The faculty director for the Spring 2020 Tahiti program is Music Professor Matthew Lau. Tahiti, with its French colonial background and Polynesian heritage, is a setting that allows students to have a rich cultural experience through the combination of Western and non-Western traditions in one location. It also gives participants the opportunity to experience life in a location very different from Iowa-that of a tropical island. All students, regardless of major, are welcome to participate in this semester-long study abroad program based at Simpson’s partner institution, the University of French Polynesia (UPF) on the South Pacific island of Tahiti. Given that French is the language of communication in Tahiti and the language of instruction at UPF, participation in the program carries a prerequisite of two college-level French classes (minimum 6-credit hours). Even this minimal language background will prime participants to make faster linguistic progress in country. Students on the program will take a core of courses designed specifically for them: a level-appropriate French-for-foreigners course (4 credits), Traditional and Modern Polynesian Music (1 credit), History and Political Institutions in Tahiti (1 credit), Literature of the South Pacific in French Translation (1 credit), Archeology and Ancient Polynesian Civilization (1 credit), and a study abroad reflection course (4 credits, ECC: GP) taught in English by the program’s faculty director. The faculty director will also offer a course taught in both French and English entitled Artists in Paradise (4 credits, ECC: OC, pending approval). Study abroad students will also be permitted to enroll in regularly offered classes at the University of French Polynesia with the instructor’s permission, as per their language level, academic interests, and curricular needs. Students will live in a dormitory with kitchen privileges with others on the program, and they will receive a regular meal stipend with which to purchase food for themselves. A couple of weekend stays with host families during the program will give students the opportunity to learn more about Tahitian culture and society first hand. To participate in the program, students pay Simpson tuition, room and board plus a program fee of between $3,000 – $3,500. In addition, students are also responsible for covering their air transportation costs to and from Tahiti at an approximate cost of $1,600 from Des Moines as well as the cost of obtaining their French student visa (approximately $450). Requirements Students must take and pass the one-credit hour orientation course (or its online equivalent) during the fall semester preceding the semester in Tahiti. Students must also have a grade point average of at least 2.5 both at the time of application for the program, and at the time of departure in order to be able to study abroad. Also, students must also have successfully completed FREN 111 (second semester college-level French).
Quick Facts
Population: 274512 Capital: Papeete Per-capita GDP: $ 18000 Size: 4167 km2 Time Zone: (GMT - 10:00 hours) Hawaii
US State Department
Travel Warning: YES See : Country Specific Info.