Application Information
A completed application must contain the following:
Students are also required to obtain a letter of recommendation from a faculty member familiar with their work and ability to interact well with others. The recommending faculty member should email this directly to the lead instructor at Dr. Stephanie Carlson (smcarlson@berkeley.edu). |
Course Costs
Total course costs are estimated to be approximately $4,800 for housing, food, travel within French Polynesia, and course supplies and expenses. We may update this figure before the course interviews. A non-refundable deposit of $500 is due at the required class meeting near the end of the 2017 Spring Semester, if you are admitted to the course. The balance of these costs will be charged during the 2017 Fall Semester. In the past, students on financial aid have received financial aid for this course. Please check with the Financial Aid office.
Tuition and airfare from the Bay Area to Tahiti are separate costs, as are passport fees or any visa you may need (currently, a visa is not required for US residents). Check the web for current round-trip prices from San Francisco or Oakland to Papeete, Tahiti. You must have a US (or other) passport valid until at least 6 months after you plan to return (May or later of the following year). If you are not a US citizen, please check the French Consulate website to see the specific visa requirements for your home country. We will discuss travel, passport, and visas (if needed), at our class meeting in May.
Enrollment
Students enroll in either ESPM C107 or IB 158LF, which are the same course. This course is the only course you can take during this Fall semester as it is taught mostly off-campus at the Gump South Pacific Research Station. You must enroll for the full 13 units and participate in both the lectures and field trips at UC Berkeley and the full field component at the Gump Station on Moorea. We are looking for the best students with relevant and broad academic interests. While we sometimes consider extraordinary freshmen and sophomores, this course is designed for students who have taken upper division science courses that will allow them both to get the most from the course and to contribute to the learning environment. Previous field experience is also desirable. SFSU students enroll for the class at Berkeley using the SFSU - UC Berkeley Cross Registration option.
Risk & Responsibilities
Participation in a field course carries with it some increased risk of personal injury. All participants will be required by the University of California to sign a document prior to travel that includes a waiver of liability, assumption of risk, and indemnification. The updated Visitors Guide to Moorea including health facilities, emergency contacts, and other services is available on the Gump Station web site. Please read this document before your interview. A copy is provided here.