BESTSEMESTER 2011 — 2012 / VIEWBOOK
FOREWORD
The 2011-12 academic year ushers in many new and exciting ventures for BestSemester Programs around the world. Âť
» This fall the inaugural semester of the India Studies Program will be offered in partnership with CCCU
international affiliate, Bishop Appasamy College of Arts and Sciences. ISP will challenge students to discover for themselves a variety of ways to address the needs of the poor and disenfranchised, acting as agents of salt and light in a broken world. We are also excited to announce the official launch of the Uganda Studies Program’s Social Work Emphasis, which affords social work majors from CCCU schools the opportunity to fulfill their junior or senior level practicum in an overseas setting. We believe Uganda will provide a variety of opportunities and experiences to develop their social work practice skills and understanding in a challenging crosscultural setting. At the Latin American Studies Program, we are pleased to announce that all LASP students will be given the opportunity to visit Cuba during their semester – a formerly limited offering for a select few. While students can anticipate this exciting travel and adventure during their semester, they can also expect to build connections between their faith and the real world. The Contemporary Music Center and the Los Angeles Film Studies Center will both usher in changes to available course offerings that will continue to help students hone and develop skills they won’t learn in a typical classroom setting. Additionally, the Scholars’ Semester in Oxford continues to expand tutorial options with its additional psychology courses. As always, the BestSemester Programs continue to challenge students to authentically engage their faith, identity, ideas, and worldview and to become active participants in advancing Christ’s claims in all aspects of life.
Ken Bussema VP of Student Programs, CCCU
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LIVE
CONTENTS
LEARN E 18
22
LOS ANGELES FILM STUDIES CENTER
12
EXPLORE
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC CENTER
AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM
LIVE
LE
LIVE
6
LIVE
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM
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WASHINGTON JOuRNALisM CENTER
LEARN
16
SCHOLARS’ SEMESTER IN OXFORD
24
ORE
EXPLORE
LEAR OXFORD SUMMER PROGRAMME
L
EXPLORE
RN LIVE EXPLORE 20
M IDDLE EAST STUDIES PROGRAM
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LIVE INDIA STUDIES PROGRAM
10
26
uGANDA STUDIES PROGRAM
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LIVE
EXPL
AUSTRALIA STUDIES CENTRE
CHINA STUDIES PROGRAM
LEARN
ASP
AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT
PUBLIC POLICY
LEARN TO LEAD INTERNSHIPS
Ryan Haliday, Fall 2010 ( Bi ola U niversity ) The value that I gained from my ASP experience was very tangible and practical: from the hands-on professional experience of my internship, to the educational experience of the Global Development course, and even to the career advice sessions held by ASP. My internship at World Vision [taught me] so much about the international development scene and the professional setting of a workplace‌ In the Global Development course, Professor Hartis challenged us to tackle a real-life project with a research-intensive emphasis. Months after the course I still find myself putting the research techniques and knowledge gleaned to good work‌mainly due to my experience during the DC semester, I have decided to pursue a career in either social entrepreneurship or corporate social responsibility. If I had not attended ASP I would not have been able to sort through my career options the same way or receive such great advice. For that I am enormously thankful. PAGE 6
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EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/asp/explore
“one morning... it hit me: I was in love with DC… ASP taught me to seek after God in places I had never thought to look for him. It is undoubtedly the most transformative semester I have had in college.”
With Washington, DC as your classroom, the possibilities are endless! You will live eight blocks from the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court and within easy walking distance of Eastern Market, Union Station, and the National Mall. Visit the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian museums, the Library of Congress, historic U Street and more. It’s one thing to visit like a tourist. It’s something else to live and work here. LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/asp/live
As an ASP student, you will live in a fully-furnished apartment housing four to six students. Each apartment is complete with a well-equipped kitchen and washer and dryer. Other apartment building amenities include: a business center, two lounges with hi-definition flat screen TVs, and a rooftop deck with a panoramic view of Capitol Hill. You’ll also have access to a recreation room with exercise equipment and free weights. LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/asp/learn
–H ilary Sherratt, Fall 2010 (Gordon College)
Prac tic um Co urses CRE D ITS
Topics in Leadership & Vocation Internship (20-30 hrs/wk) Professional Mentorship (optional)
3 6 1
ASP students choose one of two project tracks: Publi c P o licy T rack
Policy Analysis & Advocacy Seminar Public Policy Project
3 3
G lobal D evelo pment Track
Entrepreneurship & Global Development Seminar Global Development Partnership Exercise
3 3
Total CreditS 15-16
Internships
Still want to know more? www.bestsemester.com/asp
Hear from students currently studying at ASP: http://asp.typepad.com/capitol_spill/ 1976 apartments
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internship
P H O T O C R E D I T : B ritta n y B e lt
The internship is a crucial component of ASP. Whether working in a Congressional office, federal agency or NGO, it’s important to be there to see how things work.
