VCU short-term programs abroad
Art, Education & Literacy in Guatemala
Guatemala
3 undergraduate or graduate credits in Art Education or Education*
May 21 - June 22, 2012
Program directors: Ms. Jan Johnston and Dr. Sharon Zumbrunn
$1,850 (incl. airfare) + tuition
*Honors credit available
Registration deadline: April 5, 2012
Status: Program full
The Global Education Office, the Department of Art Education and the Department of Foundations of Education at VCU are pleased to offer a unique opportunity for students to engage in an arts-based, service-learning experience in Guatemala, with a focus on art, literacy and social change. Prepare and teach workshops and art classes/projects in the highlands of Guatemala. Work alongside local educators, artists and community members to explore the intersection of arts, literacy and education and understand how social and cultural conditions affect these areas and indigenous Highland Maya.
Course and credit options
ARTE 491/591 or EDUS 651: Art & Transformation: Encouraging social change through arts and literacy
Program structure
The 5 weeks of this program are structured as follows:
- Week 1 will be spent on campus in Richmond covering pre-departure coursework;
- Weeks 2 and 3 will take place in Guatemala where students will be able to work and learn the social, economic and environmental pressures shaping indigenous Mayan culture; and
- Weeks 4 and 5 will be passed in independent study that will allow students to complete their final research project.
Course description
Students will use experiences in an arts-based, service-learning project in Guatemala as the foundation for examining relevant social and cultural issues through personal reflection, education and portfolio development. In addition to travel overview and lesson creation, pre-trip preparations will include readings and discussions targeting social justice, arts and literacy advocacy, community building, art/craft/story as cultural legacy, and education. In Guatemala, students will become familiar with various social, educational, economic and environmental issues facing the indigenous Highland Maya. While there, students will work in a Mayan community alongside women leaders, teachers and elementary school children to create and teach lessons and offer community art projects. After returning from the trip, students will complete a research project that demonstrates their understanding of the service experience, the issues surrounding it, and plans for future action. These can be works of art, dance, drama, film shorts, animation, photography, short stories, essays, children’s books, or curriculum.
Visit http://mapscal.wordpress.com for more program details.
Registration deadline: April 5, 2012
Program cost: $1,850 (includes airfare)
The program fee is $1,850 and includes the following:
- Airfare
- Accommodations
- All meals
- Study visits and tours
- Ground transportation throughout Guatemala
- On-site Program Director support
- Pre-departure orientation
- International Student Identity Card
- VCU administrative fees
- Application deposit
The following are not included in the program fee. Students are responsible for:
- Any additional travel expenses (e.g. baggage fees)
- Passport application fee
- Personal expenses during the program estimated at $100-200
Airfare
Round-trip airfare between Washington, DC and Guatemala City is included as is all in-country transportation. Your full name as it appears on your passport and your passport number must be submitted to the program director for the purpose of purchasing your airfare at the time of registration.
Eligibility
A diverse mix of participants is desired and students from all arts, education and related majors are encouraged to apply. Spanish language skills are not required to participate in this program, but are encouraged. Students should be prepared to work both independently and collaboratively and demonstrate the flexibility necessary when traveling and working abroad in small groups. Participants should be aware that this is a rigorous and challenging upper-level course open to undergraduate and graduate students. Successful applicants should have a GPA of 3.0. Additionally, since this course requires a service component and work among children and community partners, applicants must be willing to submit to a personal interview with the program director upon receipt of completed application. All interviews will take place between March 1 -10, 2012.
While in Guatemala
Accommodations include separate cabanas and dorm-style rooms for two to four people. All meals are included.
The program will be led by adjunct instructor Jan Johnston of the VCU Department of Art Education and Dr. Sharon Zumbrunn, Assistant Professor in the VCU School of Education.
Important facts
- Tuition
- Financial aid
- Passports
- Payment of fees
- Withdrawal & Financial policy
- Travel health
VCU tuition and fees are charged separately. Tuition is billed at standard VCU rates for in-state students and at a 40 percent discount for out-of-state students. This means that the current estimated cost, based on current tuition credit fees, are as follows for a standard 3 credit class:
- Undergraduate, In-State: $946 ($318 per credit)
- Undergraduate, Out-of-State: $1534 ($514 per credit)
- Graduate, In-State: $1525 ($511 per credit)
- Graduate, Out-of-State: $1882 ($630 per credit)
- Doctoral, In-State: $1261 ($423 per credit)
- Doctoral, Out-of-State: $1612 ($540 per credit)
Financial aid will apply to the program and tuition costs prior to student billing. Eligible students may apply for need-based financial aid in order to participate in this program. For more information about the financial aid application and process, please contact VCU Financial Aid by phone at 804-828-6669, by email at faidmail@vcu.edu or in person on the first floor of Grace E. Harris Hall (1015 Floyd Ave.).
A valid passport is required to leave the US. If a student does not already have a passport, they are advised to begin the application process as soon as they are accepted into the program. The processing time for new passport applicants can be as long as 8 weeks. For students who already have passports, they will need to verify that the passport’s validity dates extend 6 months past their return date. For more information about passports and the application/renewal process, please consult: http://travel.state.gov/.
In order to complete the application, students are required to submit a non-refundable $250 registration fee and deposit.
Students will receive two separate charges to their student accounts for this program: one charge will reflect the balance of the program fee (minus the $250 deposit and application fee) and the other charge is for VCU tuition costs (based on the number and type of credits being taken by the student). These bills will be charged through VCU Student Accounting and should appear by May 2012. (Please note: While these charges may post to the student’s account simultaneously or separately, it is the student’s responsibility to make sure the account balance is paid before the billing due date.)All withdrawals must be made formally in writing and submitted to the Director of Education Abroad.
Upon commitment to the program, students deciding to withdraw will be held accountable for the charges made on their behalf by the Education Abroad office. Depending upon when this occurs according to the refund schedule, the student may be held accountable for either a portion of or the entire program fee.
The refund schedule is as follows:
Prior to April 15: If a student withdraws from the program prior to April 15, he/she will be held responsible for the amount of the program fee that has already been expended in payment of costs outlined on the individual program sheet in support of his/her participation. As time progresses, the charges may reflect an increasing amount, depending on what payments have been made on the student’s behalf. The amount cannot be determined until the student formally submits written withdrawal from the program to the Director of Education Abroad.
After April 15: If student withdraws from the program after April 15, they will be responsible to pay the entire program fee when it is billed.
In the event of an unexpected emergency that occurs after April 15, students must provide a physician’s certification that his/her condition prohibits participation. In this case, refunds will be limited to recoverable expenses.
If an applicant is rejected from the program, the $250 application fee and deposit will be refunded.
Students should schedule an appointment with their physician or at a travel clinic (such as VCU Student Health) at least 4 to 8 weeks before the program to inquire about recommended and/or required vaccines/immunizations. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that all routine and travel immunizations are up-to-date.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides information on recommended and required immunizations for travelers. To view the health risks and requirements for the country to which you will be traveling, please visit the website at: wwwn.cdc.gov/travel.
VCU Student Health offers in-depth pre-travel consultation with a health care provider as well as most of the vaccines recommended for safe travel. Prescriptions for recommended medicines are also available. Please visit their website at: www.students.vcu.edu/health/immunizations/travel_clinic.html.
Every effort is made to provide updated and accurate information at the time of publication. The sponsors reserve the right to make necessary changes to the programs and costs. The university reserves the right to revise or alter all fees, regulations pertaining to student fees, and fee collection procedures at any time.
