Academics Curriculum 2008-09

International Studies

The Center for International Education offers opportunities for off-campus study through the NMH international studies programs, established in the belief that an understanding of the interdependent relationships between cultures, a sensitivity to others in the world, and a heightened global awareness are essential characteristics of an educated person. Each study and travel experience is designed to challenge and involve fully the intellectual, emotional, and cultural resources of the participants.

The experience of living in a country while engaging in critical thinking, problem solving, reading, writing, and observation is the key to developing insights into the culture, language, and values of that country. Active participation in the daily life of a community, in combination with study of its culture and language, provides enriching new perspectives on oneself, one’s own culture, the host country, and the world at large. By erasing stereotypes and developing sensitivities to other lifestyles, the programs also contribute to the creation of international understanding and friendship.

The international studies programs, which are selective, are open to juniors and seniors, who must complete a formal application by the beginning of spring semester for the following year. Applicants must have attended NMH for at least one year. Participating students receive three academic credits that may be in international studies or specific disciplines depending on the focus and leadership of the particular program. Should their language achievement during the experience enable them to skip a level of language study, they will be awarded one language credit in addition to any other appropriate credit.

Announcements about specific programs offered in a given year will be made by the Center for International Education early in the spring semester. There is an additional cost for these programs. One or more of these programs may not be offered in any given year due to enrollment or staffing (or both). Contact the Center for International Education for current information.

HUM 211B  Humanities II: South Africa Soujourn read more

INT 069  International Studies Program: Costa Rica
Three credits. Open to juniors and seniors. Students receive two lab science credits, one credit each for BIO 413 Tropical Field Biology and ENV 412 Environmental Issues of Costa Rica. Prerequisites include two years of science, including biology, and permission of the instructor. Candidates’ qualifications are assessed in terms of level of academic achievement, maturity, and ability to work independently and within a group.

The goal of the program is to allow the students to develop an understanding of the interrelationships of the physical world and the challenge of working towards a sustainable future. The Costa Rican Environmental Program will allow students to study environmental science issues and basic scientific research techniques in a unique way. They will not only have the opportunity to investigate specific areas of their own choice, but also be able to experience the Costa Rican environment and see firsthand the very issues and topics that they are exploring in the field. Students will begin on campus for the first part of the semester. After intensive review of their chosen topics at NMH, the group will travel to Costa Rica and spend time at several specifically chosen sites. Each site has been selected for its exceptional quality and ability to expose the students to the natural world, and its unique cultural characteristics. The students will then return to NMH to complete and compile their work into a formal paper or presentation.

INT 061  International Studies Program: France
Three credits. Prerequisite: Two semesters of French language study or equivalent, three or more preferred.  Students will earn two credits in French language, history, and culture and a third credit in Intercultural Communications (INT 101).
The French program abroad is part of a student exchange program with the Lycée Jean-Baptiste Dumas in the southern French city of Alès. Students live with a host family, attend classes at the lycée, and are expected to complete independent work assigned by their NMH French teacher. The program consists of approximately nine weeks study at NMH and six weeks study in France. While in France students will attend a full complement of classes at the Lycée Jean-Baptiste Dumas in Ales, where the language of instruction is French. In addition, students have a weekly class with their NMH instructor and maintain daily journals. They also research and prepare a major report and oral presentation on a subject of their own design.

INT 062  International Studies Program: Germany (Not offered in 2008-09)
Three credits. Prerequisite: Two semesters of German language study or equivalent. Students will earn two credits in German language and culture and a third credit in Intercultural Communications (INT 101).
The German semester abroad is part of a student exchange program with the Christliches Jugenddorfwerk Deutschland. NMH students attend the Jugenddorf-Christophorus School located in Braunschweig. They follow a full complement of courses and are also expected to complete independent work assigned by their NMH German teacher. Students live with a host family.

INT 071  Senior Seminar International Studies Program: Greece (Not offered in 2008-09)
Three credits. Prerequisite: Open to seniors only.
The spring 2008 senior seminar will include three weeks travel in Greece with stays in Athens, Olympia, Delphi, and the islands, where we will explore the marvels of Greece’s antiquities and experience 21st-century Greek culture. During the on-campus component of the program, students will study ancient Greece and delve into contemporary issues of modern Greece. This work will prepare students for visits to archaeological sites such as the Acropolis in Athens; the 2,500-year-old theater at Epidavros; the ancient city of Mycenae; Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympics; and Akrotiri on Santorini. The on-campus component also will prepare students for their own personal experiences and considerations of contemporary life and environmental, sociopolitical, and economic issues in Greece today.