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ASC
AUSTRALIA STUDIES CENTRE
ART STYLE CULTURE Carissa Fish, Spring 2010 ( M essiah College ) My semester with the Australia Studies Centre opened my eyes to my identity as a global citizen committed to justice. Until I was immersed in another culture, I was blind to the fact that some of my beliefs were American, rather than universal. I was forced to re-examine my perceptions of truth, my identity, my place in the world. I moved from a vague understanding that I could learn from other cultures to a deep respect for the knowledge bestowed upon me by my Aboriginal teachers and Australian friends. They taught me to look at the world in a new way, and showed me truths that had previously been hidden. My classmates and I came to Australia with a dormant passion. The ASC program shook us awake. It sent us back to the States on fire and ready to DO something about poverty, foreign policy, environmental destruction, whatever issue had grabbed hold of our souls. We are no longer passive citizens. We are zealously seeking to “act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8).
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YLE
ASC is offered in partnership with The Wesley Institute, a CCCU affiliate member and performing arts/theology college located in the suburb of Drummoyne in Sydney’s Inner West. As often as possible, ASC takes students out of the actual classroom and into the larger classroom that is the city of Sydney. Class trips may include: visits to the political capital of Canberra, NSW mining centres such as the Hunter Valley or Newcastle, camping on the NSW South Coast, the red earth of the Outback and the rolling hills of New Zealand! LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/asc/live
As an ASC student, you will live with an Australian family in Drummoyne or its surrounding areas. Be ready to live with a family that speaks your language but operates nothing like your own. Come flexible and teachable, and you’ll build relationships that will stretch your thinking and your faith. Also, you will be expected to engage with and learn from those who exist outside the powerful social circles of society by participating in a service-learning placement. Discover the beauty of sharing life together with some of the most wonderful, and most undervalued, members of society. LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/asc/learn Co re Co urses CREDITS
The View from Australia: Issues in Religion, Politics, Economics & Cultural Values 3 Indigenous History, Cultures & Identity 3 Re co mmended Co urses
Faith and the Contemporary Artist II (fall) 2 Special Topic: Theology and the Arts (spring) 4 ASC students choose two to three courses out of the following disciplines for an additional 6-10 credit hours: Theology/Ministry Drawing/Graphic Design Dance Drama Music Counseling (graduate level classes) Total CreditS 16–18*
*18 credits by permission
P H O T O C R E D I T : Kimber ly S pr a g g
EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/asc/explore
“To be in Australia is to feel like you have all the time in the world, and like nothing matters quite so much as the moment in front of you.” –A lessandra Spellman, Spring 2011 (Judson University)
Still want to know more? www.bestsemester.com/asc
Hear from students currently studying at ASC: www.australiastudiescentre.blogspot.com
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CSP
CHINA STUDIES PROGRAM
. . . A N D V I S I T A G R E AT O N E .
Jonathan Nesvig, Fall 2009 (Bethel University) I was in the position, probably like you, of wanting to get away and do something new. I remember thinking China was for sure the last place I’d want to go. My sights were on an exotic beach elsewhere. Well, long story short, 1 year later I was having Thanksgiving over tea and Oreos, surrounded by 20 Chinese, in the (Buddhist-decorated) boardroom of a Chinese factory. As each person went around and gave thanks, that’s when it hit me…though I was 10,000 miles away from home, had no access to football on TV, no turkey, no family… that was where God wanted me. And that’s where He changed me. I returned the following summer to teach in Inner Mongolia. That’s my story, but, what will be yours?! There’s no more opportune time than now—you’re in college and China is at the forefront of the news everyday. See for yourself and be changed!
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EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/csp/explore
Still want to know more?
