Global Field Studies

Develop your perspective of the world by exploring different cultures and extraordinary landscapes, while focusing on issues of human ecology and environmental sustainability. By working with faculty and foreign experts, Global Field Studies allow you to earn credit toward your degree while you travel and study. With the exception of the Mountain Cultures, Global Field Studies are offered during intensive blocks—a convenient way to incorporate international travel into your college experience without delaying your goal of earning a college degree. These travel courses are optional, generally involve moderate lab fees, and may not be offered every year.

Programs offered 2010-2011

Tropical Watersheds of Bahamas

Travel to sunny San Salvador in the Bahamas to study marine and tropical ecosystems of the Caribbean.  Students diversify their northern field experiences by partnering with scientists at the island’s biological research stations and members of the local community.  This intensive field research course also explores the impacts of land use on a tropical watershed and the coral reef. Lab Fee: $2,000

Sustainable Scandinavia

Research environmental and cultural sustainability by comparing current ecological practices in Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Local scholars and experts serve as guides as we explore alternative energy sites, investigate eco-villages and industries featuring green technology, and study the literary and cultural traditions of the Scandinavian North. Optional home stays or projects with organizations dedicated to improving the environment provide individual discussion and research opportunities. Lab Fee: $4,000

Tundra and Taiga Ecology, Alaska

Explore the last great wilderness of North America from the temperate, glaciated southern coast all the way to the sweeping vastness of the Arctic tundra. The program consists of five weeks of wilderness backpacking in the three primary eco-regions of Alaska: the temperate coast, the boreal interior, and the Arctic. The curriculum integrates in-depth study of natural history and ecology, cultural studies, and the planning and practice of Arctic expedition skills. We will travel in the spirit of the great explorers and naturalists, studying wild nature through sustained immersion into it. Two co-requisite courses: Tundra and Taiga Ecology and Alpine and Arctic Expedition Skills. Lab Fee: $3,000 - $3,400

James Bay Resource Management

Travel to the James Bay region of Quebec, Canada, to study hydroelectric development and its impact on the local ecosystems and native peoples. Visits to hydroelectric facilities are balanced with conversations with community residents for a comprehensive understanding of this complex issue. Lab Fee: $800

Marine Natural History of the North Atlantic

Explore the rugged cold coastline and offshore environment of the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy. The curriculum includes investigations into the life histories and ecology of seabirds and marine mammals, intertidal invertebrates, and oceanographic concepts through lectures, discussions and intensive field activities such as sea kayaking, tidepooling, and offshore excursions. Lab Fee: $900 - $1,100

Sierra Nevada Wilderness

Explore John Muir's famed Range of Light, a land of glacially sculpted and fluted granite, gushing waterfalls, sapphire lakes, gleaming snowfields and alpine meadows strewn with profusions of wildflowers. The program consists of five weeks of wilderness backpacking in the heart of the Sierra Nevada backcountry, integrating in-depth study of natural history with the planning and practice of mountain expedition skills. We will travel in the spirit of the great explorers and naturalists, studying wild nature through sustained immersion into it. Two co-requisite courses: Natural History of the Sierra Nevada and Alpine and Arctic Expedition Skills. Lab Fee: $900 - $1,100

Programs projected for 2011-2012

Modern Hokkaido and Mountain Nepal

Begin an exploration of environmental and land use practices on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido with visits to managed forests, organic farms, native Ainu communities, and Zen gardens.  Familiarization with Asian customs and ancient thought continues in Nepal during full-immersion trekking, service work, and home-stays in Nepalese villages.   A key component to this intercultural experience explores differences in Eastern and Western attitudes toward natural and human resources.

Newfoundland: Ecology and Economy

Study botany, birding, and ecology and learn about the peoples and economies of Newfoundland and Labrador. Site visits include Gros Morne National Park and Lanse aux Meadows World Heritage Site as well as explorations of alpine tundra, seaside terraces, and the serpentine barrens of the Table Lands.

Iceland: Natural and Cultural Heritage

A few miles south of the Arctic Circle, Europe's western-most country presents opportunities to explore uniquely interwoven natural and cultural landscapes during this integrative field study. Attention to Iceland's rich literary and cultural heritage as manifested in the sagas, Poetic Edda, and Norse mythology is complemented by forays into the backcountry and exploration of the country's unique glacial and volcanic lands.