Log on
Contact Us | Apply | Give a Gift | VU Home | Site Index | Text only
Arts & Culture Programs

Villanova University sponsors six different arts and cultural summer programs which allow students to explore the many cultural aspects of the host country. Courses range from art history to cultural studies, along with internships, and include many wonderful excursions which supplement classroom learning.

Click on one of the links below to find the program that best fits your needs!

Language, Culture, and Internship in Chile
 

Universidad Católica de Valparaíso:
Valparaíso, Chile

 

Program

Villanova University invites applications for its exciting six-week summer program in the little known secret of South America---Chile. Students will experience a complete immersion into the culture and society of Chile through home-stays with carefully picked local families, diverse and friendly courses on topics of contemporary relevance, and guided study tours in Valparaíso, Santiago, and the Central Region. Chile challenges even the most astute observer from abroad, as it boasts the fastest growing economy, highest Human Development Index (HDI), highest literacy rate, most transparent government, and the best democracy in Latin America. Yet it is also quintessentially Latin with all the allure and aura of a culture enriched by the indigenous, Iberian, and other influences. Sandwiched between the gorgeous Andes mountain ranges and the blue Pacific Ocean, Chile is unquestionably the Switzerland of the Western Hemisphere. The country stretches from the warm beaches of Arica and Iquique in the North to the green lakes and snowcapped glaciers of Patagonia in the South.

The program enriches the young mind with an in-depth exposure to the following course offerings on Chilean culture, politics, economic model, and language.

Dates

May 24 - July 5, 2012

Location

Valparaíso, Chile

Academic Requirements

  • 2.75 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale; non-Villanova students must submit a recent official university transcript of their undergraduate work.
  • University student status without disciplinary probation.
  • At least intermediate college-level Spanish language training prior to departure is required.
  • Attendance at all orientation sessions mandatory; non-Villanova students must contact Dr. Adriana Merino for the orientation materials.

Faculty Program Coordinator

Dr. Adriana Meriño
Department of Romance Languages & Literatures
College of Arts & Sciences
St. Augustine Center 344
610/519-5648
adriana.merino@villanova.edu

Internship Coordinator

Prof. Aydé Pérez
Department of Romance Languages & Literatures
College of Arts & Sciences
St. Augustine Center 342
610/519-3823
ayde.perez@villanova.edu

 

Courses

  • SPA 1131-1132 Spanish Conversation and Composition
    Intensive practice in conversation and composition with emphasis on developing advanced Spanish language skills. (3 credits each).
  • SPA 3412-003 Globalization, Culture, and Society in Chile
    An insider’s peek into the contours of Chilean culture and society through an analysis of contemporary cultural trends under globalization (3 credits).
  • HIS 4490/PSC 6875 Modern Political History of the Southern Cone
    Why are the patterns of political development different in Chile and the Southern Cone? A critical analysis of the political evolution in a historical and institutional context (3 credits).
  • ECO 4200-001 Business Culture in Chile
    Why has Chile fared so well in its economic performance compared to the rest of the region? A critical look at the forces shaping business administration and the forces shaping the Chilean economic miracle (3 credits).
  • LAS 5000-001 Internship
    Exciting internship opportunities with major political institutions and leaders, businesses, law firms, financial institutions, social service agencies, and humanitarian organizations. Generally requires 2 weeks of intensive Spanish lessons relevant to the institutional context of the internship plus 4 weeks of practicum at the site, located in the general vicinity of Valparaiso, Vina del mar, and Santiago. Internships are limited and students will interview for placements once they have arrived on-site in Valparaiso. (3 credits).

* Additional language instruction may be arranged to meet student needs

All area studies courses are taught by faculty from the Universidad Católica de Valparaíso. Lectures are normally in Spanish. Language instruction is arranged to meet the participants' needs.

Housing and Meals

Students will be placed with carefully selected Chilean families in the Valparaíso and Viña del Mar region, and thus will have an opportunity to be part of the daily life of the city and its people. All meals will be taken with the families, or at local restaurants and hotels while on field trips.

Field Trips

Past programs have traveled Santiago, the homes of Pablo Neruda, Pomaire, the Andes, and weekend trips to Cajón del Maipo, and La Serena, its museums and the birthplace of Gabriela Mistral.

2011 Itinerary

May 24, 2012
May 25
May 27
May 28
May 28 – July 3
July 5
Departure from USA to Chile
Arrive in Santiago, transfer to hotel
Travel to Valparaíso, homestay begins
Welcome and Tour at PUCV
Classes at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV)
Departure from Chile to USA
 

NOTICE: Villanova University reserves the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances warrant.

