Study Abroad Argentina

 

Summer study abroad in Mendoza, Argentina, is hosted by the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, the largest and most important institution of higher education in the province of Mendoza.  Mendoza, "la tiera de fiesta," or "joyful land" is a beautiful city with shaded cobblestone streets, musuems, and plazas.  Located at the foot of the Andes Mountains, Mendoza city has a rich social and cultural life.  Students will visit museums, historical landmarks, including the impressive General San Martin Park, and the beautiful plazas.  Excursions planned are trips to the Valley of Uspallata, San Juan, Calingasta, Altos Limpios, Lavalle, San Rafael, and Malargue.  Students will also spend two to three days visiting Santiago, the capital of Chile, where they will visit the Pre=-Columbian Museum, the Plaza de Armas, Pablo Neruda's Home, and Bella Vista, which overlooks the city.  

Estimated program fee includes round-trip international airfare, housing, most meals, excursions, cultural events, and ground transportation.  This three-week study abroad program offers six-seven credits in the following undergraduate courses:

Program at a Glance

Location

Mendoza, Argentina

Program Dates

May 15 - June 6, 2008 

Courses offered 

COMM 2200 Intercultural Communication, 3 credits
GEOL 1121 Physical Geology, 3 credits
ECON 2105 Principles of Macroeconomics, 3 credits

Cost

$2800 * Subject to change depending on exchange rates and gas prices
Application Deadline Tuesday, January 31, 2008

 

General Information

Coastal Georgia Community College in collaboration with Georgia Southwestern University offers this three-week study program in Mendoza, Argentina. Courses are taught by USG faculty. The courses are open to students enrolled in any accredited college or university.

Program Dates, Structure and Course Structure
Program Location
Accommodations and Meals
Application and Admission to the Program
Program Costs
Financial Aid
Payment Schedule and Refunds
Health Matters and Insurance
Passports and Visas
Course Descriptions   
Application Form 
Course Equivalencies   
Resources

Program Dates, Structure and Course Structure

Participants depart for Mendoza, Argentina from the U.S. on May 15 pm. The group arrives in Santiago, Chile, on May 16 and then rides by private van over the Andes Mountains to Mendoza. Classes begin the following Monday. Host institution in Mendoza is the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo http://www.uncu.edu.ar/contenido/index.php. The group returns to Santiago for three days June 3 and then departs for the U.S. on June 6 pm. Students will take a maximum of six-seven semester hours. Each course meets in class four days a week and has a day-long field experience each week when faculty members accompany students to sites related to their fields of study. Most weekends involve group excursions to locations.

Program Location

The site for the three-week program is the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo http://www.uncu.edu.ar/contenido/index.php , located just outside of
Mendoza.  The Universidad difers from most South American Institutions
in that it has a self-contained campus.  The city bus system links the
buildings across the large campus.  One of the finest regional universities
in Argentina, UNC offers a beautiful, small-city environment.

 

Mendoza, called the gateway to the Andes, has a rich social and cultural life that combines regional and international elements.  Students will enjoy the beautiful mountain setting, theatre, music, local food, and the kindness of the Mendocino.

Mendoza is an oasis of green, thanks to its unusual irrigation canals.  It offers a magnificent setting for study of cultural in all courses.  At the foot of the Andes Mountains, Mendoza is the commercial area that stands at the eastern end of the highway and railroad crossing the Andes into Chile.  Called the gateway to the high Andes and the Chilean border at Aconcagua National Park, at 21,000 feet, there is the highest peaks on the South American continent.


Accommodations and Meals

Students are accommodated in double rooms, with shared bathroom, at the Princess Hotel, located in Mendoza near the Plaza de Independencia.    Most meals are included as part of the package.  Continental breakfast will be served at the hotel daily. Lunch and dinner cost will be provided for most but not all meals.  There are a variety of restaurants in the vicinity from which to choose. There are also Internet/Cyber cafes located throughout the city.  The UNC campus has a cafeteria and snack bar for student use.

Application and Admission to the Program

Any full-time or part-time student is eligible to participate in the program. Students from institutions that are not part of the University System of Georgia are admitted on a space-available basis and must enroll as transient students at a participating institution. Students who are not Coastal Georgia or Armstrong students must enroll in either institution as transient students. A one-time fee of $250. allows out-of-state students to pay in-state tuition.

