Union College Term Abroad Marine Studies - Spring
The Marine realm covers seventy percent of the earth's surface. It is the place of life's origin and continues to shape much of the world's environment. The diverse resources of the oceans are cruci
al to the well being of most nations and have played a major role in the shaping of societies and the organization of social structure. Environmental issues, especially with regard to social, ecological and technological concerns, help guide our investigations on the impinging and often infringing nature of the relationship between people and the sea. Our program compares marine issues in temperate, subtropical and subarctic locations.
The Marine Studies Program is an intensive and interdisciplinary experience. It will convene in Woods Hole on Cape Cod where we begin our studies of marine biology, marine policy and environmental issues that confront the marine world. Since New England represents the beginning of our country's maritime heritage, it is especially appropriate that we begin our program in this temperate location. While in New England, the focus will be on the emergence of large, regional fishing 
communities, coastal habitats, tidal processes, and the social, biological and technological adaptations to the marine environment. We will be using the facilities of the internationally renowned Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the Marine Biological Laboratory. Federal policy and international issues will also be studied at the National Marine Fisheries Service. Other communities to be visited include Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard, New Bedford, and Provincetown.
After the New England experience, the group will reconvene in St. George's, Bermuda where course participants will begin their studies of subtropic marine environments. The open sea, coral reefs, mangrove forests and the societal and technical response of the human community to these resources will be examined. It is here that students can vividly assess island lifestyles and concomitant environmental problems and concerns of the marine world. In addition, the readily accessible snorkeling areas will provide excellent ways to observe marine species in their natural environment. While in Bermuda, we will be using the facilities of the Bermuda Biological Station in St. George's.
We will spend the remainder of the term in Newfoundland, Canada and use the town of St. John's and the facilities of Memorial University as our base of operations for the East Coast of this provincial island. The ecology of subarctic waters will provide fascinating points of comparison to our previous sites. Lifestyles of North Atlantic fishermen, technological adaptations and policies of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans will also be emphasized. After St. John's, we depart for Gros Morne National Park on the West Coast of Newfoundland. The rocky intertidal and timeworn fishing traditions exemplify this unique part of the program. The Newfoundland component serves as a capstone marine experience and provides the opportunity to synthesize what we have learned about the marine environment.
Course of Study
Sociology 358T
Marine Policy and the Maritime Environment. An examination of social life in maritime communities and the shaping of national and international marine policies.
Biology 256T
Coastal Biology. Study of the diversity and adaptations of marine organisms in their environment, with emphasis on subtropical, temperate and sub-arctic communities.
Terms Abroad 355T
Images of the Sea. An examination of environmental, technological, and social issues that are associated with the marine environment.
Marine Studies Professor Ilene Kaplan, Sociology
Faculty Professor Barbara Boyer, Biology
Prerequisites
An overall 2.5 cumulative average; at least a 2.0 average for the previous term; one sociology or one biology course; permission of the instructors and certification by the Dean of Students. Students also must pass a swim test.
Expenses
The inclusive fee covers tuition, room, board, and group excursions. It does not cover personal expenses, or airfare. Travel to and from New England, to and from Bermuda, and to and from Newfoundland, is the responsibility of the student. Students are also financially responsible for their local transportation expenses in Bermuda. All scholarships apply to the program, with the exception of work-study.
Calendar
Early April to Early May | Woods Hole, Cape Cod & Islands |
Early May to Late May | Bermuda |
Late May to Early June | Newfoundland |
Students apply for international programs two terms in advance. All international programs are competitive, some highly so. Attendance at a program's informational meeting is essential. Selection criteria include the student's essay, GPA, faculty recommendations, course of study, certification by the Dean of Students, and the selection committee's assessment of the student's capability of adapting to the program's social and academic environment. Should there be additional selection criteria, they will be announced at the informational meeting. The faculty selection committee seeks a group of students with varied academic and intellectual backgrounds and interests. The College urges students to seek advice from their academic advisors and from the international programs office to select programs appropriate to their academic and intellectual interests. While the College is very proud of the unusually high percentage of its students who study abroad, we must note that participation in all programs is limited.