International Organization and
Geneva Internship Program
CANCELLED FOR 2012

University of Geneva and Villanova University:
Geneva, Switzerland

Program Costs and Payment Information
Link to Summer Program Application

Location

Geneva, Switzerland

Dates

Program Canceled for Summer 2011

Program

This program gives students the opportunity to study in one of the world's most international cities: Geneva, Switzerland. Students enroll in a 3 credit, distance learning course on "Global Governance" taught prior to departure for Geneva. (Course can be taken anywhere, only requires internet access) While in Geneva, students work for eight weeks as interns at a Geneva-based international organization (IO) or non-governmental organization (NGO) and participate in site visits and guest lectures. (Worth six credits) Overall, the program allows students to earn 9 undergraduate credits.

Academic component:
Students are placed for an eight week internship in an NGO or IO working in the student's field of interest. Students actively work together with the Villanova and local program coordinators in selecting their internship. The internship allows students to six credits in either political science, economics, sociology, peace and justice or environmental studies. Students also enroll in a course on international governance in which they learn about the role international organizations and NGOs play in structuring international politics. The course consists of three components: a) distance learning component taught prior to departure for Geneva; b) evening seminars which feature guest speakers offering behind the scenes accounts, onsite visits to international organizations like the Red Cross, UNHCR (UN Refugee Organization), League of Nations Building (UN), discussion of readings or common reflection on the internship; c) research project designed to reflect on the internship experience. Students receive three political science credits for the course. The course is taught by Villanova faculty. For more details the Geneva International Organizations internship program, click here.

The over 100 international organizations and NGOs located in Geneva provide internship opportunities in political science, sociology, environmental studies, peace and justice and economics. The program offers internships in such areas as international peace and conflict resolution, human rights, international trade and finance, public health, humanitarian work, transportation & communication, environmental protection, science, health and culture.

Cultural Component:
Geneva is one of the most international cities in the world with 40% of the population being non-Swiss. Consequently, there is plenty of cultural diversity to be explored in Geneva itself. The city of Geneva offers free admission to all of its museums and an almost non-stop series of summer outdoors events that include concerts, farmers' markets, parades, fairs etc. The shores of Lake Geneva offer opportunities for bike riding, wine tasting, hiking, the Montreux Jazz Festival, the International Olympic Museum. The rest of Switzerland is readily accessible by the world's best rail system. In the past, students have enjoyed visiting other Swiss cities, going hiking in the Alps and exploring various extreme sports. The Burgundy region and the Rhone valley in France offer further opportunities to explore a rich cultural and culinary history in close proximity of Geneva. Other European destinations also are easily reached as Geneva's international airport is home to a number of low cost airlines.

Language:
There is no language requirement. The working language at all the internships is English. In and around Geneva, English is widely spoken. However, knowledge of French or any other foreign language, is always a plus as it makes the local culture more accessible.

Course Offerings

  • PSC 4875 Global Governance 3 credits
  • PSC 2993 Internship in Political Science or other related discipline. Eight-weeks, 6 credits (For students with a background in the political/social sciences)

Click here for a Power Point presentation on the B.A. International Organization Program

M.A. Track

  •  PSC 8000 Special Topics in Political Science (3 credits)
  •  PSC 8010 Geneva Internship (3 credits)

Master's Track information available here - Only available to M.A. students

Faculty Program Coordinator

Program Canceled for Summer 2011

Dr. Markus Kreuzer
Department of Political Science
ollege of Arts & Sciences
St. Augustine Center 257
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
610/519-5300
markus.kreuzer@villanova.edu

Additional Academic Requirements

  • Minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
  • Political Science Track I only available to undergraduates.
  • Political Science M.A. track only available to Master's students.
  • No language proficiency is required.

**Non-Villanova students must submit a letter from academic advisor acknowledging the transfer of credit. Students are not allowed to take program for non-credit.

Housing and Meals

Students are housed in attractive, student-friendly housing within Geneva. Meals are the responsibility of the student. Kitchen and laundry facilities, along with internet connection, will be available to students.

Excursions 

Welcome and Farewell Receptions, City Tour of Geneva, and a weekend excursion are included in the cost of the program. Such trips may include visiting historical landmarks in Geneva, outings to famous wine growing regions along Lake Geneva, trips to medieval towns in Burgundy, short hikes in the Jura Mountains or Bernese Alps or a boat trip on Lake Geneva.

Itinerary

Program Canceled for Summer 2011

 

NOTICE: Villanova University reserves the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances warrant.

 

London Internship Program

London School of Economics
London, England

 

Irish Studies
 

National University of Ireland:
Ireland, Galway

Program Costs and Payment Information
Link to Summer Program Application

Program

The purpose of the six-week Irish Studies Program is to introduce students to Ireland's history, literature, society and archaeology through a 10-day Orientation in Dublin, Galway, and on the Aran Islands, and five weeks of courses at the National University of Ireland, Galway Summer School in Irish Studies.

Dr. Joseph Lennon, Villanova University's Director of Irish Studies, accompanies the students throughout the Orientation Program in Eastern and Western Ireland.

