Caribbean Regional Development: The Dominican Republic Experience

Summer 2008 closed

May 4 – 25, 2008

Sponsored by the Department of Geography and the Urban and Regional Planning Program in the College of Social Science and by the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (pending approval)

Arranged through the Office of Study Abroad (OSA)

What's this program about?

This program organized by the Michigan State University College of Social Science offers students an opportunity to earn academic credit while experiencing Dominican culture and traditions. The program uses the Dominican Republic as a laboratory and places particular emphasis on understanding the interaction between human and physical aspects of development focusing on the role of tourism.

Where does it take place?

The Dominican Republic, where Columbus dropped anchor at the end of his first voyage, shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. It is the destination of many thousands of tourists who are attracted by the islands’ tropical climate and extraordinary natural beauty.

The program will take place in Santo Domingo in collaboration with the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra. The capital city, Santo Domingo, is a city of modern sophistication, old world charisma, and Latin charm. It offers a rich colonial past evidenced in the numerous museums and restored historic buildings, as well as superb dining, fashionable shopping and top theatrical, musical, and dance performances.

The Dominican Republic provides an excellent environment to study the interaction between human and physical aspects of development. Through classroom presentations and field experiences, students will study the Dominican Republic in the context of general Latin American development and urbanization trends. These discussions will focus on the relationships among tourism and population growth issues, tourism impacts, rural to urban migration and the internal structure of Santo Domingo.

What can I study?

The program will offer students an opportunity to observe the regional development process in the context of a different social and political organization. It will address general development themes with specific interest on the role of Caribbean tourism. In recent years the Caribbean region has experienced considerable growth in this sector. A manifestation of these changes is the rapid urban development observed during the last 40 years.

Students will be required to enroll for a minimum of six (6), maximum of eight (8), credits from the following courses:

ANR 250	Pending Approval
ANR 475	Pending Approval
GEO 113	Introduction to Economic Geography	3 cr.
Spatial distribution of resources, population, enterprise, trade, consumption, and production; Interaction of those distributions at local to global scales
GEO 335	Geography of Latin America	3 cr.
Physical and human geography of Latin America; Current development issues, especially people-environment interaction in urban and rural areas
GEO 459	Tourism in Regional Development	3 cr.
The role of tourism in regional development; examples from Michigan, the United States and other nations; environmental considerations
GEO 490/UP 490	Independent Study	1-4 cr.
Supervised individual study in an area supplementary to geography courses
SSC 496	Field Study Abroad	3-4 cr.
Study in a variety of foreign settings under the guidance of the instructor; Prior approval required

What are the requirements?

There are no prerequisites for entry into the program. Students from all areas of study are encouraged to apply.

Students must be in good academic standing, with a grade point average of at least 2.2 at the time of application. Meeting this minimum grade point average does not, however, guarantee admission.

Applicants’ participation may be denied or their participation approval may be revoked if their conduct before departure raises doubts as to their suitability for program participation.

Where will I live?

Participants will be housed in a tourist hotel in Santo Domingo.

Who can tell me more about this program?

Dr. René C. Hinojosa
Urban and Regional Planning Program
214 UPLA Building
Phone: (517) 353-3184
E-mail: hinojosa@msu.edu

Dr. Hinojosa, an urban planner, has investigated the urbanization process in Latin America and participated in numerous programs relating to regional development.

Dr. Sarah Nicholls
Department of Community, Agriculture, Recreation and Resource Studies and the Department of Geography
331 Natural Resources
Phone: (517) 432-0319
E-mail: nicho210@msu.edu

Dr. Nicholls is a tourism geographer and is particularly interested in tourism development, planning and impacts on small islands such as those in the Caribbean.

Do I need a passport or visa?

A valid passport is required for entry into the Dominican Republic.

U.S. and non-U.S. citizens need a valid passport both to enter other countries and to return to the United States. If you already have a passport, make sure it is valid until at least six months after your return date. If you must apply for or renew a passport, APPLY EARLY, since a minimum of six to eight weeks are usually required for processing. During peak travel seasons, more processing time is required. Passport forms are available at many federal and state courts, probate courts, some county/municipal offices and some post offices. They can also be downloaded from the Web.

For more information about passports visit http://studyabroad.msu.edu/passports.html

A visa is official permission granted by the authorities of a country where you will study or travel that allows you to enter and remain in that country for a specific purpose. The visa itself is frequently a stamp in your passport, not a separate document. You will need a passport before applying for a visa and the passport plus visa process may take several months, so start early. It is your responsibility to inquire about visa requirements for all countries you plan to visit while abroad; this includes countries that you plan to visit before or after your study abroad program.

For more information about visas visit http://studyabroad.msu.edu/visas.html

Are there special health issues?

