Program Overview
Go west—and discover how the unique natural environment of the American west has shaped its inhabitants. Uncover the origins of the powerful western images that pervade American history, society and popular culture.
- Study pre-contact Indian civilizations at Canyon de Chelly, Casa Grande Ruins, Chaco Canyon and Bandelier National Parks
- Spend one week on the Navajo and Hopi reservations
- Learn about the Spanish and Mexican west at Tumacacori and San Xavier del Bac missions, El Morro National Monument, and Old Santa Fe
- Relive the wild American west at Tombstone, Lincoln County, Bisbee, Fort Bowie National Historic Site and Monument Valley
- Experience the grandeur and beauty of the west and the history of tourism at the Grand Canyon
- Cruise Route 66, cross over Hoover Dam, and conquer Las Vegas!
The program starts with an investigation into participants’ views of the west and westerners, and progresses into a firsthand experience of the ways in which geography and culture have interacted to produce the people, places and societies that are often hidden behind the myths of the American west.
As you study the history and culture of your surroundings, you’ll be encouraged to critically analyze preconceptions and assumptions about these places, while developing your own working definitions of the meanings of the American West and Native American culture. You’ll complete a final project after your return back east.
Lodging opportunities include stays at resorts, retreats, National Park Service centers, hotels and Navajo hogans.
UD students pay all program fee deposits by direct bank transfer via this website: http://www.udel.edu/studyabroadpayments. Non-UD students should send a check, payable to the University of Delaware, to CFIS, Elliott Hall, 26 East Main Street, Newark, DE 19716. Credit card payments are not accepted.
