Study Abroad in Australia
Australian Culture and History at the
International College of Management, Sydney
May 23 – June 15, 2009
Application Deadline: Friday, April 3, 2009
Join students from MATC and other colleges in the region for an exciting adventure down under!
 In partnership with the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS), Madison Area Technical College (MATC) is pleased to announce information on this year's summer study abroad program in Sydney, Australia. The program will run from May 23 – June 15, 2009 (due to time lost crossing the International Dateline, actual dates in Australia are May 25 -June 15).
This History and Culture of Australia program includes lectures on the history of Australia in the mornings and field trips to historical and cultural sights each afternoon. Daily field trips include sites of cultural and historical significance such as the Sydney Opera House performance, a professional rugby game, Sydney Field Trips to NSW Parliament House, Powerhouse Museum, Convict Museum, NSW Art Gallery and a walking tour of Sydney. A surfing lesson will allow students to experience one of Australia’s most popular recreational sports and an overnight excursion to either the Blue Mountains or an outback sheep station will allow students to experience the full array of Australian environment and culture.
Students will earn 3-6 credits at either Madison Area Technical College or participating ICISP consortium institutions. The cost to students for participation is $2,800 (plus airfare and health insurance). Program cost includes course tuition, readings, and instructional costs; accommodation for the three weeks of the program; breakfast, lunch and dinner daily; admission and entry fees to all program field trips and excursions; travel and lodging during overnight excursions; airport pickup and transfers; travel passes for the duration of the program on public transport on Sydney Network; on site staffing; and a US faculty escort to provide support throughout the program.
The application deadline is Friday, April 3, 2009. Applications must be received by the MATC International Education Office by this date.
Academic Program Description:
This three-week program is designed to give participants an immersion experience in the history and culture of Australia. Students will have the opportunity to learn from an expert in Australian history and immersion in an environment of historic, cultural, and environmental sights. Instruction related to this program will entail both classroom instruction on the ICMS campus and numerous field trips and immersion experiences.
All participants will receive 3 credits for participation in this History of Australian Culture and Society program. All students participate in a History of Australia classroom course with specific readings and final exam. Students wishing to earn 6 credits will be required to select a topic of specialization based on course topics and/or field trip experiences and complete a 20 page research paper on their area of interest (due to MATC by July 1, 2009).
At MATC, all students will earn 3 credits in History of Australia which counts as equivalent to college transfer course, “World History in the 20th Century.” At MATC students completing the optional 3 credit research paper will also earn 3 credits in “Special Topics in Contemporary Society.” Individual participating colleges in the ICISP consortium may divide the 6 credits differently or charge additional program or tuition fees depending on local course and enrollment requirements.
 Admissions Requirements:
This program is open to serious students who have a strong interest in immersing themselves in Australian culture and history. All participants are required to register for credit and participate in all classroom and program activities. Applicants are required to have a 2.75 GPA, based on at least 12 credits of college study, two faculty recommendations, and an essay outlining their goals for participation in this program.
Lodging and Meals:
Students will stay in dormitory rooms on the International College of Business Management, Sydney (ICMS) campus. The dorms are in a beautifully restored sandstone castle -- an awe-inspiring gothic and Spanish influenced architecture of stone and cedar timbers -- originally built as a seminary in 1885.
The seminary castle was renovated into the modern ICMS campus in 1995 and reopened as a cutting edge school for business and tourism. Facilities include comfortable classrooms and high-technology computer labs (available to students 24 hours, daily). Dorms, classrooms, and the cafeteria are all in the same historic seminary castle, which allows students easy access to living, dining, and study facilities.
Three meals daily are included in the program cost. Meals are provided at the ICMS cafeteria (excluding certain off-campus field trip days). Students can select items from a fresh-cooked buffet. Other for-fee menu options are also available on campus, or the Sydney area offers a universe of restaurants to serve any participant’s culinary palate.
Dress Code:
Full time students at the International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS) are studying to be business leaders. As such they wear a formal school uniform of business suit or blazer. Students in this summer MATC/ICISP program are not subject to this same dress code. However, students are expected to dress more formally than is expected in US classrooms. American “business casual” clothing is appropriate for classrooms and events shared with ICMS students. For field trips or events off campus, no dress code applies and students can dress as comfortable.
