bestsemester viewbook

Bestsemester Programs

BestSemester.com/Programs

AustraliaS T U D I E S C E N T R E7

ChinaS T U D I E S P R O G R A M9

Costa RicaLATIN AMERICAN STUDIES PROGRAM11

Los AngelesL . A . F I L M S T U D I E S C E N T E R1

NashvilleC O N T E M P O R A R Y M U S I C C E N T E R17

Middle EastS T U D I E S P R O G R A M15

OxfordS C H O L A R S ’ S E M E S T E R

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UgandaS T U D I E S P R O G R A M

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Washington D.C.A M E R I C A N S T U D I E S P R O G R A M25

OxfordS U M M E R P R O G R A M M E

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HEIGHTEN YOUR EXPOSURE.#Outback #ColorfulSky

Program

Together, ASC and CHC offer a range of challenging and engaging programs. From Marketing to Drama and Youth Work to Social Justice, each course’s curriculum is centered on a foundation of faith and explores the connections between local landscapes,

tradition and cultures. Extraordinary instruction is met with eager students, whose scholarship and focus find balance with discovery and exploration. Take a break from class and travel to the Gold Coast or maybe catch a wave in Surfers Paradise.

Place

The Australia Studies Centre (ASC) is located just southeast of the beautifully diverse city of Brisbane at Christian Heritage College (CHC). With its near-perfect climate and population of 1.8 million, Brisbane is a flourishing river city filled with ferries,

bridges, Queensland architecture and art installations like nowhere else in the world. Adventure ready; you’ll be off exploring iconic destinations like the Sunshine Coast, the Scenic Rim and Fraser Island, just to name a few.

CHC offers faith-guided curriculum which seeks out God’s truth

Engage with Aboriginal cultures

Get a taste of Australian life with your semester homestay

See Australia’s natural beauty on display at Brisbane’s City Botanic Gardens

Stay active at Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point Cliffs, a popular outdoor rock climbing wall

BestSemester.com/Australia 7

Recommended Credits 16

CRICOS Provider Name: Christian Heritage College CRICOS Provider Code: 01016F

CORE UNITS (CULTURE EMPHASIS) CREDITS

The View from Australia 4

Select one:Australian Aboriginal Cultures 4Indigenous Cultures in Australia & Aotearoa (New Zealand) 4

ELECTIVE UNITS (DISCIPLINE EMPHASIS) CREDITS

Students will select either two elective units from the list of schools below, or an internship and a corequisite unit for a total of 8 credits. If an internship is selected, students will receive 100 placement hours over the semester.

Elective Unit 4Elective Unit 4

School of Christian Studies, School of Business, School of Education & Humanities, School of Ministries, School of Social Sciences

ORInternship (Practicum) 4Internship (Practicum) Corequisite Unit 4

Human Services (Social Work, Child Protection, Community Centre Work, Human Resources), Youth Ministry, Youth Welfare, Chaplaincy, Community Development

#Olympics08 #Beijing #BirdsNest

#HongKong #Park#Xiamen

#SchoolView

#Lantern #Tradition

Recommended Credits 15-18

CORE COURSES CREDITS

Chinese (101 or 102)* 2-3Chinese History 3Contemporary Society & Public Policy 3Intercultural Communication 3

ELECTIVES (SELECT 3-6 CREDITS) CREDITS

Business Internship 3-4Chinese 102 3Dimensions of East Asian Culture 3-4Eastern Philosophy and Religion 3-4Field Experience 3-4Chinese Business and Economics 3Chinese Painting 1Tai Chi 1

* Advanced Chinese courses are available for qualified students.

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China is a land steeped in tradition but is equally as modern. Located in the subtropical South East, Xiamen University is surrounded by a city both tranquil and progressive. Elegant buildings glean from the ancient beauty of Chinese temples, lush landscapes of

green lawns, blossoming branches and pruned palm trees provide the setting as you study after class. Generosity and obligation, sweet and sour, activity and passivity are opposites that complement each other and exemplify a Chinese life lived in dynamic balance.

Program

The China Studies Program (CSP) is your ticket to one of the world’s most globally significant and culturally rich nations. Experience Chinese culture firsthand by participating in internships and learn about the historical, cultural, religious, geographic and economic realities of China during your course seminars. In addition to the study of the Chinese language, you could teach English to Chinese students or you might put your one-on-one talents to work in an orphanage. CSP immerses you in an increasingly important part of the world in an informed, Christ-centered way.

