Owensboro Sisters Cities/WKU Faculty Led: Czech Republic & Central
Europe - Summer 2017
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Owensboro Sisters Cities/WKU Faculty Led: Czech Republic & Central Europe
LEAD PROFESSOR
Dr. Roger Murphy
Associate Professor of Political Science and Coordinator for the International Affair Major is a native of the United Kingdom
and has participated in over twenty study abroad programs, fourteen of them to the Czech Republic. He teaches and
publishes on European politics.
COURSES
Political Science, History, and Geography
Through KCTC:
HIST 299 – Central Europe: Empire, Religion, and Ideology
GEO 152 – Regional Geography of the World*
* When transferred to WKU, this class fits into Exploration Level of the Colonnade Program under 2 Social & Behavioral Studies
Through WKU:
PS 460 – Central European Politics
GEOG 452 – Geoscience Field Experience **
** This class fits into Connections Level of the Colonnade Program under category B Local to Global.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Olomouc & Prague, Czech Republic; Kraków & Wrocław, Poland; Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria.
Olomouc, Czech Republic is the former capital of Moravia and has a population of @102,000. The group will stay at the
Hotel Gol in the center of the city.
Prague, Czech Republic is the capital of the country with a population of 1.3 million. The group will stay in the Little Town
Hotel in Mala Strana less than a five minute walk from Charles Bridge.
Česky Krumlov is in South Bohemia and has a population of 14,000. The group will stay in a hotel only a couple of minutes’
walk from the historic town center.
Budapest, Hungary is the capital of the country with a population of 1.7 million. The group will stay at the Marco Polo
Hostel located in the heart of the Jewish quarter on the Pest side of the river.
Vienna, Austria is the capital of the country with a population of 1.7 million. The group will stay in a hostel in the northern
part of the city center.
Kraków, Poland is the former capital of the country with a population of 760,000. The group will stay in a hotel in the Nowa
Huta section of the city.
Wrocław, Poland is the former capital of Silesia with a population of 630,000. The group will stay in a hotel five minutes’
walk from the city center.
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Owensboro Sisters Cities/WKU Faculty Led: Czech Republic & Central
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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This study abroad program is offered as part of the Owensboro-Olomouc Sister Cities program and has been in operation
for nearly twenty years. Students are able to take advantage of the relationship between the two cities to gain privileged
access to local politicians, academics and artists as well as visit locations not normally available to the public.
The relatively small states of Central Europe have often been neglected as an area of study due to their position between
the larger powers to the west (Britain, France & Germany) and the east (Russia). Indeed, this lack of knowledge was
recognized by Shakespeare in The Winter’s Tale where Antigonus remarks “thou art perfect then our ship hath touched
upon the deserts of Bohemia.” Of more serious consequences, British Prime Minister Chamberlain signed the notorious
Munich agreement with Hitler in 1938, refusing to contemplate a war to help “a faraway country inhabited by quarreling
peoples of whom we know nothing.” For many Czech and Poles in particular, their history is viewed as a series of tragic
interventions from both the east and the west. Central Europe has indeed been the location for struggles between the
great powers. The ambitions of Napoleon reached their height after the battle of Austerlitz (only one hour south of
Olomouc), the rise of Prussia, wars against the Turks, the horrors of two world wars and the Cold War all left their mark on
the region. However, the people of Central Europe also made their own contributions to European history. The religious
struggles of the Hussite Wars and the Thirty Years War both began in Prague and the national awakening of the 19th
Century would change the map of Europe forever.
Students will have the opportunity to examine the rich history, culture and politics of Central Europe in this program. The
site visits are chosen to take advantage of the outstanding museums, galleries and other locations to explain the struggles
over national, religious and political identity that have shaped the region. Using the ‘city as text’ approach, students will
explore the rich architectural heritage and visit nearly a dozen UNESCO World Heritage sites. In addition, Central Europe,
despite the image of ‘grey 20th Century communism’ is a region of outstanding natural beauty and two field trips are
offered to students to take advantage of this.
The program is open to all majors and is designed not only to introduce students to Central Europe but also to encourage
them to think in comparative terms about politics, society, economics and identity. As Edmund Burke once noted, we
cannot understand our own country unless we are able to make comparisons to others. Students are also encouraged to
establish personal goals and are required to write a reflective journal about their expectations, experiences and re-entry.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
The specific learning objectives for each course will be found in the syllabi. Program-wide learning objectives are to employ
experiential learning as a means to understand the relationship between place and society and to utilize a reflective journal
for personal intercultural learning.
