Art and Archaeology of Greece

Summer 2010

4 weeks (mid May to mid June)

Sponsored by the College of Arts and Letters

Arranged through the Office of Study Abroad (OSA)

What's this program about?

Studying the art and monuments of the ancient Greek world in the classroom is one thing. It is an entirely different matter when you are able to engage with that same material first-hand. Nothing can compare to the experience of standing in front of a Greek temple, walking through the rooms of a Roman bath, or entering the quiet spaces of a Byzantine monastery.

This program offers you the opportunity not only to experience the ancient world as it has been revealed by others, but also to participate in the process of uncovering the past yourself as a member of the team at the Ohio State University Excavations at Isthmia.

Where does it take place?

This study program involves a great deal of active travel to a number of sites in Greece. Like other Mediterranean countries, Greece is a land of stark contrasts with tall, rocky mountains ending in deep, blue seas and small pockets of arable land scattered throughout. During the course of your stay, you will see the climate change rapidly from cool and damp in May to hot and arid in June. Over the course of four weeks, you will have the opportunity to visit such sites as Athens, Aegina, Delphi, Olympia, Sparta, Mycenae, Corinth, Epidauros and many lesser known places as well. Because Greece is a relatively small country with an excellent highway system, it is easy to reach most of these sites from a single central location. As such you will spend three of the four weeks of this program in Loutro Elenis, a small village on the shore of the Saronic Gulf in an area of Greece known as the Corinthia.

What can I study?

Students are required to enroll for eight (8) credits drawn from the following courses.

CLA 491	Special Topics in Classical Studies	3 cr.
This course offering addresses the political, social, and historical aspects of the Greek sites, monuments and artifacts that will be studied throughout the four-week program.
HA 491	Special Topics in History of Art	1-3 cr.
This course offering addresses the Greek and Roman art and architecture that form an important aspect during both the traveling and archaeology segments of this program.
AL 400	Study Abroad in Arts and Letters	2-8 cr.
This course offering addresses the study of Modern Greek culture that is integral to this study program.

In the past, students have been able to petition the college to allow this program to fulfill other credits. Please contact the program leader for more details.

Course prerequisites may apply; see Course Descriptions (on the MSU Website) or program leader for details.

What are the requirements?

Students must be of at least sophomore status and in good academic standing, with a grade point average of at least 2.5 at the time of application. Meeting this minimum grade point average does not, however, guarantee admission. You will also be asked to participate in a selection interview.

Keep in mind too that this program involves a significant amount of strenuous physical activity (hiking, climbing, digging, carrying heavy objects, etc.) that often takes place in areas with little or no shade, so it is important that you are in good physical condition.

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?

After arriving in Greece, we will stay in Athens for four nights then travel to the island of Aegina for one night. The following day, the group will move to the Villa Stella in Loutro Elenis where we will stay for the remainder of the program. From here, we will make a number of day-trips to a variety of sites in central and southern Greece. A couple of these trips (to Olympia and Delphi) will require an overnight stay in other cities in Greece (Pylos and Itea). You will most likely stay in a double occupancy room with another student every evening. All rooms will be equipped with a private bathroom and at Loutro Elenis, with kitchen facilities as well.

Who can tell me more about this program?

Jon M. Frey
Assistant Professor of Classical Studies
105 D Kresge Art Center
Phone: 517-355-0237
Fax: 517-432-3938

Do I need a passport or visa?

A valid passport is required for entry into Greece.

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 eight to ten weeks is 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 the web page.

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. If you are not a U.S. citizen, consult the embassy or consulate of the countries you will visit to learn their document requirements.

For more information about visas visit the web page.

If you will be staying in Europe for longer than 90 days, you will need to contact the consulate(s) of your host country(ies) for advice on visas.

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.

Greece has a very good medical system with doctors who are often trained in the United States or United Kingdom. In addition, all hospitals and pharmacies are required to have English-speaking individuals on staff.

For further health information and recommendations visit the "Health Issues" section of the Student Handbook.

How much does it cost?

The program fee in 2009 was $3,684 and included the following:

application fee ($100)
deposit ($200)
pre-departure orientation and Greek lessons
accommodations
some meals*
travel within Greece
coursepack
accident and sickness insurance
field trips

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

MSU tuition and fees**
airfare
additional meals*
books and supplies
passport application fee
visa application fees (if applicable)
pre-departure doctor visits
pre-departure immunizations (if applicable)
personal spending money

*Lunch will be provided throughout the trip. Breakfast and dinner will be provided on selected days (dates TBA). Students will need to arrange for their own morning and evening meals on all other occasions.

Excluding tuition and fees*, these additional costs are estimated at $2,656 (US09). Students may request a cost sheet which lists both the program fee and an estimate of additional expenses by contacting the Office of Study Abroad at (517) 353-8920.

**Check Student Accounts 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.

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.)

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 the Web page.

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 deadline to apply for these scholarships is March 1st for summer 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 the web page.

How do I apply?

You can apply online or download an application form.

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.