Dates

June 19 - July 26, 2012
*See Itinerary below*

There will be an informational session held of the Galway summer program on Thursday, October 27th at 4:00 p.m. in the Devon Room in Connelly Center

Location

Galway City, the third largest city in Ireland, is now regarded by many as the cultural capital of Ireland. Throughout the year, Galway is a thriving center of theater, galleries, readings, and concerts ranging from classical to the best of Irish traditional music. During the summer school period, Galway is especially alive with energy. Its natural attraction as a seaside resort is supplemented by events such as the Galway Arts Festival, which brings world-class performers to the city. Traditionally, many of our students volunteer in various aspects of the festival, further deepening their understanding of and involvement with the real Ireland beyond the walls of the classroom. Galway's location on the west coast places students in easy access to some of the richest and most complex aspects of Irish history.

National University of Ireland, Galway, our base for most of the program, was founded in 1849. It is one of the constituent colleges of NUI, the National University of Ireland. The campus is located on the banks of the River Corrib, about ten minutes walk from city center.

Course Offerings

Students select two (2) courses of the following courses for six (6) Villanova undergraduate credits:

  • ENG 2500 Literature: Representing Ireland The study of ways in which "Irishness" has been represented in 20th century fiction, drama, fiction, poetry, and film. 3 credits
  • AAH 3007 Archaeological Heritage. A study of Ireland’s Neolithic and Celtic Iron ages through to the Christian Period including the early and late medieval era. 3 credits
  • ENG 2450 Gaelic Culture and Literature. A study of Gaelic culture and literature (in translation) from the earliest times to the present day. 3 credits
  • HIS 3216 Irish History. Modern Irish history including nationalism, the land question, and Anglo-Irish relations. 3 credits
  • SOC 4000 Irish Society. Study of issues in modern Irish society, including family, religion, rural and urban communities, emigration, and the role of women. 3 credits
  • THE 3030 Traditional Irish Music and Dance. A study of the ways in which music shapes cultural identity. 3 credits.
  • AAH 3009 Introduction to Art in Ireland. This course traces the development of Irish art from Newgrange to the 2009 Venice Biennale. A key question underlying the various strands of the course will be the development of a distinctly Irish cultural identity in the visual arts and the influence of international trends on Irish artists throughout the ages. 3 credits.

Program Requirements

  • 2.75 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale; non-Villanova students must provide a recent official university transcript of undergraduate work
  • Full-time university status without disciplinary probation
  • Completed Villanova application submitted to Faculty Program Coordinator

Faculty Program Coordinator Information

Dr. Joseph Lennon
Department of English, Chair of Irish Studies
St. Augustine Center 455
610-519-4647
joseph.lennon@villanova.edu

Housing & Meals

During the summer program, students will live with Irish families with two students for each family. Breakfast is provided daily. All housing is within an easy walk of campus and downtown.

Itinerary 2012

June 18, 2012

June 19 – 21

June 22

June 23 - 24

June 25

June 26

July 25
 

July 26, 2012

Students depart U.S.A.

Arrive in Dublin, Dublin orientation

Depart Dublin for Galway, to Galway, via Clonmacnoise

Aran Islands Excursion

Return to Galway, Homestays begin, NUIG Welcome

Coursework at NUI, Galway begins

Last day of coursework at NUIG and last night of homestay. Students can leave once classes are completed on July 25.

Last day of program, students must be out of housing.

NOTICE: Villanova University reserves the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances warrant.

 

Rhetoric & Performance
in Ancient Greece

 

Athens, Corinth, and Delphi, Greece

 

Program Costs and Payment Information
Link to Summer Program Application

Program Dates

May 19 – June 25, 2012

Program

The communication discipline has its origins in the study of the spoken word and its power to move and persuade. Greece is the site of much of the history of the spoken word, from epic storytelling, to oratory, to drama and lyric poetry, to the messages of the oracles. This five-week, 6 - credit summer program allows Communication majors and minors and honors students to gain important insights into the roots of the discipline and make contemporary applications through hands-on experience in Greece. Students can gain additional intercultural insights by observing and participating in a contemporary culture that continues to surround itself with, and to be influenced by, its ancient history.

The 2012 program consists of two interdependent courses, one focusing on ancient Greek rhetoric and democracy, and the other on the rhetorical function of Greek myth.

Course instruction takes place primarily in outdoor, nontraditional spaces, and as much as possible on or near specific ancient sites. The students’ primary work—analysis and performance of significant rhetorical, dramatic, and myth texts—needs to be grounded in the specifically historical, social, and cultural contexts, and much of this is gleaned from the physical space. Thus, travel to these sites is an integral part of the academic program.

