Location:

Montreal, Canada

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

MayMester Intersession, Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

This program provides an introduction to the culture and history of Québec, the French-speaking province of Canada. With a population of eight million, and a high degree of social and economic dynamism, Québec is one of the world’s most important francophone regions. This course will meet at the Université du Québec à Montréal. There will also be a three-day excursion to Québec City, one of the most strategically important cities of 18th-century America, and today one of its best preserved.

Topics include the following: Jesuits, Settlers, and Natives ? Sustainable Development in Subarctic Ecosystems ? The Circus Arts The Strange Fate of the Catholic Church ? Health Care in Comparative Perspective ? Four Centuries of Catholic Art and Architecture ? The Canadian Political System ? Québécois Film and Literature Comparative Urban Development ? Québec’s Persistent Threats to Secede from Canada

While in Québec, students will also pursue their independent research project, which will yield a final paper and presentation. The paper can be researched and written in either English or French, and will be due three weeks after the end of the program. The subject can reflect the interests of the individual student. The course is taught by Dr. Karim Tiro, in Xavier University's Department of History, in collaboration with faculty on-site in Montreal.

Setting Description:

Québec is a culturally distinct place whose values have been shaped by its historic relationships with France, the United States, the Catholic Church, and the rest of Canada, as well as hundreds of thousands of immigrants from all over the French-speaking world. As we will see, life in Québec is a unique mixture of all these influences. An online orientation will introduce students to the topics we will engage and assist them in selecting a topic for local research. Once in Québec, students will benefit from morning seminars with highly-qualified faculty and speakers. The afternoons and evenings will be reserved for research and study, as well as excursions to public markets, museums, churches, music venues, and Indian reserves, just to name a few of the places we will visit.

Cost:

$3100 (tentative) *includes three credit hours, in-country transportation, lodging, and some meals