Summer Education Abroad
History and Culture in the Caribbean
Barbados
6 credits in History, African American Studies and Anthropology
July 17–Aug. 11, 2009
Dr. Bernard Moitt
$2,980 plus VCU tuition
Registration deadline: May 16, 2009
Status: Program full
The Office of International Education, Department of History and the Department of African American Studies at VCU are pleased to offer a unique opportunity to study in Barbados. This program will highlight the historical and cultural heritage of the Caribbean at a festive time in Barbados — the Crop Over festival — when the island is in the midst of celebrating its African cultural traditions through music and dance. Lectures will be held at the Cave Hill Campus at the University of the West Indies.
Course and credit options: 6 VCU credits
HIST 391/ANTH 391 Caribbean History and Culture
HIST 391 The Atlantic Slave Trade
AFAM 491 Caribbean Perspectives on the African Diaspora
Course description
Through lectures and field visits led by faculty members, students will explore the evolution and development of Caribbean societies from around the 15th century to the present, as well as the responses of Caribbean peoples to forces that have shaped their lives. This exploration will include, but not limited to plantation slavery, gender, language, migration, education, religion, race, identity, sports, architecture, archaeology, music, dance, the Kadooment Day celebration and cuisine. The Barbados study-abroad program is designed to give students, with or without a background in Caribbean studies, an authentic, stimulating and memorable Caribbean experience. It will appeal to broad-minded individuals who are open to ethnic and cultural diversity. Participants will gain a greater appreciation of the history and culture of the Caribbean, and the significance and uniqueness of Barbados in particular.
Dr. Bernard Moitt, chair of the VCU History Department was born and raised in Antigua. He specializes in the histories and literatures of Africa and the Caribbean. He has a keen interest in gender and slavery and is nationally and internationally recognized for his scholarship and intellectual activities. His vast knowledge of Africa and the Caribbean, and his extensive personal and professional contacts in Barbados and other parts of the region, make his study-abroad program a unique opportunity that should not be missed. This is his 12th year leading the program to Barbados.
Registration deadline: May 16, 2009
Applications will be accepted until the deadline, or until participant space is full.
Program cost
$2,980 plus VCU tuition
The program fee is $2,980 and includes the following:
- Round-trip airfare from either Washington, D.C. or Richmond
- Pick-up and drop-off at the Barbados airport
- Accommodations
- Study visits and tours
- 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:
- VCU tuition and fees
- Meals
- Passport application fee
- Personal expenses during the program (estimated at $600-$1,000)
- Anything not specifically mentioned above
Please budget for these additional expenses.
Airfare
Round-trip airfare from either Richmond or Washington, D.C. is included. The departure city will be determined at the time of ticket purchase.
Eligibility
Students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA to participate in this program. Permission of the program director is required.
While in Barbados
Swim with turtles in their natural habitat in the Caribbean Sea. View fantastic coral formations, exotic aquatic life and undersea wreckage. These are among the excursions offered in the Barbados program. Among other highlights is Family Day, where students are hosted for the day by Bajans and other gracious Caribbean hosts. In addition, participants will visit the Barbados Museum, Speightstown Museum, wildlife reserves, local potteries and art galleries. There will be a guided historical walking tour of the city of Bridgetown — a major Atlantic port of call from the 17th century and an architectural delight. Other outings include a visit to Harrisons’ Cave — a stunning cavern formed hundreds of thousands of years ago from crystallized limestone, local folk festival events during the Barbados carnival called Crop Over, and a boat cruise (ending with a swim) up the West Coast of beautiful Barbados. The boat cruise is a photographer’s paradise.
Students are housed in the dormitories on the Cave Hill campus at the University of the West Indies overlooking the enticing Caribbean Sea. Meals are not included.
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.
