GHANA PROGRAM
JUNE 6, 2012 TO JUNE 25, 2012
PRICE: $5895 including round-trip transportation from designated departure cities
APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 24, 2012
EARLY APPLICATION DEADLINE: $100 Discount for applications received by February 10, 2012!
CREDIT: 3 hours
“Akwaaba! You are welcome!” Everywhere one goes in Ghana these words greet visitors to what is reputed to be both the “friendliest country in Africa” and the most politically stable. Join CCSA as we explore the rich cultural heritage of this English-speaking nation in equatorial Africa. Experience the rich musical traditions heard in its villages, the thriving music clubs and art centers of its cities, and joyous outpourings of its churches small and large. Examine its connections to the culture of the United States through the tragic impact on both nations of the slave trade. Walk through the rainforest canopy, along white sand beaches, through markets large and small teeming with local made crafts and beautiful fabrics. Get to know the Ghanaian people first hand by engaging for a day or two in a local service project, a small thank you for such an open-hearted welcome.
By combining this intensive study abroad experience with course-specific assignments preceding and/or following the travel portion of the program, students may earn up to three semester hours of college credit.
ACCOMMODATIONS & MEALS
Participants in the Ghana Program reside in local hotels, hostels, and guesthouses. Accommodations are based primarily on double occupancy with occasional use of multi-bedded rooms; single rooms may be available at an additional price. Daily breakfasts and many additional meals are included in the program price.
PROGRAM COSTS
The price of the Ghana Program is $5895. This includes round-trip transportation from designated cities, airport transfers, internal transportation between program sites, accommodations, daily breakfast, program excursions, health insurance, visa processing and some additional meals.
A minimum of $400 should be budgeted for meals, additional transportation, entrance fees and departure tax (if applicable). Participants should also budget additional funds for vaccinations, medication, and personal expenses such as souvenirs and entertainment, based upon their individual spending habits.
Tuition is not included in the program costs detailed above. Please refer to Registration/Tuition & Fees for additional information.
All prices are subject to change in the event of unanticipated increases in airfares, monetary exchange rates or other changes in program costs. In some cases, program items may be deleted in lieu of a price increase.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE & DEADLINES
Applicants are encouraged to apply well in advance of the February 24, 2012 application deadline, as priority is given to early applications. Applications (complete with application fee) submitted on or before February 10, 2012 receive a $100 deduction in the program price, reflected in a reduced application fee.
• Application Fee: $200 if received on or before February 10, 2012; $300 for applications received after February 10, 2012.
• First Payment: $2800 due on March 9, 2012.
• Final Payment: $2795; the single room supplement, if applicable, is also due at the time.
Please familiarize yourself with the Cancellation Policy. Checks should be made payable to “CCSA.” Please consider your cancelled check as receipt for payment. Returned checks will incur a $20 penalty fee. CCSA also accepts Visa and MasterCard.
Shortly after receipt of the application and deposit in the CCSA Central Office, applicants will receive a welcome email affirming processing of their application. An official letter of acceptance to the program, including confirmation of specific course selection, will be sent approximately three weeks after the application deadline.
PASSPORT & VISITOR VISA INFORMATION
The Ghana government requires that U.S. citizens acquire visitor visas for travel to Ghana. Visa processing will be coordinated through the CCSA central office. A current passport is required to apply for a visitor visa; therefore, it is crucial that participants apply for passports as early as possible.
Please refer to the Passport & Visitor for additional information.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
The following is a description of the course of study offered for this CCSA program. Applicants may register for courses offered by professors from any member institution. Students are encouraged to e-mail faculty to learn more about the classes.
AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES/PERFORMING ARTS
Dancing Many Drums: Performing Arts and Culture of Ghana
Are you a fan of hip-hop music? Do you stay current on all the latest dance moves? Are you aware that much of the hip-hop culture (music, dance, vernacular and dress) the world consumes can be traced to West African performing arts forms? This course will specifically highlight the rich performing arts culture of Ghana, West Africa and connect the dots to current African-American performance forms. Through reading, writing, observing, and actively participating in the music, dance, and theatre of Ghana, students will gain a better understanding of the roots of contemporary African-American arts and culture.
(3 cr. hrs., LD/UD, Mr. Marcus Hayes [hayesma@apsu.edu] Austin Peay State University)
MUSIC/MUSIC BUSINESS
Blues to Rock, Rap & Pop: African Influence on American Music
What better location than the West African nation of Ghana to study the African influence on American music, which began with the griots—native African singers—and continued in America through Spirituals, the Blues, Rhythm and Blues, Soul and Rap? Here, students will experience locations in West Africa from which many slaves began their terrible journey to the Americas as well as the vibrant and distinctive musical life of a country whose musicians union has over 4,000 members, whose nightclubs produced the distinctive musical style known as High Life, and whose streets, villages and churches are filled with the sounds of music of all kinds. While there, students will be able to hear both the African influence that permeates pop and dance music in America as well as how contemporary African performers have been influenced by American music. They will also not just examine but experience how music can make a difference in lives through cross-cultural exchanges.
(3 cr. hrs., UD, Dr. Don Cusic [don.cusic@belmont.edu] Belmont University)