Melbourne Summer - Cross-Cultural Currents

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Overview

Quick Facts

City:

Melbourne [1]

Country:

Australia [2]

Program credits:

6 credits

Language(s) of Instruction:

English

Language prerequisites:

None

Please note: After the end of the Fall 2013 semester, IES Abroad will be closing its programs in Melbourne.

We’re grateful for a positive relationship with our partner universities in Melbourne, and thank them and our on-site staff for their support in helping us provide excellent study abroad experiences for our students. We can't wait to welcome our Summer '13 and Fall '13 students!

And don’t worry—you can still study with IES Abroad in Australia after our Melbourne programs close. Be sure to check out our three direct enrollment programs in Sydney, and two new Sydney summer programs:

Rated one of the best places in the world to live, Melbourne is known for its exciting cultural life, passionate sports fans, beautiful parks, and charming Victorian neighborhoods. One of the most multicultural cities on earth, Melbourne is the ideal base from which to study the key issues facing contemporary Australia.

This unique summer program intrduces you to the historical, cultural, and political life of Australia. In addition to the required core course, you enroll in the elective course Cross-Cultural Currents: Indigenous and Multicultural Issues in Australia.

Program Dates

These dates are preliminary and are subject to change. Students should not book flights according to these dates.

Academics

You earn a total of 6 credits through the core course Politics, Society, & Identity in Australia and the elective course Cross-Cultural Currents: Indigenous & Multicultural Issues in Australia.

Politics, Society, & Identity in Australia
This course provides you with a broad understanding of Australian society and culture, and the historical forces that are shaping contemporary realities. Topics include a survey of Australian history, politics and society, issues of cultural identity, cross-cultural interactions in a globalizing and post-colonial context, and Australia's place in the world in the early 21st century.

Cross-Cultural Currents: Indigenous & Multicultural Issues in Australia
This course explores cross-cultural interactions in Australia, with particular emphasis on two key themes: relations between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, and the impact of mass immigration on Australian society and multiculturalism. Topics discussed include: the impact of European settlement on indigenous Australians; indigenous and non-indigenous perspectives of land, society and culture; the history of post-war immigration; the evolution of multicultural policies; and contemporary debates on indigenous and multicultural issues.

Designed to expose you to a wide variety of experiences, theories, and perspectives, this multi-disciplinary course includes lectures, class discussions, analyses of written texts and films, and visits to museums, galleries and a variety of indigenous and ethnic community organizations.

An integral part of the course is the intensive field study trip to Central Australia, where you investigate relevant issues in the context of a unique geographical environment with a complex history of cross-cultural interactions between settlers and Aboriginal people. The desert program includes seminars given by both indigenous and non-indigenous lecturers.

Courses

This is a list of planned course offerings. After you are accepted, you will see a list of final course offerings in your MyIESabroad account.

Field Study

In addition to the six-day field study trip to the Outback, IES Abroad Melbourne organizes field study trips that complement what you’re learning in the classroom, and contribute to your general knowledge of Australian culture and society.

Housing

Our job is to make sure that your greatest challenge is deciding what landmarks to see first or discovering the best café—not finding a place to live where you feel comfortable. We do our best to locate housing that is reflective of how the local students are living. Our goal is that when you leave Melbourne, it will feel like home.

Apartments - A short walk from campus, you live in apartments that are ideally situated within walking distance of many of Melbourne’s cultural, shopping, and entertainment venues. Each fully furnished, self-contained apartment is shared by two IES Abroad students. The apartments are self-catering, but kitchens are fully-equipped with cutlery and cookware.

Student Life

Part of making you feel at home in Melbourne is doing our best to help you feel safe and cared for. Whether it is an orientation program that makes you feel prepared, housing that is well-located and comfortable, or the field trips that take you to exciting destinations—we’re all about our student services. This is just one of the things we’re known for.

Orientation

A Melbourne-based orientation day is followed by a trip to the Great Ocean Road or one of Victoria’s spectacular National Parks such as the Grampians (known for its breathtaking sandstone mountain ranges), the rugged coastline and dense bushland of Wilsons Promontory, or the historic goldfields of Ballarat and surrounding natural springs region known as “Spa Country.” The “in city and out” orientation program introduces you to all aspects of the program, life in Melbourne, and the landscape and culture of Australia beyond Melbourne.

Extracurricular Activities & Cultural Events

IES Abroad offers on-site activities including films and field trips to galleries, museums, neighborhoods, and relevant organizations.

Field Trips

In addition to the three-day orientation trip, IES Abroad Melbourne sponsors course-related field trips designed to enrich classroom learning.

As part of the Cross-Cultural Currents course, participate in a six-day visit to the outback town of Alice Springs and surrounding indigenous communities, including a two-night camp at Uluru (Ayers Rock), and Kings Canyon.

The cost of IES Abroad field trips is included in the program fee.

Center

IES Abroad Melbourne [7]

Ready to choose the Melbourne study abroad program that’s right for you? Browse our partner universities and their many offerings to make sure you get the most out of your study abroad experience with IES Abroad.

Center staff:

Chay Dylan Granger
IES Abroad Director
Chay is the Manager of IES Abroad Melbourne and has worked with IES Abroad students and staff since 2009, coordinating academic and cultural programs and running fieldtrips. Chay has extensive experience in international education, administration, staff management, research, client services, program management and student support. He is an alumna of the University of Melbourne with an honors degree in Forest Science.

Faculty
IES Abroad semester program students are taught by the faculty of the University of Melbourne or La Trobe University. IES Abroad summer program students are taught by the faculty of the University of Melbourne.

Cost