Study Abroad

British Isles, European Studies, German Studies, Paris, South Africa, Transcultural Nursing and Tropical Marine Biology

These programs are registered at Seattle Pacific University and taken with SPU faculty.

British Isles Program (Spring Quarter)
Luke Reinsma, Coordinator, English Department
The British Isles Quarter (BIQ) is a biennial study-abroad program that offers students an opportunity to take regular English courses from an SPU professor while residing and traveling in Great Britain. Professors, courses, and locations vary. For details about upcoming BIQs, visit the English Department.

European Studies (Spring Quarter)
Michael Macdonald, Coordinator, Foreign Language Department
European Quarter is a SPU sponsored study-abroad program held Autumn or Spring Quarter. Sites vary, depending on faculty leadership, but participants meet the expectations of a quarter�s study in Europe both academically, earning a minimum of 12 credits, and culturally, through in-depth contact with the language/culture connection. For details about upcoming European Quarters, visit the Foreign Language Department.

German Studies Program (Summer)
Michael Ziemann, Coordinator, Foreign Language Department
The German Studies Program is a seven-week summer program that offers students on-site study of the German language, culture, history, and literature for a minimum of 10 credits. Sites are chosen for their cultural and historical significance and have included Berlin, Bad Homburg, and Heppenheim. Excursions to nearby locations are also part of the program. [Back to top]

Paris Studies Program (Summer)
Michelle Beauclair, Coordinator, Foreign Language Department

The Paris Study Program offers students the opportunity to earn 10 credits while immersing themselves in French language and culture. Intensive French courses focus on oral proficiency in common, everyday situations encountered in Paris. The program includes the study of European civilization using the museums, theaters, and historic sights of the city as our classroom. Students also participate in a weekend excursion outside of Paris.

South Africa (Summer)
Kimberly Segall, Coordinator, English Department
This four-week summer program tours several locations in South Africa, including Capetown (once the prison site of Nelson Mandela), Addo Elephant Park, the Garden Route, and the National Arts Festival at Grahamstown. Students will visit museums, attend theatre performances, and participate in a service project. For details, visit the English Department.

Transcultural Nursing Program (Winter Quarter)

Emily Hitchens, Coordinator, School of Health Sciences
The Nursing Program offers transcultural experiences for students on campus, locally, and abroad. Applications for the study-abroad experience are available to nursing students Winter Quarter of the junior year and are due in early March. The study-abroad experience occurs during Winter Quarter of the senior year. Transcultural programs may not be offered every year, depending upon the international travel conditions and opportunities available. In addition, the School of Health Sciences has close ties with Gunma University College of Medical Care and Technology and with Gunma Prefectural Health Sciences College in Japan, offering summer programs focused on nursing in the United States.

Tropical Marine Biology (Various Locations) (Winter Break)
Tim Nelson, Coordinator, Biology Department
This 10-day to two-week study takes place annually between the end of Autumn Quarter and Christmas Eve. Destinations vary between the Caribbean and a site in the Pacific. (For example, the December 2003 tour was in Belize and the 2002 tour was to the Galapagos Islands.) The tour typically emphasizes fish, corals, and seaweeds typical of coral reef ecosystems or terrestrial natural history. This study is open to all students; General Education or Exploratory Curriculum credit may be earned in BIO 1100. Students with biology experience may take BIO 4950 for credit. Snorkeling and scuba diving are optional. The course includes a cultural component. In Belize, for example, the Mayan ruins were part of the tour. [Back to top]

Study Programs

American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.), Australia Studies Centre, China Studies, Contemporary Music Center, Latin American Studies, Los Angeles Film Study Center, Middle East Studies, Oxford Summer Programme, Russian Studies, The Scholars' Semester in Oxford, Uganda Studies, Washington (D.C.) Journalism Center

Seattle Pacific University is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the Christian College Consortium (CCC). The purpose of the CCCU and CCC is to promote Christian higher education, and to provide programs for students and professional development opportunities for faculty and administration. Applications and information for all programs are available on the CCCU website. These 12 study programs are semester-based, and students register for them at Seattle Pacific University through the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities program. Registration and course information is available at SPU�s Special Programs. [Back to top]