In particular, these field trips:

  1. Offer students a chance to tour locations that figure prominently in the history and theory of Greek rhetoric
  2. Offer students a chance to witness professional performances of classical plays by such playwrights as Euripides, Sophocles, and Aeschylus.
  3. Offer students a chance to be taught in an “open air” classroom-style, in the very manner used by Plato, Aristotle and the Sophists
  4. Offer students a chance to debate and discuss Greek rhetoric and myth at these important rhetorical and performance sites.

The Courses

The majority of the instruction will occur in outdoor classroom space (including beaches, when available), with the remainder actually occurring on ancient historical and archaeological sites. In addition, students in the two distinct courses, Rhetoric and Myth and Rhetoric and Democracy, will learn about course topics in a unique team-taught fashion. Since the same group of students will be taking both courses simultaneously, the program fosters close collegiality between students and faculty, as well as theoretical and applied connections between the rhetorical tradition and performance studies.

  • COM 3208: Rhetoric and Myth: The relationship among rhetoric, myth, and culture with attention paid to the forces that shape mythic consciousness in culture(s). For Summer 2012, the focus is on the role of orality and performance in the creation, dissemination and interpretation of Greek myths. Students study oral traditions (e.g. the stories form Greek mythology, Homer and Homeric Hymns), and their rhetorical function within the community (ex. The Oresteia). 3 credits
     
  • COM 3246:Rhetoric and Democracy: Focus on the history of and struggles over the strategic use of language in politics, law, and cultural ceremony. Democracy was central to the Athenian life and character, and debates over its value and character parallel the debates between those advocating rhetoric (the Sophists) and those advocating philosophy (Socrates, Plato). Through our theoretical and cultural explorations of ancient and modern Greece, we will re-discover the close connection between the workings of democracy, the role of the Greek citizen, and the art of rhetoric. 3 credits

Field Trips

Scheduled field trips include the Athenian Acropolis, Agora, Theatre of Dionysus, and Pnyx, Delos (Mykonos), Ancient Thira (Santorini, The Palace of Knossos (Crete), Ancient Delphi, Mycenae, The Theatre of Epidaurus, and ancient Corinth. A number of ancient theatres, for example, such as the Herodian Atticus and the Theatre of Dionysus, both located at the foot of the Athenian Acropolis, are still relatively intact. The Pnyx, where Pericles, Socrates and other statesmen addressed the Athenian citizens, will be the site of a class. Outside of Athens are a number of other important  rhetorical sites, such as the island of Delos (the sacred birthplace of Artemis and Apollo), Delphi (the most important oracle of the ancient world), Ancient Corinth (the governing seat of a neighboring important city-state), Ancient Mycenae (center of the Mycenaean world and the palace of Agamemnon), The Palace of Knossos on Crete (the center of the Minoan civilization), and Epidaurus (the site of ancient annual rhetorical and theatrical contests and currently the site of ongoing summer performances of important ancient Greek plays). Thus, Greece is an ideal site for instruction in democracy, rhetoric, and myth in ancient Greece.

Faculty Program Coordinator Information

Dr. Bryan Crable
Department of Communication
College of Arts and Sciences
Garey Hall 13
610/519-4751
bryan.crable@villanova.edu

Housing and Meals

The Villanova University summer program is located in three and four-star hotels for one week in Athens, while spending the remaining four weeks in Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, Delphi, and Tolo. Students will take their breakfast in the hotels.

Program Requirements

  • 2.75 or better on a 4.0 scale; non-Villanova students must submit a recent official university transcript of undergraduate work.
  • University student status without disciplinary probation.
  • Completed Villanova application to the Office of International Studies and attendance at all orientations; interview with Program Director upon submitting application; non-Villanova students need must contact Dr. Crable for orientation information. **Applications will be accepted until the March 2, 20112 deadline. Priority will be given to students who apply by the "early action" application deadline of Dec. 15, 2011.**
  • No language proficiency required.
  • Open to Communication majors and minors and all Honors majors at Villanova University. It is also open to Communication majors and minors from other universities. Special permission may be granted for students who are not COM majors or minors or in honors but who can demonstrate coursework that provides a comparable background and preparation for this program of study.

Itinerary - 2012 *More details will be available mid-Fall semester*

 

18 May, 2012 Depart Philadelphia, PA to Athens Greece
20 May - 24 June, 2012

Following a few days in Athens, the program will move to Mykonos, then to Santorini, then to Crete, then to Delphi (overnight ferry), then after a one-night stop in Patras, we will continue to Tolo, which allows for trips to Mycenae, Epidauros, and Corinth. The program will conclude following a brief final stay in Athens.

19 May, 2012 Arrival in Athens, Program Begins
June 25, 2012 Depart Athens for return to Philadelphia, PA
 

NOTICE: Villanova University reserves the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances warrant.