CSP is offered in partnership with Xiamen University [pronounced like “SHAH men”], a “key” national university, located next to the beaches of the sub-tropical South China Sea. With its beautiful setting, its focus on learning about China from Chinese, and its commitment to spiritual growth, CSP will change the way you see yourself, your faith and your world.
www.bestsemester.com/csp
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“I left China
LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/csp/live
with a
As a CSP student, you will stay in a dormitory set aside for international students from around the world who come to study at Xiamen, a city popular in China and designated by the government as a “Special Economic Zone.” During the program, you will spend more than a week in Hong Kong, two weeks in the ancient capital city of Xi’an (to study Chinese history), and a week touring worldfamous sites in Beijing and Shanghai. You will also have time to travel independently to other places in China.
passion to continue learning and discovering more about
LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/csp/learn
the world I
CSP students choose one of two concentrations: China Studies Concentration
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CREDITS
Chinese 101 Chinese History Intercultural Communication Contemporary Society
2-3 3 3 3
– Emily Eng, spring 2010 (Milligan College)
3 3 3 3 1 1
Business Concentration
Chinese 101 Chinese History Intercultural Communication Contemporary Society International Business in China Business Internship (If Business students take Chinese language for 2 credits, they may also take the Tai Chi elective for 1 credit) Total Credits
*18 credits by permission
2-3 3 3 3 3 3
15–18*
P H O T O C R E D I T : M atthew H oover
P H O T O C R E D I T : Sam ual Ma htani
Electives (select 3-6 credits)
Chinese 102 Dimensions of East Asian Culture Eastern Philosophy & Religions International Business in China Chinese Painting Tai Chi (Physical Education)
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CMC
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC CENTER
Michelle Oeters, fall 2010 (Cedarville University)
I could probably write an entire novel about my CMC experience and how this program has shaped my life and changed me for the better. One of the things I really appreciated about the program was its uniqueness and the fact that we were able to focus on various areas within the music industry. From producing shows to late night studio times, there was a never a dull moment! CMC has been one of the best experiences of my life... I learned more in my semester there than in my entire college career. Not only did I get the valuable hands-on experiences, connections, resources, and confidence I needed to move forward in the music biz, but I also gained valuable friendships that will last a lifetime. I owe so much to the CMC and will be forever grateful to this program!
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“I came knowing I was going to learn more about the music industry than i could imagine, but the extent of professionalism this program brings was totally unexpected.”
EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/cmc/overview/
– Tyler sutphen, spring 2011 (abilene christian university)
Co re Courses
Nashville, Music City. Home to music styles ranging from country to metal; even Jack White has made Nashville his home. Explore the city and connect with a music industry network of believers that will help you find your way to blend art, commerce and real spirituality. 100+ CMC alum live in this city and continue to interact with the CMC and its students. LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/cmc/student_life/
As a CMC student, you will live just across the street from the Hardscuffle, home to the Contemporary Music Center. Your fully furnished apartment is complete with a well-equipped kitchen and laundry room, with access to a fitness center and swimming pool. Conveniently located 10 minutes from downtown and 15 minutes from the aiport. LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/cmc/academics/ C R EDI TS
Faith, Music and Culture Inside the Music Industry Practicum (“CMC Tour”)
3 3 1
CMC students choose one of the following three study tracks: Artist Track
Essentials of Songwriting 3 Studio Recording 3 Performance 3 BUS I N ESS Track
Music Business Survey Advanced Media Marketing Strategic Management
3 3 3
Technical Track
YOUR SEMESTER
Audio Engineering Concert Production Advanced Studio Recording
3 3 3
Total Credits 16 Still want to know more? www.bestsemester.com/cmc www.thecontemporarymusiccenter.com
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ISP
INDIA STuDIES PROGRAM
EXPERIENCE
INDIA
Melissa Braunschweig, Incoming Fall 2011 Student (Dordt College)
Up to this point in my education, I have learned a great deal about poverty, social injustice, different religions and lifestyles. However, reading textbooks about such topics is completely different than experiencing them first-hand. The opportunity available through ISP is what attracted me to this program. Entering into a different culture than what I am accustomed to is a bit intimidating, yet exciting. I look forward to forming relationships with Christians from different backgrounds than myself and learning more about issues that affect them daily. It is easy to become naïve to problems that are distant from my life, which is why I want to tangibly experience India’s lifestyle. I hope to be challenged in what I think and believe, and I am excited to be exposed to new, foreign surroundings in which I can learn more about God’s creation and bring compassion to His people.