As part of your acceptance you will complete a Student Health/Emergency Treatment Authorization. It is your responsibility to ensure that your routine immunizations are up-to-date; inquire whether there are recommended and/or required immunizations or medications for the country/countries you will visit (including any countries you will visit that are not part of the study abroad program’s itinerary); and review educational issues relevant to your personal health and safety.

For further health information and recommendations visit http://studyabroad.msu.edu/health.html

How much does it cost?

The program fee is $2,322 and includes the following:

Amounts not included in the program fee for which participants will need to budget include:

Students may request a cost sheet which estimates these additional expenses not included in the program fee by contacting the Office of Study Abroad at (517) 353-8920.

Approximately two months before the program’s departure date, students will receive an e-bill from the MSU Student Accounts Office for the study abroad program fee. Students will also be e-billed for tuition and fees, based on the number of credits taken, once they have enrolled in courses. (Both amounts may be billed at the same time.)

*Check http://www.ctlr.msu.edu/studrec/ for current tuition, fees and taxes. MSU students pay the same amount they would pay to study at MSU; non-MSU students pay the Lifelong Education rate, regardless of state of residence.

Program fees, dates, and arrangements may be subject to change due to unexpected circumstances.

How can I get help to pay for it?

Financial assistance is available to students who make appropriate arrangements with the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) and MSU’s Office of Financial Aid.

If you are an MSU student and indicate on your application that you plan to use financial aid to pay for your study abroad experience, OSA will forward an estimated cost sheet to the MSU Office of Financial Aid for processing. This form will include all anticipated costs associated with the program, including airfare.

If you are a non-MSU student, please request financial aid from your home university. If your university is unable to award you financial aid, contact the MSU Office of Study Abroad to apply for loans only and you will be provided with instructions on how to proceed.

For further information about financial aid visit http://studyabroad.msu.edu/finaid/index.html

Additionally, MSU students applying to any credit-bearing study abroad program are eligible for OSA Scholarships. Some scholarships are based exclusively on academic performance; others are based on a combination of academic performance and financial need. Requirements are listed in the scholarship application. The deadlines to apply for these scholarships are February 1st for spring break programs, March 1st for summer, academic year and fall semester programs, and October 15th for winter break and spring semester programs.

A generous endowment from the MSU Federal Credit Union, as well as additional resources provided through the Forest Akers Endowment, MSU Alumni Association, the Australia-Pacific Council, Eleanor and Charles Greenleaf Sr., Brigitte and Thomas Huff, the Georges Jules Joyaux Memorial Fund, the Kellogg Foundation, Charles and Marjorie Gliozzo, and contributors to the Overseas Study Endowment provide funding for these OSA scholarships.

For even more MSU scholarship opportunities through individual colleges or external scholarship possibilities (including funding for Multicultural students) visit http://studyabroad.msu.edu/scholarships/index.html

How do I apply?

You can apply online or download an application form by visiting http://studyabroad.msu.edu/applications/index.html

Applications must be received in the Office of Study Abroad by March 1st for summer programs. We strongly recommend that you apply early as this program may fill to capacity prior to this deadline.

Selection of applicants is done on a rolling admission basis - that is, applications are accepted and students are evaluated and considered for admission throughout the academic year. Please remember that applying early and meeting the minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee admission.

A $100 application fee is required. Students will receive an e-bill for the application fee that is applied to the cost of the program and is non-refundable once a student has accepted admission into the program. Students who have accepted admission may also be billed for a non-refundable and non-transferable $200 deposit, also applied to the cost of the program.

Students who wish to withdraw their application are required to notify the Office of Study Abroad, in writing, that they no longer intend to participate.

Acceptance to all programs is based, minimally, on a faculty review of your transcript and a review of the Judicial Affairs Office records (MSU students) or Dean of Students Reference (non-MSU students).

Details about the admissions process, pre-departure information, what to know while you’re abroad, and information about returning home can be found in the Study Abroad Student Handbook that will be sent to you with your acceptance letter. You can also read the handbook online at http://studyabroad.msu.edu/abcs/index.html.

Program fees, dates, and arrangements may be subject to change due to unexpected circumstances.

What's next?
Come to a study abroad fair
Talk with a Peer Adviser
Read program evaluations
Attend an info meeting
Apply online
Additional Resources...
Office of Financial Aid	252 Student Services http://www.finaid.msu.edu
MSU Travel Clinic	East Circle Drive http://travelclinic.msu.edu
Academic Advisers	http://www.msu.edu/common/academic/units.html
Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities	120 Bessey Hall http://www.rcpd.msu.edu
Area Studies Centers	International Center http://www.isp.msu.edu
MSU Global Access	Information about the world -- its regions and peoples and important international issues International Center http://www.msuglobalaccess.net/
OSA contact info:	Office of Study Abroad Michigan State University 109 International Center East Lansing, MI 48824-1035 Phone: (517) 353-8920 Fax: (517) 432-2082 Email: studyabroad@osa.msu.edu