Italian Art, History, Religion and Culture in Siena, Italy


Villanova University & the Universitá degli Studi di Siena
Siena, Italy

 

Program Costs and Payment Information
Link to Summer Program Application

Program

The purpose of this program is to introduce students to Italy's history, art, religion and society, with particular emphasis on the Renaissance. Courses are taught by faculty from Villanova University and by Italian instructors from the Università degli Studi di Siena. All courses are designed to complement a variety of majors and can be used to satisfy core requirements. Villanova will be working with the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES), who has an institute, facilities, and staff in Siena.

Villanova students should be sure to check with your college to verify that your course selection will satisfy core requirements. College of Arts & Science students: Art History courses will satisfy the Fine Arts requirement; History and Theology courses count as the Advanced History and Theology courses. College of Nursing students: Theology course satisfies the Theology elective requirement or free elective; History can be used as Social Science elective; Art History courses can be used as free electives. College of Engineering students: Theology course counts toward any of the Theology requirements/electives except Theology 1050/1040 requirement; History and Art History will count as core electives. Villanova School of Business students: Theology requirement and the History course fulfills the History elective requirement. Art History can be used for the Humanities requirement.

Program Dates

May 21 - July 1, 2012

Location

Siena, Italy.

Additional Academic Requirements

No language proficiency required. All courses taught in English. Minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA required for admission into program.

Faculty Program Coordinator Information

Dr. Emmet McLaughlin
Department of History
St. Augustine Center 443
Villanova University
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
610/519-7429
emmet.mclaughlin@villanova.edu

Courses Offerings

Students choose 2 of the following courses for a total of 6 credits:

AAH 2002 - Renaissance Art
New trends and forms in European Art from 1300 to 1600; an examination of leading artists, their lives and works: Giotto, Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, among others.  3 credits

AAH 2008 The Renaissance City
The use of art and architecture to create the identity of Italian Renaissance cities, particularly Siena. 3 credits

HIS 3126 History of Italian Cities
The political, economic, and cultural growth of the Italian City States. 3 credits

THL 3800 The Church in Italy
The theology, worship, clergy, art and popular piety of the Medieval Catholic Church in Italy seen through the contemporary Church, particularly in Siena. 3 credits

 

Housing & Meals

In Siena, students live in apartments located in the medieval city of Siena.
Meals are the responsibility of the student. The student apartments have kitchens, local grocery stores and restaurants are within easy walking distance of apartments. Students will also be able to eat in the University dining halls.

Students will have access to the library located at the Institute for the International Education of Students' center. The library has wireless internet available for students who bring laptop computers. Students also have access to University libraries.

In Venice and Rome, students will stay in hotels.

Cell Phones

All students must have cell phones that function in Italy. American cell phones normally do not. Program participants can lease mobile phones through PicCell. Information about PicCell will be distributed in the spring. Information is also available at http://www.piccellwireless.com/ies.

Arrival and Excursions

Students traveling on the optional group flight will travel by bus from Rome to Siena. Alternate travel information to Siena will be given to students who arrive independently of the group.

Upon arrival in Siena, students will have an orientation which will cover health and safety, culture, and living in Siena. The orientation will include a walking tour of Siena to familiarize students with their new home.

Students will spend one day in Florence where they will be part of a guided tour of Florence. Entrance fees to the Accademia and Uffizi are included. Students will also travel by bus to Venice for two nights. Accommodations and a guided tour of the Ducal Palace are also included in the excursion. In addition to these two excursions, a day trip is planned San Gimignano and Volterra. This excursion will include round-trip bus transportation, a guided tour, admission to the Town Museum, Cathedral, Torture Museum in San Gimignano and admission to the Town Museum, Pinacoteca, Etruscan Museum, and Holy Art Museum in Volterra. No meals are included. Additionally, information will be available to students concerning other cultural activities in and around Siena.

Finally, at the end of the program students will travel by bus and spend three nights in Rome. In Rome, students will take a guided tour of the historic center of Rome. A farewell dinner, a visit to the Vatican Museums, and other entrance fees to places of interest will be included. Transportation to the airport for the return group flight and will be provided.

Transportation

The group will fly from JFK to Rome and be transferred to Siena by bus. All surface transfers in Italy will occur by private, air-conditioned buses from the group's point of arrival in Italy to the group's point of departure for the United States. Flight Arrangements are made directly by the students through a travel agent designated by Villanova University. Other flight arrangements can be made, provided that students arrive in Siena by the first day of classes.

Itinerary 2012

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Monday, May 21, 2012

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Group Flight, Departs USA

Arrive Rome, transfer to Siena, Program Begins

Program ends, Group Flight, Depart Rome for USA

NOTICE: Villanova University reserve the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances warrant.

Russian Society & Culture


Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia
 

Program Costs and Payment Information
Link to Summer Program Application

Program

This 3 week, 3-credit program provides an introduction into the richness of Russian culture including history, folklore and customs, fine arts, architecture, theater, and religion. Students will live in two of the world's most fascinating cities: Moscow and St. Petersburg. Lectures, guest presentations, and discussions will be supplemented by daily excursions. Students will follow in the footsteps of Russia's historical figures and favorite literary characters.

