Program Overview
Ireland awaits! Join us on a short-term study abroad program through Ireland’s historic province of Munster, where we examine and explore physical and human-made resilient landscapes dating from the Neolithic Age to the early centuries of Christianity.
This is a short-term (8-night) interdisciplinary study abroad program that explores the resilient landscapes of Ireland’s historic province of Munster. These physical and human-made landscapes are resilient in that they have endured centuries of existence, dating from the Neolithic Age to the early centuries of Christianity. They have also functioned as transitional boundaries or thresholds that have demarcated territorial conquests, sacred spaces, and cultural landscapes. These sorts of landscapes are especially interesting in that they are highly symbolic and representative of the ways in which people analyze their physical surroundings and how they connect belief systems to place, though such understandings do change over time and circumstance.
On this international program, students will visit a variety of physical and human-made landscapes, sites, and geography. It is through these cultural landscapes that we examine historical and current intersections among human geography, archaeology, religion, and geomorphology, and assess what impacts these may have on present-day Munster society.
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Location
Munster is one of the four historic provinces of Ireland. Located in the southwest of the island, Munster first emerged as a geographic entity as a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland (the Kingdom of Munster) by at least the 1st century BCE. Munster today is home to about one million residents across the six traditional counties of Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford.
For students who have never traveled to Europe, this program provides an excellent opportunity for first-time travel abroad. English is spoken everywhere in Ireland, and relative costs of things are generally lower than in other parts of Europe.
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Who Can Participate?
- Freshmen
- Sophomores
- Juniors
- Seniors
- Graduate Students
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Academic Program and Course Information
All students in this program are required to enroll in one of the following courses for the spring 2019 semester:
- GEOG 1003: Physical Geography International Experience (3 credit hours)
- GEOG / RELG 2069: Geographies of Religions and Belief Systems (4-6 credit hours)
- GEOG 5000: Geography Capstone (3-5 credit hours)
- GEOG 5150: International Field Trips (undergraduate students) (2-6 credits)
- GEOG 6050: Geography International Study Abroad (graduate students (4-6 credits)
- GEOG 7032: Seminar: Physical Geography (graduate students) (3-6 credits)
Tuition and fees are assessed based on total enrolled hours for a term. This includes the hours associated with the study abroad class. Students who enroll for more than 18 hours for the term will be assessed additional per credit hour fees over and above the flat fees associated with being enrolled full-time (for most students full-time is 12-18 hours).
Co-op students selected to participate in this program are required to enroll in the course during the designated term, regardless of when the student may be on co-op. If the course is during a term when the student is on co-op, tuition and fees will be charged per a student’s residency status and college, based on the part-time per credit hour rate.
A student can see his/her full and part time tuition rates and college fees here (use left-side navigation menu to click into the relevant academic year):
https://www.uc.edu/bursar/fees.html
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Faculty
Kevin N Raleigh is Professor, Educator and Department Head in the Department of Geography and GIS. He is a member of the American Geographical Society, and is affiliated with the Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati and with UC’s Department of European Studies.
Jeffrey L Brewer is Assistant Professor, Educator and Undergraduate Director in the Department of Geography and GIS. He is a member of the American Association of Geographers and the American Archaeological Association.
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Living Arrangements
Living arrangements on this study abroad program will include hotels and/or Bed and Breakfast housing, with double, triple, or quadruple occupancy.
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Getting There
Participants will travel to and from Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) to Shannon, Ireland as a group. Airfare is included in the trip cost.
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Program Costs
2024 Program Cost: $3175
Included in Program Cost:
- All housing / accommodations
- International airfare and airport transfers in Ireland
- Most breakfasts and at least one group dinner
- In-country transportation for program-planned activities
- Cultural excursions / entrance fees
- International emergency and evacuation insurance
- Private guides
- Discussions with Guest Lecturers
Not Included in Program Cost:
- Some meals and free-time entertainment and activities
- Tuition (at your standard tuition rate)
- Passport application/renewal fees
- Recommended/Required immunization/vaccination fees
- Other personal spending / souvenirs
This program has been awarded a
$500 UC International Scholarship (matriculated, UC degree-seeking students only). UC International scholarship requires a minimum 2.0 GPA.
Note that both program charges and UC International scholarship will be posted separately on a student’s OneStop bill on the semester in which the course for the study abroad experience is given. Program charges are posted shortly after students commit to the program through the online application process. Scholarships are posted after all students 1) register for the course connected to the study abroad experience, and 2) complete all study abroad online paperwork.
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UC Financial Aid and Scholarships
For full details on using your financial aid to help pay for your study abroad experience, you should contact UC Financial Aid.
UC International awarded over $800,000 in student scholarships last year. Please refer to the UC International webpage for more information.
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Passports and Visas
A valid passport is essential to your international travel and study abroad. If you are planning to travel abroad, it's best to apply for a passport now as processing times may vary. Please see http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports.html for more information.
In order to obtain country-specific visa instructions and resources, refer to your host country’s embassy web page. One way to access this information is via the US Department of State’s webpage at: https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html
UC International is happy to guide UC faculty, staff and students to possible resources about visas for study abroad. Although, applying for the necessary visa for travel is the responsibility of the individual UC traveler. Entry requirements change frequently, and we advise you to pay close attention to consular updates. It is your responsibility to know and address the requirements for your host study abroad destination.
Applying for a visa can be a complicated process. Some UC travelers choose a third party to assist with this process, for example Travisa or A Briggs (mention UC for a possible discount).
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Health and Safety Abroad
While UC International is committed to student and faculty safety while abroad, traveling UC faculty, students and staff are the individuals making decisions overseas and therefore play a key role in their own health and safety abroad. The US Department of State, Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) and International SOS are excellent resources for country specific information.
UC partners with International SOS, a company that provides medical and security advice. UC's member ID is 11BCAS000010.
UC students, faculty and staff can utilize International SOS in the following ways:
- Sign up to receive email alerts for medical and security information, customizable to various locations abroad.
- Read about travel health information with medical advice, food and water safety and cultural tips.
- Explore travel security with personal safety tips and travel risk ratings for locations abroad.
UC faculty, students and staff traveling abroad should register their travel through the US Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency.
All UC students participating in a University of Cincinnati sanctioned or funded international travel program are required to purchase and maintain insurance while abroad. UC International partners with CISI to provide insurance for UC students.
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Contacts for More Information
Kevin Raleigh
Department of Geography
401-I Braunstein Hall
513.556.3422
E-mail: kevin.raleigh@uc.edu
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