Location:

Multi-Country Programs, Multi-Country Programs; Programs at Sea, Programs at Sea

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Fall Semester

Program Overview

Program Description:

SEA Semester: Colonization to Conservation in the Caribbean (CCC) attracts students who want to understand environmental, political, and social change from an interdisciplinary perspective and in an historical context. This writing-intensive semester draws students from majors as diverse as environmental studies, marine biology, anthropology, and English. It is an especially good fit for International Studies or Comparative Studies majors given the focus on a variety of Caribbean nations & cultures. Limited to 24 students per cruise. 17 credits offered through Boston University.

The nations throughout the Caribbean Sea provide a dynamic model for comparison. During the initial 6-week shore component in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, students develop original and wide-ranging research plans closely guided by faculty to prepare for their travel abroad. This research prepares students to observe and document changes they will find during the port stops, and to compare the current Caribbean environment with what scientists and mariners observed in the past. During the 6-week sea component in the Caribbean, students will come face to face with the environmental consequences of over 500 years of change and human development while visiting several islands rooted in diverse colonial legacies. They will examine present-day conditions of fisheries and water quality, as well as ecosystem health, diversity, and response to climate change. While on shore during two to three port stops, students will conduct their research while engaging with Caribbean peoples, culture and the physical environment. Taking a comparative approach as eyewitnesses, students are encouraged to make observations and connections linking complex colonial pasts with the contemporary challenges and opportunities facing developing nations in a globalized world.

SEA Semester provides an experiential opportunity to gather firsthand knowledge that will influence your lifelong relationship with the ocean. As our society becomes more aware of how integral the oceans are to the planet, from climate patterns to energy production to the origins of life itself, we must also understand how to conserve these important resources. Moving beyond the textbook toward practical application, hands-on research, and personal experience, SEA Semester prepares students to take a more active role in solving today’s environmental problems. Isn't it worth one semester to study three-quarters of the world?

Setting Description:

On Shore in Woods Hole: During the six-week shore component students take two concurrent classes, team-taught by SEA faculty. Maritime History and Culture explores political, cultural, and demographic changes in the Caribbean from the arrival of Europeans to the present. Marine Environmental History uses both scientific and historical evidence to develop an ecological timeline for the Caribbean. Students examine the marine and terrestrial resources that drove European expansion, and track the impact of introduced species, human development, and pollution on coastal ecosystems. Students will approach both courses from the perspectives of science, maritime studies, and navigation. At Sea in the Caribbean: Aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer, students study the environmental consequences of over 500 years of change and human development in the Caribbean region. They conduct sampling surveys of the area's biology, geology, chemistry, and physics using state-of-the-art equipment and laboratory

Cost:

Visit our website for information on cost, scholarships and financial aid, and affordability.