PROGRAM DETAILS
LOCATION: Olomouc & Prague, Czech Republic; Kraków & Wrocław, Poland; Budapest, Hungary; Vienna, Austria.
ACADEMIC TERM: Summer 2017, May 19- June 28
ITINERARY (subject to change)
May 19 - Česky Krumlov via Kutna Hora
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Česky Krumlov is a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the most beautiful towns in Central Europe. Home of the mighty
Rožmberk and Schwartzenberg noble families, it has the second largest castle in the country. The town was also home to the
artist Egon Schiele and was part of the Sudetenland annexed to Germany in 1938. Kutna Hora was famous for its silver mines
which provided wealth for the Bohemian kings. Its glory is reflected in the magnificent gothic cathedral of St. Barbara and the
world famous ossuary (bone church).
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May 20 - Olomouc
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Olomouc will serve as the main location during the program of study. The city served as the capital of Moravia until its
destruction during the Thirty Years War. It was the site of the murder of the last Přemyslid king, Wenceslas III (1305) and of the
coronation of Franz Josef (Austrian Emperor 1848-1918). The city is famous not only for its outstanding architecture but also for
its archbishopric, university and headquarters of the Czech army. During the program in Olomouc the group will also travel to
areas of regional importance such as Brno (the capital of Moravia), Austerlitz (site of Napoleon’s famous victory in 1805),
Bouzov Castle (ruled by the Teutonic Knights), Lednice & Valtice (chateaux owned by the Liechtenstein family, Kroměříž (site of
the 1848 Congress of Nations) and several more.
May 29 -30 - Vienna
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Vienna is the capital of Austria and the former imperial capital of the Habsburg Empire. During our stay the students will visit
the imperial palaces of the Hofburg (with the royal treasury) and Schönbrunn (where the monarchy was dissolved in 1918 and
where Kennedy met Khrushchev in 1961). Students will also be able to visit the magnificent St. Stephen’s Cathedral, the world
famous art gallery and visit the military museum (which includes the car, couch and blood stained uniform of Franz Ferdinand
after his assassination in 1914).
June 6-8 - Budapest
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Budapest is the capital of Hungary. This beautiful city has a tumultuous past and students will visit the Royal Palace, St.
Stephen’s Basilica, the Citadel (site of the final siege of the city during the Second World War), the great Synagogue and Jewish
museum, the House of Terror (reflecting the years of fascist and communist control) and the National History Museum. Students
will also have the opportunity to take a cruise on the River Danube through the heart of the city. On their way to Budapest, the
group will stop in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.
June 20-23 - Kraków
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Kraków is a former capital of Poland and students will visit the royal palace, Wawel Cathedral and national crypt during the
program. The magnificent St. Mary’s Basilica contains an altarpiece by Veit Stoss which is regarded as the finest example of its
kind. Kraków was also the capital of the General Gouvernment during World War Two and students will visit the Jewish quarter,
the factory of Oscar Schindler and the horrors of the extermination camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau. The group will also visit
the world famous salt mines at Wieliczka.
June 24-25 - Wrocław
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Wrocław is the former capital of Silesia and has been part of Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia and Germany before its ‘return’
to Poland after the Second World War. Known for its magnificent town hall, guild buildings, churches and museums, the city has
fashioned itself as the friendly city after the mass deportations of the 20th Century.
June 26-28 - Prague
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One of the most beautiful cities in Europe, Prague has been at the center of European politics for centuries. From the
defenestrations at the New Town Hall (leading to the Hussite Wars), at Prague Castle (leading to the Thirty Years War) to the
Černin Palace (paving the way for the communist coup) to the peaceful gatherings at Wenceslas Square leading to the Velvet
Revolution in 1989, the group will explore the drama, magic and tragedy of this breathtaking city.
Note: The schedule is subject to change to due educational opportunities that may arise unexpectedly, weather conditions
and other factors beyond the control of the course instructors and staff.
ELIGIBILITY
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Students must be in good academic standing
Minimum GPA of 2.5
Permission of instructor(s) is required
Students from outside of WKU or KCTCS may register as visiting students (dependent on the courses they are
taking)
Students must be of 18 years of age or older at the time of departure.