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ISP is offered in partnership with Bishop Appasamy College of Arts and Sciences, a CCCU affiliate member located in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, one of India’s major states. As an ISP student, you will become part of an Indian college community that will allow endless opportunities to embrace local culture and cultivate meaningful friendships. You will also spend two weeks and some weekends traveling throughout India observing the country’s rich diversity and history. LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/isp/live
P H O T O C R E D I T : Kandyce Pinck ney ( 3)
INDIA
EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/isp/explore
As an ISP student, your semester will be spent living near the Bishop Appasamy campus. You will reside in apartments along with other ISP students with easy access to laundry, cooking facilities and local culture. LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/isp/learn Core Co urses CR E D I TS
Contemporary India: Culture, Society & Challenges India’s Religious Landscape ISP students choose three of the following electives: Indian Society and Social Work Intervention Indian Literature Indian Arts and Paintings Indian Design: Traditional Costumes and Textiles Current Perspective of Business in India Culinary Dimensions of Culture: Indian Cuisine, Traditions & Festivals Field Experience & Internship
4 3
3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Total Credits 16 Still want to know more? www.bestsemester.com/isp
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“I am most excited about the chance to be submerged in a totally different world… I am thrilled to see what God has in store for me while I’m there!” – Rebecca Barnes, Incoming Fall 2011 Student (Sterling College)
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LASP
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM
IMpACT MAKE AN
Sarah Schnautz, Spring 2011 (Johnson University)
Every Monday and Thursday my mind wanders back to Santa Inez, a little Nicaraguan village, where on those days my host mom bakes bread in her home to support her family. Her name is Maria. She has lived in Santa Inez all of her life. I know her story because for a brief moment, I was a character in one of her chapters. LASP has played a huge role in shaping my worldview. Certainly, I was familiar with political issues, poverty, environmental concerns, and social justice but now each of these issues has a face and a story. To learn from a textbook is one thing and it is another to hear personal accounts from people who live the history, language, and culture. LASP has taught me that how I choose to compose my story matters. How much I buy, where I buy from, how I vote–all of these choices will have an impact on someone (Maria, Delvin, Pablo, Kattia) else’s life; someone else’s story.
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EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/lasp/explore
Still want to know more?
Based in San José, Costa Rica, the Latin American Studies Program will expose you to the beauty and complexity of Latin American history, religion, people and cultures. You will also have the opportunity to experience life in several Latin American countries. Past student groups have journeyed to Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama and Guatemala!
www.bestsemester.com/lasp
LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/lasp/live
As a LASP student, you will live with a Costa Rican family in or near San José. The families who are chosen to “adopt” one LASP student each semester come from a cross-section of the Costa Rican Christian community. Families are highly encouraged to integrate students into normal family life as much as possible. LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/lasp/learn Core Co urses CRE D ITS
Spanish Language Latin American History and Contemporary Issues Regional Study Travel
6 3 1-3
1986
18 max homestays
internship public
“Instead of [JUST] learning about Latin American history, I was propelled into the reality of every day Latin American life.” – Caleb Romoser, Spring 2011 (Greenville College)
LASP students select one of four academic concentrations: L atin A meri c an Studies Co ncentrati o n
Responses to Third World Reality Community Immersion/Internship
3 3
A dvanc ed L anguage and Literature Con c entrati o n
Language & Literature Seminar Community Immersion/Internship
3 3
Internati o nal B usiness Con c entrati o n ( Fall S emester o nly)
International Business Seminar Community Immersion/Internship
3 3
E nvir o nmental S c ien c e Co ncentrati o n (S pring S emester o nly)
Environmental Science Seminar Field Research Practicum Total Credits
*18 credits by permission
4 2 16-18*
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LAFSC
LOS ANGELES FILM STUDIES CENTER
Live.Dream. At 2 4 frames per se c o nd Brooke Simecka, Spring 2011 (Lee University)
After three and a half years in a small Tennessee town with a church on every corner–where kids get married young, and the staple beverage is sweet tea–the fast-paced, coffee-addicted, highly creative, open-minded, independent, cursing, health-food oriented, yoga-inspired, palm tree dotted, and highly trafficked Los Angeles was a change to say the least. Yes, I wrapped up my college career in a completely different environment than where I began. However, my semester at LAFSC not only prepared me to transition from college to a job back in L.A., but it gave me a semester to really focus on my interests in film, especially screenwriting, with knowledgeable professors and equally enthusiastic students. Without the numerous distractions present from previous semesters, I could immerse myself into the creative, unique culture around me. As I returned to Lee University to turn my tassel, I found my worldview expanded. I have a greater vision and clarity for my future, and I’m ready to embark on a new phase of life in the “real world.” PAGE 18
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EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/lafsc/explore
From movie premieres, to award shows, to strolls down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, there is much to see and experience. You will live and work in the heart of it all. LAFSC is committed to providing enriching and exciting experiences for students. Trips to Hollywood, Movie Night at the Kodak Theater (host of the Academy Awards and the worldfamous Hollywood Bowl), concerts conducted by Academy Award-winning film composers, film festivals, celebrity guest speakers and industry events are all regular fare at the Center. Based in Miracle Mile, you’ll have easy access to museums, shops, restaurants and internships. You will feel right at home in L.A. LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/lafsc/live
LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/lafsc/learn
As an LAFSC student, you will live in the Park La Brea Apartments, a gated apartment community set on more than 160 park-like acres. Park La Brea includes a junior Olympic pool, tennis courts, a fitness center, cleaning and laundry facilities, a multimedia theatre and a café.
