A WCCCSA Affiliate Program operated by Green River College

COVID-19 Update: Students traveling on WCCCSA-sponsored study abroad programs travel as tourists, and do not need a student visa. Below are updates on tourism entry rules as of 4/14/2022. All students should expect to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to travel. Once a country is open to tourists, the status of a program still depends on your home college’s travel policies related to COVID-19. Please check with your study abroad coordinator about the current policies.

Australia is currently open to tourists. Visitors must be vaccinated and get a COVID test upon arrival and quarantine until they get a negative test result.
COVID-19 Information – U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Australia (usembassy.gov)
Information for overseas travellers | Coronavirus Victoria

New Zealand will reopen to tourists starting in October 2022. COVID vaccine will be required for entry.
When New Zealand’s borders open | Unite against COVID-19 (covid19.govt.nz)

Dates & Deadlines

  • Application Deadline: Friday, October 7, 2022
  • Deposit Due ($450): within two weeks of your application (non-refundable)
  • Balance of Program Fees Due: Monday, October 24, 2022
  • Tuition Due: Check your campus’s calendar
  • Program Dates: January 3 – March 23, 2023 (subject to change)

Contact your WCCCSA Campus Coordinator for more information about spending the winter in Australia and New Zealand. Or find out more by visiting the Green River College Study Abroad website or contact Megan Swanson at 253-931-6845 or mswanson@greenriver.edu.

Program Documents

About the Program

Location

Australia and New Zealand are unique countries and, because of their distance from the US, only a lucky few get to travel there. This is a ten-week program including eight weeks abroad and two weeks of online study. Week 1 of the program includes online studies in Washington state, followed by three weeks of study in Melbourne, which is situated in southeastern Australia. It is one of the great livable cities in the world, noted for its diversity, vitality, and sophistication; a center for arts and culture with ready access to the wonders of Australia’s natural history. You will have a one-week travel break before spending the next three weeks studying in Auckland, which is situated on the North Island of New Zealand. It is the largest city in New Zealand and is noted for its physical beauty of mountains, harbors and volcanic peaks. You will again have one week to travel independently in New Zealand before returning home to wrap up your studies online in Washington. Together these two cities will introduce you to the unique aspects of both Australia and New Zealand. Upon return to the USA, you will finish up course assignments and complete required reflection activities online. Local program managers will serve as hosts and advisors to help you become familiar with Australian and New Zealand culture and lifestyle.

Week 1: Online studies in Washington state
Weeks 2-4: Travel to and study in Melbourne, Australia
Week 5: 5 night/6 day travel break in Australia
Weeks 6-8: Travel to and study in Auckland, New Zealand
Week 9: 5 night/6 day travel break in New Zealand
Week 10: Return home and complete 1 week of online study and reflection activities online

Campus & Classrooms

In Melbourne you will stay at Newman College, University of Melbourne. The campus is located just a few minutes from the city center, with easy access to all the city has to offer. There will be opportunities to go swimming in the warm waters and to explore the tourist sights. You will also have a rare chance to experience Aboriginal cultural sites and a variety of native animals up close and personal.

While in Auckland you will stay in shared housing and take your classes at Unitec University, one of New Zealand’s top educational institutions. Studying in New Zealand is very popular with students worldwide and Auckland has a large international population.

Housing

In Melbourne, you will stay in a single dorm room at Newman College. These are college dormitories with shared baths and communal eating facilities. Lunch and dinner is included in the Dining Hall five days a week. In New Zealand, you will live in shared apartments near the Unitec campus where you will have fully equipped kitchens to do your own cooking (meals are not included in Auckland).

Faculty & Courses

Experienced community college faculty members will lead the group and teach the curriculum along with local Australian and New Zealand expert instructors. This is a study program. Students must carry a three-course, 15-credit load, and are expected to fully participate in all activities. Green River College faculty will lead the group and teach the History and Anthropology courses. Highly qualified local Australian and New Zealand faculty will teach the Biology course. Students must participate in required online coursework before and after the eight-week travel period.

Anthropology& 206: Cultural Anthropology – 5 credits (common course number)

Study of the field of sociocultural anthropology with emphasis on the nature of culture, types of social systems in society, and the way they work. Students will explore indigenous Aboriginal and Maori peoples and arts, the impacts of British colonial societies, and the arrival of diverse peoples from all over the globe. Personal interactions with a diverse range of Australians and New Zealanders will broaden students’ understanding and appreciation of these unique places. This course will be taught online, blending synchronous meetings and asynchronous requirements. Instruction and assignments will be closely coordinated with your in-country field trips.

History 237: History of Australia and New Zealand – 5 credits (course number varies by college)

Examines the history of Australasian nations of Australia and New Zealand from the first human inhabitants of Australia some 60,000 years ago, and the Maori settlement of New Zealand some 800 years ago, through the long and often difficult processes to become the modern island nations of Australia and New Zealand. Attention is given to the various groups who have migrated to Australasia, the European exploration and colonization of the area, the development of settlements and colonial governments, the move to nationhood in the late 19th century, and the emergence of the modern nations of Australia and New Zealand in the 20th century.

Biology 127: Natural Science of Australian/New Zealand – 5 credits (course number varies by college)

Focuses on the ecology of Australia and New Zealand, including ecosystems and human impact on ecosystems. The biodiversity, characteristics, and interactions of Australian and New Zealand flora and fauna will also be investigated within various habitats and ecosystems. A significant portion of the course will involve field observations and experiences. This course does not meet the lab distribution requirement. It is designed for the beginning college student.

Excursions/Activities

There will be prearranged fully inclusive tours during your stay, which may include:

In Australia

• Melbourne Scavenger Hunt
• Melbourne Museum: Banjalika Aboriginal Exhibit
• National Gallery of Victoria
• Mount Donna Buang Forests
• Victoria Parliament
• Cape Schanck and Bushranger Bay
• Healsville Wildlife Sanctuary
• Victoria State Library

In New Zealand

• Auckland Scavenger Hunt
• Auckland Museum: Maori Exhibit
• Aritaki Forests Center, Waitakere Ranges and Rangitoto Volcano
• Tiri Tiri Matangi Sanctuary and Auckland Art Gallery
• Mirawi Beach Gannet Colony and Maungakiekie Volcano

Other excursions may be available for an additional fee:
• Lord of the Rings Tour
• Whale Rider Tour

Independent Travel

There will also be plenty of opportunity on weekends and break weeks to do your own exploring using convenient public transport or tour specialists.

Cost: $6700

Included

• Transfers to and from Melbourne and Auckland airports (if you arrive at specified times)
• Housing accommodations at each of the locations
• Meals in Melbourne (lunch + dinner 5 days/wk)
• Kitchen facilities in Auckland
• Pre-departure and arrival orientations
• Curriculum lab fee of $350
• Welcome BBQ lunch in Melbourne & Farewell lunch in Auckland
• Basic student medical insurance

Not Included

• College tuition and books
• Airfare (suggested itinerary will be provided)
• Passport fees; Visitor visa for New Zealand ($30)
• Visitor visa for Australia (approx. $25 for US citizens)
• Housing and meals during travel breaks (10 nights total)
• Fees for use of some sporting, telephone, and Internet facilities
• Meals not specified
• Personal and Entertainment expense
• Local transportation
• Optional excursions, Independent travel and expenses
• Anything not specified as included in the program