INT 068  Senior Seminar International Studies Program: Ireland
Three credits. Prerequisite: Open to seniors only.
The Irish studies seminar is specifically designed for seniors. The seminar combines on-campus courses with three weeks of travel in Ireland, offering an international experience to seniors who wish to broaden their academic experience during spring term. Students will begin spring term at NMH with an intensive academic program in two integrated courses. The group will then fly to Ireland for three weeks of study and travel. For the seminar, students will work individually and as a group on their final projects, meeting regularly with their teacher. As they move toward the completion of their final exhibitions, their work will be increasingly independent. The final project must reflect the weight and substance of a term’s work and be presentable to a larger audience. Students will also engage in the study of intercultural communications throughout the full semester.

INT 073  International Studies Program: New Zealand
Three credits. Prerequisite: Open to juniors and seniors only.
The New Zealand term abroad program offers students an interdisciplinary approach to study the history, culture, and literature of New Zealand as well as its contemporary environmental and political issues. Students spend the first half of the semester on campus and approximately six weeks in New Zealand. The program includes intensive study of New Zealand’s history and the Maori culture and an introduction to environmental studies. Trends and patterns that students discover in their study of each discipline will be woven together to build a comprehensive understanding of New Zealand and its diverse population, and also will be used to compare them to political and social situations in America.

INT 076  International Studies Program:  East Meets West: Senior Seminar in Turkey
Three credits. Prerequisite: Students will earn one credit for English literature, one credit for history, and one credit for International Communications (INT 101).
This seminar will explore one of the most ancient lands, Turkey, the crossroads of civilization, where East meets West. Since antiquity the land that is now Turkey has hosted merchants and marauders from Homer’s Greeks to Genghis Khan, the crusaders of Europe to the silk and spice traders of China and India.  In our three-week sojourn, we’ll explore the wonders of ancient and modern Turkey, from Troy to Ephesus. We’ll walk the paths walked on by St. Paul, Alexander the Great, Anthony and Cleopatra. To these add the mosques of the great Sinan, the Aya Sophia of Justinian, the Harem of the Ottomans, the delights of the Grand Bazaar and Egyptian Spice Bazaar. We’ll meet modern Turkish students and stay in their homes. Included will be a study of the history, literature, politics, art, architecture, and religion of Turkey. Emphasis will be on the role of Turkey in the modern period, including its relationship with Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. Other major topics include the historic role of Turkey as an ancient crossroads, the role of Islam in contemporary Turkish life, the impact of World War I, the role and influence of Ataturk, Islamic art and architecture, and ethnic Turkey. The literature used in this course will focus on the Middle East, beginning with Homer’s Iliad and Tales from 1001 Arabian Nights and including Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex, Louis deBerniere’s Birds Without Wings, Orhan Pamuk’s Snow, and contemporary short stories and poetry. Writing assignments will include both critical analyses and personal narratives; students will be required to keep both a reading journal and a travel journal.

INT 074  International Studies Program: Uruguay
Three credits. Prerequisite: Two semesters of Spanish or equivalent. Students will earn two credits related to the Spanish language and Uruguayan history and culture and a third credit in Intercultural Communications (INT 101).
The NMH Study Abroad Program in Uruguay consists of four components: a homestay in which each student lives with a middle-class Uruguayan family for approximately six weeks; an academic program in which students take formal classes in Spanish language, Latin American literature, history of Uruguay and Latin America, and Uruguayan culture; an apprenticeship during which students work for about three hours per day; and a travel program that consists of several weekend trips to different parts of the country. Students take active part in daily small-group classes taught by the leaders. At the same time, they attend workshops that include tango and candombe dancing, cooking and pottery. An independent study project is required of each student in a special interest area. The project will be presented the last week of the semester on campus. The teacher, the apprenticeship supervisor, and the homestay family evaluate the student.

Related Courses
NMH has a strong commitment to developing an international perspective in all its students, believing that intercultural sensitivity and global awareness will enable students to fulfill their responsibilities as effective world citizens. Following are some of the courses in the NMH curriculum that reflect an international perspective. Students are encouraged to consider them in planning their academic programs.

English
ENG 211  World Literature

History and Social Science
HUM II  Brazil Sojourn
HIS 315  Foreign Policy
HIS 413  War
HIS 418 Asia Rising: China, Japan, Korea
SOC 412  Economics
SOC 512  AP Economics

Religious Studies
REL/HIS 2  The Islamic Middle East
REL 413  Eastern Religions

World Languages
Arabic
Chinese
French
Classical Studies/Latin
Russian
Spanish

Science
ENV 411  Environmental Studies
ENV 415  Environmental Studies: An International Perspective
ENV 511  AP Environmental Science