Program Overview
Program Overview
Experience Botswana! The Arts and Sciences study abroad program in Gaborone offers students, from a wide range of academic disciplines, the opportunity to live and study in Botswana, learning firsthand about the country and its people while pursuing an intensive curriculum in classes with local students.
Through coursework, a variety of community engagement, and field-based research opportunities, you will explore Botswana and examine its role in the Southern African region.
Study abroad in Gaborone and you will:
- Choose from direct enrollment courses in social sciences, natural sciences, humanities, and engineering and technology
- Enhance your learning through a language and culture practicum to build a bridge between language and experiential learning
- Participate in a four day rural homestay to get an understanding of the interaction between traditional and modern issues in Botswana today
- Learn about Botswana’s rich history and biodiversity through excursions to the Gaborone Game Reserve, National Museum, and Okavango Delta
The CIEE Difference
The CIEE Difference
Coursework
Enroll directly in classes at the University of Botswana and become fully integrated into the campus community. Take advantage of extensive study abroad subject offerings, from education and public health, to business, engineering, African languages, and media studies.
Cultural Immersion
Active engagement with the local culture through homestays, internships, and volunteer options with non-governmental organizations provide you with a unique and profound intercultural study abroad experience in Botswana.
During week-long rural homestay you’ll live with a host family in order to learn firsthand about the challenges facing rural Batswana today. You’ll meet with village leaders and are typically invited to participate in family gatherings, festivals, and traditional cultural activities.
There are also numerous options for community engagement. These may include a Work-Camp Association in which on-campus groups build houses during a two-week program; UB Human Rights Organization; SAHA (Students Against HIV/AIDS), which is ideal for students in the health sciences; and various local United Nations agencies.
Excursions
You will participate in a variety of local and regional excursions. These may include trips to the Gaborone Game Reserve, National Museum, Kolobeng Ruins (the remains of David Livingstone’s 1840 mission), Jwaneng diamond mine, and Kalahari Desert. A multi-day safari to either the Okavango River Delta or Chobe National Park is a highlight of the program each semester.
Dates, Deadlines & Fees
Dates, Deadlines & Fees
We want to make sure you get the most out of your experience when you study abroad with CIEE, which is why we offer the most inclusions in our fees.
- Tuition and housing
- Pre-departure advising and optional on-site airport meet and greet
- Full-time program leadership and support
- Field trips and cultural activities
- CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits
Please note, program dates are subject to change. Please contact your CIEE Study Abroad Advisor before purchasing airfare. Click the
button to view more detailed information about dates and fees.
Application Due
Start Date
End Date
Costs
Fall 2013 (19 wks)
04/01/2013
07/29/2013
12/11/2013
$13,850
Program Date Notes
Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
Program Fees
In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.
Participation Confirmation *
$300
Educational Costs **
$12,148
This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.
Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.
* non-refundable
** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
*** Students placed in homestays have two meals per day provided as part of the program fee.
Estimated Additional Costs
Meals not included in program fee *
$1,200
International Airfare **
$1,650
Local Transportation
$150
The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.
* For residence hall students; homestay students only need to budget for lunches, estimated at $400 per semester.
** round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
Spring 2013 (19 wks)
11/01/2012
01/14/2013
05/24/2013
$13,850
Program Date Notes
Program Fees
In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.
Participation Confirmation *
$300
Educational Costs **
$12,148
This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.
Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.
* non-refundable
** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
*** Students placed in homestays have two meals per day provided as part of the program fee.
Estimated Additional Costs
Meals not included in program fee *
$1,200
International Airfare **
$1,650
Local Transportation
$150
The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.
* For residence hall students; homestay students only need to budget for lunches, estimated at $400 per semester.
** round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
Spring 2014
11/01/2013
to be announced
to be announced
Program Date Notes
Program Fees
This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.
Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.
Estimated Additional Costs
The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.
Academic year 2013-2014
04/01/2013
07/29/2013
to be announced
$26,400
Program Date Notes
Dates for this program are provided as tentative dates. Please consult with your study abroad advisor to confirm dates before purchasing your flights.
Program Fees
In addition to the items outlined below, the CIEE program fee includes an optional on-site airport meet and greet, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and a CIEE iNext travel card which provides insurance and other travel benefits.