For an application and deadlines, contact Dr. Ntungwa Maasha at maasha@cgcc.edu. Students must be in good standing in order to be admitted to the program. Completion of an application form does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

Students must be in good standing in order to be admitted to the program. Completion of an application form does not guarantee acceptance into the program.
 



Program Costs

The package cost is $2800 for the three-week program. This cost includes the following items:
· Airfare to and from Mendoza

· Accommodations in Mendoza and Santiago for the full three weeks

· Many meals, as noted in the section on Accommodations and Meals

· Group transportation by bus from the Mendoza airport to the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo campus, on arrival, and transportation to the airport from the campus at the end of the program; transportation is also provided from the Santiago airport to a hotel and back

· A primary health insurance policy that provides basic coverage for medical expenses

· Guest lecturers

· Activities and excursions
        

The package cost does not include tuition, textbooks, excluded meals, passport and related expenses, spending money, ground transportation to or from Atlanta, GA airport through which flights will be scheduled, or any other costs beyond those listed above.

Students should plan to budget a minimum of $300 for extra meals, entrance fees, and evening entertainment. If students plan extended travel or major shopping, additional funds should be budgeted. Some course excursions might involve additional fees; course instructors will inform students if such fees apply. 

All costs are subject to change because of unanticipated increases in airfares or other program elements or fluctuations in monetary exchange rates. CGCCl will make every effort to keep program costs as advertised and will inform prospective participants of any changes as they occur.


Financial Aid

Courses in the 2008 Argentina Study Program are part of the regular offerings of member institutions; therefore, students may apply for loans or grants for which they would normally be eligible. Students should apply for financial aid at the campus where they are registering for courses. Campus representatives will assist students in obtaining information about financial aid.

Students must meet all campus requirements in applying for financial aid.

Note that partial scholarships may be available through CGCC and GSWU. For more information, telephone or email Shirley Oakley at 912-262-3099, soakley@cgcc.edu.

Payment Schedule and Refunds

A $150 application fee is due at the time of application. The application fee is applied towards the total program cost of $2800. Other payment deadlines are as follows: 

February 5, 2008: First payment of $1,200 to cover air fare, travel passes, and facility deposits in Argentina.

March 1, 2008: Final payment of $1,250 due. 



Refunds

Students' application fees and other payments are applied towards required advances, purchase of airline tickets, and other costs related to the program. Note that $100 of the $150 application fee is non-refundable and covers processing and reservation fees. Participants who withdraw from the program after the application deadline will receive a refund according to the following schedule:

Withdrawal before January 31, 2008: All but $75 will be refunded.

Withdrawal between February 15 and March 1, 2008: All but $200 will be refunded.

Withdrawal after March 2, 2008: No money will be refunded.

Note: All withdrawals must be made in writing to the program office at Coastal Georgia Community College in order for refunds to be processed.

Registration


 

 

In most cases, institutions in the University System of Georgia identify courses and course numbers of their own that are comparable to the courses being offered by faculty members from other institutions. Students must register at either Coastal Georgia Community College or Georgia Southwestern University.  Students who are not CGCC or GSW students must register as transient students.

Students may earn from six to seven semester hours of credit in standard courses offering threeor four hours of credit each. Students must take two of these courses.  

Students who need to maintain full-time status for financial aid eligibility may enroll prior to departure for Mendoza in May or early summer sessions at their home campuses. Some professors may also offer directed study options during the three-week program in Mendoza.

Note that the program package cost does NOT include tuition fees.  Tuition is paid to either CGCC or GSW. 

 

Health Matters and Insurance

Program participants will be using the Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI) which is a world class coverage plan designed for the University System of Georgia Board of Regents Study Abroad Programs.  The policy does not have deductible.  Students with special medical problems may be required to provide a physician's assurance of their ability to undertake foreign travel and study. It is not possible for CGCC or GSWto guarantee accessible facilities abroad for students with special needs.

Participants should bring medications they regularly depend upon and should have copies of prescriptions in generic form in case they need to acquire additional medications. No special immunizations are needed to enter Chile or Argentina, and the International Immunization Certificate is not required.