Cold Weather Clothing:
May is the beginning of winter in Australia. While winter in Sydney still stays above freezing and it does not snow, there still may be some cold days (especially during the Blue Mountains or outback excursions) when warm sweaters, windbreakers, scarves or stocking hats are needed. Warm days, however, will require T-shirts or other short sleeves. Hence participants should plan to pack clothing that can be easily layered to adjust to changing temperatures.
About Sydney Australia:
Voted the world's best city by the international "Travel & Leisure Magazine," Sydney is situated on the southeast cost of Australia and it is the capital of the state of New South Wales. It has grown from a small colony of 1,000 people in Sydney Cove, to the largest city in Australia with a population of approximately 4 million. Sydney is a cosmopolitan and multicultural city with something for everyone! The Sydney Opera house is a global landmark and venue for world class performances and the Art gallery of New South Wales is one of the world’s top art museums and includes a number of Asian, Australian and Aboriginal collections not seen elsewhere. For those who enjoy the outdoors, the Sydney area is home to several ocean beaches, the Royal Botanical Gardens, and many other areas for recreation.
About International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS):
ICMS is a leading college of business and management located in the Manly Beach district of coastal Sydney. Situated on Sydney Harbor's North Head overlooking the world famous Manly Beach and Pacific Ocean, this historic site is surrounded by extensive parklands and campus facilities. The campus takes advantage of facilities built in 1885 as a seminary, resulting in awe-inspiring gothic and Spanish influenced architecture of stone and cedar timbers.
.jpg) The modern campus was renovated in 1995 and reopened as a cutting edge school for business and tourism. Facilities include comfortable classrooms and high-technology computer labs (available to students 24 hours, daily). Today ICMS has over 1000 students from more than 60 countries around the world. The campus is connected to the rest of the Sydney area through a developed network of ferry and bus lines, and an unlimited-ride pass for Sydney’s public transportation system is included in the program fee for this summer opportunity. More information is available online at: www.icms.edu.au
Pre-Trip Orientation:
Participation in a pre-trip orientation is mandatory. MATC will offer a pre-departure orientation on Saturday, May 2 in Madison, Wisconsin as well as on-line discussions and briefings prior to departure. Participants from Illinois colleges may wish to check with their ICISP representative to see if they are able to participate via videoconferencing from their campus for the May 2 orientation. The online and real-time pre-trip orientations will provide information on health and safety expectations, packing and trip planning, flight logistics and other essential information. 
Fees and Payment:
The cost of this program is $2,800 + airfare and health insurance. The current airfare rate from Chicago O’Hare to Sydney, Australia is approximately $1,500. Madison Area Technical College reserves the right to adjust program prices in the event of changes in the US/Australian Dollar exchange rate of more than 10%.
Participants are required to place a $500 deposit at the time of application (if a student is not selected this deposit would be returned in full; if accepted for participation, the deposit will apply to the overall cost of the program). Unless a participant’s application for participation is rejected, this deposit is non-refundable. Full payment of the program will be due by May 2, 2009.
Passports and Visas:
US citizens do not need to secure a visa in advance of travel. An Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa will automatically be filed for on behalf of all students who utilize the recommended group flight. Applicants who are not US citizens should check the Australian Department of Immigration And Citizenship (DIAC) website for eligibility and restrictions: (http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/tourist/visa-options.htm).
All participants will need to have or acquire a current passport before the date of departure. Applicants should allow at least 8 weeks for standard passport processing (and it is advised to start the process much earlier to avoid problems with lost documents or other delays). Travelers are also required to have a passport that is valid for at least 90 days beyond the expected return date. Hence participants who have existing passports should check their expiration date to avoid problems.
Applications and Documents:
View the Powerpoint Slide show! (20.6MB, PPT)
Summer 2009 Application (324KB, PDF)
Agreement, Code of Conduct and Waiver of Liability Form (28KB, RTF Word File)
Pint-friendly Info Packet (484KB, DOC Word File)
MATC Australia Summer 2009 Color Flyer (8.5 X 11 in) (1.4MB, PDF)
MATC Australia Summer 2009 Color Poster (11 X 17 in) (2.8MB, PDF)
 For more information on any of these programs,
please contact:
Geoff Bradshaw, Ph.D.
International Education Coordinator
Madison Area Technical College
Arts & Sciences Office
Truax Campus, Rm. 246
3550 Anderson Street
Madison, WI 53704
(608) 246-6165
gbradshaw (at) matcmadison.edu
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