COVID-19 Vaccine Policy Related to Travel Programs
Although strongly encouraged, participants on University-Sponsored International Travel for summer 2023 onward will not be required to be vaccinated against COVID, except where required by the local government, partner institution, or activity. Arcadia strongly encourages all participants, in consultation with their physicians, to follow CDC guidance to remain up-to-date with COVID vaccinations, along with other recommended vaccinations. These are important measures to mitigate the risk of severe illness in our travelers as well as mitigate the spread of COVID and other diseases to the communities in which our students study.
Arcadia does require all students to disclose COVID vaccination status. Students that have been vaccinated will be asked to provide additional information for use as necessary in mitigation efforts.
Spring 2023 Preview Courses
LONDON - Behind the Music Biz: Exploring the Urban Music Scene and Gentrification in London and Philadelphia
Location: London, England
Faculty: Bruce Campbell
Time: Monday 4-6 p.m.
This course provides an in-depth comparative experience in both the London and Philadelphia music scenes. In the classes before the travel component, we begin by discussing the history and types of music that are found in the urban music scenes in London and Philadelphia. In recent sessions of this course, gentrification has naturally come up, and this is an important part of the context of this course, and the impact of gentrification on the music scene in both cities is incorporated. In groups, students research an aspect of the music scene (artists, recording, production, distribution, touring and shows, and technology). Students attend a live show in the Philadelphia area and present in groups on the aspect of the music scene as well as their experiences at the show. We use technology to locate and assign web content (e.g., music, video, blogs) as readings for the course. Guest speakers who have roots in the Philadelphia music scene discuss with the class the history and current music scene in Philadelphia. During their time in London, students again attend a music show and visit a variety of places related to the music scene (e.g., radio stations, recording studios, etc). As a basis for final projects, students make a comparison between their experiences in Philadelphia and London.
LONDON - Behind the Palace Gates- Investigating the Truth about Royalty and other Presumptions of British Society
Location: London, England
Faculty: Breann Donnelly and Alisha Divis
Time: Thursday, 4-6 p.m.
What scandals lurk behind the polished image of British royalty? Are the wives of Henry VIII more scandalous than the contemporary wives of Windsor? Together we’ll uncover the truths behind some of the greatest royal smear campaigns. In a country where the image is everything, can you trust anything they tell you? Join us as we deconstruct the image of the mighty empire in order to define what it truly means to be British. In country, we’ll discover the real city of London outside of the square mile to learn the very different story that neighborhoods tell about history, identity, and the mirage of the crown.
DUBLIN - Exploring Ghost Criminology and Dark Tourism in Dublin
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Faculty: Favian Martin and Kevin Revier
Time: Friday 2:45-4:45 p.m.
Dublin is a city ripe with paranormal stories. In recent years, dark tourism has increased in Dublin, these tours offer visitors an opportunity to travel to historical places that are associated with death and tragedy. Drawing on the theoretical framework of Ghost Criminology, dark tourism, and Irish literature, students will explore and deconstruct the meanings of these macabre stories. Topics that will be covered include the following: trafficking of cadavers in 19th century Dublin, the Easter Rising of 1916, Darkey Kelly (Ireland’s first convicted female serial killer and alleged witch), and other topics. In this class, students will be exposed to elements of criminology and sociology, and the history of Ireland to understand the factors that contribute to these stories. To fully deconstruct supernatural stories and immerse themselves in the Irish culture, students will travel to Dublin and visit the following places: Kilmainham Gaol, Glasnevin Cemetery, the vaults of St. Michan's Church, GPO (General Post Office) Museum, and the Dublin Castle. Lastly, students will participate in a ghost tour of Dublin.
EDINBURGH - Hard Men: Deconstructing Scottish Masculinity
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Faculty: Daniel Pieczkolon and Celeste Walker
Time: Friday 2:45-4:45 p.m.
For decades, sociologists have been reminding us that “gender is a social construct,” but how do different societies construct gender differently? How do factors like geography, economics, cultural history and representation, and so many more combine to inform our (mis)understanding of gender? This course provides students the opportunity to examine the cultural stereotype of the “Scottish Hardman” in contemporary Scottish fiction in an attempt to understand its root causes & material effects. To help us better understand the fiction, we will use academic essays, short films, personal reflection/refraction, classroom discussion, and experiential learning (in Edinburgh and Glasgow) to explore how masculinity reproduces itself—often to the detriment of other genders, society at large, and even those who benefit from it in some capacity.