All students will enroll in Russian 3412: Russian Culture in Context. The course is taught in English by Dr. Boris Briker, Department of Classical and Modern Languages. Knowledge of Russian language is not required for this course. The course fulfills one elective toward the Russian Area Concentration Program and a Diversity III requirement.

Program Dates

Program Dates: May 9-29, 2011
Villanova University Pre-Departure Coursework: May 9-13, 2011
Trip Overseas: May 14-29, 2011

Field Trips

Students will take part in daily excursions to museums, churches, monasteries, theaters, and country estates. There will also be trips to the summer palaces of Russian rulers in the cities of Pushkin and Pavlovsk and trips to Russia's medieval cities of Suzdal and Vladimir.

*PROGRAM DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED UNTIL MARCH 11, 2011 - SPACE STILL AVAILABLE! APPLY NOW!

Faculty Program Coordinator Information

Dr. Boris Briker
Department of Classical & Modern
Foreign Languages & Literatures
College of Arts & Sciences
Garey Hall 37A
610.519.6952
boris.briker@villanova.edu

Location, Housing and Meals

Students live in a student dormitory and take meals in restaurants and cafes in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Itinerary

Program Dates: May 9-29, 2011
Villanova University Pre-Departure Coursework: May 9-13, 2011
Trip Overseas: May 14-29, 2011
Students will spend approximately one week in Moscow followed by one week in St. Petersburg.
The group flight is highly suggested for all participating students.

NOTICE: Villanova University reserve the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances warrant.

 

Paris Critical Theory

CANCELLED FOR 2012
Paris, France
 

Program Costs and Payment Information
Link to Summer Program Application

Dates

Program Canceled for Summer 2010

Program

The Atelier de Théorie Critique (Critical Theory Workshop) is an intensive graduate-level seminar, which takes place every summer in Paris. The primary objective of the Workshop is to provide an international forum for interdisciplinary and comparative research in contemporary critical theory. The Workshop is comprised of a research seminar at CIEE’s Centre Parisien d’Etudes Critiques, a series of public lectures at the Collège International de Philosophie, and public debates with leading European intellectuals at the Centre Parisien. All three activities aim at providing students direct access to some of the most recent developments in French—and more generally European—critical theory.

Each year, the Workshop is structured around a central theme. In 2009, the theme will be “Time, History, Memory,” and representative authors will include Bergson, Proust, Deleuze, Foucault, Ricœur, Gauchet, Godard, Dosse and Worms. Depending on availability, the following speakers are likely to participate in public debates regarding their work: François Dosse, Marcel Gauchet and Frédéric Worms. In 2008, the theme of the Workshop was “Politics and Aesthetics,” and the authors studied included Sartre, Barthes, Foucault, Heinich, and Rancière, as well as figures such as Balzac, Rimbaud and Resnais. Invited speakers included Jacques Rancière (emeritus professor of philosophy, University of Paris 8), Nathalie Heinich (sociologist, CNRS) and Olivier Voirol (sociologist, Université de Lausanne and Institut für Sozialforschung). .

Paris

2008 Syllabus

Location

Paris, France

Academic Requirements

The language of instruction is French, and a minimum of 6 college semesters of French or equivalent are required. Contact Hours: 45. Credit: 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours. Participants on this program will receive Villanova University graduate-studies credit.

Faculty Program Coordinator Information

Dr. Gabriel Rockhill
Department of Philosophy
St Augustine Center 171
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
gabriel.rockhill@villanova.edu

NOTICE: Villanova University reserve the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances warrant.

 

Summer Program in Politics, Culture and Society in Prague


Prague, Czech Republic
 

Program Costs and Payment Information
Link to Summer Program Application

Location

Prague, Czech Republic

Dates

June 16 – July 29, 2012

Program

HanoiThis 6-week, 6-credit program offers students the opportunity to study politics, law and economy in one of the most beautiful and dynamic settings in the world. Students will learn about both communist and current politics in the Czech Republic and Europe more broadly, through examinations of history, economic development, law, and social change. You will get to know the old and the new city, the country’s colorful history, majestic surroundings, and cultural vibrancy in the heart of Mitteleuropa. Join our excursions to neighboring great cities like Nuremberg or Vienna, and to old Czech castle towns like Cesky Krumlov.

Course Offerings

  • PSC-4875 Law, Economy, and Society: Czech Republic in Comparative Perspective
    This course will examine the major legal, political, economic, and social changes in the Czech Republic in the context of big structural transformations in Eastern/Central Europe since 1989. This course will be co-taught by two Villanova professors (3 credits).
     