American Studies (Washington, D.C.)
Reed Davis, Coordinator, Political Science Department
Founded in 1976, the American Studies Program (ASP) has served hundreds of students from council-member institutions as a �Washington, D.C., campus.� The ASP uses Washington, D.C., as a stimulating educational laboratory where collegians gain hands-on experience with an internship in their chosen field and explore pressing national and international issues in public policy seminars that are issue-oriented, interdisciplinary, and led by ASP faculty and Washington professionals. Internships are tailored to fit the student�s talents and aspirations and are available in a wide range of fields. The ASP bridges classroom and marketplace, combining biblical reflection, policy analysis, and real-world experience. Students are exposed to on-the-job learning that helps them build for their future and gain perspective on the calling of God for their lives. They are challenged in a rigorous course of study to discover for themselves the meaning of Christ�s lordship in putting their beliefs into practice. The aim of the program is to help Council schools prepare their students to live faithfully in contemporary society as followers of Christ. Students earn 24 quarter hours of credit.

Course Descriptions

SBS 4915 Public Policy Seminar (12) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance in the American Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C. An interdisciplinary examination of selected topics in the American political, historical and cultural context. Reviews both domestic and international issues. Attributes: Social Science A; and Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.

SBS 4945 Internship (12) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the American Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Washington, D.C. Students may select part-time placements in Washington, D.C., in agencies or programs associated with communication, arts, urban ministries, marketing and corporate enterprise, legal matters, trade associations or federal policy formation. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students. 

Australia Studies Center (Sydney)
Don Yanik, Coordinator, Theatre Department
The Australia Studies Centre (ASC) seeks to prepare students to live the Christian life in a world that is religiously and culturally pluralistic, whether in Australia, North America, or other parts of the world. Students are encouraged to think through their role as kingdom builders in a Western world that is increasingly secular both intellectually and culturally. Students are further challenged to grapple with the meaning of being �salt� and �light� in the cultureshaping arena of the professional performing artist. Students earn 24 credits quarter hours of credit. [Back to top]

Course Descriptions

MA 3000 Australia Studies: Culture (6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. Attribute: Upper-Division

MA 3001 Australia Studies: Theology (3-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. May be repeated for credit up to 6 credits. Attribute: Upper-Division.

MA 3002 Australia Studies: Design (3-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. May be repeated for credit up to 6 credits. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

MA 3003 Australia Studies: Dance (3-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. May be repeated for credit up to 6 credits. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

MA 3004 Australia Studies: Drama (3-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. May be repeated for credit up to 6 credits. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

MA 3005 Australia Studies: Music (3-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. May be repeated for credit up to 6 credits. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

China Studies Program (Xiamen)
Darrell Allen, Coordinator, History Department
The China Studies Program (CSP), which began in the spring of 1999, allows students to engage this large and intriguing country from the inside. While living and experiencing Chinese civilization firsthand, students participate in seminar courses on the historical, cultural, religious, geographical, and economic realities of this strategic and populous nation. In addition to the study of standard Chinese, students will assist Chinese students learning English, allowing for one-on-one interaction. The China Studies program is hosted by Xiamen University located on the beautiful garden island of Xiamen in southeastern China. The program introduces students to the diversity of China with trips to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Xi�an. This interdisciplinary, cross-cultural program of study enables Christian students to deal with this increasingly important part of the world in an informed, Christ-centered way. Students earn 24 quarter hours of credit.

Course Descriptions

CHN 2000 China Studies: Conversational Chinese (4) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the China Studies Program. This course is designed to help students gain an appreciation for the richness of the spoken national language of China. After a brief survey of the historical development of Mandarin, emphasis is placed upon acquiring a basic facility in the dialect. Emphasis is on the spoken form. Chinese language background is not required. Students come to China with varying degrees of fluency in standard (Mandarin) Chinese, so CSP places students in the Chinese language class that corresponds to their level of proficiency. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.  

CHN 3000 China Studies: Chinese II (4-5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU China Studies Program. For a current description, please see www.bestsemester.com.

SBS 3100 China Studies: Contemporary Society (4-5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU China Studies Program.  For a current description, please see www.bestsemester.com.

SBS 3102 China Studies: Eastern Philosophy and Religion(3-5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU China Studies Program.  For a current description, please see www.bestsemester.com.

