UMF 2025 Travel Course Destinations
Winter Break: Costa Rica
May Term: Italy, Quebec, Scotland
Spring/Summer 2025 Global Seminars: China, France
Winter 2025: Costa Rica – CLOSED
BIO 130/ENV 130/ENG 130: Tropical Nature – Exploring Costa Rica
Faculty: Andrew Barton (barton@maine.edu); Jeff Thomson (jeffrey.thomson@maine.edu)
Travel Dates: January 2025 (Winter Break)
For nearly two weeks, students will explore the astonishing diversity of many of Costa Rica’s ecosystems, including rainforests, cloud forests, mangrove swamps, and beach ecosystems. The course will emphasize natural history, field studies of ecological patterns, tropical conservation, and reflecting on and writing about your experiences.
Costs (including airfare):
Course Fee: $2,250
Additional Expenses: $100
Total Estimated Costs: $3,350 + Tuition (3-4 credits)
May 2025: Italy
ARH 277A Italian Art History, INS280, POS 262S Italian Political History
Faculty: Scott Erb (scotterb@maine.edu), Sarah Maline (maline@maine.edu)
Travel Dates: May 13-27, 2025
Exploring Italy is like a trip through time, ranging from ancient Rome to the canals of Venice and art of renaissance Florence. In the present Italy offers superb food, culture and beauty. The course involves faculty from art history and political science, weaving together the story of Italy in a way that shows how these disciplines connect through time. The faculty have taught this travel course numerous times, and will provide both insight on Italy’s culture and history, and an unforgettable experience of Italy today.
Costs:
Course Fee: $2,800
Additional Expenses: $ 700
Total Costs: $3,500 + Tuition (3 credits)
May 2025: Quebec
POS 277/INS 280: Exploring the Culture, Cuisine & Political History of Quebec
Faculty: Linda Beck (linda.beck@maine.edu); Chelsea Ray (chelsea.d.ray@maine.edu)
Travel Dates: May 24, 2025 – May 30, 2025
The course will begin asynchronously on May 19 when students will be provided with historical, cultural and linguistic background to prepare them for a week in Quebec. Planned activities include: touring Vieux Quebec/Old Quebec, a river cruise along the St. Lawrence, taking a cooking class on Quebec cuisine, a Inuit Night Walk with one of Canada’s First Nations, and a visit to Montmorency Fall as well as Farmington’s sister city, Lac Megantic.
Costs (including airfare):
Course Fee: $1,150
Total Estimated Costs: $1,150 + Tuition (3 credits)
May 2025: Scotland
ECH 477/EDU 477/ECH 577/EDU 577: Nature-based Education
Faculty: Leigh Ann Fish (leighann.fish@maine.edu), Patti Bailie (patti.bailie@maine.edu)
Travel Dates: May 13-24, 2025
Explore nature-based education and outdoor learning at sites and schools around Scotland. See children engaged in outdoor pedagogy and participate in professional development sessions with experts in the field. Immerse yourself in the local urban and rural environments with time for sightseeing and spending unhurried time developing a sense of “place” in Scotland. For undergraduate or graduate credit or for professional development. This course includes a multi-day workshop with Dr. Claire Warden of the award-winning Auchlone Nature Kindergarten.
Costs (including airfare):
Course Fee: $3,995*
Additional Expenses: $225
Total Estimated Costs: $4,220 + Tuition (3 credits)
Spring/Summer 2025 GLOBAL SEMINARS:
China Global Seminar with Northeastern Normal University
EDU 277/EDU 377/INS 280: Learning Across Borders – Exploring Education in China & the USA
Faculty: Shannon Larsen (shannon.larsen@maine.edu)
Travel Dates: May 2025
This course is an examination of schools and schooling in China and the United States. The course begins in January 2025 with a semester-long Virtual Global Experience in which we collaborate with education majors at Northern Eastern Normal University in Changchun, China that then culminates with a trip to Changchun and Beijing, China in June. While in China, students will visit local schools, engage in language classes, and visit cultural and historical sites in both Changchun and Beijing, including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall.
Costs:
Course Fee: $3,850*
Additional Expenses: $100
* Students are eligible for a scholarship of up to $1,000.
Total Estimated Costs: $3,850 + Tuition (1-3 credits)
France Global Seminar with Le Mans University
HON175/POS177/IGS277 Global Perspectives on Democracy
Faculty: Linda Beck (linda.beck@maine.edu)
Travel Dates: June 16-July 4, 2025
Each year, a conference is organized in Camden, Maine on a topic related to world affairs. This year’s topic is “Democracy under Threat: A Global Perspective.” Presentations at the Conference feature experts from the worlds of diplomacy, journalism, business, and academia. Students will read and discuss materials related to the conference theme in preparation for the conference, which they can attend in person or virtually February 21-23. After the conference, students will participate in a virtual exchange with students from France, Senegal, and South Africa to further explore Global Perspectives on Democracy. Students in this Spring Term course will have the option to apply for a scholarship under UMF’s Global Classrooms program to participate in a French Language & Culture program at Le Mans University. The scholarship will cover the program fees, lodging, and tuition for 6 transferable credits for the 3-week program to be held June 16-July 4. Students are responsible for transportation to and food during the program.