  • PSC-4875 Post-Communist Environmental Policy
    This course will explore the lingering effects of the various legacies of communism from the Soviet days, and how these influence the contemporary culture. This course will be taught by a professor from Prague (3 credits).
     
  • GEV 4720 Ecosystems, Pollution, and Public Policy
    The Czech Republic remains a great natural laboratory in which scientists study the response of ecosystems to massive environmental pollution. In Central Europe, environmental pollution has largely been a legacy of 40 years of centrally planned economic regime. But following the Velvet Revolution of 1989, environmental clean-up efforts have been implemented. As a result, many heavy industries have been restructured, sounder environmental legislation has been approved, and the focus has shifted towards a stricter enforcement of such legislation. The course will examine these issues with at least 56 hours of class work and relevant field tours/studies of environmental sites in the Central European region (4 credits; Mendel Science Experience).

Students may work with the Faculty Program Coordinator to confirm actual course equivalents. With permission, courses may fulfill requirements for multiple majors or the social science component of the core curriculum.
Students will also engage in a weekly practical Czech language course. Na zdraví!

Faculty Program Coordinator

Dr. Catherine Warrick
Department of Political Science
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
St. Augustine Center (SAC) 257
(610) 519-7712
catherine.warrick@villanova.edu

Dr. Mark Schrad
Department of Political Science
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
St. Augustine Center (SAC) 256
(610) 519-4717
mark.schrad@villanova.edu

Additional Academic Requirements

No language proficiency required.

Housing and Meals

Housing is provided in the central part of Prague, in the midst of the city’s cultural hub. Students will be responsible for their meals. Grocery stores and restaurants are within very short walking distance.

Excursions

We will also offer excursions to nearby Central European cities (e.g., Nuremberg, Vienna or Budapest); explore the castles and chateaus of Prague; and the medieval castle town of Cesky Krumlov.

Itinerary - Summer 2012

Saturday, June 16, 2012
 

Arrival in Prague (Departure from US will likely be on Friday, June 15)
 

   
Saturday, July 30, 2011 Return to USA

NOTICE: Villanova University reserve the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances

 

Culture & Society in Southeast Asia


Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi National University
 

 

Program Costs and Payment Information
Link to Summer Program Application

Location

Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi National University

Dates

June 15 – July 19, 2011
June 15-18, 2011: Pre-departure orientation on VU campus
Times and locations to be announced at a later date

Program

Hanoi

Program participants will spend the first 3 days of the program on Villanova University campus in a cultural immersion program prior to departure for Vietnam. This module will be taught by Faculty Program Coordinator, Jim McCloskey. Once the on-campus orientation has concluded, the group will then travel to Hanoi, the vibrant capital of Vietnam, to begin coursework at Hanoi National University. During this four-week phase, students will meet their Vietnamese counterparts and participate in various cultural activities (dinners, excursions to important historical and cultural sites in the area, etc.) In addition, the program has a service component where Villanova students will spend two afternoons in local villages teaching English to Vietnamese children.

Course Offerings

PSC 4875 Cross - Cultural Communications (3 credits)
PSC 4875 Applied Marketing in Emerging Economies (3 credits)

Faculty Program Coordinator

James McCloskey
Department of Communication
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
St. Augustine Center 203
610/519-4750
james.mccloskey@villanova.edu -or-
JEMCCLOS@AOL.COM

Additional Academic Requirements

No language proficiency required.

Excursions

Day excursions to Ha Long Bay and an excursion to an orphan village, along with the 'Peace' Thanh Xuan Village. Other cultural and historical sites and museums will also be included in the program.

Itinerary - Summer 2011 (Tentative)

June 15 – June 18, 2011
June 19
June 22 – July 17
July 18
Sunday, July 19, 2011
Pre-departure coursework at Villanova University
Depart USA for Hanoi
Coursework at Hanoi National University
Depart Hanoi for USA
Arrive USA

NOTICE: Villanova University reserve the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances

Human Rights, Genocide, & Reconciliation Studies in Africa


Kigali, Rwanda

Program Costs and Payment Information
Link to Summer Program Application

Program

Villanova is proud to offer a three-week course of international study focusing on the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

The course is taught in English, in partnership with the Interdisciplinary Genocide Studies Center (ISGC) in Kigali, Rwanda. Students are offered a unique opportunity to contemplate the past and celebrate the future of this African nation.

The program of study will include the sociological and political background to the Hutu genocide of the Tutsi and moderate Hutu. It will focus on the role of the media and state propaganda in the years leading up to the genocide, as well as the actions, or inaction, of the international community. The role of the Churches in Rwanda is also closely examined. In addition to the context and execution of the genocide, more recent phenomena will be examined: genocide denial and negationism, the concepts of memory and reconciliation, structures and mechanisms of the Rwandan justice systems (Gacaca, Civil courts, and International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda). Students will also participate in a service project in Rwanda that will allow students to leave a positive footprint in Rwanda.