SBS 4902 China Studies: History, Culture and Geography (3-5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU China Studies Program. Covers the history of China from its earliest beginnings to the present. Topics include Chinese philosophy, classics, history, geography, cultural customs and traditions, as well as religious traditions and life in rural China. Attributes: Social Science B; and Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.

SBS 4904 China Studies: Contemporary Society and Public Policy (5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU China Studies Program. This course focuses on changes that have transformed society since the Reform Policies of 1979. Topics include changes in the educational system, religious policy, women's issues, population control, rights of ethnic minorities, legal reforms, Taiwan and Tibet, and Sino-U.S. diplomacy. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to non-matriculated students. Class not open to freshmen.

SBS 4905 China Studies: Modernization and Economic Development (4) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU China Studies Program. This course focuses on the economic changes in China since the late 1970s. Various areas such as foreign exchange, private enterprise, stock market, rural development and economic policies are covered. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.

SBS 4906 China Studies: Local Customs (2) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU China Studies Program. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.

SBS 4907 China Studies: Tai Chi (2) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU China Studies Program. Tai chi, a gentle and stylized form of self-defense, tones the body and concentrates the mind. Students learn techniques, postures and routines. Attribute: Upper-Division.

SBS 4908 China Studies: Intercultural Communication (4-5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU China Studies Program. This seminar introduces the fundamentals of language, communications and culture. Emphasis is on the bridges and barriers to cross-cultural communication, particularly between Chinese and Americans. Attribute: Upper-Division.

Contemporary Music (Martha’s Vineyard)
Ramona Holmes, Coordinator, Music Department
The Contemporary Music Center offers students the opportunity to spend a semester studying, living, and working with faculty, music industry experts, and other students who share their interest in making and marketing contemporary music. It is a chance to devote serious time to discovering how God would have a student integrate his or her faith, love of music, and the music marketplace.

In addition to core courses investigating the music industry and the intersection of faith and culture, students can choose between the “artist track” or the music “executive track.” They will get many hours of hands-on experience, plus lectures, seminars, directed study, and an intensive field experience in Nashville, Tennessee. When not in class, students will be in the studio or in music-business offices. Together with classmates, students will make and market a CD of original music. A complete list of courses can be found in the School of Music section of this Catalog. The Center is located on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, five miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. [Back to top]

Course Descriptions

FPA 3000 Contemporary Christian Music: Faith, Music and Culture (5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. The purpose of this course is to help students develop a Christian approach to the creation, marketing and consumption of contemporary music. Attribute: Upper-Division.

FPA 3001 Contemporary Christian Music: Artist Management (4) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Through lecture, text and visiting music industry experts, executive track students will gain a thorough understanding of the economic, creative and spiritual elements critical to a career in contemporary music. Part of executive track. Attribute: Upper-Division.

FPA 3002 Contemporary Christian Music: Music Marketing and Sales (5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Through classroom instruction and presentations by visiting industry experts, executive track students will become familiar with the role of packaging, retail point-of-purchase materials, publicity, advertising, radio and video promotion, Internet marketing and tour support in the marketing and sale of recorded music. Part of the executive track. Attribute: Upper-Division.

MUS 1000 Contemporary Christian Music: Inside the Music Industry(4) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Through readings, lectures, and seminars delivered by leading industry figures, the course will give up-to-the-minute insight into the inner workings of the music industry. Emphasis will be given to career possibilities, and the gifts and skills required to succeed in each of the major areas, including work as a performer.

MUS 3000 Contemporary Christian Music: Studio Recording (5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Artists, via both the classroom and lab, will work with faculty, other students, and visiting experts to learn how to produce, record, mix, and edit recordings in a professional multi-track studio. Part of artist track. Attribute: Upper-Division.

MUS 3001 Contemporary Christian Music: Essentials of Songwriting (5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Artists will receive classroom instruction, participate in directed study with staff, and work in collaboration with other students to develop their use of form, melody, harmony, rhythm, and lyric. Part of the artist track. Attribute: Upper-Division.

MUS 3002 Contemporary Christian Music: Performance (4) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. In consultation with staff and executive track students, artists will develop a live concert presentation that best utilizes their gifts as musicians, entertainers, and communicators. Part of the artist track. Attribute: Upper-Division.

