Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

An extraordinary program Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 08/29/2016 to 12/19/2016 with

SIT Study Abroad: IHP Climate Change - The Politics of Land, Water, and Energy Justice

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This program completely changed the way I think about climate change and the systems it is embedded within. It provides important analytical frames through which to view the world, and offers an extensive itinerary for field-based learning

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Great academic program, amazing professor. Gives important new analytical frames through which to view CC and the world.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Always complicated but well-executed in each country

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Homestays were great but some much better than others

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

All meals/transportation is provided, but you will inevitably eat out on weekends and go to bars etc, so budget some money for that

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $10-35
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Eat at your homestays!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
  • Hotel
  • Hostel
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Traveling faculty's classes
  • Site Visits
  • Fellow students
* What could be improved?
  • Some classes could be more cohesive
  • Free/flexible time sometimes limited
  • Cultural immersion depended a lot on your host family - some people got more than others
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? It is really a program about environmental justice, but don't let that turn you off if you're unfamiliar with it

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Research Methods
Course Department:
Instructor: Priya Chandesakaran
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Good foundation for the research papers. Some of it is sacrificed to have more time for the Political Economy class.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

CC Science and Policy
Course Department:
Instructor: Alan Forsberg
Instruction Language:
Comments: Good foundational science knowledge. The "distance learning modules" are very helpful, providing a way to learn the concepts visually. Guest lecturers within the countries can be boring or repetitive sometimes.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Political Economy and Environmental History
Course Department:
Instructor: Priya Chandesakaran
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This is the core course of the program. It's challenging at times but absolutely amazing - I learned so much and it completely changed how I view climate change.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Comparative Issues in Food, Water and Energy
Course Department:
Instructor: Michael Shanks
Instruction Language:
Comments: Good integration into site visits and guest lectures. Course is just a conglomerate of guest lectures, not very tied together. Good essay assignments. Very chill
Credit Transfer Issues: