Freshman Seminar in New Zealand

Summer 2008

On-campus orientation: July 23 - 25, 2008
On site in New Zealand: July 26 - August 11, 2008

On-campus follow-up meetings throughout fall semester 2008

Sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the Office of Study Abroad

To view a printable flyer for this program, please click here.

What's this seminar about?

New Zealand has captured the world's attention with its natural beauty as highlighted in the Lord of the Rings trilogy; however, like the rest of the world, New Zealand faces challenges that threaten its environmental resources and cultural heritage. This program will visit important environmental and historic sites on New Zealand's North Island, including volcanoes, geysers, wildlife sanctuaries, and museums. Students may choose between two academic tracks: one emphasizing biological and environmental sciences and one emphasizing sustainability and social science. As the entire program has an environmental theme, many field visits will occur as a full group and students should be prepared to be active and be outside throughout their stay.

What can I study?

Students earn two credits for UGS 102 and receive a numeric (4.0-scale) grade for their work. Credit earned in UGS 102 counts as elective credit, regardless of students' major or area of interest (although some majors may allow the course to fulfill a requirement). UGS 102 is designed to provide students with an introduction to scholarship and inquiry in international contexts. Special disciplinary-based topics are focused to develop intercultural abilities and deepen international understandings.

Students will enroll for one of the two thematic tracks. Enrollment in these tracks will be on a first-come, first-served basis with every effort being made to give students their first preference. The specific topics covered in each seminar depend on the faculty members teaching them.

The tracks for the 2008 New Zealand seminar are:

1) No Place like Home: Environmental Science in New Zealand

Located between Antarctica and Australia, New Zealand provides a unique location to learn about environmental science. New Zealand offers diverse geographic features including thrust-fault mountains, geothermal hot springs, coastal zones, marine and fresh water ecosystems, alpine tundra, swamp forests, and grasslands. Its isolation and location make this island nation a home to some of the world's most unique organisms such as Kiwi, Tuatara lizards, penguins, and tree ferns. This track will focus on the environment of New Zealand from a scientific perspective, drawing upon biology and geology to understand and interpret the beautiful views surrounding us. No place in the United States offers the diversity in habitats that can be observed in New Zealand!

2) Waiting on the World to Change: How You Can Save the Planet

John Mayer sings that many young people are "waiting on the world to change." Although many environmental problems seem large and impossible to resolve by individuals, everyone can make a difference. Whether by making good purchasing decisions, being active in our communities, or making small personal changes, each of us can help change the world. As an island nation at the bottom of the world with an active, eco-friendly culture, New Zealand provides an excellent location for us to consider  the environmental issues from a sustainable perspective. As we hike through a forest, explore a cave, encounter native wildlife, or navigate our way through the busy streets of Wellington, this track will consider everyday ways to sustain the Earth as citizens and consumers. Track topics will include the role of the media, consumerism, public policy, and the role of technology as related to  students' everyday lives.

What are the requirements?

To be eligible, applicants must have first-year freshman status at Michigan State University beginning in fall 2008 AND have paid their Advanced Enrollment Deposit (AED). That is, a student must be admitted to and attending MSU for the first time as a full-time college student during the 2008-09 academic year.

It is strongly recommended that students apply early as acceptance into the program is on a rolling basis and the program may fill to capacity (30 students) before the priority application deadline of June 2, 2008.

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

If you are unsure about your eligibility, please email Mr. Jim Lucas at lucasjam@msu.edu.

Where will I live?

Students will stay in select youth hostels.

Who can tell me more about this program?

Ms. Sandy Tupper
Office of Study Abroad
Phone: (517) 432-4341
E-mail: tuppers@msu.edu

Sandy Tupper coordinates study abroad programs in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, S. Korea and the Philippines. She also works with incoming exchange students from around the world that come to MSU for a semester or academic year. Sandy spent 5 years studying and working in Japan and has traveled extensively in Asia and the Oceania region. Her undergraduate and graduate degrees are both from Michigan State University. The years studying and working abroad inspired her to work in the field of international education, where she has spent the last 14 years assisting students to study abroad.

Dr. Todd Tarrant
Integrative Studies in General Science
Phone: (517) 432-9285
E-mail: tarrantt@msu.edu

Todd Tarrant is the Assistant Director of the Center for Integrative Studies in General Science. He is the non-majors general biology laboratory coordinator, a biology instructor, teaching environmental biology, biomedical applications and other courses. Additionally, he has lead study abroad programs for the past eight years to places such as New Zealand, the Canadian Rockies, Kenya, Costa Rica, and the Virgin Islands. He has won many teaching awards, developed the general biology laboratory program, has over 25 years of teaching experience and has taught all kinds of courses including, biology, anatomy and physiology, geology, vertebrate anatomy, chemistry, physics, sailing and photography. Dr. Tarrant has conducted research on breast cancer, education and aquatic ecology, and on NOAA research vessels in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Tarrant enjoys spending his free time running with his dogs, bicycling, skiing, flying, backpacking, canoeing, rafting, sailing, traveling, reading, and going to the theater.

Mr. James Lucas
Office of the Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education
Phone: (517) 355-0171
E-mail: lucasjam@msu.edu

Jim Lucas is the Assistant to the Dean of Undergraduate Education for internationalization on campus. Jim has worked as an academic advisor and instructor on campus, and he has taught first-year students for the past seven years. He has worked on this Ireland seminar program for the last four years and also co-leads a program to Australia and New Zealand . Jim has won several teaching awards for his work with students, and his professional interests which include globalization, student learning, and sustainability. In his free time, Jim enjoys reading, hiking, camping, and participating in water sports. Secretly, he also collects comic books and is a huge fan of Star Wars.

