Samoa, Apia - SIT: Samoa - Pacific Communities and Social Change

For students looking to study the global issues of migration, identity, and resilience, a semester in Samoa is a wonderful experience.

Location

Apia, the capital and largest city in Samoa, is a coastal area covered in tropical foliage.Geographically, Apia is located on the island of Upolu. The former capital of German Samoa is known as one of the best fishing areas. While the official language is Samoan, English is widely spoken by the natives as a second language.

Institution

The School for International Training (SIT) began in 1932 with the founding of The Experiment in International Living. SIT offers programs abroad for undergraduate and graduate students. The institute focuses on creating global citizens out of their students to foster interculturally effective leaders. There are nearly 80 programs in over 30 countries across the globe that can be distinguished by language, duration, and theme.

Academics

Social change is a global issue that can be focused in on any area of the world such as the Pacific Islands. SIT provides students with the opportunity to learn diverse perspectives from natives being impacted by globalization and westernization. Students will begin their stay in Samoa with a weeklong orientation in Hawai’i that will help orient them to the changes in culture, politics, and history. Classes are taught in English but students must enroll in a Samoan language class.

Students are enrolled in 5 courses during the semester for a total of 16 credits. Enrollment in Traditional Societies in Transition, Globalization and Contemporary Issues, Samoan, Research Methods and Ethics, and Independent Study Project are required of all participants.The program also provides students with access to a virtual library guide to aide their academics.

Student Life and Co-Curricular

Students begin their semester with an orientation in Hawai’i where they will partake in lectures, tour plantations, and visit museums. Educational trips to Lotofaga Samoa, American Samoa, Savai’i, and Fiji are also included in the program. Through the trips provided by SIT, students will learn traditional cooking and weaving or go on adventures through waterfalls and sand dunes. In American Samoa, students will be able to visit a national park.

Housing

While students are in Apia, they will reside in student housing and likely share a room. The housing varies from dormitory styled halls with shared facilities and a common area, a lodge with an ensuite bathroom, or a six-bedroom house with Pacific Island students. In Lotofaga Samoa, American Samoa, and Fiji, students will stay in homestays as to experience the authentic daily lives of the natives.

Program Cost           

The program fee includes tuition (12-16 credits), accommodation, program orientation, scheduled academic excursions, and international health insurance. The program cost is based on full-time semester tuition and on-campus Marist housing. Students receive a detailed cost sheet once they have been admitted to the Marist Abroad Program.

Admission Criteria

• Minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA at the time of application
• Sophomore standing or higher at the time of study abroad
• Academic Advisor approval of program and coursework