SPU's Newest Study Abroad Programs
Seattle Pacific University is pleased to offer students a new three-week summer program in Austria and Switzerland, beginning Summer 2013. Austria and Switzerland are two countries with some of the most progressive environmental standards in the world. Students will have the opportunity to view firsthand the history of interior design and architecture and learn how these fields relate to the environment in this region. These countries have a rich and diverse architectural history that includes buildings from the Romanesque and Gothic eras, as well as in Baroque, Art Nouveau, and the 20th century Bauhaus styles. Students will travel to Vienna, Salzburg, Hohe Tauern, Innsbruck, Bern, and Lucerne. They will earn 5 credits after successful completion of the program. This program is directed and led by Beth Miller, assistant professor, Family and Consumer Sciences.
On a new three-week global seminar in Israel and Palestine, students will be exposed to both ancient biblical and contemporary sites of importance, traveling around the region to see where Jesus was born, grew up, taught, and healed. Students will travel to Bethlehem, Nazareth, Capernaum, the Sea of Galilee, the Mount of Beatitudes, the Jordan River, Jerusalem, and visit ancient landmarks that are described in the Old Testament, such as Jericho and Ramallah. Students will be exposed to multiple perspectives on the region’s conflicts from those who are working for peace, reconciliation, and justice. They will earn 7 upper-division credits and return to SPU in time to start Autumn Quarter. The program is directed and led by Kerry Dearborn, professor of theology.
During a three-week global seminar in Scotland and Ireland, students will learn about regional reconciliation, religion, culture, and history. They will take part in investigations of religious and literary history, examining the roles of language, song, and narrative in peace-making processes. Students will visit Edinburgh, Glasgow, Iona, Tobermory, Belfast, Corrymeela, and Dublin. Hands-on service learning will also be incorporated in this program, including working with Christian organizations and churches. Students can choose to take one or both of the courses offered (Christian Theology and/or Celtic Literature and Culture), earning a total of 5 to 10 upper-division credits. They will return to SPU in time to start Autumn Quarter. The faculty members leading the program are Jeff Keuss, professor of theology, and Christine Chaney, professor of English.