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Students must possess a valid passport for at least six (6) months after the return date of the program [students
with passports NOT from the USA or Europe may require a visa. It is the student’s responsibility to complete the
necessary paperwork and pay for the visa]
Students must be free of active disciplinary sanctions from their home institution
Students must complete all pre-departure orientations
Students must fill out all the necessary paperwork for Owensboro Sister Cities and SAGL
Full payment is required prior to departure
BASE PACKAGE
Cost: $4,890
Included in Base Package
 Roundtrip airfare from Louisville to Prague
 Accommodations and all breakfasts
 Food money for all day field trips, weekend programs (Vienna, Budapest, Kraków, Wrocław, Prague) and the first
week in Olomouc
 Course related ground transportation in Europe
 Entrance fees to all course related site visits and field trips
 ISIC card and International Medical Insurance
Excluded from Base Package
 Travel to and from Louisville airport
 Passport and, if needed, Visas
 Any costs associated with travel after the end of the program
 Meals not mentioned above
 Personal expenses
 SAGL application fee ($150)
 Tuition for those taking the KCTC course credit (@$450 for a 3 hour course)
 For students outside WKU wishing to take the WKU courses for credit, there is a $40 “Visiting Student” application
fee
Important Note: Students taking any WKU credit will be billed through WKU. KCTCS Students (or students from any
other institution outside WKU) may take the WKU classes, but will have to apply as a “Visiting Student” to WKU. Tuition
must be paid directly to KCTCS for those taking a KCTCS class. Your professors can provide more details.
Study Abroad courses are not eligible for employee tuition waivers or discounts.
Final program fee subject to change due to travel arrangements.
Green Sheet subject to change due to adjustment in program or pricing.
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TERMS & CONDITIONS
Your TopNet Account will be billed according to the
following Payment Schedule:
February 1, 2017 – Program Fee will be charged to
student’s TopNet account (minus $250 non-refundable
deposit). Balance must be paid prior to program
departure. Students applying after this date will be
billed on a rolling basis.
* Deposit paid by student directly with a credit card –
NOT billed to student account.
Penalty for Withdrawal or Non-payment:
After February 1: 25% of program cost
After March 1: 50% of program cost
After April 1: 75% of program cost
After May 1: 100% of program cost (No refund)
If a balance remains after the payment due date,
the participant may be dropped from the program. A student
may remain in the program by providing an award notification
from WKU’s Student Financial Assistance that verifies ability to
pay the program fee immediately after aid is received.
The total amount due in your semester invoice may reflect the combined charges for multiple terms (i.e. Fall and Winter or
Spring and Summer) and includes program fees for your Faculty-Led Study Abroad program. Please see your TopNet
account for a breakdown of amounts due per term. Refer to your Faculty-Led Study Abroad program’s Green Sheet for final
payment due dates and billing information. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
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Passport Requirements - Each participant must have a passport that includes an expiration date, which is 6 months
beyond the last date of the program.
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The curriculum of this study abroad course will require on-site visits to residences, museums, and fields. On
some of these trips the class will walk several miles, including up and down the stairways. The ability to
participate in these tours is required. Weather in Central Europe at this time of year can vary. Students are
encouraged to bring a sturdy pair of walking shoes or boots, as well as lightweight clothing and clothing that can
withstand dampness.
SCHOLARSHIPS
WKU students may apply for World Topper, SGA, DELO and, if eligible, Honors scholarships. Students should also contact
SAGL for other scholarship opportunities. For financial aid, students should contact Potter Hall as soon as possible to
determine eligibility, amount of aid and award dates. Questions about the granting of aid and payment deadlines should be
discussed with Owensboro Sister Cities at the earliest opportunity.
LIABILITY DISCLAIMER
Western Kentucky University and its associates are not responsible for any loss due to theft, personal injury, flight or weather delays,
negligence, or default of suppliers, or suppliers changing of itineraries. They and their associates are not responsible for any loss due to
travel/flight delays or changes in travel plans due to Acts of Nature or other unforeseen circumstances, nor are we responsible for
accidents and medical care. Tour services are furnished by independent contractors who are not agents or servants of Western Kentucky
University. Refunds are not available for unused portions of the package.
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