MUS 3003 Contemporary Christian Music: Artists and Repertoire (5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Executives will learn how to create a label business plan; analyze and forecast trends in popular music; assemble a successful artist roster; and, in tandem with artists, they will plan, budget, and produce recording sessions. Part of executive track. Attribute: Upper-Division.

MUS 4935 Contemporary Christian Music: Practicum (1) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Each student will participate in an intensive weeklong practicum. Briefings, tours, and meetings will be arranged with leading record companies, artist management firms, booking agencies, recording studios, concert promoters, writers, producers, and artists. Attribute: Upper-Division.

Film Studies Program (Los Angeles)
Kim Gilnett, Coordinator, Fine Arts Department
The Los Angeles Film Studies Center (LAFSC), a program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, offers a semesterlong liberal arts exposure to the workings of the film industry, exploring the ethical considerations and cultural influences that arise from the industry�s operations and product. Enrollment in the program is competitive and limited to upper-division undergraduates. For those accepted into the program, a block of 24 SPU credits may be earned. Consult the film-studies coordinator for details. The Los Angeles Film Studies Center, located in Burbank, California, provides students a unique opportunity to study the film industry in an �on location� intensified experience. Participants have opportunity to meet working professionals from all aspects of the film industry, to visit facilities found only in Southern California, and to utilize film research libraries unique to the area. The curriculum is intended to appeal to students from a variety of academic disciplines with the intent of providing an interdisciplinary study of film and the film industry, and with a secondary goal of providing opportunity to investigate future academic and/or vocational opportunities. [Back to top]

Course Descriptions

FLM 4100 CCCU: Film Studies - Theology in Hollywood (6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Encourages the development of the necessary skills for analysis of the culture of Hollywood, its role in popular culture and the theological intersections therein.  Seeks theological engagement with the culture of Hollywood and cinema by investigating some of the social, ethical, and psychological implications of film upon theology.  Presents information in four modules, each building on the content of the previous module: 1) an analysis of the culture of Hollywood; 2) a study of theology/Bible and engagement with Hollywood and cinema; 3) Christian ethics and the culture of Hollywood; and 4) a capstone examination of Christian vocation in Hollywood. All students participate in a team-taught lecture seminar led by a professor of theology. Students also participate in small group tutorials, service learning, and discussions. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

FLM 4120 CCCU: Film Studies - Hollywood Production Workshop (4-5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Los Angeles Film Studies Center. Taught through semester-long program of the Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities in Los Angeles. An introduction to the theory and practice of motion picture filmmaking. Topics include familiarity with filmmaking equipment; basic motion picture techniques; converting idea to image; the use of lighting, editing and sound in film; and the role of acting, directing and good storytelling in the filmmaking process. Students make several short super 8mm films that manifest their faith in content and process. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

FLM 4140 Screenwriting (4-5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into Los Angeles Film Studies Center. Taught through semester-long program of the coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities in Los Angeles. An introduction to contemporary screenwriting, including an understanding of dramatic structure, character and dialogue development, and the writing process. Students complete a full-length screenplay for a feature film or "movie-of-the-week." Emphasis is given to the role of Christian faith and values as they relate to script content. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

FLM 4900 CCCU: Film Studies - Independent Study (4) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. This course may be setup by special request and arrangement.  In order to be considered students may submit a portfolio and a project proposal.  Students with approved projects will be appointed a mentor who is a professional in the Hollywood industry to supervise the project.  Projects could include further development of a portfolio or reel, critical research, or a senior thesis project.

 FLM 4910 CCCU: Film Studies - Motion Picture Production (4-5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into Los Angeles Film Studies Center. Taught through semester-long program of the coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities in Los Angeles. An introduction to the process of producing an independent feature film. Topics include legal structures, business plans, preproduction activities such as scheduling and budgeting, and an overview of the producer's role in production, post-production, and distribution. Attention is given to the Christian's unique contribution to producing. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

FLM 4943 Internship (8-10) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Los Angeles Film Studies Center. Taught through semester-long program of the Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities in Los Angeles. Students participate in an internship experience in some aspect of the Hollywood film or television industry. These are non-paying positions primarily in an office setting such as development companies, agencies, personal management companies, production offices, etc. Students work 20 to 24 hours a week throughout the length of the semester. The internships do not include positions on actual filmmaking locations. Instead, students work in offices as support personnel to producers, writers, directors, agents, post-production personnel, and others involved in the total process of producing and distributing a major motion picture. The LAFSC provides interns to many of the major companies within Hollywood. Attribute: Upper-Division.