See the Terra Cotta Warriors of Xi’an and discover Hong Kong, Beijing, the Great Wall and more

Expand comprehension of American culture and Christianity

Engage in cross-cultural interaction during service projects

Study China’s growing global impact

Understand Chinese political, economic, religious and social dynamics

BestSemester.com/China

FIND YOUR PERSPECTIVE.

#PineappleField #Nicaragua


In addition to the core courses, each student selects one of four concentrations: Latin American Studies, Advanced Language & Literature, International Business and Environmental Science.


Spanish Language 6Latin American History & Contemporary Issues 3Regional Study Travel 1-3

LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES CREDITS

Responses to Third World Reality 3Community Immersion/Internship 3

ADVANCED LANGUAGE & LITERATURE CREDITS

Language & Literature Seminar 3Community Immersion/Internship 3

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS (FALL ONLY) CREDITS

Business Seminar 3Community Immersion/Internship 3

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE (SPRING ONLY) CREDITS

Environmental Science Seminar/Field Research 4Biological Practicum/Community Immersion 2

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Program

Your LASP courses will allow you to think critically about your Latin American experience by connecting your surroundings with your classroom discussions. These experiences are everywhere. It’s the place where you sip coffee and develop relationships

through a common language. It’s the local restaurant owner who welcomes you and teaches you about real international business. And it’s your three homestay experiences, each one expanding your view of the cultural differences, that make this corner of the world so remarkable.

Place

Arriving in Costa Rica for the Latin American Studies Program (LASP), you sense it will be so much more than majestic mountains and beautiful beaches. You are about to be immersed in a diverse cross-section of Latin America’s history. You will be given a key

to a way of life that is firmly rooted in tradition but is also looking toward the future. You’ll walk the vibrant roads of Limón and Puerto Viejo. You’ll live with a host family in Costa Rica as well as journey to Nicaragua for a two-week homestay. You’ll travel not as a tourist, but as an ambassador reflecting upon the dimensions of this complex culture.

Experience true immersion by living with Latin American families

Develop your Spanish comprehension by connecting language with culture

Accompany Latin Americans in a hands-on practicum/field study

Learn how faith integrates in an international context

Take core courses which offer a base for in-depth engagement in politics, economics and more

BestSemester.com/CostaRica

#WilshireBlvd #Home

#PlayBack #DidWeGetIt

#AV #Production

#PalmTreeTrilogy

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Hollywood Production Workshop Students work collaboratively to create a finished piece. This includes all legal documentation and rights, which enables the finished production to qualify for festival submission.

Faith & Artistic Development in Film This course explores film, theology and life in the context of the Hollywood entertainment industry. It is a process-oriented course that stimulates discourse about values, beliefs and the art of film.

Internship: Inside Hollywood Students participate in an internship experience in some aspect of the Hollywood entertainment industry. Students work 20-40 hrs a week, spread over a three-day schedule, and accumulate 200-250 hrs for the semester.



Hollywood Production Workshop 4Faith & Artistic Development in Film 3Internship: Inside Hollywood 6

ELECTIVES (CHOOSE ONE) CREDITS

Narrative Storytelling 3Professional Acting for the Camera 3Independent Study 3

BestSemester.com/LosAngeles

Strolling down Hollywood Boulevard, you feel like a lost child in a toy store. Then you think, “That’s not a bad idea for a short film.” You sprint to the Metro and ride through a city of sky-scraping palm trees, premieres and dreams. You arrive back at the L.A. Film Studies Center (LAFSC)

located on Wilshire Boulevard. You rush to share your new idea with your professor and 45 talented peers who’ll be making movie magic by your side.

Program

Imagine pitching your screenplay to working Hollywood producers (it could happen) or attending the premiere of your short film. LAFSC provides a well-rounded yet in-depth understanding of what makes the business of Hollywood run. Workshops combined with electives teach you relevant production processes and protocols, as well as the vital skills of collaboration. Talent and literary agencies, managing companies, film developers and post-production facilities are just some of the exciting internship options.

DISCOVER YOURROLE.

One in three LAFSC students choose to return to L.A. after graduation

Benefit from a strong support community for alumni

Learn from nationally-recognized screenwriters, producers and directors

Produce a qualifying film for the festival circuit and work with SAG-AFTRA actors

Understand workflows for the latest technology, like the RED Scarlet camera

SHAPE YOUR HORIZONS.