Participation Confirmation *
$300
Educational Costs **
$23,398
This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time.
Students required to study on CIEE programs through a School of Record will be charged a $340 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed.
* non-refundable
** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students
*** Students placed in homestays have two meals per day provided as part of the program fee. No meals are included in the residence option.
Estimated Additional Costs
Meals not included in program fee *
$2,400
International Airfare **
$1,650
Local Transportation
$300
Expenses during break ***
$550
The estimated additional costs indicated are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee. Actual expenses will vary according to student interests and spending habits.
* For residence students; homestay students only need to budget for lunches during the semester, estimated at $400 per semester.
** round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure
*** Academic year students are responsible for housing and meals during the break between semesters.
Eligibility
Recommended Credit
Recommended Credit
Total recommended credit for the semester is 15–17 semester/22.5–25.5 quarter hours.
Most University of Botswana courses are 45 contact hours with recommended credit of 3 semester/4.5 quarter hours but may range from 2–4 semester/3–6 quarter hours and 30–60 contact hours per class.
Program Requirements
Program Requirements
Study abroad students enroll in the CIEE Language and Culture Practicum, and four or five regular University courses, one of which must have a focus on Botswana or Southern Africa. With prior approval, students may substitute a for-credit CIEE Internship for one University of Botswana course.
Students may also enroll in the CIEE Seminar on Living and Learning in Gaborone for 2 semester/3 quarter credits in place of one University of Botswana course.
About the City
About The City
Botswana is one of Africa’s most stable countries, and a multiparty democracy. It is unusual in that the majority of its population is from a single ethnic group, the Tswana. Gaborone, its capital and one of Africa’s fastest growing cities, lies in southeastern Botswana, close to the border of South Africa. In addition to the main campus of the University of Botswana, Gaborone also hosts the headquarters of the 14-nation Southern African Development Community, which focuses on regional development, economic growth, and poverty alleviation.
Meet The Staff
Meet The Staff
Tanya Phiri
Tanya Phiri is the full-time CIEE Gaborone Program Assistant. Tanya is finishing her dual degree in Economics and Statistics at the University of Botswana (graduation scheduled for December 2012). Tanya has been a student assistant with CIEE for the past several years and has consistently received positive feedback from CIEE students.
Read More
Kyle Turk
Kyle Turk is the CIEE Gaborone Resident Director. He was born and raised in the South Texas town of Alice. He earned a BS in Computer Engineering from Texas A&M University and an MBA from Western Illinois University (WIU). He also holds a Post Baccalaureate in Community Development and is a certified Professional Economic Community Developer. Kyle served twice as a Peace Corps Volunteer-- Mexico 04-06 and Botswana 10-12--and also worked as an AmeriCorps Volunteer from 08-09 in Central Illinois. As a Peace Corps Volunteer in Botswana, Kyle served as the District Community Development Director with the National AIDS Coordinating Agency of Botswana. He coordinated the district’s HIV/AIDS annual response with government and non-government stakeholders and worked with the CDC, international experts on HIV/AIDS, and local NGOs and practitioners on a variety of public health projects.
He has also worked in the field of information technologies and international economic development with multilateral agencies since 2000. Kyle was a supervisor for a USAID contract that trained students and staff from the Universidad Tecnológica de la Selva in Chiapas, Mexico at WIU in topics identified as crucial to development in their region. He has a passion for grassroots community development and hopes to incorporate that interest into his work at CIEE.
Read More
Where You'll Study
Where You'll Study
Established in 1982, the University of Botswana has a student population of 15,000 and a staff of over 2,000. The University’s vision is to be a leading center of academic excellence in Africa and the world; its mission is to improve economic and social conditions for the Nation, while advancing itself as a distinctively African university with a regional and international outlook. The University is committed to its students, to academic freedom and integrity, to cultural authenticity, and to internationalism.
Housing & Meals
Housing & Meals
Most students live in residence halls on the University of Botswana campus. Students typically share double rooms with local undergraduate students. Restrooms and shower facilities are shared. A limited number of study abroad homestays are also available. Students are placed with carefully selected families in the greater Gaborone area.
