Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.20
Liaison Megan Butler
Submission Date May 31, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Macalester College
AC-5: Immersive Experience

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Kevin Morrison
Director of the Center for Study Away
Center for Study Away
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Does the institution offer at least one immersive, sustainability-focused educational study program that is one week or more in length?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability-focused immersive program(s) offered by the institution, including how each program addresses the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainability:

Alliance for Global Education: Shanghai: This program offers courses focusing on Shanghai as a 21st Century City. Several courses relate specifically to sustainable development in an urban context. These include an urban studies course titled Architecture and Urban Design and an environmental studies course offering called City and Environment.

CIEE: Arts and Sciences in Uppsala: Sweden, along with other scandinavian countries, has been a leader in sustainable design. Students on this program have the opportunity to take coursework, taught in English, at Uppsala University’s Centre for Sustainable Development. Example courses include: Global Challenges and Sustainable Futures; Actors and Strategies for Change: Toward Global Sustainabilities; Sustainable Design: Ecology, Culture, and Human Built Worlds

DIS: Study Abroad in Scandinavia: The DIS program based in Copenhagen offers core courses in both urban studies and sustainability. In addition to the core courses they offer electives in a broad range of disciplines related to sustainability and urban development. Some example course to consider include: Adaptive Re-use in Europe: Cities and Buildings; Environmental Impact of Humans; Environmental Policy in Practice; Environmental Problems and Human Behavior; Food Systems; Renewable Energy Systems; and Strategies for Urban Livability among many others.

HECUA: New Zealand Culture and the Environment: The focus of this program is a “Shared Future” and is a field-based program located in Wellington. Specifically, it focuses on the social and environmental factors shaping the political and ecological dimensions of identity and culture in New Zealand. Courses include Maori Perspectives, Pluralism, and National Identity; Sustainability, Ecology, and New Zealand Environmental Policy; and related internships and independent study.

IES Abroad: Berlin Metropolitan Studies: This program offers courses taught in English around various themes related to metropolitan studies. Several courses of interest to those seeking to learn more about sustainability in urban environments include Metropolitan Development: Urban Studies in Comparative Perspective and The Recycled Fragmented City.

IES Abroad: University of Cape Town (UCT): The UCT program focuses on community development and urban life in South Africa. Course offerings are available in economics, health studies, and sociology with an emphasis on equity and sustainability within rural communities. Service learning and field research are available.

Macalester: Globalization, the Environment and Society in Cape Town: This program explores the physical and human landscape of South Africa, with a focus on its host city of Cape Town. Students are introduced to the location in a pre-semester seminar examining topics of globalization, the environment and society. During the regular semester, students complete an independent study project and choose two elective courses from the University of Cape Town; these electives may include urban studies, climate change & development, sustainability & the environment, as well as the full faculty offerings of UCT.

Macalester: Perspectives on Globalization: This program explores major questions concerning the human condition, including: human rights, urban diversity, and global governance in The Hague. Students are introduced to these concepts in a pre-semester seminar taught by Macalester faculty. During the regular semester, students choose elective courses from the Leiden University College, offering unique course offerings with interdisciplinary approaches to global public health, environmental sustainability, human diversity, and many other topics that explore urban vitality. Internships for credit are also available.

SEA Semester: SEA Semester is an environmental studies study away program focused on the ocean. Students set sail on a research voyage visiting multiple island sites. The Sustainability in Polynesian Island Cultures & Ecosystems (SPICE) track is designed to develop a deeper understanding of the complex factors that threaten both the environment and cultural sustainability in Polynesia.

SIT Study Abroad/IHP: Cities in the 21st Century: People, Planning, and Politics: This program examines how geography, politics, economics, and culture shape social relations and the built environment in cities across the globe. Students enroll in four courses including Urban Planning and Sustainable Environments course. Students will visit various program sites including the United States, Brazil, South Africa, and India.

University of Minnesota: MSID: International Development in Senegal: MSID is an experiential program where students learn about Senegal through coursework, field study, internships and research. Students can choose the Sustainability and the Environment academic track to focus on and complete an internship or research.

University of Minnesota: MSID: International Development in Ecuador: MSID is an experiential program where students learn about Ecuador through coursework, field study, internships and research. Students can choose the Sustainability and the Environment academic track to focus on and complete an internship/research.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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