DUBLIN - Wherever Green is Worn: Modern Ireland Through History and Tradition
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Faculty: Timothy Barton
Time: Friday 2:45-4:45 p.m.
Ireland is often represented in popular culture as green fields and stone walls, St. Patrick and the land of saints and scholars, and aloof people with the gift of the gab, but are these representations accurate or stereotypical? Ireland has changed dramatically during the last one hundred years while holding onto the unique traits that have shaped its people for centuries. This course will examine the Irish today and how this may differ from the Irish-American perspective we often encounter in our daily lives. Focusing on the history, literature, and sociology of Modern Ireland, the course will explore the current social and political tensions on the island. We will trace the development of Ireland from its Celtic past to modern times while addressing questions like why 80 million people around the world look to this island as their ancestral home. Students will participate in firsthand experiences in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, including walking tours of Dublin, lectures on Modern Irish history, a visit to a coastal village, a working tour of the Irish parliament, a visit to Derry, and a tour of an important Celtic archeological site.
PARIS - A City of Insiders and Outsiders
Location: Paris, France
Faculty: Kate Bonin and Matt Heitzman
Time: Friday 2:45-4:45 p.m.
The city of Paris has been profoundly shaped by the powerful, the privileged, and the talented men and women who have inhabited it: from its kings, emperors, and presidents; to brilliant engineers and technocrats such as Baron Haussmann and Gustave Eiffel; to groundbreaking artists and intellectuals such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. At the same time, the city’s structures (both physical and cultural) have been challenged, attacked, and re-made by invaders and revolutionary forces from outside its institutions: from the Viking invaders who sailed up the Seine to raid the capital of the Frankish empire; to the “rejected” artists who revolutionized nineteenth-century painting; from the May 1968 university student and worker protests that brought the federal government to a halt; to the political, economic, and social tensions surrounding the Gilet Jaune protests that began in 2018.
Over the course of the semester, and during our week-long stay in Paris, we will seek to understand the physical, political, economic, and cultural structures of French civilization through our study of Parisian “insiders” and “outsiders.” As our investigations will show, these categories themselves are unstable, and liable to sudden reversals: such as Louis XIV, the absolute monarch who deliberately consolidated his power outside the city limits; or Maximilien Robespierre, one of the architects of the French Revolution, who was himself overthrown and guillotined; or the African-American authors and entertainers of the 1920s and 30s who left behind their marginalized status in the United States to make their home in the City of Lights. As the celebrated Harlem-born writer James Baldwin said, “African-Americans discover in Paris the terms by which they can define themselves. It’s the freedom to work beyond the assumptions of what we can and can’t do as African-Americans. It’s a different rhythm and pace. We can imagine ourselves in new ways in that space.”
ATHENS - GREECE: Myths and Civilization
Location: Athens, Greece
Faculty: Allyson McCreery and Rhianon Visinsky
Time: Friday 2:45-4:45 p.m.
The landscape of Greece invites people into a labyrinth of mythology and civilizations. In this course, students will examine the myths and literature of Classical Greece as well as the ancient civilizations that flourished from the Bronze Age to the Hellenistic Period of Ancient Greece. In Greece, students will explore ancient sites and civilizations, the relationship between mythology and landscape, and the legacy and impact of Ancient Greece on today’s world.
BRUSSELS - African Belgium: A Decolonial View of the Heart of Europe
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Faculty: Jennifer Riggan and Anne Marie Francois-Hurley
Time: Wednesday 2:45-4:45 p.m.
When you think of Belgium, you might think of chocolate or waffles. You might know that Belgium is the birthplace of the French fry. If you follow global politics, you may be aware that Brussels is often referred to as the “capital of Europe” because it is home to a number of critical European Union institutions, such as the European Parliament. But Belgium is also infamous for being the place that started the “scramble for Africa,” resulting in European powers dividing the African continent for resource extraction and colonization. Belgium was one of the most brutal colonizers and the legacy of Belgian colonization has given rise to ongoing resource wars and identity-based conflicts throughout the region. African communities living in Belgium have begun to push back against narratives that try to gloss over the brutality of colonialism, insisting that the true story be told and that Belgium embrace the stories of its African citizens as an integral part of the country’s story.
SAN JOSE - Ecotourism & Sustainable Development in Costa Rica
Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Faculty: Alan Powell and Ryan Genova
Time: Wednesday 2:45-4:45 p.m.
