Language Requirement: None
Academic Standing by Program Start: Sophomore or above
Location: Oceania, Samoa
GPA: 2.5

Program Overview

Spend four weeks in Sāmoa exploring the impacts of climate change on the people, environment, and culture of Sāmoa and other Pacific nations. This program combines western, Indigenous, and Samoan perspectives to provide a holistic understanding of Indigeneity, climate science, policy, social justice and community resilience. Through immersive coursework, collaboration with local communities, and guided excursions, students will engage directly with Indigenous leaders, policy-makers, activists and artists, contributing to projects that support Samoan communities in adapting to and mitigating climate threats.

Program Highlights:

  • Collaborate with Indigenous leaders, policy-makers, and community activists on climate resilience projects.
  • Participate in cultural excursions and activities, including homestays and visits to significant local sites.
  • Develop and execute a community-based project focused on climate adaptation.

The program is divided into two main sections:

Section 1: In Sāmoa

Spend four weeks living in Sāmoa, where you will stay with host families and engage in a variety of activities including guest lectures, excursions, and collaborative projects with local students and or organizations. This experience will allow you to learn firsthand how climate change is affecting the communities and how they are responding to these challenges.

Section 2: Remote Project Work

After the in-country experience, you will have a one-week break, followed by a remote project phase. During this final stage, you will work on completing your projects, finalizing deliverables, and preparing comprehensive reports for submission to community partners.

This program offers a unique opportunity to understand and contribute to the fight against climate change from a deeply rooted Indigenous perspective, striving to make a tangible impact on the communities in Samoa.

Dates and Deadlines

 
TermYearDeadlineArrival DateDeparture Date
Summer202503/15/202506/22/202507/18/2025

This program has a rolling admission application process: GEO staff (and the program faculty leader, if applicable) will complete a review of the application materials of complete applications in the order that they are submitted (“first come, first serve”). Decisions about acceptance will be made shortly after you submit a complete application. There are some programs that fill fast, some even before the deadline. Students are encouraged to complete applications and commit to programs early.

Acceptance is based on a holistic review of your application.  This includes a review of your GPA, transcripts (including courses taken and in-progress), any additional requirements or prerequisites (see section "Additional Requirements"), and the short statement. Some programs require a letter of recommendation from a faculty that is not the program's faculty leader. If a letter of recommendation is required, you will find more information in your GEO application portal.

Faculty-Led Scholarship Opportunity

Applicants to this program are eligible for program-specific scholarship funds. Award recipients are chosen based on academic merit, financial need, and overall quality of their essay. Individual awards range from $500-$1,500. To be considered, apply to the GEO General Scholarship by the advertised deadline for the term you will be abroad. Students who apply will automatically be considered for all available funding within the General Scholarship, including this program's scholarship funds.

Discount for Pell Recipients

To expand access to study abroad, GEO is offering a $500 discount for this program to UO students who currently have the Pell Grant as part of their federal financial aid (FAFSA).

Academic Details

This program offers two courses worth 8 credits, which count as upper-division Ethnic Studies credits.

ES 488/588 Climate Indigeneity, Art and Activism (40 Contact Hours – 4 credits)

ES 488/588 Climate Science and Policy in Samoa (40 Contact Hours – 4 credits)

It has also been approved to fulfill upper-division credit requirements in Native American and Indigenous Studies, Environmental Studies and Science, and Political Science.

ENVS/ESCI: 

  • 4 credits – approved for Area 4 requirement
  • 4 credits – approved for Area 3B: Policy Foundation

PS:

  • 4 credits -- approved for upper-division coursework

This program is ideal for students interested in pursuing careers in environmental policy analysis, climate change consulting, international development, sustainability coordination, Indigenous rights advocacy, non-profit work, NGO management, or global environmental governance.

Course Equivalencies

UO students: please refer to the UO Course Equivalency Process and the UO Office of the Registrar Course Equivalency Database.

Non-UO students: Actual credit awarded is determined by the relevant department at your university in consultation with the study abroad office. Check with your study abroad advisor for more information.

Faculty and Staff

Dr. Lana Lopesi, Assistant Professor of Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies at the University of Oregon. Dr. Lopesi holds a Ph.D. in Visual Art from Auckland University of Technology and has a background in contemporary Pacific art. Her research focuses on Samoan diaspora, diasporic subjectivity, Indigenous feminism and Pacific material culture. Dr. Lopesi has published 2 books and 3 edited volumes, and she has been recognized with numerous awards, including becoming a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Dr. Ronald B. Mitchell, Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies at the University of Oregon. Dr. Mitchell is an academic expert in international environmental politics and international relations. He conducts research and teaches courses that examine the ability of treaties to get states to reduce climate change and other pollutants. He has investigated the influence of environmental science on international policy and the ability of norms to foster cooperation among countries to solve shared problems. He co-directed a program from 2003-2014 that helped new PhDs working on climate change hone their interdisciplinary skills so that they could better understand the complexities of the natural science and social science of climate change and communicate it effectively to the public. He has published four books and over 40 articles and book chapters and serves on the editorial boards of several top academic journals.

Housing Description

At the beginning of the program, students will stay in a hotel, such as the Tivoli Aparthotel, before spending a night at Faimafili Village Resort. 

The majority of the program will be spent in homestays, where students will live with local families and immerse themselves in the culture firsthand.

Additional details about homestays and locations will be shared with participants during the pre-departure orientaiton.