Sydney & Cape Tribulation, Australia (June 25 - August 3, 2012)
Come experience the wonders of Australia, its cosmopolitan cities, its ancient tropical rainforests and amazing Great Barrier Reef. Students will stay in the center of Sydney and use the harbor ferry to explore the city's landmarks from the famous Opera House to iconic beaches. Along the way learn about Australia's aboriginal heritage, convict past, colonial architecture, unique natural environment and sophisticated contemporary culture. Then travel north to Cairns and Cape Tribulation, located within the Daintree National Park and the Wet Tropics World Heritage area, only 12 miles from the Great Barrier Reef. This unique area contains the oldest surviving rainforest on earth - a living museum and home to Australia’s greatest diversity of animals and plants, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Cape Tribulation is renowned for its scenic panoramas of the rainforest, mountains, rugged gorges, rivers and lagoons surrounded by lush jungle and exotic animals. Get your hands dirty helping to protect the extraordinary beauty and diversity of the rainforest, and in your spare time explore the underwater wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. Click on photo for more information.

Paros & Athens, Greece (Program cancelled for 2012)
Imagine walking in the footsteps of the ancients . . . In Athens, you will study the Golden Age of Greece and live within walking distance of great monuments and excellent museums. On Paros, you will experience the life of a small island community. Friendly people, beautiful settings, excellent food, and a rich culture steeped in history await. Field trips will round out your studies while earning 12 units of university credit. (Director: Dr. Apostolos Athanassakis, UCSB Classics Department) Click photo for more information.

Procida, Italy (June 24 - July 15, 2012)
Come discover Italian art, history, and culture this summer! Earn 8 units of UC credit in three weeks, while living and studying on one of the most magical islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Our program will be held on the enchanting island of Procida—featured in films such as ‘The Postman’ and ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’—surrounded by the deep blue waters of the incomparable Gulf of Naples. From the windows of their classrooms in a magnificently restored medieval castle, students can see to Capri, Sorrento, Pompeii, Vesuvius and other world-famous landmarks around the Gulf.Students will enhance their study of Mediterranean Italy by exploring the island itself, along with field trips to archeological sites such as Pompeii, ancient maritime towns like Amalfi, and, of course, the awesome artistic treasures of the city of Naples. (Director: Prof. Claudio Fogu, UCSB French & Italian Studies) Click photo for more information.

London, England (June 23 - July 21, 2012)
What comes to mind when you think of London? ... Shakespeare, royal weddings, stoic palace guards with huge furry black hats, a red phone booth?  Yes, all these elements are a part of London’s iconic history but they are only the tip of a deep and vastly complex past, present, and future.  Join us as we experience London as a “global city” – some say the global city of the contemporary era – by studying its current identity, culture, and social movements.  We will explore the everyday life of people living in the heart of London through markets, schools, the media, and its politics.  We will also experience the cultural array the city offers through its art, food, fashion, museums, music, and theatre.  We will take guided walks thought some of London’s lively and historic districts.  As 2012 is the year of the London Olympics, we will explore how that affects Londoners, and others.  In addition to the classroom learning, we will have guest speakers, field trips, and more!

Once you take these courses you will have an appreciation of why London is characterized as the global city and you will understand and feel the multi-faceted linkages that bind this city with a direct and tangible effect on our global environment. Click photo for more information.

Querétaro, Mexico (Program cancelled for 2012)
Discover Mexico in a new light as you explore its Ancient past and contemporary cultures in the safe environment of the colonial and progressive city of Querétaro, three hours north of Mexico City. Earn 12 units of UCSB course credit and gain an anthropological, global and historical perspective from field trips that give you a close look at the breathtaking archaeological wealth—the hidden treasures of its colonial past and the contrasting splendor of the most beautiful contemporary plazas and buildings of Mexico. Visit the top archaeological destinations of Mesoamerica, including the Aztec Tenochtitlan, the magnificent Teotihuacan and the reknown site of Ranas. Experience the care of our local staff, the hospitality of staying with local families, and the expertise of instructors who will expand and enrich your academic horizons. Click photo for more information.

Ephesos, Turkey (Program cancelled for 2012)
Enjoy a three week stay on the beautiful Aegean coast of Turkey, on the site of the world's best-preserved Roman ruins outside Rome itself. The two courses will be conducted in the air-conditioned lecture hall of the Crisler Library in Ephesos, which also provides a reading room with 2000 volumes, Internet computer stations, and wireless connections. Courses will make use of the rich resources of the ancient site of Ephesos, its museum, and field trips to nearby sites and working excavations. Students will lodge in single rooms in small hotels with private baths and air conditioning, in the nearby town of Selçuk, Turkey. (Director: Dr. Christine M. Thomas, UCSB Religious Studies Department) Click photo for more information.