Latin American Studies Program (San Jose, Costa Rica)
Robert Baah, Coordinator, Foreign Language Department
Students of Council member colleges have the opportunity to live and learn in Latin America through the Latin American Studies Program (LASP), based in San Jose, Costa Rica. The program seeks to introduce students to as wide a range of Latin American experiences as possible through the study of language, literature, culture, politics, history, economics, ecology, and religion of the region. Living with a Costa Rican family, students experience and become a part of the day-to-day lives of typical Latin Americans. Students also participate in a service opportunity and travel for three weeks to nearby Latin American nations. In addition to the regular program of interdisciplinary offerings, three specialized academic tracks are available to qualified students: Advance Language and Literature Studies (limited to Spanish majors and offered both Autumn and Spring Quarters), International Business and Management (offered in only Autumn Quarter), and Tropical Sciences (offered in only Spring Quarter). Students in all tracks earn 24 quarter hours of credit.

Course Descriptions

BIO 4917 Latin American Studies Program: Science Seminar (6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into Latin American Studies program. Taught through the semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Costa Rica. This seminar introduces students to biological field studies in a tropical location. May be taken as an alternative to SBS 4919, but is not recommended for the LAS major. Part of the tropical science track. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.

BIO 4918 Latin American Studies Program: Field Research (3) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Latin American Studies program. Taught through semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Costa Rica. Part of the tropical science track. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

SBS 4911 Latin American Studies Program: Business Seminar (5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance in Latin American Studies Program. Taught through semester-long program of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities in Costa Rica. Students investigate management and marketing in Latin America. Businesses explored include export commodities and multinationals marketing in Latin America. Special emphasis given to sources of information for planning. Part of the international business track. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students. 

SBS 4918 Latin American Studies Program: Seminar in Latin American Culture I: History, Contemporary Issues and Perspectives (5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance in the Latin American Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Costa Rica. This seminar introduces students to the historical development of Latin America, the variety of analytical perspectives from which Latin American reality is explained, the character, past and present, of U.S. policy in the region, and the nature and impact of the economic crisis in the region. Attributes: Social Science B; and Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students. 

SBS 4919 Latin American Studies Program: Seminar in Latin American Culture II: Uniting Faith and Practice (4) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance in the Latin American Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Costa Rica. This course introduces students to several perspectives on faith and practice in the context of Latin America, considers the historical development and current character of the church in Latin America, helps students gain an understanding of approaches to Third World development and enables students to reflect biblically on these topics. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students. 

SBS 4920 Latin American Studies Program: Case Study/Project (4) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Latin American Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Costa Rica. Part of the international business track. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

SBS 4921 Latin American Studies Program: Travel Practicum (1-2) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Latin American Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Costa Rica. Part of the tropical science track/advanced language and literature track/international business track. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

SBS 4922 Latin American Studies Program: Literature and Language (5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Latin American Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Costa Rica. Part of the advanced language and literature track. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

SBS 4923 Latin American Studies Program: Work/Service Opportunity (4) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Latin American Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Costa Rica. Part of the advanced language and literature track. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

SBS 4937 International Practicum (6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Latin American Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Costa Rica. Opportunity to participate in a two-week, hands-on service project will be offered midway through the semester. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students. 

SPN 4000 Latin American Studies Program: Spanish Language Study (9) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Latin American Studies Program. As a Latin American Studies participant, you study Spanish not only in the classroom, but also on the street, in your home, in your service opportunity and during travel throughout Latin America. Students come to Costa Rica with varying degrees of fluency in Spanish, so LASP places you in the Spanish class that corresponds to your level of oral and written proficiency based on the placement exam and interview you will receive during orientation. You will study grammar, conversation and/or literature, based on the results of your tests. Attribute: Upper-Division.

