Summer Program in Kenya

Washington University's Summer Program in Kenya is a dynamic program in language and culture offering four weeks of full immersion in the Kenya. This program, offered by the African and African American Studies Program, is designed to enhance a student’s understanding of Kenyan society by carefully blending coursework, home stays, community service projects, guest lectures, and memorable excursions.
The program is intended to accommodate individualized interests and may therefore appeal to students who major in African Studies, Anthropology, Environmental Studies, Education, Swahili, Women’s Studies and Political Science. The program will be under the direction of Dr. Mungai Mutonya, Senior Lecturer at Washington University in St. Louis.

Courses
The program offers two courses for a cumulative six Washington University credits. Students take a three-credit Kiswahili course and an additional interdisciplinary course in culture and history for three more credits. A broad range of academic issues relevant to understanding Kenyan society will be addressed during interactive discussions with invited Kenyan scholars and professionals. The program complements classroom instruction with extensive field study that allows a student to learn and actively participate in the linguistic and cultural expressions of the complex and diverse Kenya society. Kiswahili courses consist of regular classroom instruction, experiential learning through interaction with speakers, quizzes, and a final paper. Students with prior Kiswahili skills will be accorded higher priority in the selection process and will be accommodated with more advanced instruction. For the interdisciplinary course, each student must identify and research a topic of interest and submit a paper at the conclusion of the program.

Eligibility
The program is intended to meet the needs of students from all universities and at different stages in their studies. There are no prerequisites although students with no background in the study of Africa will be provided with a suggested reading list before embarking on the program. This program, while certainly well suited for students headed for or majoring in humanities or social sciences, should also accommodate those students whose major requirements do not allow them to be absent from campus for a full semester or academic year (particularly students from pre-professional and natural science disciplines).

Program Locations (Nairobi and Mombasa)
Although the metropolitan Nairobi city will serve as the arrival and departure point, the program will primarily be based in the central and coastal regions of Kenya.These regions boast an unparalleled scenic beauty and distinctively exhibit the past and present of Kenyan culture and society. The unique combination of colorful history, picturesque sites, rich natural heritage, contemporary lifestyle of its diverse people should provide for a fascinating and truly memorable academic experience.

Nairobi
The cosmopolitan Kenyan capital has a lot to offer students from all disciplines. University professors, politicians, activists, and journalists are invited to discuss a wide range of topics relevant to understanding contemporary Kenya. Visits to downtown Nairobi, University of Nairobi, National Museum of Kenya, city public schools, and rehabilitation centers offer an adequate orientation to the study of Kenyan society. Urban homestays, visit to United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) headquarters, and volunteering opoortunities provide an enriching experience.

The Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley covers 8,700 Kms. (5,400 miles) running from the Middle East through Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and finally reaching the Indian Ocean in Mozambique. The Kenyan section of this breathtaking natural feature, consists of numerous escarpments, deep gorges, hot springs, and an extraordinary variety of flora and fauna that offer a unique appreciation of the relation between humankind, nature and the environment. This richly endowed setting is ideal for the study of earth science, wildlife conservation, Kenya’s colonial history, and demographic aspects of contemporary Kenyan society. Field excursions planned for this region include visits to a Maasai village, community service, field lectures at a pre-historic site, Lake Naivasha, hiking Mt. Longonot, and a safari to Lake Nakuru National Park.

Program Cost
The program cost is $4,500, which includes tuition (six credits), room and board, excursions, in-country travel, and visa fees. This does not include pocket money or airfare which should be around $1,800 (we will buy these tickets as a group to control costs as much as possible). We are holding down these costs to an absolute minimum hoping to make this African experience available to as many students as possible.

Program Dates
Program dates are May 28 - June 28, 2012. Students will depart New York together around May 28, 2012.

Application deadline is February 1, 2012.

To Apply
Pick up an application package from McMillan 226 or 233 or contact :
Dr. Mungai Mutonya,
Washington University in St. Louis,
African and African American Studies,
Campus Box 1109, 1 Brookings Drive,
St. Louis, 63130-4899.

Phone: 314-935-5280
e-mail:mmutonya@wustl.edu

Summer in Kenya Program 2012

African and African American Studies

Washington University in St. Louis