#WadiRum #Jordan #Camels #Desert

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COURSES CREDITS

Introduction to Arabic Language 3-6Islamic Thought and Practice 3-4Conflict & Change in the Middle East 3-4Peoples & Cultures of the Middle East 3-4

Homestays As part of the culture component of the program, students will have a week-long homestay. Depending on the MESP travel itinerary, students may experience their homestays in either Israel or Jordan. Most students are placed with a Muslim family. Each family has a contact person of the same gender as the student and an English speaker.

Travel The travel component is one of the most exciting parts of MESP. Students have traveled throughout the Middle East visiting the region’s legendary and holy sites, while also spending time receiving hospitality in the smaller neighborhoods and homes of the area’s diverse cities and countries. The best part: all expenses for the travel component are covered in the MESP tuition.

In recent years, students have visited: Egypt, Palestine, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco and Turkey, as well as various sites throughout Jordan. Please note that all travel is subject to change based upon safety considerations. The most up-to-date travel information can be found at BestSemester.com/MESPtravel.

Service and Internships Students are matched with local non-profits to engage in their community through service. Qualified students may also receive intercultural practicum credit during the semester.

BestSemester.com/MiddleEast

MESP is located in Amman, Jordan, one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world

Learn about the complexities of the Middle East conflict and the pursuit of peace

Participate in various service opportunities

Benefit from a longstanding commitment to student safety

Be informed about the global impact and dynamics of the Islamic faith

Place

As a student in the Middle East Studies Program (MESP), you will immerse yourself in the familial neighborhoods of Jordan, one of the oldest cities in the world. Learn adventurously when you journey to legendary sites like Petra and Jerash, live with local

families in the Old City of Jerusalem, pray in Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, or swim in the Sea of Galilee. You’ll receive Arabic training first in the classroom, and then in the markets, neighborhoods, and local community service projects—where students can serve like Christ in the regions he himself walked.

Program

The heart of the Middle East Studies Program is the authentic community you’ll forge with both your peers and the neighbors you serve. Although grounded in Christian liberal arts, MESP engages the religious culture and politics of the Middle East

without bias: you’ll examine the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from every impassioned perspective and live with a local family during a week-long homestay. Worship with your peers in the morning; sit at the feet of local experts to learn about topics most precious to the region; and serve through a local internship in a place that needs you most.

#GearCheck #OnTheRoadAgain

#Writing

#CenterStage #TourPrep

#Guitar #MakingSomeMusic



Faith, Music & Culture 3Inside the Music Industry 3Practicum: “CMC Tour” 1

ARTIST TRACK CREDITS

Essentials of Songwriting 3Studio Recording 3Performance 3

BUSINESS TRACK CREDITS

Strategic Management 3Music Business Survey 3Advanced Media Marketing 3

TECHNICAL TRACK CREDITS

Advanced Studio Recording 3Audio Engineering 3Concert Production 3

17BestSemester.com/Nashville

Have 24-hour access to industry-standard gear

Live fifteen minutes from downtown Nashville

Enjoy personal kitchens, amenities, pool and entertainment area

Perform as well as attend weekly concerts at CMC Live

Study under music industry pros with unbiased critiques

The Contemporary Music Center (CMC) in Nashville offers you a front-row ticket to the music industry. When you arrive, the CMC team will make sure you know all of Nashville’s ins and outs. You’ll walk the halls of a publishing house, visit a modern

recording studio and tour a sound stage. Meet with a working songwriter, producer, engineer and music arranger to get a taste of the working life in this musical metropolis. Put it all together at the Hardscuffle Building, where world-class equipment waits for your God-given talents.

RANGE.EXPAND YOUR

Program

The world of music, though you may not have noticed, was an entirely different landscape 20 years ago. CMC has been adapting to this business, because music is a blend of the old and the new. Believe us, you’ll be doing nothing but blending

music, personalities and the occasional throat-soothing smoothie for the next four months. Your days begin with morning classes followed by composing, performing, mixing and promoting until you put your inspired soul to sleep. After weeks of solid creativity, you’re out on tour, living the experience and savoring every note.

#TheRad #OxfordLibrary

FRAME YOUR FUTURE.

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FIRST SEMESTER CREDITS

Primary Tutorial 6Secondary Tutorial 3Undergraduate Research Seminar 4British Studies Core Course 4

SECOND SEMESTER (OPT) CREDITS

Primary Tutorial 6Secondary Tutorial 3Thesis 4British Studies Core Course: Further Studies* 4Undergraduate Research Seminar* 4

*Choose One—the choice of one of these two courses is only offered in the optional 2nd semester.

