Have you always thought that seeing another country or another part of the United States would be too expensive?

Think again. UTM's travel-study program offers inexpensive travel opportunities, along with more costly trips that still aren't as expensive as arranging private overseas travel. Available programs include two- or three-week trips offered primarily between semesters, during spring break or during the summer. Students may also participate in an immersion program, which involves a five-week stint or a full semester in Canada, Mexico, France or Germany.

History professor Stan Sieber , coordinator of UTM’s travel-study office since its inception in 1998, said the program is working toward acquiring scholarships for financially challenged students, and students could also apply for loans to help with travel expenses.

Two educational trips planned for March 11-22 (spring break) are to historic Southern Spain and Southern Italy. Among highlights in Southern Spain will be a tour of Madrid; El Escorial; Toledo; Sego-via, the Valley of the Fallen, Cordo-ba, the Alhambra Palace in Grana-da; Sevilla and Southwest Portugal. “Italy’s coast with the most” trip includes five nights in Sorrento – the gateway to the Amalifi Coast; a boat trip to the island of Capri and the Blue Grotto; Naples; Pompei and three nights in Rome.

"One advantage of the travel-study opportunities is that they give UTM students an introduction to the demands and realities of the global environment," Sieber said.

"One disadvantage could be that some students might think that studying abroad for a semester might put them behind their graduation deadline. However, faculty are willing to help students gain credit for global experiences and students discover that they are not that far behind students who opt not to travel," he said.

Sieber said he obviously believes that any student who can take a travel-study class should do so.

"Since our world has become a 'global economy,' the travel-study program allows students to acquire personal enrichment and ... gain a broad international perspective which I feel will help them with their future careers," he said.

The amount of curricular credit received for travel-study depends on the course and the department sponsoring it. Departments typically have regular reading assignments and projects that each student must complete to receive credit. Most courses meet weekly before the trip occurs and then have a follow-up meeting after the trip.

"Over the years, the two- or three-week travel studies have become popular programs for faculty, staff and the community" as well as students, Sieber said. "Moreover, students have gone home to ask their parents if they can go on one of the travel-studies and that parent has called our office to say the program sounds great and they end up going, too."

For more information, contact Sieber at 7467 or e-mail him at ssieber@utm.edu.