This course will explore the image of Costa Rica as a leader in the global ecotourism community. As Costa Rican tourism of all kinds has significantly increased over the past two decades, surrounding controversy has begged the questions: Is de facto ecotourism a sustainable practice, and can conservation and economic growth truly go hand in hand? We will focus on the role and polices of the Costa Rican government in managing the private sector, protecting the country’s biodiversity and natural lands, and its historical responses to criticisms levied by environmentalists. We will have the opportunity to learn from local sources, participate in sustainable practices related to Costa Rica’s ecosystem and local population, and visit some of the northern region’s most exotic landscapes. Students will depart San Jose with an increased awareness of natural preservation, the growing demands of the tourism industry, and the cultural integrity of the local community.
BARCELONA - You Are What You Eat: Food Culture in Barcelona
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Faculty: Ashley Knueppel and Shannon Bernardo
Time: Tuesday 4:00 -6:00 p.m.
“I think food is language- just like any other language it has a system, it has a structure, it has references it draws from and it has values…But I like it when food comes from an experience. When you go to [a country],...there are new experiences. And as that society changes, so does their food.”- Chef Eddie Huang
“Food is of and from a place; it needs a context to give it authenticity.”-food and wine authority Colman Andrew
Food plays a crucial role in cultural identity; it is one of the strongest identifiers of place and home. Barcelona has a rich history and connection to food and is globally recognized for its bustling food scene.
This course will take students on a deep dive into Barcelona food and culture and experience how food, cooking, and eating can be used as vehicles for understanding a culture and society- especially in a globalized world. We will treat the classroom like a dinner table- a place to come together and foster discussion with respect. Topics to be covered include a basic history of Barcelona and representative foods, the effects of colonization, immigration and ethnic enclaves, cultural identity and food rituals, sustainability efforts, and food tourism.
We’ll put this learning into action with our Preview travel week itinerary. Highlights include: walking tours, tapas tasting, cooking class, vineyard and farm visits, market, art and architecture tours.
FLORENCE - Science, Technology, Society, and Culture: Exploring the Cities of Philadelphia and Florence
Location: Florence, Italy
Faculty: Augusto Macalalag and Kim Dean
Time: Friday 2:45-4:45 p.m.
The city of Philadelphia played a pivotal role in shaping the development of a new democracy, while the city of Florence played a role in the initiation of the Italian Renaissance. Both cities are steeped in scientific discovery and the advancement of their respective countries. In this course, students identify and examine the scientific pioneers, their discoveries and developments, and how the local culture and society fostered their work. Students participate in a variety of discussions and field explorations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Florence, Italy, introducing them to the interplay of science, society, and culture of two historic and well-known cities. Examples of field study include Brunelleschi’s discovery of linear perspective and its use in art, the invention of mechanical devices for building construction and used in erecting the dome of the Florence cathedral, Leonardo da Vinci’s machines, Benjamin Franklin Institute visit, Benjamin Franklin’s many inventions such as the lightning rod for safety, and Galileo’s discovery of the Laws of Motion and his development and use of the telescope to advance astronomy. Students will also explore the societal and political contributions of Benjamin Franklin and the Medici Family in the technological advances made during the Italian Renaissance and Colonial America.
SIRACUSA - Tradition, Mythology and Modernity: Sicily Today
Location: Siracusa, Sicily, Italy
Faculty: Michelle Reale and Meg Nolan
Time: Thursday 2:45-4:45 p.m.
This Preview course with travel to Sicily will examine this enigmatic island from tradition to modernity, touching on the various aspects of Sicilian culture both well known and more obscure. We will look at the culture through various lenses, such as religion, mythology, food, family, the Mafia and Italian stereotypes, to excavate the myriad aspects of a culture that has survived despite the many invasions the island has weathered!
SEOUL - Seeing Visual Elements: South Korea
Location: Seoul, South Korea
Faculty: June Lee
Time: Friday 2:45-4:45 p.m.
This Preview course seeks to facilitate for students a deeper relationship with an unfamiliar place, both in terms of art and culture, by focusing on visual elements, experience, and awareness. It is about seeing critically. Every place has a unique schema of colors, shapes, and forms in its art and cultural environment. Using various approaches, this course begins with the study of visual elements (i.e., line, shape, pattern, color), as seen through the lens of specific sites and venues in South Korea. During the spring break, students travel to historical and cultural attractions in South Korea such as a historical palace and village, a Buddhist temple, and traditional and contemporary art museums. At each location, students document their experiences as visual journals to create a final visual project at the end of the semester.
An Adventure Made in China
“Our conversation over barbecued pork and chicken feet on a skewer made me realize that though our governments are vastly different, we as people have much in common and a lot we could learn from each other.”
