Overview

The Australian Experience, offered by Bond University, gives you the opportunity to travel across Australia by road, rail, and air through a combination of class work and field trips. There are two different programs available, both of which will give you an opportunity to see Australia's most famous landmarks and destinations while learning about Australia's culture, customs, and history. You will be exposed to famous cultural, historical, and ecological locations throughout Australia, enhancing your academic experience through hands-on learning

Location

Bond University is Australia's first independent, not-for-profit university created in the tradition of the world's most prestigious private educational institutions. The spacious, modern campus is located on Queensland's Gold Coast, which is Australia's sixth largest city and a popular holiday destination famous for its spectacular beaches, warm climate, and vibrant youth culture.

The six-week Geography, History, and Ecology program travels to various significant locations in Australia:

Darwin - Darwin lies in the far northern tip of Australia in the Northern Territory and is well known for the nearby Kakadu National Park, which is renowned for the richness of its Aboriginal cultural sites, as well as its ecological and biological diversity.

Canberra - As the capital city of Australia, Canberra is the site of Parliament House, the High Court of Australia, and numerous government departments and agencies. It is also the location of several social and cultural institutions of national significance.

Sydney - Sydney is Australia's largest and most famous city. It is Australia's largest financial center and a major international tourist destination, notable for its beaches and twin landmarks: the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge.

Queensland Coast - Australia's Queensland Coast is famous for its gorgeous beaches, sand and coral reef islands, the Great Barrier Reef, tropical rainforests, and spectacular national parks.

Academic Focus and Course Description

The focus of both programs will be on learning by experience. Field trips will have seminar and supervised assignment components which will be held in art galleries, museums, and other institutions visited as part of the program.

The six-week program (June-July) will will comprise two Bond University subjects (classes): Australian Geography & Ecology: An introduction and Australian History and Culture as it explores the variety of this vast and unique country. Students will travel by road, rail, and air to tropical Darwin and the red heart of the Northern Territory; to Canberra, the national capital; to Sydney, home of the world famous opera house and harbor bridge; and on excursions on the Queensland coast. This course seeks to provide:

• an overview of the uniqueness of Australian flora and fauna and physical geography, and explore the extreme variety of habitat offered by Australia's geography and climate;

• an overview, through the use of particular case studies, of the ways in which human habitation over thousands of years has influenced and been influenced by the geography;

• a firm grounding in the major formative events in the history of Australia over the last three hundred years.

Course Structure and Assessment

The six-week program will comprise two Bond University subjects, each subject requiring at least 40 hours of formal lectures which will be held in both the classroom and in the field. Students will receive a Bond University transcript for these subjects studied as part of this program.

Two subjects at Bond University is 50 percent of a full-time load, and is equivalent to 6-8 credit points in the USA. However, it is important that students obtain approval for credit transfer from the home university.

These subjects may fit any degree program as elective credits, but your course advisor may also approve them as components of a major in such fields as environmental studies or geography. Business students will be interested in the eco-tourism and not-for-profit marketing issues raised in the programs.

Students will prepare work for examination and grading in all subjects. Assessment in each subject will be based on two main tasks:

Students will be required to maintain a diary recording careful comments on what they have seen and heard during field trips and relating this to what they have learned in class and through their own investigations. This diary will need to be submitted at various times during the program. Subject tutors will also assign individual or group projects requiring short written reports. This part of the assessment must be completed to the satisfaction of your tutors to gain a pass grade for each subject.

All students will be given a range of investigative and interpretative essay questions (students choose from a provided list of topics) for each subject, which will be submitted by the end of the course.

Program Highlights

•One of the best ways to get a good feel for Australia in a short period of time

•Travel opportunities around eastern and/or northern Australia

•Based at Bond University on the spectacular Gold Coast

•Learn from the academic experts at Bond—recognized as leading professors in their fields worldwide


Who It’s For

Open to students of all majors and at least sophomore standing. May be of particular interest to those studying geography, ecology, history, anthropology, tourism, or related areas.

Fees

Program Fees

$10,740.00

Fee Includes

All domestic travel within Australia, accommodation, most meals, all lectures, field trips, and excursions. International airfare is an additional cost

Fee Semester

The above fee is the estimated fee for Summer 2008. Fees are subject to change for future terms.

Facts

Location: Gold Coast, Queensland
Overseas Students:
Staff:
Total Enrolment:

Entry Requirements

Applicants must have the required GPA and have completed at least the equivalent of one year of full-time study at the university/college level. Open to all majors, but may be of particular interest to those studying geography, ecology, history, anthropology, tourism, or related areas.

Required GPA: 2.50