Co re Courses
C R EDI TS
Hollywood Production Workshop Faith & Artistic Development in Film Internship: Inside Hollywood
4 3 6
Elective Courses (choose one )
Narrative Storytelling Professional Screenwriting Professional Acting for the Camera Independent Study
16
Total Credits
“This is where we grow up. This is where we learn to tell stories, where we make mistakes, and our most fantastic ideas become reality.”
3 3 3 3
Internship: I nside Hollywood
Students participate in an internship experience in some aspect of the Hollywood entertainment industry. You will work 20-24 hours a week, spread over a threeday schedule, and accumulate 200-250 hours for the semester. Still want to know more? www.bestsemester.com/lafsc
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– Michelle Nyhoff, Spring 2011 (Dordt College)
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MESP
MIDDLE EAST STUDIES PRoGRAM
STAND AND
David Botticello, Spring 2011 (Gordon College)
To list adjectives such as “revolutionary”, “thought-provoking”, or “profound” is to risk sounding like the laudatory blurbs on a book jacket. To describe your awe at the Pyramids, wonder at the Dome of the Rock, or exasperation at the Grand Bazaar, is to sound prosaic and stilted. To reminisce of the time your early attempts at Arabic accidentally insulted a taxi-driver ... is to ignore the people you met, and the impact they continue to have on your life. So in the end, the best answer you can give is to recommend, with all the force of your indescribable love for a place which by all rights should be unlovable, “Go; experience it for yourself.”
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P H O T O C R E D I T : B rooke Jas ki lka
EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/mesp/explore
Located at the head of the Nile River Delta, Cairo is one of the world’s largest cities with a population of 20 million people. As a MESP student you’ll have ample time and opportunity to discover what life is like as an Egyptian. You will also spend time traveling throughout the Middle East during your semester. MESP students have traveled to Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco and Turkey, as well as various Egyptian sites outside of Cairo. However, please note that all travel is subject to change based upon safety considerations.
“My experiences with the people of the Middle East put a very real and human face on a conflict stricken region that, before my arrival, seemed so foreign and distant.”
P H O T O C R E D I T : Seth M cKi nley
LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/mesp/live
MESP students live in furnished apartments within walking distance of the MESP center, also known as “The Villa.” Located in Cairo’s Agouza neighborhood, you will live just minutes from downtown and have easy access to local shopping centers and cultural sites. You will also participate in a week-long homestay with an Egyptian family. LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/mesp/learn Co re Courses
CR ED I TS
Introduction to Arabic Language Islamic Thought and Practice Conflict & Change in the Middle East Peoples & Cultures of the Middle East
4 4 4 4 16
Total Credits Still want to know more? www.bestsemester.com/mesp
– Kent Rexilius, Fall 2010 (Taylor University) 1993
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OSP
OXFORD SUMMER PROGRAMME
SEEKING
Understand
Abby Wiggins, Summer 2010 (Belhaven University)
One of my favorite parts was the one-on-one time with my professors. I love fantasy literature and getting to study with and learn from Dr. Emma Plaskitt was amazing. I could identify with the authors more because I’d visited their homes, or visited the places they went to think and write.
