 Experience the real Caribbean: History and Culture
Barbados
6 credits in History, African American Studies, and Anthropology
July 18 – Aug. 12, 2008
Dr. Bernard Moitt
$2,980 + VCU tuition
Registration deadline: May 15, 2008
Program description and application [PDF]
The Office of International Education, The Department of History and the Department of African American Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University are pleased to offer a unique opportunity to study on site in Barbados. This program will highlight the historical and cultural heritage of the Caribbean at a festive time in Barbados (the Crop Over festival) when the island is in the midst of celebrating its African cultural traditions through music and dance. Lectures will be held at the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies.
Course and credit options: 6 VCU credits
HIST 391 / ANTH 391 Caribbean History and Culture
AFAM 491 Caribbean Perspectives on the African Diaspora *
*This can be substituted for HIST 491 or ANTH 492.
Students are required to sign up for six credits.
 Course description: Through lectures and field visits led by faculty members, students will explore the evolution and development of Caribbean societies from around the 15th century to the present, as well as the responses of Caribbean peoples to forces that have shaped their lives. This exploration will include, but not be limited to the following: plantation slavery, gender, language, migration, education, religion, race, identity, sports, architecture, archaeology, music, dance, the Kadooment Day celebration, and cuisine. The Barbados study-abroad program is designed to give students, with or without a background in Caribbean studies, an authentic, stimulating and memorable Caribbean experience. It will appeal to broad-minded individuals who are open to ethnic and cultural diversity. Participants will gain a greater appreciation of the history and culture of the Caribbean, and the significance and uniqueness of Barbados in particular.
2008 estimated program budget
Program cost: $2,980 + VCU tuition
The program fee is $2,980 and includes the following:
- Round-trip airfare from either Washington, D.C. or Richmond
- Pick-up and drop-off at the Barbados airport
- Accommodations
 Study visits and tours- On-site program director support
- Application fee and deposit
- Pre-departure orientation
- VCU administrative fees
- International student identification card
The following are not included in the program fee. Students are responsible for:
- VCU tuition and fees
- Some meals
- Passport application fee
- Personal expenses during the program (estimated at $600-$1,000)
- Anything not specifically mentioned above
Please budget for these additional expenses.
Tuition: Tuition is charged separately and additionally at standard VCU rates for in-state students and at a 40 percent discount for out-of-state students. Estimated costs, based on current tuition per credit, are as follows: undergraduate in-state, $190 (per 3 credit class: $570); undergraduate out-of-state, $401 (per 3 credit class: $1,203); graduate in-state, $404 (per 3 credit class: $1,212); graduate out-of-state, $533 ($1,599 per 3 credit class).
Airfare: Round-trip airfare from either Richmond or Washington, D.C. is included. The departure city will be determined at the time of ticket purchase.
Eligibility: Students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA to participate in this program.
Application deadline: May 15, 2008. Applications will be accepted until the deadline, or until participant space is full.
 Activities and excursions: Swim with turtles in their natural habitat in the Caribbean Sea! View fantastic coral formations, exotic aquatic life and undersea wreckage! These are among the excursions that the Barbados program offers. Among other highlights is Family Day, where students are hosted for the day by Barbadians and other gracious Caribbean hosts. In addition, participants will visit the Barbados Museum, the Speightown Museum, wildlife reserves, local potteries and art galleries. There will be a guided historical walking tour of the city of Bridgetown – a major Atlantic port of call from the 17th century and an architectural delight. Other outings include a visit to Harrisons’ Cave – a stunning cavern formed hundreds of thousands of years ago from crystallized limestone – local folk festival events during the Barbados carnival called Crop Over, and a boat cruise (ending with a swim) up the West Coast of beautiful Barbados – a photographer’s paradise.
Accommodations and meals: Students are housed in the beautiful seaside dormitories of the Cave Hill campus of the University of the West Indies. Meals are not included.
Program director: Dr. Bernard Moitt, chair of the history department at VCU who was born and raised in Antigua, specializes in the histories and literatures of Africa and the Caribbean. He has a keen interest in gender and slavery, and is nationally and internationally recognized for his scholarship and intellectual activities. His vast knowledge of the Caribbean, and his extensive personal and professional contacts in Barbados and other parts of the region, make his study-abroad program a unique opportunity that should not be missed. This is his 11th year leading the program to Barbados.
Every effort is made to provide updated and accurate information at the time of publication. The sponsors reserve the right to make necessary changes to the programs and costs.
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