For students living on campus in the University residence hall, meals are not included in the program fee (except during the one-week rural family stay) and are the responsibility of the student. Students can take their meals in the two dining halls on campus and choose to purchase a meal plan or purchase individual meals. Additional meals can be purchased at local restaurants and cafés. Students living with homestay families receive two meals per day and should budget for daily lunches.
Orientations
Orientations
You'll begin your study abroad experience in Gaborone even before leaving home by participating in a CIEE online pre-departure orientation. Meeting with students online, the resident director shares information about the program and site, highlighting issues that alumni have said are important, and giving you time to ask questions. The online orientation allows you to connect with others in the group, reflect on what you want to get out of the program, and learn what others in the group would like to accomplish. CIEE’s aim for the pre-departure orientation is simple—to help you understand more about the program, and to identify your objectives so that you arrive well-informed and return home having made significant progress towards your goals.
The mandatory week-long orientation session conducted in Gaborone at the beginning of the program introduces you to the city, country, culture, and academic program, as well as provides practical information about living in Botswana. Ongoing discussions and a re-entry workshop at the end of the semester are designed to help you with cross-cultural adjustment and adaptation.
Internet
Internet
You are encouraged to bring a wireless-enabled laptop and an Ethernet cable. You may have a wired Internet connection in your residence hall room, wireless at certain parts of campus and Internet cafés are available around Gaborone. You will also have access to computers in the university library and within the various academic faculties. The library includes a study area that is open 24 hours a day. Homestays do not have Internet but a USB 3G modem is available for purchase.
Academics
Academics
At the CIEE Study Center at the University of Botswana in Gaborone, students have the opportunity to become fully integrated into the campus community. In addition to developing their Setswana language skills, participants benefit from unique academic courses in various disciplines that focus on Botswana and Southern Africa. Through the CIEE coordinated volunteer opportunities and excursions, students take important steps towards becoming members of the local community. And through specialized courses and integrated extracurricular activities, students are also able to gain a greater understanding of contemporary Botswana culture and its role in Southern Africa.
In addition to regular University of Botswana classes, students can do a for-credit internship with a local organization.
Academic Culture
Study abroad students choose from courses in any faculties and departments for which they have the necessary prerequisites. They are required to undertake a full program of courses and complete all prescribed assignments and written examinations. University classes normally involve a combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars, and laboratories.
Students often notice striking differences between their home educational system and that of the University of Botswana. The University’s academic environment is part of the challenge of studying abroad in Botswana. Following the British model, this system offers a less structured environment that requires students to take greater responsibility and initiative. Professors expect a great deal of individual study.
Learning by rote is the model most often used in classes. This entails professors reading from notes or books, with the expectation that students copy word for word their recitation. Most University classes are very large, thus making classroom interaction with the professor very rare. For example, lectures may involve as many as 100 students, while tutorials and seminars have smaller class sizes, ranging from 15 to 25 students. The system is geared toward the serious student who is motivated and self-sufficient.
For semester participants, the study abroad program includes one week of orientation, 14 teaching weeks, a one-week mid-semester break, and two weeks of examinations. For academic year participants, the program includes one week of orientation, followed by two semesters; there is a break of approximately four weeks between the fall and spring semesters.
The CIEE Study Center follows the University of Botswana academic calendar, with additional time for orientation at the start of the semester. The fall semester runs from late July to early December and the spring from early January to early May.
Nature of Classes
CIEE students are taught alongside University of Botswana undergraduates and other international students in all University of Botswana courses. The CIEE Setswana Language and Culture Practicum is for CIEE students only.
CIEE Community Language Commitment
Although English is one of the national languages in Botswana and all courses are taught in English, students are encouraged to develop and use Setswana on campus and in the community. As students gain conversational skills in Setswana and use the language in everyday settings, the more the culture opens up to them and the more they learn about issues in Botswana. It is therefore imperative that students participate in and outside of class in a way that facilitates a mutually beneficial relationship with the wider Botswana society.
Grading System
Most courses at the University of Botswana utilize a continuous assessment model that includes written assignments, projects, research exercises, essays, and written and oral examinations. Courses are assessed on a percentage scale, letter grade (A–F), and grade point.
Language of Instruction
English
Setswana
Faculty
With the exception of the CIEE Setswana Language and Culture Practicum, all courses are taught by University of Botswana faculty.
