Energy Tomorrow: An Engineering and Management Perspective

2010 Program Dates: 14 June to 25 July 2010

Program Overview: .pdf

Highlights

Includes guided travel to five distinct regions of Australia (Darwin, Kakadu, the Outback, Sydney and Cairns)
Earn academic credit transferable to your home degree
Study at Australia’s top-rated university for energy research and development

Click here for maps and photos.

The Program

This six-week course for engineering students explores energy and sustainability, with a focus on new developments in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. The program is based on a ninety-hour combination of lectures, tutorials, laboratory work, demonstrations, site visits, computer simulations, assignments and discussion periods.

The University of New South Wales is recognized as the top university for energy R&D in Australia with many of the research groups among the world leaders in their field. Various UNSW lecturers will cover the following topics: World Energy, Energy and Environmental Implications, Energy and Sustainable Development, Energy and the Built Environment, Emerging Energy Technologies, Energy Storage, Energy and the Process Industries, and Renewable Energy. A tentative syllabus is available.

Locations and Guided Travel

The program commences in Darwin, in Australia’s ‘Top End’. While based in Darwin there will be a three-day camping expedition into Kakadu National Park. Crocodiles, Aboriginal art sites and spectacular scenery are some of the highlights of this field trip. On the way to Sydney from Darwin we make a brief stop in Alice Springs to visit the Centre of Appropriate Technology, then will move onto Uluru, the monolithic icon of the central ‘red desert’ region. For weeks three through five, the program will be based at the campus of The University of New South Wales (UNSW), located 20 minutes from downtown Sydney and five minutes from the beachside suburb of Coogee. Week six will be on location in Cairns for the final section of the course and a field excursion to a renewable energy site. This will leave a few days at the end of the course to relax and participate in the wide range of activities available in that area.

Accommodations

Students will be housed in a variety of accommodation styles when traveling, including shared, budget-style accommodation, serviced apartments and a few nights camping.

Program Fee

2009 Program Fee: $5490 USD
2010 Program Fees: $6295 USD

The program fee includes tuition (6 UNSW credits, worth 6-8 US credits); all accommodation; excursion costs; airport shuttle services; orientation programs; and a UNSW student card (allowing access to all UNSW facilities); all meals when camping in Kakadu National Park, breakfasts and lunches in Sydney, breakfasts and a final dinner in Cairns. Additionally, breakfasts will be provided in central Australia this year, to help alleviate student finances at this expensive location. The program fee does not include other meals or airfares.

Travel

International air travel is organised through Qantas. Packages have been designed to allow students to spend time in the tropical north of Australia on the Great Barrier Reef at the completion of each program, or in a host of destinations such as New Zealand or Hawaii on their return to the US, at little or no extra cost. Upon application participants will be provided complete airfare details.

Credit

Participants in the program are able to obtain credits through universities and colleges in the United States and Europe. This program is approved by UNSW and students will receive their grades on a UNSW transcript. Credit transfer (generally 6 - 8 U.S. credits total) is subject to home institution regulations so please consult your academic advisor for guidance. Study Australia and UNSW will provide all documentation to overseas institutions to assist in credit transfer.

Admission Requirements and Application

Students should be currently enrolled at an approved degree-granting institution of higher education majoring in some area of engineering. Currently, there is a 2.8 GPA minimum for this program. If you fall below the minimum requirement or you are currently a freshman, please contact to determine eligibility.

Interested students can apply on-line or download the Study Australia application.

There is a $30 application fee. In addition, after acceptance into the program a $1000 deposit is required. The deposit is fully refundable, less a $150 administrative fee, should students withdraw by March 15, 2010. After March 15, 2010 the deposit is no longer refundable. In extenuating circumstances, a refund may be a possibility after March 15, 2010, however it is at the sole discretion of UNSW.

Application Deadline: Applications are assessed on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. We suggest interested students apply by April 1, 2010 to avoid disappointment. Interested students seeking to apply after April 1, 2010 are encouraged to contact Tiana McEvoy at 1.800.585.9658 or via as there may be a few spots available on the program.

A pre-departure package for the program will be sent to the applicant once accepted into the program.