Spring 2013 Preview Courses for Transfer Students
Vienna and Salzburg, Austria
Music and Culture of Austria
The music and culture of Austria will be examined from multiple perspectives and disciplines but will focus on music. Most of the Preview will be experienced in Vienna, Austria’s capital and music center with an overnight trip to Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart. Students will learn about the cultural and musical history of Vienna and Salzburg and the key musical influences that have inspired others all over the world. Class lectures and assignments will prepare students to make the most of their experiences in two of the most famous cities in the world. Weekly lessons in German will assist students with basic vocabulary skills in these German speaking cities. Although many residents speak English, you will find you will be greeted warmly if you at least try to greet the residents in German. Some highlights may include: city walking tours, a trip to the opera, High Mass and Vienna Boys Choir performance, Freud Museum, Art History Museum, Mozart’s birth house, and a Sound of Music tour. Students need no prior musical knowledge; the only necessity is a love of music.
Sicily, Italy
This Sea is Not My Home: Immigration, Migration and Social Justice in the Sicilian Context
People are crossing borders now than ever before, with no let up in sight. Immigration and migration is inextricably linked with other global issues such as human rights, poverty, development and social justice. Immigrants often possess an entrepreneurial spirit and, as we have seen in the united States, have been proven to be dynamic members of society. In contrast, many countries in Europe are experiencing immigrants, migrants and refugees in unprecedented numbers. Often, the human rights of those crossing borders are being violated , as immigrants are unwanted, particularly in light of the European economy. This class will examine the lives' of immigrants, migrants and refugees and the challenges they face in their new country of Sicily against the backdrop of one of the most beautiful and historic cities in all of Italy: Siracusa. Full of ancient Greek and Arab culture, this port city has been the cite of some of earliest migrations, indeed , before it even had such a name! When we travel to the Bel Paese (the Beautiful Country) we will see the way centuries of invasion and migration have influenced and added a unique mix to the local culture and how it is still changing today.
Courses Open to Both First-Year and Transfer Students
Puebla, Mexico
Service Learning in Mexico
This class will experience Mexico away from the popular tourist attractions. The class will explore Toltec and Aztec ruins and culture. The students will take part in a service learning experience in La Preciosita. The learning experience will include health and safety practices in developing countries, survival Spanish, adapting to various cultures that are quite different then the United States and exposure to the great depth of Mexican and Latino culture.
Monteverde, Costa Rica
Nature, Bilingualism & Education at Home and in the Cloud Forest
In order to participate fully in the world, students need to understand and speak other languages, engage with other cultures, and take a global perspective on the natural world. This preview course is especially designed with future educators in mind and aims to give students local and international experiences with Spanish/English bilingualism in community and educational contexts, opportunities to interact with others across cultures, and engagement with ecosystems and environmental education in contrasting locations. Throughout these experiences, students will be able to compare and contrast languages, environments, and educational approaches in Philadelphia and a Cloud Forest in Costa Rica while engaging with community members over time. Activities during the spring break portion of the course will include: 1) volunteer experiences in schools and community education programs that focus on language learning and/or environmental education (local public schools, The Cloud Forest School, The Children’s Eternal Rainforest, etc.), 2) homestays with Costa Rican families for part of the week, 3) informal interactions with local college-age students, 4) guided tours of the cloud forest and an organic coffee farm and 5) Latin dance lessons.