#CourtyardJump

Program

SSO is not for the faint of heart. Designed specifically for students seeking an academically rigorous and robust experience like no other, even the brightest of minds will be molded, shaped and stretched at SSO. It happens during your tutorials. Here, you and an

accomplished Oxford scholar go head-to-head on a topic chosen from 230 subjects in the Classics, English language and literature, history, history of art, modern languages, musicology, philosphy, psychology or theology. And when the semester is all said, done, debated and graded, you’ll return home with a community of alumni that continually reconnect over the bond that SSO so passionately unites.

Place

Students from all over the world come to study at Oxford. As a student in Scholars’ Semester in Oxford (SSO), you are an official member of Wycliffe Hall and recognized as a Registered Visiting Student of the University of Oxford (a privilege for very

few). This is your access point to Oxford’s rich 900-year history, its world-recognized academic excellence and most intellectually valuable resource —its 119 libraries. Plunge into the depths of the Classics or explore the breadth of Humanities as you select from over 11 million books and electronic resources.

Choose from over 890 University clubs in which to participate

Take part in artistic organizations and enjoy the benefits of an all-access pass to world-renowned libraries

Live in either Wycliffe Hall or The Vines: a late-Victorian mansion

Travel by bicycle throughout quaint Oxford

Engage in academically-stimulating conversation at nearly every turn

BestSemester.com/Oxford/SSO

#WellyWeather

SHARPEN YOUR MIND.



Seminar & Tutorial A 3Seminar & Tutorial B 3

Lecture Series All students participate in the lecture series “The Christian tradition in the British Isles.” This course includes lectures and three field trips to sites of major interest, providing the historical context for work undertaken in the seminars.

Seminars All students participate in two different seminars which meet during the first part of the program. Students are evaluated by seminar leaders on the basis of written work. Students submit essays for each seminar. Seminars can be taken for undergraduate or graduate credit.

Tutorials All students participate in individual tutorials during the second part of the program. While meeting one-on-one with a tutor, students develop, discuss and defend an essay related to the students’ seminar topic.

#OldEnglish #History

BestSemester.com/Oxford/OSP

Access to Bodleian Library, Oxford’s central university library

Post graduate, undergrad or on sabbatical, OSP caters to a range of students

Live at Wycliffe Hall in the center of Oxford

Travel throughout the region and visit a number of historically rich destinations

Enjoy the city of Oxford during the most beautiful time of the year

Place

You’re walking down cobblestone streets between centuries-old buildings that have produced some of the greatest minds in history. Legendary spires are silhouetted by the sun. Your first tutorial with an Oxford academic is just footsteps away. In

your month-long Oxford Summer Programme (OSP), you’ll journey to astonishing places. With all that could ignite your intellectual imagination, nothing will compare to the vast collection of scholarly resources available to you. Dine, laugh and study among your Oxonian peers and tutors in the “city of the dreaming spires.”

Program

Designed to uncover the relationship between Christianity and the British Isles, OSP fuels intellectual minds at all levels of education. Engage in scholarship guided by Oxford’s primary method of pedagogies: the tutorial. Go one-on-one with your

professor to defend your beliefs, support your positions, ready yourself for graduate school or just become a better thinker. When you’re not flexing your brain, keep it sharp with student outings and day trips.

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#Obuntu

#Joy

#AfricanSky

#RuralRide #RedDirtRoad

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Faith & Action in the Uganda Context 4African Context Courses 3-12UCU Elective Courses 3-12

SOCIAL WORK EMPHASIS* CREDITS

Faith & Action in the Uganda Context 4

Junior Level:Social Work Practicum for Junior Level 6Social Work Seminar for Ugandan Context 2African Context Courses 3-6UCU Elective Courses 3-6

Senior Level:Social Work Practicum for Senior Level 10Social Work Seminar for Ugandan Context 2

* Participation in the Social Work Emphasis is open only to declared Social Work majors and requires communication between USP and the Social Work department at the student’s home institution.

BestSemester.com/Uganda

Program

Your experience in Uganda will be a spectacular lesson in authentic relationships. These relationships—at home, at school and throughout the Ugandan community—encourage deeper thought about your own cultural identity. UCU has over

6,000 students and, with Uganda’s legendary hospitality, will truly make you feel as one with the community. Building upon the Faith & Action course, you’ll begin to place these diverse connections into context. Whether it’s social work, ministry, or just a deeper yearning to explore the intricacy of cross-cultural relationships, Uganda will bring you there.

