The Department of Anthropology and the Linguistics and Cognitive Studies Program offer a joint foreign study program in Auckland, New Zealand, the only Dartmouth off-campus program in the South Pacific. Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand, with a culturally diverse population of about one million. Classes are held at the University of Auckland in the Departments of Anthropology and Maori Studies. (The Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand.) The University of Auckland is an internationally recognized center for the study of Pacific archaeology, cultural anthropology, and linguistics. The campus is located on a headland with spectacular views over Waitemata Harbour, parks on two sides, and the central business district just a ten-minute walk away. Students live and study alongside New Zealand students of European, Maori, Pacific Island, and Asian descent, learning about their cultures from personal contacts as well as from classes. As enrolled members of the University's summer school, Dartmouth students have access to all the facilities of a major university, including a large sports complex.
The academic program is eight weeks long and comprises the following: (a) a four-day tour of significant Maori and colonial historical sites north of Auckland; (b) seven weeks of classes at the University; (c) various excursions in the Auckland area; and (d) a three-day stay at a Maori meeting house on the coast north of Auckland. The program begins at the end of December and finishes at the end of February. All participants take the Dartmouth course, Anthropology 51, "Colonialism and Its Legacies in Anthropological Perspective," which is taught by a member of the Dartmouth faculty. In addition, those students concentrating in anthropology take two courses from local faculty, Anthropology 52, "Introduction to Maori Society," and Anthropology 54, "Foreign Study in Anthropology." Those concentrating in linguistics take, in addition to Anthropology 51, Linguistics 8, "The Structure of Maori," and an additional course in linguistics or Maori Studies.
Living AccommodationsIn January Dartmouth students live in International House, a dorm and dining complex about ten minutes walk from the University and the city center. Housing a mixture of New Zealand and foreign students, it has a library, music practice room, study room, tennis and squash courts, several lounges, and a games room. In February students live with local families of various ethnic backgrounds in the greater Auckland area.
Anthropology: Two anthropology courses.
Linguistics: Linguistics 1, “Introductory Linguistics,” and one other linguistics course in the 20s.
In addition, applicants must have maintained at Dartmouth a 3.0 cumulative grade average and continue to do so from the time of application through the time of departure for New Zealand. Applicants must not be facing academic or conduct discipline at Dartmouth. Anyone whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 can be rejected from the program even after formal acceptance by Dartmouth. Further, acceptance into the program by Dartmouth College constitutes only a recommendation to the University of Auckland’s Foreign Student Admission Committee that the student be admitted to the University of Auckland as a special student specifically for this program. The University of Auckland makes the final decision on the Dartmouth student’s acceptance. Enrollment limited to 22 students.
Application ProcedureApplicants must apply online at www.dartmouth.edu/~ocp. Linguistics applicants use the standard application forms; anthropology applicants must complete the standard forms and one additional form relating to this program. Off-Campus Programs will obtain an up-to-date transcript. Applicants must also submit two letters of recommendation. Referees should include one Dartmouth faculty member and one person who has supervised you in a nonacademic activity (e.g., boss, coach). Interviews of applicants will be arranged.
For the 2011 Winter program, all application materials must be submitted online by 11:59 PM February 1, 2010.
Applicants will be evaluated on a combination of academic preparation, personal attributes, and the quality of their application essay. One important criterion will be the strength of the applicant’s preparation in anthropology and/or linguistics. Priority by class (at the time of application) will be as follows: (1) juniors, (2) sophomores, (3) first-years.
John Watanabe, Department of Anthropology
Lindsay Whaley, Chair, Linguistics and Cognitive Studies Program
Pictures courtesy of Molly Fales and Andrew Klein
