VCU Education Abroad Faculty-led Summer Program in Peru

  Peru

• Cusco: 
Cusco

Term: Summer 
Dates: May 28 - June 23

Description: The Office of International Education and the School of the Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University are pleased to announce the summer program in Peru. Participants will travel to Lima for a short visit, and on to Cuzco, for an extended visual exploration of the countryside and culture of the highlands of Peru. The program will include visits to museums to explore ancient, colonial and contemporary art, as well as visits to ancient ruins and colonial sites. Of particular importance will be the group's participation in the Festival of Corpus Christi in Cuzco. An optional four-day hiking and camping trip along the Inca Trail will expose students to the biological and cultural diversity of that region of the country culminating at Machu Picchu.

Course and credit options: 6 undergraduate or graduate VCU credits
Participants can choose two of the following three-credit courses offered by the departments of Painting & Printmaking, Photography and Film, Art History, and Digital Book Making.

Painting & Printmaking: PAPR 324 Intermediate Drawing; PAPR 421 Advanced Drawing; SCPT 491 Drawing, Works on Paper; SCPT 591 Drawing, Works on Paper; PAPR 621 Graduate Drawing

A peripatetic investigation of direct observation, on-site drawing. Emphasis will be placed on the development of a suite of drawings in which on-site references become spinal elements in multimedia two-dimensional constructions. Documentation of your daily activities will be maintained in an illustrated diary or journal.

Photography and Film: PHTO 491 Videography and Photography; SCPT 491 Video and Photographic Art I; SCPT 591 Video and Photographic Art II

A course of study for still- and moving-image media to include video, film and photography. The program will allow students to work independently and experiment with attention to light, subject matter and point of view with assistance from individual instruction. Professor Mills will also lead students on additional walks and hikes that are of particular interest to Photographers and Video and Filmmakers. Students are required to bring all equipment needed including cameras (video and or still), tape and film (one tape 1hr, multiple memory cards or 24 exp of film per day is recommended), rechargeable batteries (extra batteries are recommended), battery charger (for video and digital cameras) and an AC-power converter (220v to U.S. 110v). A wide-angle lens is highly recommended. Inexpensive wide angle lens adaptors are required for students shooting Video. Tripods are optional and in some instances may not be recommended for hikes. Flexible 'mini tripods' are recommended .A comfortable, durable, rugged camera bag is important as the nature of the travels in Peru you will encounter differing environments that include moisture, dust and vibration. It is essential to have lens cleaning capacities.

Art History: ARTH 489 Advanced Art History in Peru
Art and architecture of Inca and Colonial Peru: An in-depth study of visual culture in the Andes, c. 1500-1800. Lectures held throughout the duration of your stay in Peru will be supplemented with visits to art and archaeology museums in Lima and Cuzco. The course will focus on the Inca, the dominant empire in the Andes prior to the Spanish conquest, as well as the colonial culture that emerged under Spanish rule in the 16th through 18th centuries. Each student will be required to complete a series of assigned readings and a workbook, which must be submitted to the instructor at the end of the course.

Digital Book Making: The focus of this studio-based class will be on the composition, production, and presentation of digitally produced and printed books. Students will document their summer travels, surroundings and thoughts through writing, photography and drawing. Students will then design several conceptually based book projects using their collected materials and digital software. The finished books will then be published using on demand print services such as Lulu.com or Blurb.com. A focus on the book as an art object rather than a journal will be emphasized. Ideas of design, voice, narrative and sequencing will also be covered. Books will be composed and completed after returning from Peru.

Highlights: The program begins in Lima, Peru where students will spend three days visiting museums and cathedrals. The group will then begin a three-day trip to the Urubamba valley to visit Inca ruins and the Maras salt mines. The participants will then head to Cuzco for 15 days punctuated by the amazing Corpus Christi festival and an optional four-day trek on the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. After leaving Cuzco, the group will travel to Ica for a variety of activities including a boat tour of the Ballestas Islands.

Degree Level: Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Cost in US$: 2,970

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi, South African and Worldwide Participants.

Application Process Involves:

• Essay
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Transcript

Post-Program Services Include:

• Exit Debriefing Abroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home