CIEE Sustainability and the Environment Program in Perth, Australia

  Australia

• Perth: 
Perth

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Throughout the year 
Dates: Fall 18 weeks: late Jul. - early Dec. Spring 19 weeks: mid-Feb - mid-June Academic Year 50 weeks: late July - mid-June Calendar Year 40 weeks: mid-Feb. - early Dec.

Description: The Sustainability and the Environment program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to learn about the impact that industries such as agriculture, forestry, fishing, and tourism have on the environment. One of the many strengths of the program is the opportunity for students to take courses that teach them to be both scientifically competent and well-versed on public policy issues in Australia. Students gain an understanding of the Australian environment and society while pursuing an exceptional range of academic and recreational opportunities.

Academic Program
Established in 1991 as the first CIEE program in Australia, the CIEE Study Center at Murdoch University has hosted hundreds of students from universities across the U.S. The CIEE Study Center provides students with a supportive yet challenging environment in which to study and gain first-hand knowledge of Australian life and culture. The Sustainability and the Environment program, opening in 2009, provides focused programming to students interested in issues of sustainability through coursework in the following disciplines: sustainability studies, public policy, planning, legal studies, environmental science, and the biological sciences. The program aims to develop the student's knowledge and skills to meet the global needs of current and future generations. This is accomplished through integrated coursework in the environmental, sustainability, and biological sciences.

Academic Culture
All courses are taught by Murdoch faculty, with Murdoch staff enjoying one of the highest proportions of doctorates of all Australian universities. Murdoch University uses a point system, and the normal full-time course load is 12 points each semester, which is equivalent to 15 U.S. semester credits. Most Murdoch subjects are designated as either three or four point classes. Students are eligible to enroll in any course for which they are qualified. The approach to teaching in Australian universities requires that student take a great deal of responsibility for their own learning. A typical subject consists of two hours of lectures and one to two hours of tutorials or lab work per week. While contact hours are not high, students are expected to undertake a significant amount of directed reading on their own time. Self-motivation and self-discipline are encouraged by the Australian system, which is based on a combination of lectures, tutorials, and seminars and, in the sciences, laboratory work. Many science classes also involve fieldwork.

The Murdoch University academic year lasts from mid-February through the end of November and is divided into two semesters. Semester I (February-June) corresponds to the spring semester at U.S. institutions and Semester II (July-late November) corresponds to the U.S. fall semester. The program at Murdoch is offered both semesters and consists of a one-week orientation, 12 weeks of classes, a two week mid-semester break, a one-week study period, and a two-week final exam period. The academic year program consists of two consecutive semesters and may follow the U.S. academic year (Semester II and Semester I) or the Australian calendar year (Semester I followed by Semester II). Students who apply for the U.S. academic year program can take advantage of the three-month summer (Christmas) break to work or travel in the region.

Highlights:

• Innovative range of academic offerings within the Faculty of Sustainability, Environmental Science, and Life Sciences; independent study option
  
• On-site, full-time local academic and personal support
  
• Volunteer opportunities with various local conservation projects and at the permaculture garden located at Murdoch University
  
• Field visits and educational excursions pertinent to the environment and sustainable development of Western Australia, including trips to local sustainable housing units and protected habitats

Northwest Excursion
The Northwest Excursion, included in the CIEE program fee, is a trip to the rugged Northwest of Western Australia to an area known as the Pilbara. It covers close to 2,500 miles, across plains of wild flowers and mountainous outcrops that are the oldest on earth and is home to some of Australia's most hardy fauna and flora. Students may come across the shy rock wallaby, the perenti lizard, the grey and the red kangaroo, and many other unique animals.

Monkey Mia in Shark Bay is one of the highlights of the excursion. Monkey Mia is a World Heritage Site and attracts schools of dolphins to its shores daily. It's the closest you'll get to a dolphin unless you work in a marine park. Along with the dolphins live other marine life such as the Dugongs, called the 'Mermaids of the Sea, and turtles. This area is also home to our oldest living ancestors, the Stromatalites (which have evolved over 3.4 billion years as well as Shell Beach, an entire beach made of shells.

Students snorkel in the Ningaloo Reef, which is also a World Heritage Site. More accessible than the Great Barrier Reef, and home to as many as 500 species of tropical fish and 200 species of coral, it is home to the migratory 'gentle giants' of the sea, the Whale Sharks, as well as the Humpback Whales, which cruise just beyond the reef during the months of July, October, and November.

The highlight of the excursion is Karijini National Park. Hidden amongst Western Australia's mining towns, this area is untouched and pristine in beauty. While taking your breath away with the splendor of its gorges and flora and fauna, students swim in sparkling, freshwater, rock pools that have to be seen to be believed. The hikes and trails through the gorges are challenging as well as breathtaking, with magnificent scenery,
Aboriginal drawings, and wildlife. The rocky gorges are billions of years old and you will marvel at their formation.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: Please check the CIEE website for current program

Experience Required: yes

Overall GPA 2.75

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Australia Independently

Scholarships are Available. We have several scholarships that students can apply for. Contact CIEE for details.

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Other
• Transcript
• Written Application

CIEE's Mission Statement: Since 1947, the Council on International Educational Exchange, known as CIEE, has been in pursuit of its mission, "to help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world. Our services to young people studying, working, teaching, and traveling abroad are more important than ever.

Year Founded: 1947