Program Dates

June 29 - July 25, 2012
*Exact dates to be confirmed early Spring semester.

Location

Kigali, Rwanda

Academic Requirements

  • 2.75 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale; non-Villanova students must submit a recent official university transcript of their undergraduate work.
  • University student status without disciplinary probation or financial holds.
  • Attendance at all orientation sessions mandatory; non-Villanova students must contact Dr. Tim Horner for the orientation materials.

Faculty Program Coordinator Information

Dr. Tim Horner
Assistant Professor
Center for Peace and Justice Education
610-519-7904
timothy.horner@villanova.edu

Courses

Students earn a total of three-credits for this program

THL 5990: Ecumenical & Cultural Studies
This course is will count towards the VU upper-level theology requirement, and cross-lists with the VU Peace & Justice minor/concentration and the Global Interdisciplinary Studies major/minor. We will work with students to fulfill requirements if necessary. 3 credits.

Housing and Meals

Students will be housed together in the capital city, Kigali, with access to international genocide libraries and their Rwandan instructors. Two meals per day will be included in the price of the program, along with a tea/coffee break every day. Internet and laundry services will be available to the students.

Field Trips

Visits to the major genocide memorials, along with other cultural excursions into the beautiful Rwandan countryside, including Akagera National Park, will be included in the program. All in-country transportation and transfers are covered within the program fees.

2012 Itinerary - Tentative

June 29, 2012 Departure from USA
June 30 Arrive in Kigali, Welcome Reception
July 1 - 24 Coursework at IGSC, excursions, site visit and guest lectures, farewell reception
  Coursework, excursions, site visits, farewell dinner
July 25, 2012 Depart Kigali for USA

NOTICE: Villanova University reserve the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances warrant.

 

Ancient Egyptian Archaeology Program
Luxor, Egypt

 

Program Costs and Payment Information
Link to Summer Program Application

Location

Luxor, Egypt

Dates

May 14 - May 25, 2012: On-line Coursework
May 26 - June 23, 2012: Program in Egypt

Program

The Ancient Egypt Archaeology Program introduces students to the art and architecture of Pharaonic Egypt. This is a six-week course that includes a two week on-line component and four weeks of archaeological exploration based out of the Upper Egyptian city of Luxor, Egypt. Students will visit famous sites such as the Valley of the Kings and the tomb of King Tut, Luxor and Karnak Temples, the Mummification Museum, and the mortuary temple of Ramesses the Great.

Students will investigate topics such as, what did art mean to the ancient Egyptians? Why did they invest such wealth and effort into its production? Students will also look at the ways in which historical, religious, and social changes affected the changes in Egyptian art and architecture.

Students will also have a long weekend available for individual travel when destinations such as the Pyramids at Giza, the famous Ptolemaic city of Alexandria, or St. Katherine's Monastery can be visited.

Course Offerings

This is a six week course that includes an on-line component, site explorations, and three exams.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will earn a total of SIX
Villanova University credits (HIS3095 and AAH3009).

Faculty Program Coordinator

Dr. Kelly-Anne Diamond
Department of History
St. Augustine Center
Villanova University
800 Lancaster Avenue
Villanova, PA 19085
Kelly.anne.diamondreed@villanova.edu

Learning Outcomes and Additional Academic Requirements

• Gain an overall understanding and familiarity with Egyptian history, art, and architecture
• Recognize the most important archaeological problems relating to the reconstruction of ancient history
• Gain the ability to discuss issues and evidence from the material culture of Pharaonic Egypt

No language proficiency required.  All lectures in Egypt will be in English.

Housing and Meals

Students live in flats located in the Egyptian section of Luxor, just off Television Street. Two meals will be provided daily at the residence: breakfast band a late lunch after work (the main meal). Additionally, the flats have kitchens, and restaurants and grocery stores are easily accessible. Luxor not only has many options for tradition Egyptian fare but also has numerous ethnic restaurants (Indian, Thai) and British-owned pubs.

For those students who bring laptop computers, certain restaurants/cafes offer free wireless access, and there are also many local internet cafes.

Excursions

Students will attend lectures Sunday through Thursday, with Friday and Saturday off. Each Friday there will be an organized excursion out of town to visit a significant archaeological or cultural site. Such tours may include Abydos (the cult center of Osiris) Horus’ Temple at Edfu, or Dendera.

Itinerary - Tentative

May 14 - May 27, 2012 On-line coursework
May 28 Depart for Cairo
May 29 Arrival in Cairo, depart for Luxor (Flight details TBA)
Arrival in Luxor
May 30 Day to relax and recuperate from flight
May 31 - June 20 Coursework in Egypt
June 21 Clean and pack up
June 22 Depart for Cairo and USA (Flight Details TBA)
June 23 Arrival in USA

NOTICE: Villanova University reserves the right to modify or cancel the program if circumstances warrant.