Romania - Apulum Roman Villa Project

AMNE 395/ AMNE 595 | 3 credits

About the Program

This course is led by Matthew McCarty, Faculty of Arts

  • Travel dates: July 17-Aug 11, 2023
  • Format: In person 
  • Locations visited: Alba Iulia, Romania
  • Approximate program fees: $3750.00 - $4250.00
  • Funding: All qualifying students will receive a $1,000 Go Global Award. We encourage students with financial need or other barriers to going abroad to apply for the Global Pathfinder Award. See Program Fees and Costs for more details.
About the Course                                                                                                               

This seminar focuses on the excavation of a Roman villa (luxury estate and work spaces) in the hinterland of Apulum (mod. Alba Iulia, Romania), in the Roman province of Dacia. Students will practice field archaeology: excavation, recording, and interpretation of everything from architecture to pottery to animal bone. Accommodation will be provided at the local university, and lunch and dinner catered by a charming local restaurant. Excursions will include Roman sites, medieval castles, and modern towns within Transylvania. Alba Iulia itself is a picturesque town centered around an 18th‐century Austrian fort, with all of the amenities of a small European city plus several cultural festivals over the summer (including outdoor concerts, fashion shows, and weekly Roman versus Dacian battle re‐enactments on Friday night). 

Experience in the Field

Students will spend Monday – Saturday in the field where they will learn excavation techniques from experienced archaeologists. After fieldwork students will go to museums to process field findings or attend seminars. Note that students can expect to start their day at 6am and end around 5pm. On Sundays, students will take field trips to archaeological and cultural sites throughout Transylvania.  

Eligibility Requirements
General Global Seminar requirements

To participate in a Global Seminar, students must: 

  • Be in good-standing in their faculty (I.e. not be under academic or non-academic discipline) 
  • Have full-time status in the year leading up to the Global Seminar 
  • Have completed 2nd year requirements before the start of the program (i.e. 3rd or 4th year standing) 
  • Have at least a 70% academic average in your last full-time academic session before applying 
  • Maintain a 70% academic average leading up to the program 
  • Meet any program specific requirements listed below including pre-requisites before participating 

Final selection will be done by the lead faculty program directors. Spots in the program may be limited. 

Students who wish to participate in the summer after graduating may be eligible on a case-by-case basis.

Program-specific requirements
  • Students from Anthropology, Art History, History, and Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies are eligible to apply.
Program Fees and Costs
Approximate program fees: $3750.00 - $4250.00*

*The final fee depends on the number of students in the program. Students do not pay the Go Global fee when applying to a Global Seminar. The Go Global fee is built into the Program Fee and is payable upon acceptance to the program.  

Included:  
  • Accommodation  
  • Program- related travel in-country; (e.g. buses)  
  • Excursions and entrance fees  
  • Some group meals  
  • On-site guest lectures
Not Included:  
  • Flights*  
  • UBC tuition for credits  
  • Visa/country entrance fees  
  • Health or travel insurance  
  • Personal spending money*  

*Some examples of incidentals are: personal mobile communication, personal transportation that is not related to the learning outcomes of the program, additional meals that are not already identified as part of the Program Fee, immunizations, Visas, etc.  

Travel to Romania is a separate cost.  You are responsible for arranging your own travel. You should not book your flight until you are notified to book.            

We encourage students with financial need or other barriers to going abroad to apply for the Global Pathfinder Award by November 4. Successful candidates will receive a $2000 award towards a Global Seminar program, and will be notified before the program application is due on December 13. See the Go Global Awards page for more information on the application process.

Accommodation

Accommodation will be provided at the local university in their dorms.

Application Deadline 

Tuesday December 13, 2022 (11:59pm PST)

How to Apply 

Students apply through the Go Global Gateway. Go to “search experiences” from the top menu, search “GSP,” then press “apply search.” Scroll down to the program you wish to apply to and select Apply for “Summer” to initiate an application.

After the deadline, students’ applications will be reviewed by Go Global and the faculty program directors. You may be asked to participate in an interview as part of the selection process.

Global Seminars Refund Policy

To withdraw from your program, you must contact Go Global by email to request a withdrawal.  You will not be charged until you officially accept your spot in the program.  Refunds cannot be issued after the program fee is charged to your SSC account. 

In the case of withdrawal, Go Global Award funding must be returned in full.

If you have questions, please connect with your Go Global advisor or email Go Global at go.global@ubc.ca.

Student Safety Abroad and Pre-Departure Policy

UBC is committed to preparing students for safe and successful international experiences. In order to achieve this, any student participating in a Go Global Program must complete the following:

Failure to successfully complete these and any other requirements may result in withdrawal from the Go Global Program.

We encourage you to read the Global Affairs Canada travel report for your destination country before applying: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories.

Global Seminars and COVID-19

Students and faculty are required to comply with the entry requirements of the host country, regulations of transportation carriers, and any local public health orders in the destination. These rules may require COVID-19 vaccination for entry or to participate in certain program activities, testing requirements, masking requirements, and/or isolation in case of infection. Alternatively, where isolation due to infection is not required by local health authorities and students are sharing accommodations isolation may be a challenge. We encourage you to review local requirements before applying and before departure. Check out the Global Affairs Canada Advisory (https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories) under Entry Requirements for your Global Seminar destination to learn more.  Keep in mind that program conditions can vary and these rules can change before or during your trip.

Once it becomes closer to the departure date, the group will be informed of all updated local requirements and COVID-19 safety plans for the Global Seminar.

Accessibility

If you are considering applying for a Go Global program and identify with having a disability or pre-existing health condition (mental or physical) which could impact your participation, or if you require academic accommodations, you can contact the following offices and meet with an Accessibility Advisor before the start of the program:

Contact Go Global
In-person and Virtual Drop-in advising hours
  • Tuesday: 1:00 - 3:00 pm
  • Wednesday: 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Go Global offers both in-person and virtual drop-in advising through Zoom during the times listed above.

Please use Go Global's new Ask Us Webform and we will respond to your inquiry.