UGA - CED Croatia: Heritage Conservation and Classical Civilization
The heritage of a nation, of a people, encompasses both past and present, the tangible and intangible. It is reflected in ancient monuments and contemporary art, in medieval street patterns and modern architecture, in traditional foods and the latest fashion in music, and the ways in which people interact with their environment. Heritage is complicated, and so are nations. The Croatia Maymester Abroad is an exploration of Croatian heritage, its storied past, its exciting present, and most importantly, its people.
The 2021 program will utilize an interdisciplinary approach to exploring heritage built around the intersection of art, classical civilization, and historic preservation. Courses will be taught by UGA faculty from the Franklin College Classics Department, and the College of Environment and Design. There will be a focus on student fieldwork, and the active exploration of Croatian culture and heritage. Students will also enjoy considerable engagement with Croatian scholars and students from Croatian universities, and a wide range of Croatians actively involved in culture and the arts. The program is open to both UGA and Non-UGA students.
Program Location: Zagreb, Pula and Zadar, Croatia and Ljubljana, Slovenia
The program will explore three diverse regions of Croatia – the Zagreb region, the nation’s heartland, capitol and largest city; Istria, a mountainous peninsula adjoining Slovenia and Italy, and Dalmatia, a beautiful coastal region of islands and classical culture. The class will visit southern Slovenia and the Capital, Ljubljana and spend 10 days in Zadar, an exciting town named by the New York Times as one of the 52 Places to Go in 2019. The Zadar region is a place to explore Roman ruins and Venetian architecture, see contemporary art installations, and enjoy traditional cuisine in a beautiful natural setting on the Dalmatian coast. Zadar, like other historic Mediterranean cities facing increased development, makes an excellent laboratory for studying the ways in which cultural heritage, especially art and built heritage, are used to define a modern Croatian nation. The program will visit a World War II concentration camp, an important natural area with vernacular log houses, castles, the home of Croatia's post-WWII leader Tito, and other interesting sites.
Today Croatia is a stable, peaceful, easygoing country that is a member of the European Union. Less than 30 years ago, however, it was the scene of bitter conflict as the nation sought independence from Yugoslavia. That hard-won victory has put renewed emphasis on Croatian traditions that have kept alive a spirit of nationhood through centuries of foreign domination.
Academic Program
HIPR 4070/6070 Regional Studies in Heritage Conservation (Pre-requisites will be waived)
CLAS 4305/6305 The Archaeology of Roman, Late Antique, and Medieval Croatia [Selected Topics in Ancient Civilization]
The program consists two courses totaling six hours of credit. HIPR 4070/6070 is primarily concerned with built heritage and CLAS 4305/6305 concentratesg on archaeology. Both courses, however, share a common goal – a better understanding of Croatia through an exploration of its cultural heritage. Students will spend considerable time 'in the field', actively exploring, and analyzing, the built heritage of the cities of Zagreb, Zadar, Pula, Split, Ljublajana and other places we will visit. Through this active study, and through interaction with Croatians and Slovenians engaged in these fields, students will gain an understanding of Croatia and Slovenia and the way in which cultural heritage reflects – and perhaps influences – national identity.
In HIPR 4070/6070 students will first discover the richness of Croatia's and Slovenia's built heritage, and especially the many layers of architectural history, stretching from the Roman and Byzantine eras, through the medieval period, to the twentieth-century Communist regime. We will then examine how this built heritage has been managed, with specific reference to current issues in heritage conservation including the increasing pressures of tourism and the challenge of incorporating new architecture into historic places.
In CLAS 4305/6305 students will encounter the archaeology of Roman and Late Antique Croatia and Slovenia via engagement with sites such as the amphitheater and temple of Pula, Diocletian’s Palace at Split, and the ruined city of Salona. Students will learn to contextualize these monuments in terms of Roman and medieval architecture and urbanism, and to appreciate how their histories were produced in the context of nineteenth to twenty-first century archaeological practice, and packaged for modern tourism today.
Program Itinerary
This is a working itinerary and subject to change, but it is planned to include Zagreb and central Croatia, southern Slovenia and its capital Ljubljana, the Istrian Peninsula including the cities of Poreć, Rovinj and Pula, and the Dalmatian cities of Split and Zadar and the surrounding countryside.
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Accommodations and Transportation
Housing will be double occupancy in hotels. Breakfast and some group meals will be provided, other meals will be on your own. At least two meals are covered each day when in Zadar. Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from Croatia. There are no direct flights from the US to Zagreb. A transfer will be required at a major European airport. The Program Coordinator can provide a referral to a travel agent for assistance in booking on request. Travel within Croatia and Slovenia will be by chartered bus.
Program Costs
See "Cost of Attendance" sheet for this program for dollar estimates. Basic cost breakdown for study abroad includes:
- Program fee for student travel (including accommodations, group excursions, meals, etc.);
- Tuition and fees for academic courses;
- International airfare estimate; and
- Personal spending money estimate.
Speak with a UGA Financial Aid Advisor about how to apply the HOPE scholarship and other financial aid to study abroad expenses.
The estimated program fee for the 2021 program is $2,800 ($2,500 fee and $300 deposit). The program fee includes room (double occupancy), breakfast, a number of group meals, local transportation while in Croatia; scheduled field trips and site admissions; and medical insurance. Additional expenses not included in the program fee are tuition and university fees (which may be partially covered by the HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship), airfare, lunch and dinner where group meals are not provided, and spending money.
Eligibility
- Satisfactory academic and disciplinary records, and strong references.
- Enrollment is limited (Likewise, a minimum enrollment count must be met to confirm program).
- Pre-requisite courses, if any, will not be enforced.
Admission Process
Admissions are rolling and decisions will be made on the applications in the order received. After the February 29, 2021 decision date only applications marked "complete" by that time will receive a decision. Admission decisions will be sent via the studyaway.uga.edu application portal. Students will have a limited time to accept or decline an admission offer before the spot passes to another candidate. Students who accept the offer of admission must pay a non-refundable $300 deposit to confirm their place in the program and register for courses.
Contact Information
Dr. James Reap, Program Co-Director
College of Environment and Design
Phone: 706-542-4706
Email: jreap@uga.edu
101 Denmark Hall
115 Bocock Street
Athens, GA 30602-1845
Dr. Wayde Brown, Course Leader
College of Environment and Design
Phone: 706-542-4700
Email: wabrown@uga.edu
210 Denmark Hall
115 Bocock Street
Athens, GA 30602-1845
Jordan Pickett, Course Leader
Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Classics
jordan.pickett@uga.edu
