Belize Semester Abroad
Program in
Sustainable Development
January
9 – May 3, 2008
PROGRAM IN BRIEF:
- Live
and study abroad
- Study
with UVM faculty, and participate in one or more courses offered by Galen University (all courses taught in English)
- Focus
on sustainable development; related areas include public communication,
environmental studies, community/international development
- Take courses
alongside Belizean students
- Earn
UVM credits and meet CALS/ENVS major and distribution requirements
- Practice
Spanish (much of Belize is bi-lingual)
- Get hands-on
field-based experience relevant to your academic work
- Travel to diverse
locations in Belize, including
archaeological sites, coral reefs, wildlife preserves, jungles, and
beaches
THE UVM PROGRAM IN BELIZE
This program focuses on sustainable development, combining academic
coursework
with service/project-based learning. Galen University, with its commitment to sustainable
development,
provides the academic framework through classes taught by UVM and Galen
faculty.
Belize--with its community-based approach to solving problems and its
unique
natural and cultural resources including one of the most protected and
bio-diverse ecosystems on earth and the highest concentration of Maya
sites in
Central America--provides the “laboratory” in which classroom
theories can be applied in a developing-country context.
WHY STUDY IN BELIZE?
Belize, the
only
English-speaking country in Central America, is situated
east of Guatemala and just south of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Its eastern border consists of 300 miles of
Caribbean coastline.
It is
rich with natural waterways, rainforest and ancient Mayan ruins, making
it an
ideal location for study of the environment and international and
community
development.
One of the world's most biologically
diverse nations, Belize has 93% of its land under forest cover. It
has the
longest coral reef in the western hemisphere, the largest cave system
in
Central America, over 500 species of birds, thousands of Maya
archaeological
sites, and the only jaguar reserve in the world. The population density
is
among the lowest in the world. Belize has a rich mix of ethnicities including
Creole, Maya,
Mestizo, East Indian, Chinese, Garifuna,
and Mennonite.
Belize has closely watched its rate of economic
development,
agricultural expansion and tourism growth in particular. There is a
conservation consciousness in Belize that has challenged the government, private
sector,
investors and the public at large to balance development with
conservation of
its natural resources As a result, today Belize has more than 40% of its land under some
form of
legal protection. Belize is home to a
number of
outstanding nature institutes, field stations, and educational centers.
WHY STUDY AT GALEN UNIVERSITY?
Galen University stresses sustainable development in its
courses,
research, and service to the community. Its faculty specializes in
natural
resources studies, economic anthropology, and rural sociology, allowing
Galen
to maintain a holistic perspective on sustainable development. Projects
carried
out by its research institute, GUARDS (Galen University Applied
Research and
Development for Sustainability), are designed to achieve sustainable,
positive
improvement in Belize's society, culture, eco-systems, democratic
systems,
and economy.
With the university located just outside
San Ignacio, the second largest metropolitan center in the country,
students at
Galen have the opportunity to interact with non-governmental
organizations
there and in neighboring communities.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Students will participate in up to four
UVM
courses offered by UVM professors Meg Ashman, Jay Ashman and Thomas
Patterson.
In addition, a number of Galen University courses will be
cross-listed as UVM courses so that transferring credits will not be an
issue. Galen University students will also
participate in UVM’s courses.
UVM Courses in Belize:
- CDAE
157: Consumers, Markets & Public Policy (Professor Jay Ashman)
- CDAE
195: Strategic Writing for Public Communication (Professor Meg Ashman)
- CDAE
195: Organizational Behavior (Professor Thomas Patterson)
- CDAE
195: Project-based learning course (Professors Jay Ashman and Thomas
Patterson): Students will work in teams in partnership with Belizean
governmental, non-governmental, and community-based organizations on
research and service activities identified by their local
partners.
Cross-Listed Galen University Courses:
- Principles
of Sustainable Development
- Applications
of Sustainable Development
- Indigenous
Perspectives on Development
- Adventure
and Eco-Tourism
- Environmental
Problems
- Social
Issues in a Developing Country
- Mayan
Culture and Archaeology of Belize
WHO SHOULD ENROLL?
This program is designed for students with an interest in public
communication, environmental studies, community/international
development, and
sustainable development.
HOUSING
Martha's Inn and Guesthouse are located in the heart of
San
Ignacio and conveniently located near the downtown business district.
The
entire Inn and part of the Guesthouse will be reserved
for UVM
students and include cooking facilities. Further information on
Martha’s
may be found at http://www.marthasbelize.com/.
TUITION and FEES
The Belize Semester Abroad Program in Sustainable
Development
consists of 16 credits. Students pay UVM tuition (in-state or
out-of-state) plus a program fee of $5550. Unlike study
abroad
programs through other institutions, students may apply their UVM
financial aid.
There are also additional scholarships available through the Belize
Program and
the office of Community-University Partnerships and Service Learning.
FACULTY
Meg
Ashman (co-director)
–As publications editor for University of Vermont Extension from 1974 to 2005, Professor Ashman planned,
edited,
and designed technical bulletins, popular leaflets, newsletters,
brochures, and
curricula for print and electronic publishing. She now has own
communication
consulting business and does freelance editing, primarily for
nonprofits. She
has conducted communication training in Kenya and St. Lucia and taught English in Malaysia. Professor Ashman will offer CDAE 195:
Strategic
Writing for Public Communication.
Jay Ashman (co-director) – Professor
Ashman spent 28 years as an Assistant Attorney General in Consumer
Protection
and Antitrust with the Vermont Attorney General's Office. He has taught
courses
in consumer law and policy at UVM since 1977. Internationally, he has
worked on
consumer issues with governmental and non-governmental agencies in Kenya,
St. Lucia and
Belize and taught business law in
Malaysia.
Professor Ashman will offer CDAE 157:
Consumers Law & Policy.
Thomas Patterson (resident faculty) - Professor
Patterson was a founder of UVM’s
Center for Teaching and Learning and has taught
UVM undergraduate and graduate students for over 25 years.
Currently he serves as Director of the UVM
College of Agriculture and Life Science First Year Program and teaches
and
advises in the CDAE Public Communication undergraduate program. In addition, he teaches a core course in
organization theory and practice in the Masters of Public
Administration program. Internationally he
has taught and researched
in Australian higher education and has taught computer and internet
applications to indigenous people of Honduras.
Susan Patterson (Student services), Adjunct Professor,
Department of Education
Professor Patterson graduated from Middlebury
College with a BA in English
Literature and earned her Masters in Education from UVM. She taught
K-12 for over 30 years in public and private schools, and taught
Effective
Teaching and Teaching Writing to other k-12 teachers. In Belize
she will be assisting with the service learning course and advising
students.