Passports and Visas

Everyone who travels to Argentina and Chile must have a valid passport. Participants who have expired passports should have them renewed. Participants who have never had a passport should begin the process of obtaining one immediately; it sometimes takes six to eight weeks to get a passport. Inquire at your local post office for directions on obtaining a passport. Holders of U.S. passports do not need visas to enter Argentina or Chile for summer study. Participants traveling on passports of other countries should contact their campus representative for assistance in determining whether they need a visa. For everything you may need to know about getting a passport click on the link below:

State Department - Passport Services and Information  http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html

 
Course Offerings Mendoza 2008

Course Number Course Title Faculty and Institution

COMM 2200

 Intercultural Communication
3 credits

Shirely Oakley, CGCC

ECON 2105
 

 Principles of Macroeconomics
3 credits


Dr. Phil Szmedra, GSW
pszmedra@canes.gsw.edu

GEOL 1121

 Physical Geology
4 credits

Dr. Ntungwa Maasha, CGCC
maasha@cgcc.edu

 
 
   

 


Course Descriptions

COMM 2200 Intercultural Communication
3 credits
This course will examine the process of communication among individuals from different cultures and subcultures, and will emphasize the relations in part, of the people of Argentina and the U.S. The course will focus on the development of cultural awareness of self and others, knowledge, appreciation, skills development, and factors that facilitate or impede effective communication competence. Students will study the effects of differing worldviews, value systems, language, nonverbal codes, and relationship norms, as they apply to the Argentine, Chilean, and other surrounding Latin American countries. Students will also explore race, class, and gender to understand how these cultural and social constructs shape our sense of identity, beliefs, actions, and relationships with each other. Students will be offered ample opportunities for thinking critically about the intellectual and political issue in cross-cultural encounters. Class includes planned field trips and excursions.


ECON 2105 Principles of Macroeconomics
3 credits
This course provides the student with the tools to rationally view and interpret the economic forces affecting the world in which we live. Rationality implies having knowledge of factors that motivate change in the order of our everyday lives. For instance, changes in the prices of the goods and services we purchase; in the level of economic activity that the nation is experiencing; in the levels of overseas investment that takes place in a particular period of time; in fluctuations of the exchange rate making the dollar more or less valuable relative to other nations' currencies; changes in family consumption and business investment expenditures; the role of government in influencing domestic economic affairs; and how international markets effect t he relative prosperity we experience. This course will explore the nature and extent of economic factors that affect each of us, thus giving the student the ability to apply the tools of economic science in analyzing and explaining the dynamic economy of the U.S.

GEOL 1121 Physical Geology
4 credits
This course covers Earth materials and processes.
Studying the terrain of Argentina and more specifically the Andes Mountains, offers students the opportunity where field observations copiously illustrate geological principles. The Andes Mountain chain is one of the most active plate boundaries on Earth. Geologic sections exposed along the San Juan, Mendoza, and Atuel river valleys serve as a field laboratory for this course and offer abundant and varied examples of geological phenomena. Accordingly, this course will provide students with an enriched insight into geological and environmental processes associated with this tectonic feather and an overview of the modern methods used in investigating the ongoing tectonic processes as well as the implications for human and economic development.


 

To apply and for more information, contact:

Dr. Ntungwa Maasha
Coastal Georgia Community College
3700 Altama Ave.
Brunswick, GA 31522
EMAIL:maasha@cgcc.edu

Program site: http://www.intl.armstrong.edu/mendoza.html

                                                                                                                             

Resources

University System of Georgia Links:
Study Abroad Financial Resources
The Truth About Study Abroad
Why Study Abroad

Other Links:
Lonely Planet (http://www.lonelyplanet.com/)
Let's Go (http://www.letsgo.com/)
Mobility International (for students with disabilities) (http://www.miusa.org/)
Currency Converter (http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic)
CDC Travelers' Health Information (http://www.cdc.gov/travel/)
Safety Abroad First Educational Travel Information (http://www.lmu.edu/globaled/new/safetinew.htm)
A Safe Trip Abroad (http://travel.state.gov/redirectpage.html)
State Dept Travel Warnings and Consular Information (http://travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html)