Middle East Studies Program (Cairo, Egypt)
Donald Holsinger, Coordinator, History Department
The Middle East Studies Program (MESP) based in Cairo, Egypt, allows Council students to explore and interact with the complex and strategic world of the modern Middle East. The interdisciplinary seminars give students the opportunity to explore the diverse religious, social, cultural, and literary traditions of Middle Eastern people. In addition to seminars, students study the Arabic language and work as volunteers with various organizations in Cairo. Through travel to Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Turkey, students are exposed to the diversity and dynamism of the region. The MESP encourages and equips students to relate to the Muslim world in an informed, constructive, and Christ-centered manner in a time of tension and change. Students earn 24 quarter hours of credit. [Back to top]

Course Descriptions

ARAB 2000 Middle East: Introduction to Arabic Language (6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Middle East Studies Program. After a brief survey of the historical development of Arabic in the Middle East, both oral and written exercises form an integral part of the classroom program. This course incorporates the concept of communicative language acquisition to maximize the interaction of students with speakers of Arabic. Focusing on spoken Arabic, students are given a solid introduction to Egyptian colloquial grammar and a substantial amount of vocabulary. Students' involvement in weekly service opportunities further facilitates language acquisition. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.

SBS 4912 Middle East Seminar: People and Cultures (6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Middle East Studies Program. Autumn or spring semester study in Cairo, Egypt, with the Middle East Studies Program of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities. Interdisciplinary introduction to the cultural, political and religious characteristics of Middle Eastern peoples. Attributes: Social Science B; and Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.  

SBS 4913 Middle East Seminar: Islamic Thought and Practice (6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Middle East Studies Program. Taught through semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Cairo, Egypt. This course examines the doctrines, rituals, jurisprudence and historical vision of Islam with an emphasis on contemporary expressions of Islam in the Middle East. Special attention is given to the historical origins of religious traditions that are still alive today, namely Sunni, Shi'ite (Zaydi, Isma'ili and Twelver) and Sufi Islam, as well as the central features of Islamic theology and jurisprudence: the Qur'an, the Hadith, Kalaam and legal reasoning. Attributes: Arts and Humanities B; and Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.  

SBS 4914 Middle East Seminar: Conflict and Change (6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Middle East Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Cairo, Egypt. Interdisciplinary exploration of political, economic and cultural origins of conflict, in particular, the Arab-Israeli conflict. May include study trip to Israel and the West Bank. Attributes: Social Science B; and Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students. 

The Scholars� Semester in Oxford (Oxford)
Luke Reinsma , Coordinator, English Department
Honors students from the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities have the opportunity to study in England in an interdisciplinary semester at Oxford University in England. The rigorous academic program, aimed at increasing critical-thinking skills and scholarship from a Christian perspective, allows participants to choose from a wide variety of tutorial study programs in numerous disciplines, including the arts, religion, history, literature, and philosophy. In addition to two Oxford tutorials, students participate in a seminar and an integrative course through which they produce a scholarly project or term paper. Fieldtrips provide opportunities for experiential learning in England�s rich historical setting. Students earn 24 quarter hours of credit as a member of Wycliffe Hall and visiting student of Oxford University.

Course Descriptions

SBS 4951 Oxford: Tutorial I (6-9) See current description at www.bestsemester.com. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to graduate students. Class not open to freshmen. 

SBS 4952 Oxford: Tutorial II (4-6) See current description at www.bestsemester.com. Class not open to graduate students. Class not open to freshmen. 

SBS 4953 Oxford Integrative Seminar (5-6) See current description at www.bestsemester.com. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to graduate students. Class not open to freshmen.

Oxford Summer School (Oxford)
Luke Reinsma , Coordinator, English Department
Students spend a summer term studying at the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CMRS) of Keble College at Oxford University in England. The program includes multi-disciplinary study of the Renaissance and Reformation through examination of philosophy, art, literature, science, music, politics, and religion of early modern Europe in a choice of lectures, seminars, and fieldtrips. Students earn 9�13.5 quarter credits, which are administered directly to member institutions by CMRS credits. [Back to top]

Course Descriptions

FPA 4951 Oxford Arts Tutorial (6) Prerequisite: Admission to Oxford Honors. Taught through the historic one-to-one learning experience characteristic of the Oxford and Cambridge systems in England, this tutorial may include art, architecture, art history, drama and classics from the Medieval and Renaissance era and beyond in the framework of liberal arts exploration. Attributes: Arts and Humanities C; and Upper-Division. Class not open to graduate students. Class not open to freshmen.