Do I need a passport or visa?

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 twelve 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 $3,725 and includes the following:

• application fee ($100)
• deposit ($200)
• overnight stay, meals and orientation program at MSU
• transportation (Roundtrip travel from MSU campus to Detroit Metro Airport; round-trip airfare Detroit-New Zealand-Detroit)
• lodging while in New Zealand
• most meals while in New Zealand
• coursepack of class materials
• excursions and field trips
• accident and sickness insurance

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

• MSU tuition and fees*
• additional meals
• academic supplies
• local transportation during free time
• passport application fee ($100)
• pre-departure doctor visits
• pre-departure immunizations (if applicable)
• personal spending money

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.

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 two credits. (Both amounts may be billed at the same time.)

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

*Check http://ctlr.msu.edu/COStudentAccounts/Tuition_Fees.aspx for current tuition, fees and taxes

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.

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

Freshman Seminar Abroad (FSA) Scholarships

Students participating on an FSA program may be eligible for up to three awards created just for these programs. General information about the awards is available below.

Freshman Seminar Abroad Study Abroad Scholarships: The Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education (APUE) and the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) offer a limited number of scholarships specifically for eligible FSA participants. In all cases, to be eligible for the award a student must be (1) admitted to MSU with their deposit paid, (2) have submitted their application to an FSA program, and (3) have on file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at the MSU Financial Aid Office. Students must submit a scholarship application form located at: http://studyabroad.msu.edu/scholarships/scholarapp.pdf.

Awards funded through the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education (APUE) are for $1,000, and require applicants to be Pell grant eligible and to have demonstrated high academic merit. The priority deadline for APUE awards is April 15, 2008.

Awards funded through the Office of Study Abroad (OSA) are for $200, and require applicants to have a 2.5 GPA or above and demonstrate financial need. The deadline for OSA awards is June 9, 2008.

Please note that it may take several weeks after the deadlines to process and select the recipients of these awards.

Freshman Seminar Abroad Honors College Scholarship: MSU's Honors College offers a limited number of awards specifically for FSA participants who are also incoming Honors College students. Scholarships will be awarded by the Honors College to the first eligible students who register for each program, so apply early!

How do I apply?

The application is available by clicking here.

Once admitted into Michigan State University , you may submit your application to the MSU Office of Study in person, by fax, or by mail. A complete application requires your signature on the application form (and a parent's/guardian's signature, if you are under age 18 at the time of application). A $100 application fee is required. You will receive an electronic bill (e-bill) from the MSU Student Accounts Office for the application fee, which is applied to the cost of the seminar and is non-refundable once you accept admission into the seminar. If you are denied admission into the seminar, you will receive a full refund of the $100 application fee.

Deadlines for application depend on seminar departure dates and logistical planning, and applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis. The following Priority Deadlines should be taken into consideration when applying for a 2008 seminar:

The Office of Study Abroad suggests you apply well before the priority deadline date. Faculty will accept students into seminars until they are full or logistical factors make it impossible to add additional participants. To increase your chances of being accepted into your desired seminar, you should apply as early as possible.

Admission into these seminars minimally requires you maintain your status as an MSU freshman and be in good academic and disciplinary standing.

You will be notified of your acceptance status by an official letter from the Office of Study Abroad. Participation is contingent on maintaining your status as admitted student for fall 2008. Your participation may be denied or your participation approval may be revoked if your conduct before departure raises doubts as to your suitability for seminar participation.

If admitted into a seminar, you will receive an official acceptance packet in the mail that includes a Decision Form, Student Health/Emergency Treatment Authorization, Statement of Responsibility, and a Travel Permission for Minors (required for participants under age 18 at the time of the seminar's departure). To confirm your admission into a seminar, you must sign and return the forms included in this packet to the Office of Study Abroad within two weeks of the date of your acceptance letter or you may lose your space in the seminar. Students admitted into a seminar less than six (6) weeks prior to the seminar's departure date must sign and return the forms upon receipt.

Once you return the forms indicating your acceptance of admission you will be billed a non-refundable and non-transferable $200 deposit. This deposit will be posted and due on your student account and must be paid by the due date indicated on the e-bill. It will be applied to the program fee. If you do not pay the application fee and/or deposit by the due date indicated on the e-bill, the fees will accrue monthly late charges until paid in full.

Students who are wait-listed because a seminar is filled to capacity will not be billed the $200 deposit until formally accepted. The application fee will be refunded to wait-listed students who are unable to participate due to seminar space limitations.

Billing notification will be sent to your MSU e-mail account, so you must check it regularly! To activate your MSU e-mail account visit http://help.msu.edu/newstudent/. This site will provide you with instructions on how to activate your account. You will then be able to view your bill and determine when payment is due.

Further details can be found in the Study Abroad Student Handbook available on line at http://studyabroad.msu.edu/abcs/index.html (including information about withdrawing from a seminar).

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

What's next?

Visit the OSA Web site
http://studyabroad.msu.edu

Check out the following Additional Resources:

Office of Financial Aid
http://www.finaid.msu.edu
252 Student Services

MSU Travel Clinic
http://travelclinic.msu.edu
East Circle Drive

Academic Advisers
http://www.msu.edu/common/academic/units.html
Located in each individual college/department

Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities
http://www.rcpd.msu.edu/Home/
120 Bessey Hall

Area Studies Centers
http://www.isp.msu.edu
International Center

MSU Global Access
http://www.msuglobalaccess.net
Information about the world - its regions and peoples and important international issues