Pomona College Home Page Pomona College Home Page

South Africa


Cape Town
South Africa is a land extolling the paradox of great physical beauty in tandem with complex human struggles. The Cape Town program offers the visiting student an opportunity to study on site some of the challenging historical and contemporary issues of South Africa. These include topics in history, sociology, politics, economics, development, race relations, multiculturalism, gender studies, and science and technology.  African languages are also available.

The CIEE Arts & Sciences Program in South Africa is based at the University of Cape Town (UCT). The university was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and during the 1920s it became the University of Cape Town. A large site on Cecil Rhodes’s magnificent hillside estate in Rondebosch was set aside for its campus. The campus has beautiful buildings with sweeping lawns, pathways, and trees. The university is South Africa’s leading research university, and boasts a high standard of academic excellence and a fine international reputation. The university has an enrollment of 19,000 students who study in some 100 departments in six faculties. Although UCT was classified as a “white university” during the apartheid era, it now is fully integrated. Forty-eight percent of all students registered in 1999 were nonwhite and forty-six percent of the students were women, with nearly 2,000 international students hailing from 73 countries. The language of instruction is English.

Dates: Fall semester: early July to mid-November.  Spring semester: late January to late June.

Fields of Study: Full university curriculum includes African languages and literatures, archaeology, chemistry, classics, dance, drama, economics, environmental science, fine art, gender studies, geological sciences, history, history of art, life sciences, linguistics, music, philosophy, political studies, Afrikaans and Netherlandic studies, psychology, religious studies, social anthropology, sociology, mathematics and statistical sciences.

Eligibility: Junior standing and 9.0 GPA required. Additionally, candidates are strictly required to have completed a college course with African content. The national applicant pool may be competitive, and CIEE gives preference to the most qualified applicants.

Number of Students: Approximately 4 Pomona students. Pomona students are part of a competitive national pool. CIEE group totals approximately 80-100. University enrollment approximately 21,000.

Academic Program: The program begins with a required orientation, which includes lectures on South Africa, practical tips on living in Cape Town, activities organized by CIEE and UCT, and information sessions on university organization and courses. During the semester students enroll in a full-time academic program of regular UCT courses. Students select from extensive listings of 200-level (second year), 300-level (third year) or 400-level (honors) courses, one of which must focus on South Africa. Normally, 300-level or 400-level courses should be in the student’s major subject. Pomona will award credit at the 100 level only for courses in African languages. No credit is awarded for courses in dance.

The program must total at least 16 semester credits (equal to 4.0 Pomona credits). Credit is allocated as follows: 100-level courses carry 0.75 Pomona credit per course; 200-level courses carry 1.0 Pomona credit per course; and 300-level/400-level courses carry 1.5 Pomona credits per course.

Living Arrangements: Students live in UCT residences with South African students or in off-campus houses with other CIEE students. Meals are self-catered, and a meal allowance is provided by Pomona College. Students may also choose to live with a host family. In homestays, weekday breakfast and dinner and all weekend meals are provided. Pomona provides a meal allowance for weekday meals. Pomona also provides a transportation and taxi allowance.

Faculty Liaison:  Betsy Crighton

Internet Links:
http://ciee.org/program_search/program_detail.aspx?program_id=134&type=part
www.uct.ac.za/

Weather and Time in Cape Town



Cape Town - Globalization and the Environment: South Africa

The Macalester-Pomona-Swarthmore Consortium Program offers its students a unique opportunity for focused study on the theme of "Globalization and the Environment: South Africa."  The program has been designed by environmental studies faculty of these three liberal arts colleges in consultation with the University of Cape Town (UCT).  The program's overall educational purpose is to enable participants to gain a deeper understanding of the natural world and its interconnections with human activity.  To do so, students will grapple with the philosophical , scientific, social, aesthetic and ethical dimensions of the program theme.  The academic program provides high-quality teaching, discussion, reading, educational excursions, and includes an optional directed study project. 

The program is based on two key concepts.  Globalization is the dynamic and complex process involving the universal laws of science across diverse environments and the particular challenges confronted by local populations as they engage with the natural world.  Environment investigates the physical and biological systems of the planet and its connection with the human condition.  Students will investigate how this has been expressed over time and across cultures, with a specific focus on South Africa.

Dates: Spring semester only:  early January to late June.

Fields of Study:
  Environmental and Geographical Science, Oceanography, Botany, Zoology, Archeology, History, Philosophy and Anthropology. 

Eligibility: Students should have a declared major in a field relevant to the program theme.  An advising session with the Director of Study Abroad is required prior to submission of the Study Abroad Application.  Students should call the OSA to schedule an appointment.  Preference is given to students with a 10.5 GPA.  Preference will be given to students who have completed four semesters of Environmental Studies-related courses, of which at least two are in Natural Sciences and at least one is in the Social Sciences.  Students with academic coursework emphasizing international and environmental studies are especially encouraged to apply. 

Number of Students: Approximately 3 to 5 Pomona students. Total group 12.

Academic Program: The program begins with the core seminar, Globalization and the Environment.  This course is required of all participants and is taught in two parts:  Part 1 by the Consortium Visiting Professor, and Part 2 by the program's Academic Affairs Coordinator.  The seminar includes field trips, films and other educational activities related to the seminar theme (1.0 Pomona course credit.)  When the UCT semester begins in mid-February, students enroll in at least two regular university courses that support the theme of the program.  These should be at the 300 or 400 level (1.0 Pomona credit each.)  The program also offers participants an opportunity to do a Directed Study Project either individually or in small groups.  A list of project topics from 2007 is available in the Office of Study Abroad (1.0 Pomona credit.)

Living Arrangements: Students will live with international students from many other parts of the world in self-catered houses in the general vicinity of UCT.

Faculty Liaison:  Gene Fowler

Internet Links:
http://www.macalester.edu/internationalcenter/studyabroad/southafrica/
www.uct.ac.za/

Weather and Time in Cape Town


Study Abroad Home  |  Pomona Programs  |  Non-Pomona Programs
Policies & Procedures  |  FAQs  |  Applicants  |  Participants  |  Returning Students
·                        ·                        ·
Pomona College Office of Study Abroad
333 North College Way, Claremont, California 91711
Tel: 909.621.8154 | Fax: 909.621.8591 | Email: sabroad@pomona.edu

 
Quick Links
Pomona Home
Student Portal
Campus Calendar
Dining Hall Menus
The Student Life
Student Digester
Coop Store
Academic Departments
Registrar
Financial Aid
Study Abroad
Graduate Fellowships
Career Development
Faculty Profiles
Library Search
Explore Pomona's Web
Find It
Campus Directory
Site Map
Search
Google Homepage
Search Pomona
Search WWW
Top

Copyright © Pomona College | Claremont, California 91711
webmaster@pomona.edu