RS 3000 Oxford: Christianity and Culture (3-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

RS 4950 Oxford Summer Programme: Topical Seminar (1-2) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. May be repeated for credit up to 4 credits. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

RS 4980 Oxford Summer Programme: Field Seminar (1-2) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. May be repeated for credit up to 4 credits. Attribute: Upper-Division.

Russian Studies Program (Moscow)
Katya Nemtchinova, Coordinator, Foreign Language Department
Russian Studies Program (RSP) students are exposed to the depth and diversity of Russian culture during a semester spent in Russia�s three largest cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Nizhni Novgorod. In addition to three seminar courses entitled History and Sociology of Religion in Russia, Russian Peoples, Cultures and Literature, and Russia in Transition, students receive instruction in the Russian language, choosing either four or six semester hours of language coursework. For those opting for four hours of Russian, a seminar course entitled International Relations and Business in Russia is available. The RSP strives to give students as wide an experience as possible in this complex nation, beginning with time in Moscow, the heart of both medieval and modern Russia. Students then spend 12 weeks in Nizhni Novgorod, a strategic city on the Volga River. After six weeks of language instruction, students live with a Russian family for the remainder of their stay in this city. Students also participate in a service opportunity in Nizhni Novgorod. The program concludes with a week spent in the complex and intriguing city of St. Petersburg, the Russian �window to the West.� Students generally earn 24 quarter hours of credit. [Back to top]

Course Descriptions

EUR 4911 Russian Studies Seminar I: History and Sociology of Religion in Russia (4) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Russian Studies program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Russia. This seminar delves into the history of religion in Russia dating from the beginnings of Christianity in the 10th century to the present day, with emphasis on Orthodoxy and Protestantism, including study of the persecution during the Soviet era and the flourishing of religious activity in post-Soviet years. The course also looks at the current government regulations from various points of view. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.  

EUR 4912 Russian Studies Seminar II: Russian Peoples, Culture and Literature (6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Russian Studies program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Russia. This seminar continues the study of Russian people and culture throughout history using well-known works of Russian literature to examine changes in Russia and their impact on its citizens from ancient times, through the czarist and Soviet eras, and in Russia today. Attributes: Arts and Humanities B; and Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.  

EUR 4913 Russian Studies Seminar III: Russia in Transition (5) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Russian Studies program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Russia. This seminar takes an in-depth look at Russia since 1991. A compendium of background and current journal, magazine, and newspaper articles is utilized, as well as guest lecturers and public-policy representatives. Students are introduced to the complexities of transition from a centrally planned economy to a free-market system and establishment of democratic institutions. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.  

EUR 4914 International Relations and Business (3) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Russian Studies program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Russia. This class will explore issues related to the newly arising world of business in Russia. Cultural differences, economic potential, ethics, and government policy will be examined. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students. 

RUS 2000 Russian Language Study: Elementary (6,9) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Russian Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Russia. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students. 

RUS 3000 Russian Language Study: Intermediate (6,9) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Russian Studies program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Russia. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students. 

RUS 4000 Russian Language Study: Advanced (6,9) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the Russian Studies Program. Taught through a semester-long program of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities in Russia. Attribute: Upper-Division. Class not open to freshmen and non-matriculated students.

Uganda Studies Program (Mukono)
Kerry Dearborn, Coordinator, School of Theology
The Uganda Studies Program (USP) seeks to prepare students to live the Christian life in a world that is religiously and culturally pluralistic, whether in Africa, North America, or other parts of the world. The USP seeks to introduce students to the dynamic world of the global south, focused in the vibrant East African nation of Uganda. Christianity there is joyful and growing rapidly, even as it engages Islam and secularization. USP students will move through this society first in the classes and dormitories of Uganda Christian University and then as learners observing places and people of interest around the country. Students earn 24 quarter hours of credit.

Course Descriptions

HUM 3111 Uganda Studies Program: African Literature (3-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. Attributes: Arts and Humanities B; and Upper-Division. 

