New Zealand: University of Auckland - Winter 07
 The Department of Anthropology and the Linguistics and
Cognitive Science 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, Linguistics, 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. Students will 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.
Curriculum
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 with a Maori community 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 will take two courses from local
faculty, one in comparative ethnology of Oceanic cultures and the other on
historical and contemporary Maori communities and society. Those concentrating
in linguistics will take, in addition to Anthropology 51, Linguistics 6,
“Languages of the Pacific,” and Linguistics 8, “The Structure of Maori.”
 Living Accommodations
In January, Dartmouth students live in the “Railway Campus,” an elaborate
dorm and dining complex built in an ornate former railway station about ten
minutes walk from the University and the city center. Housing a mixture of New
Zealand and foreign students, it has a library, gymnasium, computer lab,
kitchen and laundry facilities, several lounges, and a games room. In February,
students live with local families of various ethnic groups in the greater
Auckland area.
Prerequisites
Anthropology: Two
anthropology courses, with Anthropology 38, “Peoples of Oceania,” highly
recommended
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
Procedure
Applicants 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). There will be no interviews.
For the 2008 Winter program, all application materials must be
submitted online by 11:59 PM February 1, 2007.
Selection Criteria
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) seniors, (3) sophomores.
Faculty Contact
John Watanabe, Department
of Anthropology
Hoyt Alverson, Department
of Anthropology
Lindsay Whaley, Chair,
Linguistics and Cognitive Studies Program
Pictures courtesy of Molly Fales and Andrew Klein
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