Overview

The Outdoor Leadership and Environmental Education study abroad program in Australia provides a supportive environment in which students develop leadership skills through personal independence and intellectual insight into Australasia’s contemporary society and natural beauty.

In Australia you’ll enjoy skills courses in various outdoor activities, opportunities to gain knowledge and experience in environmental awareness through practical, hands-on conservation projects, and the opportunity to put these newly developed skills into practice.

In Australia you will:

• Explore specific topics in outdoor recreation including risk management in the outdoor environment, introductions to the technical skills involved in outdoor pursuits, decision making, and facilitation techniques.
• Bush walk in the Blue Mountains, canoe in the Kangaroo Valley, dive on the Great Barrier Reef and climb in Nowra
• Design and develop an excursion to New Zealand in the final third of the program

The program provides formal learning opportunities in experiential education, environmental education and Australasian culture and sport including Aboriginal and Maori histories and perspectives. The capstone of the Outdoor Leadership and Environmental Education study abroad program is a student designed and developed expedition to New Zealand, which utilizes the skills and knowledge gained from the program. This expedition will combine adventure activities, conservation projects, travel and a rural homestay experience on a sheep and cattle farm.

The CIEE Difference

Coursework
Study abroad with professors as well as experts in outdoor education in a curriculum that explores experiential and environmental education, Aboriginal culture and the unique role of sport within Australian society.

Capstone
Put your studies into practice. The capstone activity of study abroad in Australia is a student-designed and developed expedition to New Zealand, which utilizes the skills and knowledge gained from the first two thirds of the program. This facilitated process is designed to give you the experience of developing and leading a major international expedition on your own, while drawing on the support of expert supervision.

Service Learning Project
Key components of the Outdoor Leadership and Environmental Education program include a service learning project in Australia (2 weeks) and a conservation project in New Zealand (1 week). These practical components allow students to engage in authentic learning experiences while developing an enhanced sense of place as a globally engaged citizen. The nature of the projects vary depending on student interests. Sites offered include, but are not limited to, working on organic farms, forest and bush restoration, and involvement in the monitoring of kiwis. The conservation project in New Zealand will be specifically aligned with the Department of Conservation which has partnerships with hundreds of community preservation projects.

Cultural Activities
The incredibly rich and dynamic culture of both Australia and New Zealand is imbedded in the study abroad program with formal trips to museums, sporting events, theatre and places of significant cultural and historical importance. These experiences are complimented with prescribed teachings and readings.

Recommended Credit
Total recommended credit for the semester is 15 semester/22.5 quarter hours.

Program Requirements
All students are required to take all five courses in the semester.

Where You’ll Study

Sydney
Sydney is located on the South East Coast of Australia and is the most populous city in the country. Sydney consistently ranks among the top 10 world centers and regularly hosts major national and international events. It is a lively city lined with gorgeous beaches on one side and the World Heritage Listed Blue Mountains on the other.

Wollongong
Wollongong, 80 km south of Sydney in New South Wales, is Australia’s tenth largest city and the Illawarra region, including the City of Wollongong, has a population of around 400,000. An industrial town with roots in the mining and steel industries Wollongong, meaning “the sound of the waves,” lies nestled between the ocean and the Illawarra escarpment. The Illawarra is known for some of the finest natural beauty in Australia. Wollongong is a cosmopolitan city with theaters, cinemas, shopping, art galleries, libraries, cafes and clubs.

The North Island of New Zealand
The North Island of New Zealand is where the main population of New Zealand lives. It is the world’s 14th largest island and is renowned for its natural beauty and Maori heritage. It has a mountainous volcanic centre, natural lakes, pristine rivers and is easily accessible from Sydney via a 2.5 hour flight.

Housing & Meals
Housing is included in the program fee. Students will be staying together in a variety of houses or apartments located in and around Wollongong and Sydney. A range of houses, apartments and cabins will also be used in New Zealand. Students are responsible for all meals while on the program. This will involve purchasing groceries and cooking meals.

Academics
The Outdoor Leadership and Environmental Education study abroad program is open to students interested in outdoor pursuits and environmental education. Most students in the program will have taken classes in one or more of the following disciplines: education, parks, recreation and leisure studies, environmental studies, sociology, kinesiology, and physical education. The program is offered both semesters and consists of a four-week module based in Sydney and the Blue Mountains, one week of independent travel, a five-week module based in Wollongong and its surrounds, and a four-week module centered around an expedition to New Zealand.

Academic Culture
The observational and experiential-based courses are designed specifically for CIEE study abroad students. Tuition includes in-class discussions as well as extensive experiential and field-based learning components. CIEE faculty are responsible for the theoretical classroom delivery of courses. In addition, CIEE accompanies the participants on educational field trips in and around Sydney, Wollongong, and various locations in New Zealand. The “mobile classrooms” are located in spaces leased by CIEE and on-site at various organizations. Though classroom time is spent only with other CIEE study abroad students, housing in Sydney and Wollongong provide ample opportunity for students to interact with both international and Australian students on an informal basis. Students will also have deep interaction with local Australians and New Zealanders during their service-learning projects.

Language of Instruction

English

Faculty

All theoretical courses will be taught by CIEE staff. Guest lecturers will be included—from outdoor education professionals to staff at host organizations and local universities.