I Can’t Believe I Did That
“If ‘future me’ came to visit myself senior year of high school and told me that I would transfer colleges and take a trip to Vietnam, I would have thought it was some kind of joke. But that’s exactly what happened.”
Preview Broadens My Perspective of the World
“I chose this course for a reason: I knew that it was a history and culture that I was blind to, and I wanted to understand more about pressing issues elsewhere in the world.”
Preview FAQs
Faculty direct the curriculum and are accompanied by other Arcadia employees who mentor you throughout the experience. Civic and Global Engagement provides pre-departure guidance on logistics, health and safety, passport and/or visa regulations, health concerns, costs, weather, and luggage.
Who is eligible for Preview?
Full-time, matriculated first-year and new transfer students who enter the University in spring, summer, or fall participate in Preview during the following spring semester. Courses are open to all majors. You must maintain good academic and disciplinary standing prior to departure.
Eligible students will receive an email invitation with a personalized application link in mid-September. If you think you're eligible for Preview and do not have this email after Sept. 15, contact Cheryl Lewis.
How do I sign up and choose a course?
If eligible, you will be notified by email in early fall about online registration. You will need to indicate your top three course preferences and be asked to write a brief personal statement that explains your interest in a particular course. Your statements will be reviewed and considered as part of your placement.
Do I get credit for Preview courses?
Students who complete Preview courses earn two credits.
How much does Preview cost, and what does the fee cover?
Preview program fees are $795. The fee covers air and ground transportation, programmed events, accommodations, and some meals. You are responsible for passport/visa fees, meals, and incidental expenses (i.e. souvenirs and activities). Costs will vary among sites, but $50 per day is a modest budget. Past students report spending $250 to $500, depending on their habits and preferences.
You can pay this fee online through Self-Service or in-person at the Office of Student Accounts (the deadline will be shared with you via email).
Who handles the accommodations and airfare?
Civic and Global Engagement and university partners arrange all travel logistics. Arcadia books group flights leaving from local airports. Accommodations vary in each location, but are clean, basic, and safe. Students room together in groups of two to four.
How can I access my money while traveling?
You should take an ATM card that is linked to a bank account for easy access to funds and for the best exchange rate. Your bank may charge small fees for foreign withdrawals.
It’s important to notify the bank of dates you'll be traveling. Credit cards (VISA or Mastercard) are accepted in most locations, except for smaller businesses. Travelers checks are not advisable.
Do I need to know the language of the country to participate?
Preview is open to you with or without language competency.
What is Arcadia’s refund/withdrawal policy?
Students who withdraw on or after the communicated deadline will not be refunded their Preview fee. Students who are placed on academic or disciplinary probation are not eligible for a refund, and may be responsible for paying non-recoverable costs. All withdrawals should be communicated in a timely manner to Civic and Global Engagement.
Can my Preview travel plans change?
Sometimes, Arcadia needs to change Preview travel plans in order to keep everyone as safe as possible. An excerpt from the Preview Enrollment Agreement states:
Arcadia University reserves the right to cancel, alter, suspend, or amend any part of any program or to increase fees should circumstances make these actions advisable or necessary. I understand that the program calendar dates posted on the Arcadia University website are tentative in nature, and can change at any time. Arcadia University will alert me of any such changes and will work to minimize any disruption to my planning.
Do I need a passport or visa?
Passports are required for all international travel, and you will need to submit a copy to Civic and Global Engagement (deadline to be announced). We strongly recommend that students request expedited passport processing (additional fee applies) for new passport applications and renewals (regular processing time is now more than four months). If you currently have a passport, be sure the expiration date is at least six months after your return date.
U.S. citizens do not require visas for short visits to most locations. Locations requiring a visa for U.S. citizens will be noted in the Preview announcement and course description. If you hold a passport from a country other than the U.S., you'll need to check requirements (and Civic and Global Engagement can help you). For U.S. "green card" holders, the passport determines visa requirements.
Please note this excerpt from the Preview Enrollment Agreement:
I understand that it is my responsibility to have all travel documents necessary for domestic and/or international program travel. For international travel, this includes a valid passport for the duration of my time abroad and for any required amount of time after I return as stipulated by the immigration policy of my host country. I agree to obtain any and all visa and clearances prior to my time abroad and ensure I have obtained the proper authorization to study in my host country. I understand that Arcadia University is not responsible for any decisions made by foreign embassies or consulates regarding approval of visa documentation and/or immigration clearance. I understand that the failure to obtain required travel documents by stated program deadlines may result in my removal from the program and that I may be responsible for non-recoverable costs incurred by Arcadia University on my behalf.
