Course Title:  ANII3907: Mayan and Garifuna Ethno-Medicine, Architecture, and Astronomy
Duration:  11 Days (May 6th – 17th, 2024, tentative)
Application Deadline: December 15th, 2023 (see below for details)

Belize is unique as the only English speaking country in Central America. It gained its independence from British Honduras in 1981 and has since, steadily, defined its identity. The Indigenous cultures present in Belize include the Yucatec, Mopan, and Q’eqchi’ Maya, and Garifuna peoples. Their languages as well as Spanish are part of Belize’s linguistic landscape. In this course students will visit several community leaders representing these Indigenous communities, as well as several Maya architectural wonders to learn about their medicine, architecture, and astronomy. After completing this course students will: Learn to identify and use various plant medicines from the Jungle; Be able to identify mathematics embedded in Mayan architecture, and; Build awareness of astronomical and scriptural features that define Mayan culture. 

Academic/Course Information

• Students will be required to register in and pay tuition for ANII3456: Mayan and Garifuna Ethno-Medicine, Architecture, and Astronomy for the Spring 2024 term. 
• The course will be delivered through the months of May and June and students will be required to complete pre-departure training (virtual/hybrid) throughout the Winter term leading up to the course (approximately ten hours). Students will also be asked to complete readings prior to departure to ensure preparation for the trip. 
• This course will be offered in collaboration with Lakehead University. Algoma University students will be joined by up to ten students from Lakehead University for the pre-departure preparation, international experience and post-experience work.  

How to Apply

Apply directly through the Google Form by December 15th, 2023. 

Please Note, this opportunity is open to students who:

• Completed at least 30 credits at Algoma University;
• are pursuing a degree program at Algoma University;
• are in good academic standing;
• have a valid Canadian passport valid six months from May 2024;
• are eligible to register in ANII3456/3907; 
• are between the ages of 18 and 69 years. 

Preference will be given to students enrolled in Anishinaabemowin or Anishinaabe Studies as a degree program.  

Funding for this opportunity is available through the Global Skills Opportunity Fund for Canadian students or Permanent Residents only. Students who have received funding through GSO in the past are not eligible for funding again but are still welcome to apply!

Course Title: POLI3906/4906: Global Rise of India: Democracy, Politics and Development
Duration:  2 weeks (26 April – 11 May 2024, tentative)
Application Deadline: December 15th, 2023 (see below for details)

In the post-independence period, India has transformed from occupying a marginalized global position to now potentially becoming one of the leading global powers. The course will critically unpack this global rise, with an immersive experience exploring the political, economic, legal and social-cultural aspects that have shaped India’s current global position. Students will engage with students and faculty from Chandigarh University, working on collaborative projects. The trip will centre on multidimensional aspects of India’s global rise, including learning about the country’s political and legal development, economic growth and innovation, education, gender, human rights, and climate change. Students will develop and strengthen a variety of skills, including critical thinking skills, action research, research ethics, understanding one’s positionality and self-reflexivity, writing, communication and presentation skills, and teamwork. 

Academic/Course Information

• Students will be required to register in and pay tuition for POLI3906/4906: Global Rise of India: Democracy, Politics and Development for the Spring 2024 term. 
• The course will be delivered through the months of May and June and students will be required to complete pre-departure training (virtual/hybrid) throughout the Winter term leading up to the course (approximately ten hours). Students will also be asked to complete readings prior to departure to ensure preparation for the trip. 

How to Apply

Apply directly through the Google Form (coming soon) by December 15th, 2023. 

Please Note, this opportunity is open to students who:

• Completed at least 30 credits at Algoma University;
• are pursuing a degree program at Algoma University;
• are in good academic standing;
• have a valid Canadian passport valid six months from April 2024;
• are eligible to register in POLI3906/4906 (upper year standing); 
• are between the ages of 18 and 69 years. 

Preference will be given to students enrolled in Political Science as a degree program, however, students from any degree program are welcome to apply.  

Funding for this opportunity is available through the Global Skills Opportunity Fund for Canadian students or Permanent Residents only. Students who have received funding through GSO in the past are not eligible for funding again but are still welcome to apply!

Limited funding is available to any degree-seeking student (domestic or international). Applications close on January 12th, 2024. 

Program Title: Cultural and Social Well-Being – Identity and Participation 
Program Duration: Virtual pre-departure course work: June 17th and June 18th | In country: 1 week (June 23rd – June 28th, 2024)
Application Deadline: January 15th, 2024 (see below for details)

This opportunity is delivered by the University of Vechta in Vechta, Germany. 

Students are encouraged to apply to this week-long module delivered by our partner university, Universitat Vechta, in Vechta Germany. 

This course will be delivered both in-person from Sunday, June 23rd until Friday, June 28th, 2024 with two mandatory virtual sessions on Monday, June 17th and Tuesday, June 18th (details below). 

The course pulls themes from Social Work, Sociology, Music, Art but is open to all students (see below for eligibility criteria). 

Academic Information

• Students will not receive course credit with Algoma University, however, students can petition to take this course as a transfer credit course through Letter of Permission
• Successful Algoma University applicants will join other students from the UK, Spain, Finland, Estonia, Australia and Germany. 
• The course is blended between virtual and in-person (Vechta, Germany) sessions: 

Virtual Academic Sessions (pre-departure):

• Monday, June 17th and Tuesday, June 18th, 2024
• 17:00 Central European Time (90 minutes in duration) 

In-Person Academic and Cultural Sessions:

• Sunday, June 23rd – Friday, June 28th, 2024

Many of the week’s presentations will be tied to the themes of the arts and participation.

The programme will include:

• Visiting a children’s home
• Using art and design to investigate identity
• Music session with Hanna Turunen from Savonia, Finland
• Self-portraiture as a tool exploring issues of diversity and identity with Eleni Papouli, University of West Attica, Greece
• Workshop ‘Joy and gender’ with UK performance artist Kit Griffiths, https://www.kitgriffiths.com/
• Excursion to Bremen
• Intercultural evening
• Free meals: Breakfast all days, lunch included on three days

Funding Information

• Successful applicants will receive a $1,500 Global Learning Grant from Algoma University’s International Affairs department. This grant will cover approximately 75% of the expenses from the international learning experience. Limited spots available. 
• This application for the grant is open to all degree-seeking students at Algoma University  (see eligibility below)
• This fund is independent of the Global Skills Opportunity Fund, and is available for past recipients to apply for. Due to limited capacity, only students selected for the grant will be eligible to attend. This course is not open to students who are interested in self-funding. 

How to Apply

 Apply directly through the Google Form by January 12th, 2024. 

• Must be a full-time undergraduate student (domestic or international)
• Must have completed at least 24 credits (the equivalent of one year of full-time study)
• Must have an overall average of 70%
• Must not have outstanding fees at the time of application

Preference will be given to students studying within the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

NOTE: No applications will be accepted after the deadline.