Program Overview
Visit two worlds in one program! This program focuses on sustainable development with electives in natural history, animal behavior, or business sustainability in both Australia and New Zealand. The Australia portion of the program includes Sydney, considered one of the world’s best places to live and play, the Great Barrier Reef (where we stay at the eco-resort of Lady Elliot Island), the vast expanse of the Outback (to explore the wildlife and indigenous art of Carnarvon Gorge), and the surfing beach town of Noosa (Sunshine Coast). Click here to watch a three minute video of the program.
The second half of the program is spent on the South Island of New Zealand, where the kiwi image of 100% Pure, Clean, and Green is arguably most evident. Known as the adventure capital of the Southern Hemisphere, there are mountains rising 14,000 feet out of the sea, the largest fiords in the world, rainforests, massive glaciers carving their way to the ocean, thermal hotsprings, and volcanoes. New Zealand’s isolation has spurred the development of a unique natural heritage: Plants and animals have evolved here that are unknown anywhere else. We travel the breadth of the South Island from the deep south in Fiordlands National Park to the northern coastal town of Kaikoura.
The following sites and activities are included in the program: Snorkel (or dive) the Great Barrier Reef, hike Carnarvon Gorge and get up close with some of Australia’s unique wildlife, visit the surfing resort town of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, and several days in Sydney. In New Zealand you will have the opportunity to hike Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park, visit a traditional sheep farm in the high country, cruise Fiordland National Park, stay in the remote and beautiful Doubtful Sound, visit the capital of extreme/adventure sports in Queenstown, and swim with wild dolphins in Kaikoura. There is a strong cultural emphasis throughout both program, exploring the historical and contemporary lives of the indigenous peoples of Australia (the Aborigine) and New Zealand (Maori).
The program is open to all students from UGA and from other institutions (non-UGA students pay in-state tuition), and no prior knowledge is assumed. An optional add-on 8-day program in Fiji (Ecotourism and Sustainability) (3 credits) is available. Fiji is a relatively easy and low-cost stop-over en route back to the U.S. from Australia or New Zealand and the Fiji program begins as soon as the May program ends.
Program Itinerary
Click on the link below to learn more about the program itinerary
Maymester Australia and New Zealand
Credits
Discover Abroad runs four separate Maymester cohorts to Australia and New Zealand, each with a different course emphasis. There are no prerequisites unless specified. See below for cohort descriptions and Click here for a summary of each cohort itinerary.
Yellow Cohort: Biology of the South Pacific: Koalas, Kiwis, and Corals (6 credits)
People, Planet and Profit FANR (ANTH/ECOL/GEOG/INTL 4271/6271) 3 credits
Biology of the South Pacific FANR (BIOL) 3460 or 3460(H)) 3 credits. BIOL 1108 (or permission of instructor) is a prerequisite for FANR/BIOL 3460; please email us for details. For biology majors, this course can fulfill the organismal course requirement or count as a major elective.
Green Cohort: Animal Behavior (6 credits)
People, Planet and Profit FANR (ANTH/ECOL/GEOG/INTL 4271/6271) 3 credits
Animal Behavior: 3 credits WILD (BIOL) 3700W. BIOL 1108 (or permission of instructor) is a prerequisite for BIOL3700; please email us for details. The course meets a major requirement for biology majors.
Purple Cohort: Sustainable Development (6 credits) (unavailable for 2024)
People, Planet and Profit FANR(ANTH/ECOL/GEOG/INTL 4271/6271) 6 credits
Blue and Orange Cohorts: International Business (6 credits each)
People, Planet and Profit FANR(ANTH/ECOL/GEOG/INTL 4271/6271) 3 credits
Special Topics: International Sustainable Business: 3 credits INTB 5100.
Information for all cohorts
* 4271/6271 is cross-listed with ANTH (Anthropology), ECOL (Ecology), FANR (Forestry and Natural Resources), GEOG (Geography), and INTL (International Affairs). (Note: INTL 4271H replaces INTL6271.) Please contact your advisor to see which of our cross-listed courses will best fit into your schedule. The 4000 level courses are for undergraduate students and 6000 level courses are for graduates and honors students.
Costs
Program costs includes all accommodations, field excursions, cultural events, supplemental health insurance, in-country ground transportation, and approximately 70-80% of meals. Tuition (HOPE/Zell applies and out-of-state and non-UGA students pay in-state rates) and airfare (see optional group rate below) are additional. The major international carriers permit a lay-over in Fiji on the return flight to the U.S. typically for minimal extra cost for those students that want to add on the 8-day (3-credit) Fiji program. We also strongly recommend purchasing trip cancellation insurance for airline tickets.
Out-of-state students will receive an out-of-state tuition waiver (i.e. tuition for participation will be charged at the in-state level) for study abroad courses.
Download the Estimated Costs for a more detailed breakdown. The cost estimate for adding Fiji to the May program can be downloaded here.
Optional group airfares are yet to be determined for 2021. The Discover Abroad office will let you know when this information is available. It is inadvisable to purchase airfare until the group arrangements are made.
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Testimonials
“There is no better program offered by the University of Georgia. The faculty were experts in their field and enjoyable to spend time with. The destinations were all unique and extremely enjoyable. The opportunities to explore and adventure are unmatched” (Blue cohort, 2023)
“Discover Abroad allows you to live, learn, and grow outside of your comfort zone without the concerns of a typical traveler. It is more than experiential learning – its the opportunity to cultivate ones global citizenship while having the adventure of a lifetime” (Yellow cohort, 2023)
“It’s so challenging but so worth it! You learn so much about the world and yourself as a person!” (Green cohort, 2023)
“This is the program that lets you explore and learn about yourself, how to be sustainable, and what it’s like to live on the other side of the world” (Orange cohort, 2023)
“Studying abroad will immerse you in a fellowship of strangers and a world you have never known — to fall deeper in love with the world you do know and people you can no longer live without” (Yellow cohort, 2023)
“Thank you so much for this opportunity, I want to hopefully live a life after college that frequently brings me back to Australia” (Green cohort, 2023)
“The most impactful few weeks of my life! My heart is filled” (Blue cohort, 2023)
“You’ll love it! Say yes to it all, and don’t be afraid to get outside of your comfort zone!” (Orange cohort, 2023)
“This program was the best thing I have chosen to do at UGA” (Blue cohort, 2023)
“I gained a greater appreciation for the world, but the thing that surprised me the most about this trip is that I gained a greater appreciation for my home country and the progress I can make there” (Blue cohort, 2023)
“If you want to truly see what the world has to offer and not just the many buildings in Europe, I highly recommend you do this program” (Blue cohort, 2023)
“Literally do it” (Orange cohort, 2023)
“If you’re debating whether or not to partake in a Discover Abroad program, do it. Take the leap. You won’t regret a single second” (Yellow cohort, 2023)