Sustainable Cities of Northern Europe

  Denmark

• Other Cities in Denmark: 
Copenhagen,  Aalborg

  Germany

• Other Cities in Germany: 
Freiburg

  Sweden

• Other Cities in Sweden: 
Stockholm

  Switzerland

• Other Cities in Switzerland: 
Zurich

Term: Summer 
Dates: July 1 - July 31, 2010

Description:
This course examines principles of sustainability as they apply to urban areas. We will explore several cities within four northern European countries (Stockholm and Malmo, Sweden; Odense and Copenhagen, Denmark; and Freiburg, Germany). Each is widely recognized for their efforts to become more sustainable. We will explore innovations such as: compact, mixed use, transit-(and pedestrian) oriented planning; high quality urban design for walkable cities, car-free developments, urban waterfront and brownfield development, bicycle friendly urbanism, alternative housing models, alternative energy sources and energy efficiency, recycling, reuse and reduction in solid waste, innovations in heating and cooling at the district scale, water conservation and reuse, rain water harvesting, storm water management, natural areas restoration and preservation as part of the urban fabric, and similar topics that require a policy, planning and design response. Students will learn sustainable measures; to quickly read cities and recognize how they function; gain insights into how European communities have embraced sustainable concepts; and gain insights into how to translate these lessons to U.S. cities.

In each community, we will: (1) Take a walking (and/or biking) tour of key parts of the city; (2) Take specialized tours of innovative places and neighborhoods, often by testing local public transit convenience; (3) Learn from local officials and scholars about the country, region or community's efforts; and (4) complete a series of hands on field exercises in urban design and sustainable planning. Students will keep an active journal and photo-diary; and develop two short papers on a sustainability topic of the students choice. We will also take some side trips to places like Strassbourg, France and Zurich, Switzerland.

Highlights:
Courses:
* Landscape Architecture 191 (4 units or 8 units) - Workshop in Landscape Architecture
    - Faculty initiated workshops featuring advanced studies and applications of original work in landscape architecture.
Prerequisite: courses 1, 70, and 170 or consent of instructor.
    - GE credit: None
* Environmental Science and Policy 173 (4 units or 0 units) - Land Use and Growth Controls
    - Exposes students to the economic, political and legal factors affecting land use and growth controls, and helps students critically evaluate written materials in terms of their arguments and supporting data. Prerequisite: Political Science 1, Economics 1A, intermediate statistics, and local government.
    - GE credit: None

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Minimum Education: High School

The Accommodation and Activities Fee includes:
-lodging
-select meals
-select field trips

The program fee covers group health insurance and printed matter. Air fare is not included. Please contact us for the most up-to-date information concerning program costs.

Students who enroll before the Accommodations and Activities Fee is posted will be notified via email as soon as the fee is available. If they choose to withdraw within 10 days of this notification, their deposit will be refunded.

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American Participants.

Participants Travel Independently

Scholarships are Available. Summer Abroad is pleased to announce that the Education Abroad Center will award USD15,000 in travel awards to participants in Summer Abroad 2010 programs. All students enrolled in a Summer Abroad program (Davis and Non-Davis) will have the opportunity to apply for an award ranging from USD500 - USD1,000. Application deadline: March 1, 2010. Contact us using the link at the top of the page for details.

Application Process Involves:

• Disciplinary Clearance Form
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Transcript

Post-Program Services Include:

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

UC Davis Summer Abroad's Mission Statement: UC Davis Summer Abroad programs offer students short but intense academic courses that are complemented with a wealth of cultural activities. The courses are structured in such a way that students gain knowledge not only in the classroom, but also from experiential learning that takes advantage of the program site. All of our programs are built around UC Davis courses and are led by UC Davis faculty. Many provide opportunities for students to visit non-English speaking countries while doing their coursework in English. Our class sizes are limited, generally enrolling from 18-30 students, thus allowing us to create intimate learning communities overseas. Programs are open to all students outside the UC system, alumni and professionals.