UConn Offers Study Abroad Summer Programs

STORRS — The College of Continuing Studies at the University of Connecticut will offer a variety of international culture study programs beginning in May. Students can experience the world’s most intriguing cultures first hand, while earning valuable academic credit in programs that combine in-class lectures, field excursions, and adventure for an unforgettable educational opportunity.

Programs are offered in May, June, and July, and are open to all students, who can earn six undergraduate credits or three graduate credits, as well as the general public.

From May 10 to May 31, students can explore Peru, a country known for its fascinating indigenous cultures and its Spanish colonial history. Famous for the “Lost City of the Incas,” “Sacred Valley of the Incas,” and spectacular natural beauty, Peru provides a richly visual setting where students will discover Peruvian culture through art, archaeology, architecture, music, and religion. Most of the lectures will take place in Cuzco, the Incan capital of Peru, after an excursion up the northern coast of Peru to visit the archeological sites of the Moche and Chimu cultures, including the recently excavated site at Sipan, around Trujillo, Chiclayo, and Lambayeque. A guided walk on the Inca Trail and white water rafting are also included in the program.

The Cultural Study in New Zealand program, which explores Maori in Contemporary Culture and Maori/European Relations, runs from June 7 to July 5. Maori in Contemporary Culture is a fascinating, experiential study of New Zealand’s indigenous population. Students will participate in Maori traditions, visit sacred Maori sites, stay overnight on a Maori marae (a focal point of community and ceremonial life), and meet Maori from a variety of tribal groups. Students will be immersed in a rich cultural experience and travel the geographic length of New Zealand, from the semitropical northernmost tip of the country to the majestic Southern Alps of the South Island.

The Native American Cultures of the Southwest program runs from June 14 to July 3. This program studies and explores the Four Corners region of the American Southwest, a major archeological center where the borders of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah meet. Students will learn about the cultures of the Hopi, the Navajo, the Anasazi, and the ancestral Puebloan people through lectures and site excursions. Excursions include a visit to the sacred ancestral homes of the Pueblo (Walnut Canyon National Monument), the oldest continuously operating trading post on Navajo Nation (Hubbell Trading Post), the ruins of Navajo villages (Canyon de Chelly), the cliff dwellings of ancestral Puebloan people (Navajo National Monument and Mesa Verde National Park), Anasazi ruins, the Zuni Reservation, and the Petrified Forest.

The popular Cultural Study in Cuba programs runs from July 3 to July 24. A fascinating country, Cuba is known for its rich and vibrant culture, intriguing history and politics, and dynamic music and dance traditions. Students will learn about Cuban culture through an interdisciplinary curriculum that combines classroom instruction by Cuban professors and cultural experts, drumming and dancing lessons, visits to historical sites in Havana, Matanzas, Trinidad and Santiago de Cuba, and attendance at a variety of cultural events. The first phase of the program takes place in Havana, followed by a cross-country excursion to Santiago de Cuba for additional cultural study.

For additional information on any of these programs, contact Dr Jeet Joshee at j.joshee@uconn.edu or 860-486-0465, or visit the website at continuingstudies.uconn.edu