Summer Education Abroad
Australian health, physical education and exercise science
Australia
3 or 6 undergraduate credits HPEX 491
May 31-June 16, 2009
Professor Stephen Sowulewski
$3,200 plus airfare and VCU tuition
Registration deadline: April 13, 2009
Status: Program full
The VCU Office of International Education and one of its 14 International Partnership Universities, Curtin University in Perth, Australia, are pleased to offer a unique opportunity for students, arranged by Perth-based consultancy Service Abroad Australasia. In this program, students will develop an intimate understanding of the indigenous Aborigine culture as it relates to morbidities, risk factors for disease and disparity, and how to facilitate health promoting behaviors. In addition, students will gain experience through structured site visits and lectures related to careers in physical therapy, occupational therapy, sports medicine and exercise physiology. Students will prepare for the program with a series of lectures given by a Curtin visiting professor. These lectures will be offered during the three-week program. On June 1, 2009 students will travel to Perth, Australia for the on-site workshops, lectures and site visits.
Course and credit options: HPEX 491: Australian Approaches to Public Health, Physical Medicine/Rehab and Sport Sciences
Course description
This course will engage VCU students in a cultural and structured academic experience in Perth, Australia. Students will have the chance to attend lectures in curricular tracks dedicated to health promotion, nutrition, physical/occupational medicine, exercise/sport/rehabilitation science, and public health. It has been said that Australia is a sports loving nation, thus, students will be able to bolster their knowledge of various sporting venues through active participation. This will further be refined by attending Australian Football League (AFL) club training sessions, working with Aboriginal people who suffer from health disparities, working with Foodbank WA to educate youth, gain the understanding of recent advances toward occupational health and safety in the mining industry, and work with practitioners of physical/occupational therapy, nutritionists and sport therapists. There will also be an optional excursion to Sydney on June 19, 2009.
The program will be led by Stephen P. Sowulewski. Sowulewski is an assistant professor of health sciences and chair of health and physical education at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Richmond, Va. He also is a VCU adjunct professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance and a University of Richmond professor in the Department of Fitness and Wellness. He is working on his doctorate at VCU. Certified through the American Council on Exercise, he teaches spinning and muscle conditioning at American Family Fitness in the West End of Richmond. Some pedagogical interests include nutrition, epidemiology, men’s health, substance abuse and occupational health/industrial hygiene. He received an A.S. in Pre-Pharmacy from Delta College; B.S. in Sports Medicine and Exercise Physiology from Lake Superior State University; and a M.A. in Health Promotion and Public Health from Central Michigan University.
Registration deadline: April 13, 2009
Applications will be accepted until the deadline or until participant space is full.
Program cost
$3,200 plus airfare and applicable VCU tuition
The program fee is $3,200 and includes the following:
- Accommodations
- Study visits and tours
- Ground transportation
- On-site program director support
- Application fee and deposit
- Pre-departure orientation
- VCU administrative fees
- International Student Identification Card
The following are not included in the program fee. Students are responsible for:
- Airfare
- VCU tuition and fees
- Passport application fee
- Meals unless specifically mentioned
- Personal expenses during the program (estimated at $1,000 including meals)
- Optional trip in Sydney, estimated to cost $100 for day for shared accommodations plus an dditional minimum $30 per day for meals
- Anything not specifically mentioned above
Please budget for these additional expenses.
Airfare
Airfare is not included. The professor will advise students of travel arrangements between the U.S. and Australia.
Eligibility
Students must have a 2.0 GPA in order to participate and applications will be considered in the order in which they are received.
While in Australia
Activities in Perth include morning lectures outlining the latest Australian thinking in relevant areas, afternoon excursion to illuminate the lectures, and placements with practitioners in various fields of interest including therapy, nutrition, public health, etc. Students plan to attend a West Coast Eagles AFL game. In addition to spending time in Perth, we will travel to a mining town in the northern Goldfields region and learn about occupational health and safety in the mining industry and in desert Aboriginal communities.
In Perth, housing will be provided as shared accommodations in a three-star tourist hotel. Meals are not included. While in the northern Goldfields region, we will stay in accommodations provided for staff and visitors by local mining companies.
Important facts
- Tuition
- Financial aid
- Passports
- Payment of fees
- Refund policy
Tuition is charged separately and additionally at standard VCU rates for in-state students and at a 40 percent discount for out-of-state students. Estimated costs, based on current tuition per credit, are as follows: undergraduate in-state, $208.55 (per 3 credit class: $619.05); undergraduate out-of-state, $421.20 (per 3 credit class: $1,257); graduate in-state, $428.68 (per 3 credit class: $1,279.44); graduate out-of-state, $543.90 ($1,625.10 per 3 credit class).
Eligible VCU students may apply for need-based financial aid to participate in this program. Contact VCU Financial Aid, Ginter House, Room 110B at (804) 828-6669 or e-mail faidmail@vcu.edu. VCU offers its students a limited number of scholarships for study abroad participation. Contact VCU Education Abroad or see our Web site for further details.
If you have a passport, make sure it is valid for at least six months after your return date. If you do not have a passport, apply early because the processing time can take up to eight weeks. For more information on how to apply for a passport, visit http://travel.state.gov.
The non-refundable registration fee of $250 is due upon registration. The balance of the program fee and the tuition costs (based on the number of credits taken) will be billed separately through VCU Student Accounting after May 2009 (both amounts may be billed at the same time).
All withdrawals must be made in writing and submitted to the Director of Education Abroad.
The refund schedule is as follows:
- Prior to Jan. 8: I am eligible for a refund of the portionof the program fee that has not already been expended in payment of costs outlined on the individual program sheet in support of my participation. I understand that, as the spring progresses, the charges may reflect an increasing amount, depending on what payments have been made on my behalf. After Jan. 8, I understand that the entire program fee may be due. I understand that the refund amount cannot be determined until I formally submit written withdrawal from the program.
- After Jan. 8: I will be responsible to pay the entire program fee. In the event of an unexpected emergency that occurs after Jan. 8, I understand that I must provide a physician’s certification that my condition prohibits participation. In this case, refunds will be limited to recoverable expenses.
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.
