Programs

Location

Fort-de-France, Martinique

Program Description

Established by Professor Christiane Szeps, whose mother was a Martinican, the Summer Program in Martinique will span three weeks: May 11 - June 1, 2014, offering serious students the best of all opportunities to thoroughly familiarize themselves with Caribbean culture in a relatively prosperous, multi-ethnic environment. The program also offers the unique experience of studying and living in a French Creole culture. Created by the blending of French and African traditions, this culture has its own rich history, language, cuisine, music and lifestyle.

Students will take one three-credit course listed under GHUM 252 - Cross-Cultural Perspectives (GenEd Cluster 2: group 1) or FL309 - Civilization: Travel Study taught in English by Christiane Szeps-Fralin, Martinique short-term program director and professor in the Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures. The course will be organized thus: 1) weekly morning classroom lectures 2) afternoon and weekend activities such as field trips, sightseeing guided tours and outings such as the Pre-Colombian museum, the Gauguin museum, the Saint-Pierre museum, La Pagerie & sugar museums, Clément Plantation, JM Rum Distillery, banana, pineapple and sugar plantations, Fort-de-France landmarks, island historical and cultural landmarks such as Case Pilote, le Diamant, Sainte-Anne, market places, kayaking, Mount Pelée, sea excursions, concerts, traditional dance performances, etc.

Location Description

Located between Dominique and Sainte-Lucie, the Caribbean island of Martinique was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1502 and was the homeland of Empress Joséphine Tascher de la Pagerie, Napoleon’s first wife. It became a French colony in 1635 and has been a French department (state) since 1946. Topographically, Martinique (with 350,000 inhabitants) has much to offer. In the lofty and rugged north, surrounding the volcanic Mount Pelée (1,397 meter-high), there is a luxuriant rain forest of colossal trees, gigantic bamboo, hanging vines, waterfalls, arborescent ferns, anthuria, avocado orchards, banana and pineapple plantations. The south in contrast, has low, rounded hills and alluvial flatlands where sugar cane abounds next to long golden beaches.

Director

Christiane Szeps-Fralin | szepsfca@jmu.edu | French, Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Accommodations

Accommodations will be provided for through the Bambou Hôtel, featuring double rooms with air conditioning and internet access, located on the beach of Anse-Mitan, across from the bay Fort-de-France. Breakfast and dinner will be provided at the hotel and a lunch stipend will be distributed.

Additional Items to Consider

No visa is required.

The program fee covers all museums, outings, excursions, concerts, etc.

This program is targeted towards sophomores through juniors who wish to fulfill GenEd Cluster 2, group 1.

Application Process

For this program, students are required to submit the following material(s):

• JMU Short-Term Application Form

• Submit a completed Faculty recommendation form.

Applicants must have a GPA minimum of 2.6.

For more detailed instructions and to download the application, please click on the following link to the Applications and Forms section for JMU Short-Term Programs.

Official transcript required for first-semester transfer students and non-JMU students.