Eastern Illinois University Homepage

	Department: Communications Leaders: Dr. Mark Borzi (mgborzi@eiu.edu) and Dr. Melanie Mills (mbmills@eiu.edu) Subjects: Communication
	Terms/Timeframe: Summer - 6/1/2011 - 7/3/2011
	Language: English
	Credits: 6
	Budget: Cost Breakdown
	Eligibility:
	Good Academic Standing Good Judicial Standing
	Application Deadlines:
	Feburary 4, 2012 (before noon)
	Application Materials:
	EIU Program Application (Faculty-led Programs) Basics for Faculty-led Programs (step by step from application to realization)

Academic Program

The countries of New Zealand and Australia offer a unique opportunity to study differences in how a primitive native culture and a modern culture co-exist. In the case of New Zealand the cultures co-exist as essentially equals and have essentially merged to form a co-culture. Australia on the other hand, spent years attempting to marginalize the aboriginal culture and it has only been in the last few years that there has been a recognition of the importance of the native culture to Australia.

New Zealand in particular also provides students with the opportunity to study how communication principles are lived in another culture. The social, cultural, and legal rules that govern relationships, organizations, values, and ones place are sufficiently different as to provide the ability to develop insights into both intercultural, interpersonal, organizational, and mass communication as well as public relations.

I enjoyed this program very much and would love to recommend to anyone to go on this trip. The amount of educational gains definitely paid for themselves tenfold over the cost of the program! --Sean McElhenny, Summer 2011 participant

Dr. Borzi's Study Abroad Program Website

Video about the Program

Activities / Itinerary

The program is structured to provide students with a baseline of information (Intercultural Communciation) and then the opportunity to emphasize a particular area within his or her major option. Students will meet on a regular basis as a class for lecture or group discussions around specific topics. Students will also meet on almost a daily basis in groups associated with their independent study option area (interpersonal, organizational, mass, public relations).

Students will be required to complete several assignments prior to travel. These assignments will include: assigned reading material and exam, submission of sample fieldnotes, identification of independent study topic with proposal paper which includes library research.

During the trip, students will be expected to keep regular fieldnotes and particpate in almost daily discussions.

Upon return students will be expected to complete a major paper for each course. The paper for CMN 3710 (Intercultural Communication) will focus address either New Zealand as a co-cultural experience or a comparision of how Australia and New Zealand treated native cultures. For CMN 4000 (Independent Study), students will be expected to complete a paper that combines library resarch conducted prior to the trip with fieldnotes and experiences to explore how his or her context area differs between the United States and New Zealand.

The course design allows students to choose a lot of their own activities. What are some of the possibilities? Go on whale and dolphin safari, visit the Te Puia Maori Arts and Crafts Institute, go bungee jumping, hurtle down a luge track, visit a brewery, surf on Bondi Beach, tour a rainforest, snorkle the Great Barrier Reef, and, of course, take a picture with a koala!

Enrollment/Credit

Make course/substitution selections on your EIU Program Application. The credit hours associated with your selections may not exceed the credit hours allocated for this program: 6

Below are the choices available for this program:

Course Number: CMN3710 (CourseID 4650)

Approved Substitute: None

Approved Substitute: None

Approved Substitute: None

Housing

Students will stay in shared rooms in the hostel while faculty will have a private room. Separate rooms will be provided for male and females.

Orientations

At least two pre-departure orientations will be provided and are required for all participants.

Your faculty leader will hold one of these orientations, where he/she will cover information on safety, health, legal, environmental, political, cultural, and religious conditions in the host country(ies), as well as planning logistics.

The Office of Study Abroad (OSA) will hold the other orientation. They will cover general information about traveling abroad to different areas of the world and facilitate a panel discussion composed of students who have already participated in faculty-led study abroad programs.

Necessary Documents

Passport
To enter a foreign country, you must have a valid passport. If you are a U.S. citizen and do not currently have a valid passport, or if your passport will expire during the time you will be overseas, please go to the U.S. State Department web site for information on how to apply for/renew your passport.

You are strongly encouraged to read the U.S. State Department's Consular Information Sheet on your host countries. It will provide you with a great deal of information to help you prepare for your trip.

**Please be aware that you are responsible for obtaining the most up-to-date information on entry requirements. The Office of Study Abroad only provides general information, as visa regulations and procedures are constantly changing. Please consult the Consulate for more information. **