Academics

Courses

This is a study program.  Students must carry a 15 credit load and are expected to fully participate in all class activities.  The courses are specially chosen to give participants interesting, valuable and relevant instruction that exposes students to the culture of South Africa.

Courses offered:

South African Life and Culture (5 credits Humanities)

Taught by a local adjunct lecturer, this course focuses on historical, political, economic and cultural aspects of contemporary South Africa.  The course includes related field trips such as Robben Island, a township tour, the District Six Museum and a visit to Parliament.

History of Africa (5 credits Social Science)

This course will explore the history of the African continent beginning in the 16th century, while filling in some critical context from previous eras as needed.  The 16th - 19th centuries hosted a wide variety of economies and political sytems, and featured many powerful and sizeable kingdoms and chieftaincies in all corners of the continent, vying with each other for wealth and resourses.  By the late 19th century most of these kingdoms had disappeared, although some of their memories were later resurrected to strengthen 20th century independence movements.

Employing some southern African kingdoms as models - the Herero, Tswana, and Zulu, among others - we will examine the various reasons why African societies rose and fell, and what led to the continent's current state of underdevelopment.  We will take advantage of local historical sites and resources to analyze and evaluate institutions of slavery, resistance to imperialism and/or colonialism, and the role of women in Africa's history.  This writing-intensive course will be conducted seminar-style and utilize both content-delivery and group discussion formats.

History of World Civilizations (5 credits Social Science)

This course will survey world powers from the time of the European Enlightenment, a starting oint chosen for its worldwide impact on philosophy and politics.  This was an age of empire-building that would permanently link the globe.  No area of the world was left untouched, including Africa, and the largest powers of the 18th-20th centuries would lay claim to those of less power or differing ambitions.  Southern Africa played a tremendous role in this as the Cape of Good Hope, occupied by Europeans as ealy as 1652, became a pivital location in a power struggle involving many countries, as well as becoming the location of one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities, Cape Town.

We will examine the many historical relationships and events of this complex era, paying particular attention to how they were played out on the African continent.  This writing-intensive course will be conduted primarily in a seminar-style, group discussion format, and will utilize a variety of local historical resources when appropriate.

Location

The beautiful city of Cape Town, with its iconic Table Mountain, is a wonderful base from which to explore the whole of the Western Cape.  Whether your interst is in the environment, wildlife, culture and heritage, food and drink, history and politics or in the realm of service learning and community projects, this vibrant city is the place to be.

Accommodations

Accommodations are in multi-bedded rooms on a self-catering basis in a student lodge in Cape Town.

Field trips/Excursions

Included in the program is a cultural program of subsidized activities.

A half-day guided sightseeing tour of Cape Town by private coach.

3-day, 2-night excursion along the Garden Route including a visit to a game reserve where students will have the opportunity to see the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros) on a game drive. Accommodation, breakfasts and two group meals are included in this excursion.

Fees

Based on an enrollment of 15 - 19 participants, the fee per person is $6,195.

This fee excludes airfare, a $250 refundable damage deposit, optional medical insurance upgrade ($65) and optional personal effects coverage ($90), passport or visa fees if applicable, meals other than those indicated on the itinerary, personal expenses, College tuition or administrative fees, textbooks, additional field trips or excursions required by the faculty and anything not specified.

These fees are guaranteed not to change as a result of fluctuations in the $ exchange rate.

Financial Aid:

Many students are eligible to apply for financial aid, grants and loans to assist with the costs of the Cape Town program.  Early application is essential.  Contact your home institution's financial aid office promptly if you are interested in this possibility.  Be sure to identify yourself as a potential Cape Town program participant.

Optional Transportation Package:

On a space-available basis, students may purchase the optional transportation package consisting of round-trip airfare between Seattle and Cape Town and round-trip airport transfers between the accommodation and airort in Cape Town for an additional $TBC including mandatory U.S. government and airline-imposed departure taxes, fees and fuel surcharges of $TBC (subject to change) for which students will be billed separately.

A minimum of 10 students must purchase the flight for it to be offered.

Application Process

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher are eligible to apply. Transcripts are required. Minimum age is 18 (17 with parental permission).

You do not need to be a current Green River Community College student to participate in this program.

For more information please contact:

Cindy Card,
Program Coordinator
Green River Community College
IVD-115
E-mail: card@greenriver.edu
Phone: (253) 833-9111, ext. 2160
Fax: (253) 288-3419