summer session II

Australia

Marsupials of Australia

At A Glance

04 Weeks | 04 Credits
Summer 2023

Jul 7 - Aug 6

Open

Prerequisites

None

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Marsupials of Australia

Tropical North Queensland

Australia is a land of strange and fascinating wildlife. Study abroad in Australia with SFS and spend your summer observing tree-climbing kangaroos, egg-laying mammals, flightless birds, giant lizards, and the many other iconic animals that live in Australia’s ancient rainforests and dry savannas. Learn how each of these species has developed special adaptations to Australia’s unusual habitats and consider the policies and actions needed to preserve these precious ecosystems.

  • Go spotlighting in the rainforest, hear night wildlife, and observe hopping bandicoots and gliders emerging from trees. Learn about these species’ history of connecting people with the land.

    • Application deadlines:
    Summer 2 – May 1

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Program Costs & Financial Aid

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‌Academics

This academically rigorous program follows a six-day/week schedule. The interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to help students actively discover and understand the complexities of environmental, social, and economic issues in Australia. Read more about the SFS program model.

Major academic themes include:

  • Evolution, biogeography and taxonomy of major wildlife groups of Australia
  • Physiology and behavioral ecology of marsupials
  • Adaptations of Australia’s wildlife to different environments
  • Impact of climate change and human development on Australia’s unique wildlife
  • Mitigation and conservation policies

Courses

On the Marsupials of Australia program, you will take one 4-credit course. This course is participatory in nature and is designed to foster inquiry and active learning combining lectures, field exercises, assignments, and tests. This course is taught in English.

Click on the course to view a description and download the syllabus

SFS 3272 Marsupials of Australia 4 Credits

Core Skills

You will gain practical skills in the field such as: wildlife observation techniques, non-invasive population assessments, habitat and biodiversity assessment, population viability studies, citizen science protocols, and human development impact assessment methods.

Field Sites

You will visit different ecosystems and communities which may include primary and secondary tropical rainforest, savannah habitat, caves, coastal scrub and mangroves, wetlands, and local conservation and restoration groups.

Resources

A summer with SFS!

Take back-to-back summer sessions and get the hands-on learning and skill-building experiences of an internship, while going off the beaten path and exploring the world. Each session focuses on a different topic, and you’ll have time to travel independently between sessions.

RECOMMENDED PROGRAM COMBO
Rainforests of Australia (Summer I)

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All program components are subject to change.

‌Where You'll Be Living

At the end of a narrow, winding road, in the middle of a lush rainforest, lies this remote field station. Our 153-acre property is surrounded by protected World Heritage forests, and you can see incredible wildlife from the front steps of your cabin. Nearby Yungaburra and Cairns provide the occasional return to civilization.

  • Group living in 8-person cabins
  • Main building with classroom, lab, and study spaces
  • Student lounge with scenic porch views
  • Covered outdoor dining area, on-site cooking staff
  • On-campus trails network for rainforest hikes
  • Space to relax: volleyball, yoga, hammocks

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