Course Description
Course Description
All Courses
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be cancelled due to insufficient enrollment.
CIEE Study Center Syllabi
To view the most recent syllabi for courses taught by CIEE at our Study Centers, visit our syllabi site.
Required CIEE Course
AFST 1001 BOTS
CIEE Setswana Language and Culture Practicum
This course is designed to help students practice and interact in Setswana during visits to local historical and cultural sites, while engaged in various community-based learning projects. This is a task-based course and requires students to take the lead to complete tasks or research projects of personal interest. This course also serves as a language clinic, so that students can have all of their questions related to Setswana learning answered. Contact hours: 30. Recommended credit: 2 semester/3 quarter hours. Coordinator: Batsirai Chidzodzo, CIEE Resident Director
CIEE Electives
INSH 3003 BOTS
Internship
Students may enroll in an internship based at a non-governmental organization involved in community development, public health, social welfare, women’s rights, environmental protection, or education. Students record their experiences in a journal, which is evaluated weekly during the internship, and complete a final research paper and oral presentation that includes what they have learned during their experience at the organization. Pre-approval for enrollment in an internship must be obtained from the resident director and the student’s home institution prior to the start of the semester.
University of Botswana Courses
Students may select from a variety of courses available in the following faculties. This is a sample list of courses offered:
African Languages and Literature
Fall
Politics and Southern African Poetry-ALL351
Post-colonial Theory and African Literature-ALL455
Rites of Passage: A Study of Social Dramas-ALL252
Studies in African Aesthetics-ALL451
Spring
Introduction to African novel –ALL153
Theory of Humor in Africa-ALL154
Business and Economics
Fall
Development Economics-ECO411
Economics of Botswana and Southern Africa-ECO463
Entrepreneurship and New Business-MGT303
Environmental Economics-ECO451
International Trade-ECO421
Money and Banking-ECO469
Spring
Agricultural Policy and Rural Development-ECO442
Health Economics-ECO474
Resource Economics-ECO452
Tour Operations Management-THM202
Education
Fall
Rural Development and Rural Extension-DAE208
Spring
Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education-EPI432
Contemporary Issues in Teacher Education in Botswana-EPS400
Engineering and Technology
Design for Sustainable Development-DTB415
Digital Cartography-CGB223
Engineering Materials-CCB211
Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics-CCB322
Infrastructure Planning and Management-URP203
Water Engineering-CCB412
English
Botswana Literature-ENG373
Currents of Thought in the Literature of the African Diaspora: African-American Literature-ENG393
Gender Issues in African Literature-ENG463
Environmental Health and Environmental Science
Fall
Environmental Issues-ENV301
Urbanization in the Developing World-ENV321
Spring
Sustainable Development-ENV312
Tourism I: Principles and Practices-ENV309
History
Fall
African Cultures and Civilisation-HIS201
African Diaspora in the Islamic World and Asia-HIS331
Historiography of Botswana-HIS305
Trade and Politics in Central African Kingdoms-HIS343
Spring
African Diaspora in the Caribbean and the Americas-HIS332
Modern Anglophone, Francophone, and Lusophone West Africa-HIS342
Research Project: Field Work and Preliminary Report-ARC471
Slavery to Colonialism in West Africa-HIS341
The Roots of Crisis in Modern Central Africa-HIS344
Media Studies
Fall
Media in Botswana-BMS111
Political Science and Administrative Studies
Fall
Africa in World Politics-POL406
Politics in Botswana-POL201
Politics of South Africa-POL302
Spring
Contemporary Africa-POL203
Politics and Management of Natural Resources-POL308
Politics of Poverty in Southern Africa-POL309
Public Administration in Botswana-PAD202
Science
Fall
Applications of Thermodynamic and Electrochemistry-CHE341
Dynamics of Savanna Ecosystems-BIO313
Geology of Africa-GEO404
Parasitology for Health Sciences-BIO223
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics-PHY352
Wetlands Ecology and Management-BIO411
Spring
Diversity of Animals and Plants-BIO112
Geology of Botswana-GEO409
Physical Organic Chemistry-CHE332
Wildlife Biology of Southern Africa-BIO408
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