RS 3100 Uganda Studies Program: Faith and Practice (3-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

RS 3101 Uganda Studies Program: Religions, Christianity and Islam in Contemporary Africa (3-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

RS 3120 Uganda: Forming a Christian Worldview (1-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU Uganda Studies Program.  For a current description, please see www.bestsemester.com. 

RS 3121 Uganda: African Christian Theology (1-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU Uganda Studies Program.  For a current description, please see www.bestsemester.com. 

RS 3122 Uganda: Theory and Practice Missions (1-6) Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU Uganda Studies Program.  For a current description, please see www.bestsemester.com. 

SBS 3120 Uganda Studies Program: Elective Studies (1-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. May be repeated for credit up to 6 credits. Attribute: Upper-Division. 

SBS 3121 Uganda: Geography (1-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. Prerequisite: Acceptance into the CCCU Uganda Studies Program.  For a current description, please see www.bestsemester.com. 

SBS 3130 Uganda Studies Program: African History and Culture (3-6) Registration approval: Travel Studies Form. See current description at www.bestsemester.com. Attributes: Social Science B; and Upper-Division. 

Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.)
Rick Jackson, Coordinator, Communication Department
The Washington Journalism Center is an advanced, experiential semester on Capitol Hill that will cultivate professional news skills and encourage students to think through the implications of being a Christian working in the news media in a city that is home to the powerful and the powerless. [Back to top]

Course Descriptions

JRN 4950 CCCU: Special Topics in Journalism (1-6) Registration approval: Coordinator. CCCU: Special Topics in Journalism may be repeated for credit up to 6 credits. Attribute: Upper-Division.

Visit/Transfer Programs

Clark Atlanta, Consortium Visitor Program, Daystar, FIT, FIDM, Soongsil University

Students can register for the following programs through SPU agreements. Those interested in one of these programs will meet with the designated contact at SPU, but will register for classes through the institution they visit.

Clark Atlanta College (Atlanta, Georgia)
Seattle Pacific University and Clark Atlanta College are sister schools. Students are able to study at each institution with the permission of the vice president for academic affairs. Information is available from the Office of Student Life. [Back to top]

Consortium Visitor Program (Various Locations)
Students may elect to attend one of the other 12 Christian College Consortium schools on a visitor basis for one or two quarters on the Student Visitor Program. In addition to SPU, Consortium schools include Asbury College, Bethel College (St. Paul), George Fox University, Gordon College, Greenville College, Houghton College, Malone College, Messiah College, Taylor University, Trinity International University, Westmont College and Wheaton College.

Applications should be filed through Student Academic Services. This program is eligible to students who have completed 1 year in residence at SPU and in good academic standing.  The deadline for Autumn Quarter is March 1; for Winter Quarter and Spring Quarter, the deadline is October 1. Information is available in Student Academic Services on campus, and by clicking here.

Daystar Program (Nairobi, Kenya)
The Christian College Consortium also sponsors a study program at Daystar University in Nairobi, Kenya. Programs of study include communications, business administration and management, education, community development, and Bible and Christian ministries. All instruction is in the English language, offered by a faculty composed primarily of African nationals. Admission to Daystar is limited to Consortium students in their junior or senior years. [Back to top]

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) Program (Los Angeles)
Students have an option of pursuing a concentrated year of training in interior design by participating in the liaison program with the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles. Students electing to participate in the FIDM liaison should apply in their junior year and attend during their senior year. Students considering this option should seek advisement early in their academic careers in order to meet the requirements of both FIDM and SPU.

Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Program (New York, New York)
Students in the textiles and clothing program who have major status and have maintained a satisfactory grade point average may select from nine additional specializations if they are accepted into the liaison program with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. Those students who choose the FIT option must be accepted into the major and work closely with their advisor in selecting courses that best prepare them for their chosen major. Specializations offered through the liaison program with FIT include: accessories design; advertising and communication; advertising design; manufacturing management; fashion design; fashion buying and merchandising; jewelry design; textile/surface design; and textile development and marketing.

Soongsil University (Seoul, Korea)
Seattle Pacific University and Soongsil University are sister schools. Students are able to study at each institution. Information is available from the Office of Student Life.

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