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EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/osp/overview/
For five weeks you will have the opportunity to read, learn, and live in the ‘city of dreaming spires.’ You will have access to Oxford’s world famous libraries and have the chance to visit colleges that have been established for over 900 years, as well as its art galleries, museums, bookshops, and ice cream parlours. With London a little over an hour away, your opportunities are endless!
nding
LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/osp/student_life/
As an OSP student, you will live in either The Vines, a lateVictorian house overlooking Oxford, or the North Wing at Wycliffe Hall. Both residences have large common spaces where you can work, study, and socialize. Both have substantial outdoor spaces where you can relax and read. LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/osp/academics/
The Oxford Summer Programme allows you, as affiliate members of Wycliffe Hall, University of Oxford, to do intensive scholarship while exploring the relationship between Christianity and the development of the British Isles. Seminars and tutorials are given on specialized topics under expert Oxford academics in the areas of English language and literature, history, history of science, philosophy, theology and religion. For a full list of tutorials please download the
“I grew, not only as a scholar, but as an individual longing to widen her worldview.” – SARAH CHOI, Summer 2009 (THE KING’s UNiVERSITY COLLEGE)
Prospectus: www.bestsemester.com/prospectus Co re Courses CR EDI TS
Seminar and tutorial A Seminar and tutorial B
3 3
Total Credits 6 Still want to know more? www.bestsemester.com/OSP
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SSO
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SCHOLARS’ SEMESTER IN OXFORD
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Josh Bell, Academic Year 2010–11 (Gordon College) During my time at Oxford I was privileged to work with leading Zimbabwean historian Terrence Ranger on in-depth study of the recent history of my country. As a Zimbabwean it was incredible to be able to pick apart some of the layers of the country, seeing it from another perspective and to be assisted in the process by a man who has had such experience and influence in the history of the nation. Alongside working on Zimbabwean history, each Monday evening I attended lectures by leading African historians and academics from around the world. After each lecture we had a chance to question and challenge the speaker’s thesis. Often the discussion would continue [well] into the evening. . . These lectures and the chance to be guided in my African history study were two of the most stimulating and academically enriching experiences at Oxford. EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/sso/overview/
LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/sso/academics/
For over 900 years, Oxford has been a center of academic excellence and is one of the great universities in the world. The city’s medieval halls and colleges have housed some of the world’s greatest and most famous minds. As an SSO student, you will be able to participate in college activities; join a sports team; sing in a choir or be in a play; attend concerts, theatre productions or see original works of Michelangelo at the Ashmolean Museum. And with London a little over an hour away, your opportunities are endless!
The Scholars’ Semester in Oxford allows you, as a member of Wycliffe Hall and a Visiting Student of Oxford University, to do intensive scholarship in an historic seat of learning. You will work with academic tutors to hone your skills and delve into the areas that interest you most. SSO offers hundreds of tutorials in Classics, English language & literature, History, History of Art, Modern languages, Musicology, Philosophy, Psychology and Theology. For a full list of tutorials please download the Prospectus: www.bestsemester.com/prospectus
LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/sso/student_life/
As an SSO student, you will live in either The Vines, a late-Victorian house overlooking Oxford’s ‘dreaming spires,’ or the North Wing at Wycliffe Hall. Both residences have large common spaces where you can work, study, and socialize. Both have substantial outdoor spaces where you can relax and read.
Co re Courses CR EDI TS
Primary Tutorial Secondary Tutorial Integrative Seminar The British Landscape
6 3 4 4
Total Credits 17
SSO staff welcomes students who want to spend a second semester in Oxford to build on the skills they have learned in their first term. S econd Semester Core Courses
Primary Tutorial 6 Secondary Tutorial 3 Thesis 4 Further Studies in the British Landscape 4 Total Credits 17 Still want to know more? www.bestsemester.com/sso & www.bestsemester.com/prospectus
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NEW Melody Dickinson, Spring 2011 (Spring Arbor University) Uganda. It used to be just a word, an idea, a foreign place full of unknown faces and undiscovered thoughts. Uganda used to symbolize my shot at adventure, my shot at something new, something different. I looked forward to my semester with high expectations; I would come home a new woman, one more cultured, more communal, more sensitive to the needs of others and certainly more spiritual. Right away we as students were taught that our own personal expectations often did more harm than good. We were humbled and realized that God had expectations of His own. After all, who are we to decide where God will reveal Himself? But He did and through his revelations He personalized Uganda, changing my perspective and my heart. Uganda still is just a word, but it’s meaning is now more than a spot on the map. It is now a familiar place with faces that I love, people that I’ve laughed and cried with, roads and hills where I’ve walked quietly or experienced the loudness of God. It is beautiful, it is home, it is Uganda.
