Description

SPICE attracts students who want to understand environmental, political, and cultural changes from an interdisciplinary perspective and in an historical context. This writing-intensive program is particularly appropriate for environmental studies/science majors, but students of any major are encouraged to apply. Limited to 24 students per cruise.

Tahiti, Bora Bora, Nuku Hiva, & Moorea are names which evoke romantic images of sandy beaches, lush palm trees, and exotic native people. Polynesians reached this remote region of the South Pacific in voyaging canoes as early as 3,000 years ago. They developed cultural practices and technologies influenced by the unique environmental challenges of each island. Europeans arrived in these islands 250 years ago and described a paradise of abundance. When the two groups met, European diseases devastated the Polynesian people and commercial interests forced the abandonment of traditional practices that had developed in fragile, limited ecosystems.

The islands of French Polynesia have a history of demonstrated sustainability despite the fact that they have been profoundly shaped by European colonization. Today, they are thought by many to be so dependent on those colonizers that they cannot sustain themselves without foreign financial support. At the same time, a movement for independence looks towards a sustainable future that acknowledges the persistence of the Polynesian culture. In this semester, we examine what the future holds for these islands, and whether they can give us answers that apply to other regions of the globe as well.

Shore Component - Woods Hole
For the first 4 weeks, students will take academic classes on our campus in Woods Hole to prepare for their voyage. This will include collaborations with nearby institutions including the Peabody Museum at Harvard University, which holds an important early collection of Polynesian artifacts. At the John Carter Brown Library in Providence and the New Bedford Whaling Museum we will work with records of Yankee voyages to the South Pacific. Additionally, relationships with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Biological Laboratory, and Woods Hole Research Center give students access to world-renowned scientists in public and classroom lectures, and to one of the worlds leading oceanographic libraries.

SEA Component - Pacific Voyage
After the Shore Component, students then join the crew of the SSV Robert C. Seamans to sail among the islands of Polynesia for approximately 7 weeks. Students visit historical, cultural, and agricultural sites on the islands and meet local people. Using state-of-the-art shipboard laboratory and research facilities, they also investigate the complex factors that threaten fragile island ecosystems and the surrounding marine environment. During the passages between the islands, students will become functioning crew members of the ship and will develop a first-hand perspective on the practical challenges of navigating these waters. On board research facilities will be utilized to develop an understanding of the oceanographic and marine biological systems that sustain these islands.

A final week-long shore component at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu rounds out the program.

Highlights

For 40 years and more than 1,000,000 nautical miles, SEA has educated students about the world's oceans through a fully accredited off-campus study program. Combining perspectives from the sciences, humanities and social sciences, SEA offers extraordinary opportunities for interdisciplinary project-based learning on shore and the immediate application of that new found knowledge at sea. SEA admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all SEA Semester programs.

No matter your major, SEA considers ocean studies to be an essential component of a liberal arts education. Why should you study the ocean? You can't afford not to. The ocean has a daily impact on your life, and you on it. SEA offers students a connection to this invaluable resource, an experience that you will likely never have access to again.

SEA vessels fly the United States flag and are inspected and certified by the United States Coast Guard as Sailing School Vessels (SSV). Sailing School Vessels are required to meet stringent safety standards that differ from those of a passenger vessel on a comparable route. Our shipboard labs are funded by the National Science Foundation & are among the most advanced oceanographic research vessels in the world.

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Minimum Education

High School

Subject Areas

Cost in US$:

Visit our website for information on costs, affordability & financial aid

Program Fees Include:

* 17 course credits issued by Boston University (or home institution, if affiliated with SEA)
* Student housing on the SEA campus in Woods Hole during the shore component
* Prepaid grocery cards for use during the shore component
* Three meals plus three snacks a day at sea, prepared by a professional steward
* Research fees & access to SEA library, computer lab & wireless network; WHOI/MBL joint library membership
* Academic field trip and science lab fees
* Full-time Head Resident on site for student support and supervision
* 24-hour emergency assistance and support from on-site staff

Experience Required

no

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups of 2-3

Scholarships are Available

SEA awards over USD1 million per year in both need-based and merit scholarships to students participating in SEA Semester. Over 50% of our students receive some form of financial assistance; out of those, 95% receive aid directly from SEA. SEA remains committed to making our programs affordable for all qualified and motivated students.

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Essay
• Transcript
• Letters of Reference
• Phone/Video Interview
• Other

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Job and Internship Network

SEA Semester's Mission Statement

SEA is an educational institution dedicated to exploration, understanding and stewardship of the oceans, and to the study of humanity's relationship with the oceans. SEA offers students an interdisciplinary curriculum, on shore and at sea aboard tall ships, that provides challenging voyages of scientific discovery, academic rigor, and personal growth.

Year Founded

1971