Here among the hustle and bustle of Mukono, Uganda, you’ll chat with fellow classmates of Uganda Christian University (UCU) as you munch on a “rolex” (a local snack of eggs and Chapati). Just 15 miles from the capital city of Kampala, Mukono offers students of the Uganda

Studies Program (USP) an opportunity to truly participate in Ugandan culture. Whether you live with a host family or in UCU dorms, you’ll take part in a Ugandan homestay, something students describe as unforgettable. You’ll also take weekend trips throughout Uganda as well as an eye-opening 10-day excursion to Rwanda.

ADJUST YOUR FOCUS.

Think critically about the Christian worldview

Embrace USP’s close relationship with Uganda Christian University

Explore the subject of social identity throughout your Ugandan experience

Take part in an eclectic range of activities on campus or in Mukono

Discuss corporate forgiveness and social perspectives

BROADEN YOUR VIEW.

#HouseOfRepresentatives #TheHill

BROADEN YOUR VIEW.

#HouseOfRepresentatives #TheHill



Internship (20-30 hrs/wk) 6Topics in Leadership & Vocation 3Professional Mentorship (optional) 1

PROJECT TRACK COURSES CREDITS

Public Policy InitiativesApplied Politics & Public Policy Seminar 3Public Policy Research Project 3

Strategic CommunicationsCase Studies in Strategic Communication 3Advocacy, Fundraising& Development 3

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#PressConferenceProgram

ASP is designed to equip you with the tools and experiences you need to translate your campus education into a Christ-centered career in professional leadership and service. Students complete over 240 hours of work experience at world-class offices and organizations through

ASP’s highly regarded Internship program. The Public Policy track prepares and supports students in their analysis of a pressing public policy issue. Field-work driven studies allow each student to produce original research by engaging Washington, D.C. policy experts and practitioners directly. In the Strategic

Communication track, students engage Washington, D.C.-based organizations and communication professionals to produce a portfolio comprising case-study findings, informational interviews, communications materials, and ethical reflections on strategic communication practices. Both tracks call on experienced Christians working in these fields to counsel students on the challenges and opportunities for ‘faithful practice’ as institutional leaders.

Place

The American Studies Program (ASP) is where big ideas and leading institutions meet. Everyone is here to make a difference. You’ll live in D.C.’s historic neighborhood of Capitol Hill, less than a mile from the U.S. Capitol building, U.S. Supreme Court, and Library of Congress. Bus and Metro

provide easy access to every entertainment venue, monument and museum, and professional event in our nation’s capital. Ranked as the most popular U.S. city for your generation, discover why your peers are choosing to launch careers in this culturally rich and dynamic city.

BestSemester.com/ASP

Be mentored by a professional in your field of interest

Take part in cross-cultural neighborhood engagement programs

Live the city life; Experience D.C.’s free art exhibits, musical performances and museums

Enjoy a very strong alumni network during and after your semester

Visit congressional offices, federal agencies, think tanks, advocacy groups and more

Get Started Checklist

DO YOUR RESEARCH TIP: Applying can take time, so it’s never too early to start.

TALK TO A BESTSEMESTER REPRESENTATIVE TIP: Students can be surprised by how easy it is to study off-campus. Before you lose hope, ask our team for help!

MEET WITH YOUR OFF-CAMPUS STUDY ADVISOR TIP: If you’re not sure who that is, visit bestsemester.com/campuscontactlist.

REVIEW PROGRAM COSTS AND REQUIREMENTS TIP: Talk to your financial aid advisor and tell us what you find out!

START AN ONLINE APPLICATION TIP: Create a profile at bestsemester.terradotta.com to watch your application’s progress.

COMPLETE REQUIREMENTS BY THE DEADLINE TIP: Your campus has its own deadlines, so make sure you meet those, too!

Want to study off campus? Follow these steps and you’re on your way to experiencing

the world outside your classroom.

To begin your journey and capture your story, speak with one of our program advisors by phone: 202.548.5201 or go to BestSemester.com to get important dates and application timelines.

Step outside of yourself and view the world from the perspective of another. Dare

to be transformed in the way you see and experience your own cultural identity and personal relationships. BestSemester has been enlightening student worldviews and individual realities for over 30 years. With robust academics, the highest priority for student safety and unparalleled financial advising, our Christ-centered and immersion-oriented faculty and staff are with you all the way.

BEGIN YOUR

Absolutely no stock or professional photography was used in making this brochure. Real students taking real

pictures of real experiences.

© 2015 Council for Christian Colleges & Universities

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