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PEOPLE. CLASSES. CULTURE.
P H O T O C R E D I T : Jacob B owdoi n
UGANDA STuDiES PROGRAM
P H O T O C R E D I T : Ma rybeth Co nlo n
USP
EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/usp/overview/
LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/usp/academics/
USP is offered in partnership with Uganda Christian University (UCU), a CCCU affiliate member in Mukono, Uganda—15 miles from the capital city of Kampala. In order to put the campus experience in context, students will also spend 10 days traveling in Rwanda and a week in a rural Ugandan setting.
USP students choose one of the following three studies emphases: Uganda Studies Emphasis (USE), Intercultural Ministry & Missions Emphasis (IMME) or Social Work Emphasis (SWE)
LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/usp/student_life/
Where you live will depend on what study emphasis you choose at the Uganda Studies Program (USE, SWE or IMME). As a Uganda Studies Emphasis (USE) student, you will spend the majority of the semester living on campus at Uganda Christian University, rooming with other USP students but sharing dorms with students from Uganda and elsewhere in East Africa. You will also participate in a two-week homestay. As an Intercultural Ministry & Missions Emphasis (IMME) student, you will have the entire semester to be integrated as a true member of a Ugandan family. IMME students live in families within walking distance of the University. As a Social Work Emphasis (SWE) student, you will live in dorms on campus and have the opportunity to spend most of your time at the social work practicum site. All Uganda Studies Program students have the opportunity to participate in a one-week rural homestay.
“The Uganda Studies Program deeply affected how I live, think, and love in nearly all aspects of life…” – Kalyn Lantz, Spring 2011 (Taylor University)
2004
16
Uganda Studies Emphasis (USE) CR EDI TS
Faith & Action in the Ugandan Context African Context Course Elective/African Context Course Elective/African Context Course Elective/African Context Course (optional) Total Credits
4 3 3 3 0-3 13-16
Intercultural Ministry & Missions Emphasis (IMME)
Faith & Action in the Ugandan Context 4 Cross-Cultural Ministry Practicum 3 African Context Course 3 Elective/African Context Course 3 Elective/African Context Course (optional) 0-3 Total Credits 13-16 Social Work Emphasis (SWE)
Junior Level Faith & Action in the Ugandan Context 4 Social Work Practicum for Junior Level 6 African Context Course 3 Elective/African Context Course (optional) 0-3 Total Credits 13-16 Senior Level Faith & Action in the Ugandan Context 4 Social Work Practicum for Senior Level 12 Total Credits 16 Social Work Emphasis (SWE) requires direct communication and coordination between USP and the student’s social work department. For a full list of Elective Courses please visit www.bestsemester.com/uspelectives Still want to know more? Visit www.bestsemester.com/usp
practicum
homestays and/or residence hall
public
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WJC
WASHINGTON JOURNALISM CENTER
WHO?
WHAT?
WHERE?
DRAW LINES YO U R OW N
WHY?
WHEN?
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HOW?
Jessica Puente, Fall 2010 (Baylor University) WJC was literally my best semester. To me, the program is like a lined page. You can write inside the lines, outside the lines or even draw your own lines! In a nutshell, you have classes with professors who have worked in the field they are trying to teach you about and strive endlessly to bring you the most up-to-date information in journalism education. You get the chance to meet professionals in the field and sit down one-on-one with them to absorb their experiences. You are even given your very own mentor who has gone through the same program you are going through who you can contact for anything, and you will. My favorite part, aside from living walking distance from the Capitol in one of the most gorgeous cities I have ever seen, is the chance to work in a real newsroom. There is no substitute for hands-on experience. And the boss at the job you will apply to after college knows that too.
EXPLORE » www.bestsemester.com/wjc/explore
Internships
You will live on Capitol Hill with your own lab and newsroom available 24/7, whenever you need it. You’re within sight of the big white dome and within easy walking distance of Eastern Market, Union Station and the National Mall. You can visit the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian museums, the Library of Congress, historic Georgetown and more. With Washington, DC as the home for your classroom, the possibilities are endless!
