SEA Semester: Sustainability in Polynesian Island Cultures & Ecosystems (Humanities/Social Sciences)

  Polynesia

French Polynesia

Term: Trimester, Winter 
Dates: January 3 - March 20, 2011 (tentative)

Description: This Humanities & Social Sciences-intensive semester examines the current definition of sustainability using the isolated small islands of French Polynesia as a case study. Based in the world-renowned scientific community of Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Sea Education Association provides undergraduates with the opportunity to study the ocean from a multitude of academic perspectives, and do to it from the platform of a traditional sailing vessel. Our four diverse SEA Semester options are the only full-credit programs in the world that combine an engaging academic and research curriculum with the sailing adventure of a lifetime.

SEA Semester: Sustainability in Polynesian Island Cultures & Ecosystems
Like all of SEA's programs, SEA Semester: Sustainability in Polynesian Island Cultures & Ecosystems combines academic work at our campus in Woods Hole with practical application of skills & original research at sea. This Humanities & Social Sciences-intensive semester sets about to examine the current definition of sustainability (as defined by the UN in 1983) using the isolated small islands of French Polynesia as a case study. Central to the work in all courses will be the production of a web-based historical, cultural, and environmental atlas.

The islands of French Polynesia are scattered across a million square miles of the Pacific Ocean, with a total landmass smaller than the state of Connecticut. The islands, environmentally and culturally distinct, have a history of demonstrated sustainability, though they have been profoundly shaped by European colonization. As we study and sail among the islands of French Polynesia, we will discover what this environment and its people can tell us about issues of environmental sustainability and cultural continuity.

Coursework includes Maritime History and Culture: Island Peoples, Marine Environmental History: Island Environments, Maritime Studies: European Perspectives of Polynesia, Nautical Science: Navigating the Marine Environment and Oceanography: The Ocean Environment for a total of 17 credits issued through Boston University.

Shore Component - Woods Hole
For the first 6 weeks, students will take academic classes on our campus in Woods Hole to prepare for their voyage. We will build a foundation for the course through background research at our Woods Hole campus. This will include collaborations with nearby institutions including the Peabody Museum at Harvard University, which holds an important early collection of Polynesian artifacts. At the John Carter Brown Library in Providence and the New Bedford Whaling Museum we will work with records of Yankee voyages to the South Pacific. Additionally, relationships with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Biological Laboratory, and Woods Hole Research Center give students access to world-renowned scientists in public and classroom lectures, and to one of the worlds leading oceanographic libraries.

SEA Component - South Pacific Voyage
After the Shore Component, students and faculty will travel to French Polynesia to continue their studies. SEA's sailing research vessel, Robert C. Seamans, equipped with a state-of-the-art oceanographic lab, will serve as classroom, transportation and as a powerful teaching tool. Field trips on the islands will acquaint students with historical and cultural sites, agricultural and fisheries operations, and will introduce them to local people to discuss ecological change and the impact of environmental management.

During the passages between the islands, students will become functioning crewmembers of the ship and will develop a first-hand perspective on the practical challenges of navigating these waters. Onboard research facilities will be utilized to develop an understanding of the oceanographic and marine biological systems that sustain these islands.

Highlights: For more than 35 years and 1,000,000 nautical miles, SEA has educated students about the world's oceans through a fully accredited off-campus study program. Combining perspectives from the sciences, humanities and social sciences, SEA offers extraordinary opportunities for interdisciplinary project-based learning on shore and the immediate application of that newfound knowledge at sea. SEA admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all SEA Semester programs.

No matter your major, SEA considers ocean studies to be an essential component of a liberal arts education. Why should you study the ocean? You can't afford not to. The ocean has a daily impact on your life, and you on it. SEA offers students a connection to this invaluable resource, an experience that you will likely never have access to again.

SEA vessels fly the United States flag and are inspected and certified by the United States Coast Guard as Sailing School Vessels (SSV). Sailing School Vessels are required to meet stringent safety standards that differ from those of a passenger vessel on a comparable route. Our shipboard labs are funded by the National Science Foundation & are among the most advanced oceanographic research vessels in the world.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: Visit our website for information on costs, affordability & financial aid

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Polynesia Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 2-3

Scholarships are Available. numerous merit based scholarships are available.

Application Process Involves:

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Transcript
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Job and Internship Network
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Year Founded: 1971