Canada Field Studies - June 16th -23rd, 2019 - Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa
Great way to start out Summer Quarter and you would not miss any classes that start in Summer Quarter!
Canada Field Studies, June 16th - June 23rd, 2019, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa
URBDP 498C/598C or L ARCH 495A, Undergraduate & Graduate Students
3-6 credits, I&S, SLN#s 14228, 14236, 12005
Comparative Urban Studies--US and Quebec/Canada: A Study Abroad Course
Instructors: Fritz Wagner and Regent Cabana
Maximum Number of students: 15
When: Summer A Term, Larch 495A and URBDP 498C/598C
Audience: Students in the UW College of Built Environments (CBE), Canadian Studies, other departments in the university and departments at UW Tacoma and UW Bothell.
Course Description: Comparative research in urban studies has been a major development in the last decade but little has been done to provide US students with a comprehensive knowledge of Québec cities and how they compare with US cities. Â
The aim of the course is to introduce students to theoretical and methodological aspects of comparative urban research by providing on-site case studies of Québec cities. Â
The estimated cost of the trip for each student, including airfare, meals, lodging and ground transportation is $1,500.  The course is open to Juniors and Seniors, as well as Graduate students, for three to six hours credits. Â
We will visit three Quebec cities – Montréal, Québec City and Ottawa, where a number of professors, government officials and other urban experts will give lectures and tours.  The course will examine similarities and differences between U.S. and Québec cities.  We will look more particularly at current urban issues confronting communities in Québec.  We will study the physical layout of cities, urban design and urban growth, problems related to the environment, governmental institutions, as well as historical, social and cultural factors specific to Quebec cities. Â
Students will write a paper on a topic related to urban issues encountered in Québec.  The course introduces the logic of comparative research in the social sciences and applies its theory and methodology to the study of Québec cities, as compared to US cities.  Its multidisciplinary and comparative character develops the ability to interpret and understand urban changes, changing demographics and to analyze appropriate and sustainable strategies and policies to address urban problems in Québec and the US.  Students will gain a better understanding of economic, political, social, and cultural differences between Québec and the US.  The course will also help them better understand the diversity of the contemporary urban world in Québec and the US and the importance of the social-cultural factors specific to each region and city, in finding solutions to common urban problems.  By the end of the course, students are expected to be conversant in cross-border urban issues in Québec and the US.
Requirements: Students are expected to keep a daily journal on the things they have seen and learned. In addition, a term paper is required that focuses on some aspect of comparison with a subject with the United States. The 6 credit term paper would be a longer version of the 3 credit paper. The topic should be discussed with the instructors.
