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Study in Poland - General Microbiology
Program Information | Location Information | Courses Available | Eligibility | Costs | Deadlines & Dates | Orientation | Housing | What's Next? | Photos | Helpful Links
| PROGRAM TERMS | Summer 2010 |
| PROGRAM DATES | Tentatively July 20 to August 22 |
| CLASS STANDING | Sophomore, Junior, Senior |
| DEADLINE TO APPLY |
February 20, 2010 |
| FEES | TBD |
| FINANCIAL AID | Yes |
| GPA | 2.5 and one year college level Biology and Chemistry plus a course in Cell Biology |
| LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION |
English |
Program Information
The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) College of Science and Engineering in association with the UMD International Education Office (IEO) will offer a unique summer study abroad program at the University of Wrocław, Poland, for biology majors, cell and molecular biology majors and pre-professional students (pre-med, pre-dent, pre-pharmacy, pre-optometry, pre-vet medicine, nursing, public health, etc.).
The course offered is BIOL 4503 General Microbiology (4 credits) a lecture/laboratory course presented at the University of Wrocław’s Institute of Genetics and Microbiology. All instruction will be in English by Polish faculty. Students will also receive 4-6 hours of introduction to the language, geography, culture, and history of Poland (no credit). Two field trips and a weekend visit to Krakow and the surroundings to visit areas such as Wieliczka salt mine and Auschwitz-Birkenau are included. Weekends are free for individual travel.
Location Information
The city of Wrocław is the capital of Lower Silesia. It is the fourth largest city in Poland with a population of 650,000. The city is at the foot of the Sudety Mountains along the banks of the Odra River. Odra’s many tributaries and canals help to form one of the country’s most beautiful cities, complete with 12 islands and 112 bridges. Wroclaw is interspersed with many green parks and open spaces, including Szczytnicki Park, which contains 370 species of trees and shrubs and a Japanese garden.
Wrocław, founded in the 10th century, is a major eastern European educational center with 13 academic institutions and over 125,000 students during the academic year (October to June). The University of Wroclaw is over three hundred years old. Nine graduates and professors of the university have received Nobel prizes and Charles Darwin and Johannes Brahms are among a long list of outstanding individuals receiving honorary doctorates.
Courses Available
Students will complete BIOL 4503 General Microbiology offered in Wrocław, Poland, a 4-credit lecture/laboratory course. The prerequisite for the course is BIOL 2101 Cell Biology. All instruction is provided in English by the Polish faculty of the Wroclaw Institute of Genetics and Microbiology. The UMD catalog describes the course as follows: BIOL 4503 General Microbiology offered in Wroclaw, Poland. Microbial cell structure, metabolism, nutrition, growth, and genetics. Structure and pathogenicity of viruses. Microbial taxonomy and diversity. Microbial diseases, immunity, serology and control. Applied and environmental microbiology including medical, food, aquatic, and soil microbiology.
Students will also receive 4-6 hours of introduction to the language, geography, culture and history of Poland (no credit).
Eligibility
Admission to the program is competitive and limited to sixteen students. Students must be in good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 2.5 and at least one year each of college level biology and chemistry plus a course in cell biology or equivalent. Coursework in genetics, ecology, and biochemistry would be helpful, but not required. The program is geared for biology majors, cell and molecular biology majors and pre-professional students (pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-pharmacy, pre-optometry, pre-vet medicine, nursing, public health, etc.).
Participants MUST have a passport, valid for at least 6 months after their return to the United States.
Costs
The program package cost is to be determined. A non-refundable application fee of $50 will be billed to your student account and a deposit of $400 will be billed to your student account upon your confirmation of participation. The remainder of the program fee will be billed through Student Accounts Receivable
The program package includes:
- Tuition for 4-credit course
- Housing in Wroclaw
- Microbiology Fieldtrips (2)
- Group excursion to Karakow (lodging, transportation, admissions)
- Wroclaw bus/tram pass
- Airport-dormitory limited transfers
- Cultural Insurance Services International health insurance
Items NOT included in the overall cost include roundtrip airfare to the program site, textbook and laboratory manual, meals ($10-12 per day), independent weekend travel expenses, internet fee, personal daily living expenses, the cost of obtaining a passport and personal living expenses.
Living expenses are estimated to be $400-$600. Individual weekend travel expenses are extra. Round trip bus/train fares will usually be $25-$125 for travel to places such as Warsaw, Gdansk and the Baltic Sea Coast, Prague, Vienna, Dresden, Berlin, and the mountains along the Polish-Czech Republic border.
Fluctuating currency exchange rates may increase or decrease the cost of your international experience. Financial aid may be applied toward the cost of the program if you are enrolled as a full-time student (6 credits is full-time for May/Summer). Study abroad scholarships are available for University of Minnesota students.
Deadlines & Dates
The application deadline is February 20, 2010. Early application is strongly encouraged, as admission is competitive and limited to sixteen students.
Tentative program dates are July 20 to August 22.
Orientation
At least two pre-departure orientations will be held. The orientations will include information about financial aid opportunities, international travel insurance, classwork and academic expectations, passport and travel documentation requirements, travel tips and the distribution of a study abroad handbook and other materials.
Housing and Meals
Participants will be housed in "suite-like" mini apartments in the University of Wrocław Student Residence Hall, Ołówek. Each apartment suite accommodates four students and contains a bathroom, mini-kitchen, and two bedrooms (two students per bedroom). Sheets and blankets are provided. The kitchen includes a refrigerator, sink, hotplate, and small dining table and several chairs. Dishes and utensils are not provided. Food shops are located directly across from the dormitory and several inexpensive student "milk bars" are available in the area.
The Ołówek Residence Hall is about a twenty-minute bus ride from the Institute of Genetics and Microbiology and a five-minute tram ride from the historic Wrocław city center and Market Square.
What's Next?
Before applying, it is a good idea to follow the steps under steps to studying abroad. The IEO website also provides extensive information on financing, scholarships, health & safety and other important information to consider when choosing to study abroad. When ready to apply, the UMD study abroad application form may be downloaded from the IEO website. Please complete the application with required accompanying materials and return it directly to IEO.
Contact Dr. Conrad Firling, Professor Emeritus of Biology, at cfirling@d.umn.edu or (218) 724-3611 for program, itinerary or academic questions. For application/registration and location questions, contact Leigh Neys in the UMD International Education Office (138 Kirby Plaza) at (218) 726-7053 or email: lneys@d.umn.edu.