In any industry with professional standards, especially journalism, there is no substitute for practical experience and earning your own bylines. WJC seeks only internships that provide hands-on reporting and writing. Still want to know more? www.bestsemester.com/wjc
2006
16
apartment
internship public
LIVE » www.bestsemester.com/wjc/live
As a WJC student, you will live eight blocks from the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court in a fully-furnished apartment, housing four to six students. Each apartment is complete with a well-equipped kitchen and washer and dryer. Other apartment building amenities include a business center, two lounges with hi-definition flat screen TVs, and a rooftop deck with a panoramic view of Capitol Hill. You will also have access to a recreation room with exercise equipment and free weights. LEARN » www.bestsemester.com/wjc/learn Co re Co urses CRE D ITS
Foundations for Media Involvement 4 Reporting in Washington 3 Washington, News & Public Discourse 3 Internship 6
P H O T O C R E D I T : Ke lsey Osterma n
Total c redits
16
“The teaching and mentorship I received from [WJC] kept me grounded and taught me to look for ways to serve others, not just myself.” –P aul connEr, spring 2010 (NORTH greenville university)
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CCCU ME M BE RS
(As of August 2011)
THE CCCU’S BESTSEMESTER OFF-CAMPUS STUDY PROGRAMS SERVE THE FOLLOWING INSTITUTIONS Abilene Christian University Anderson University (IN) Anderson University (SC) Asbury University Azusa Pacific University Belhaven University Bethel College Bethel University Biola University Bluefield College Bluffton University Bryan College California Baptist University Calvin College Campbellsville University Carson-Newman College Cedarville University College of the Ozarks Colorado Christian University Corban University Cornerstone University Covenant College Crown College Dallas Baptist University Dordt College East Texas Baptist University Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Nazarene College Eastern University Erskine College Evangel University Fresno Pacific University Geneva College George Fox University Gordon College Goshen College Grace College & Seminary Greenville College
Hannibal-LaGrange University Hardin-Simmons University Hope International University Houghton College Houston Baptist University Howard Payne University Huntington University Indiana Wesleyan University John Brown University Judson College Judson University Kentucky Christian University King College The King’s University College Lee University LeTourneau University Lipscomb University Louisiana College Malone University The Master’s College & Seminary Messiah College MidAmerica Nazarene University Milligan College Mississippi College Missouri Baptist University Montreat College Mount Vernon Nazarene University North Central University North Greenville University North Park University Northwest Christian University Northwest Nazarene University Northwest University Northwestern College (IA) Northwestern College (MN) Nyack College Oklahoma Baptist University Oklahoma Christian University
Oklahoma Wesleyan University Olivet Nazarene University Oral Roberts University Palm Beach Atlantic University Point Loma Nazarene University Redeemer University College Roberts Wesleyan College San Diego Christian College Seattle Pacific University Shorter University Simpson University Southeastern University Southern Nazarene University Southern Wesleyan University Southwest Baptist University Spring Arbor University Sterling College Tabor College Taylor University Toccoa Falls College Trevecca Nazarene University Trinity Christian College Trinity International University Trinity Western University Union University The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor University of Mobile University of Sioux Falls University of the Southwest Vanguard University of Southern California Warner Pacific College Warner University Waynesburg University Westmont College Wheaton College Whitworth University Williams Baptist College
North American Affiliate Colleges & Universities Alderson-Broaddus College Ambrose University College Arizona Christian University Baylor University Booth University College Briercrest College & Seminary Campbell University Central Christian College Charleston Southern University Columbia International University
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Crandall University Emmanuel College Franciscan University of Steubenville Johnson University Kuyper College Lancaster Bible College Lincoln Christian University Mid-America Christian University Moody Bible Institute Multnomah Bible College Pepperdine University
Philadelphia Biblical University Point University Prairie Bible Institute Providence College & Seminary Regent University Samford University Tyndale University College & Seminary Valley Forge Christian College Walla Walla University William Jessup University
ICON KE Y
YEAR FOUNDED
CREDITS
INTERNSHIP OR PRACTICUM
SERVICE LEARNING
STUDY TRAVEL
HOUSING
TRANSPORTATION
PASSPORT REQUIRED
Mesp Midd studi le east es pr ogra M
Council for Christian Colleges & Universities 321 Eighth Street, NE Washington, D.C. 20002 info@bestsemester.com 202.548.5201