the class in April. In May, the UMF students will travel to France where they will meet with their French instructors and some of their LMU classmates while exploring themes related to their group projects in Le Mans, the Loire Valley, Mont St. Michel, and Paris. Following their field experiences in France, the UMF students will write a final reflective essay, drawing on their research and observations in France. This Global Seminar is part of UMF’s Global Classroom project funded by an Undergraduate International Studies & Foreign Language grant from the US Department of Education.
Costs (including airfare):
Course Fee: $3,500
Additional Expenses: $250
Total Estimated Costs: $3,750 + Tuition (3 credits).
GERMANY
INS280, POS 264S: German Political History
Faculty: Scott Erb (scotterb@maine.edu)
Travel Dates: May 2024
For more information, check out Dr. Erb’s FAQ presentation HERE.
This travel course weaves together visits to historical sites to explore Germany’s diverse political history and understand the story of a country often misunderstood and under-appreciated. You’ll appreciate the beauty, excellent food (out of the world cakes and pastries) and friendly people alongside the culture and sites. We’ll take a cruise on the Rhein River, visit the Cologne Cathedral, history museums in Bonn, and Leipzig where the protests began that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. In Berlin, we will see remnants of the divided city and tour the Reichstag. We end in Munich where we will get to see the Bavarian Alps (as pictured above), visit more museums, the Olympic tower, and the first Nazi concentration camp in neighboring Dahau. While each day will be filled with amazing experiences, beautiful scenery and delicious food, you’ll also develop a deeper understanding of Germany’s unique history and, more importantly, how Germans have overcome the horrors of the Third Reich and subsequent division.
Costs (including airfare):
Course Fee: $2,750
Additional Expenses: $ 600
Total Estimated Costs: $3,350 + Tuition (3 credits)
ICELAND
BIO 177N/ENV177N: Aquatic Ecosystems of Iceland
Faculty: Julia Daly & Rachel Hovel – dalyj@maine.edu, rachel.hovel@maine.edu
Travel Dates: May 2024
This course will travel to Iceland to explore Atlantic salmon-bearing rivers on the west coast and newly de-glaciated rivers and landscapes of the south coast. We will focus on field observations of geology and ecology; students will collect data in streams and rivers to understand the watershed processes that influence biological communities in aquatic ecosystems. Other themes of the course will include climate change, Iceland’s volcanic history, and comparison to Maine’s North Atlantic ecosystem.
Costs (including airfare):
Course Fee: $3,100
Additional Expenses: $175
Total Estimated Costs: $3,275 + Tuition (4 credits)
SCOTLAND
ECH 477/ECH 577/EDU 477: Nature-Based Education UK
Faculty: Patti Bailie & Leigh Ann Fish – patti.bailie@maine.edu, leighann.fish@maine.edu
Travel Dates: May 2024
This course is for those interested in nature-based education and outdoor learning. We will visit several nature-inspired schools around Scotland including the award-winning Auchione forest kindergarten. We will observe children engaged in outdoor pedagogy and will participate in professional development sessions with experts in the field. Also included is time in Edinburgh and Loch Lomond areas to explore a sense of “place” in Scotland.
Costs (including airfare):
Course Fee: $3,550
Additional Expenses: $300