Academics

Academic Highlights 

Curriculum Outline 

Students are required enroll in 4-5 Trinity credits to be considered full time.

1. Required core course – 1 Trinity credit – CPTN 279 Imagining South Africa
2. Required Course at UWC Center for Multilingualism and Diversities Research (CMDR) – 1 Trinity credit
3. Required Internship Lab: Multilingualism and Social Consciousness – .25 credit
4. Required University elective course
5. Required University elective course

Course Descriptions

Core Course – CPTN 279 – Imagining South Africa – Professor Sibs Moore

Fulfills  Trinity College requirements: Humanities and Global

This course offers undergraduate students studying abroad in South Africa a unique opportunity to engage with the country’s rich history, diverse cultures, and complex social dynamics through a series of guest speakers. Featuring prominent scholars, activists, and other experts based in Cape Town, the course provides a holistic perspective on South Africa’s role in a global context. Each lecture/presentation will focus on different aspects of South Africa’s past and present, covering topics such as apartheid and its legacies, the ongoing struggles for social justice, environmental issues, and arts and cultural production. Students will gain a deeper understanding of South Africa’s challenges and triumphs, and how these experiences resonate with broader global trends. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with a well-rounded understanding of South Africa’s place in the world, fostering a critical appreciation of the complex factors shaping the nation today.

Course includes excursions to Stellenbosch, Johannesburg and Durban Kwa Zulu Natal

Required Course at UWC Center for Multilingualism and Diversities Research (CMDR)

How does difference in language and communication repertoires intersect with ethnicity, race, class, sex/gender/sexual orientation, age, (dis)ability, religion, and other markers of identity to create deep vulnerabilities and to compound injustices? In what ways does multilingualism provide crucial vantage points into understanding and supporting social justice and advancing knowledge about how language-related injustice can curtail people’s rights and well-being? To answer these questions, Trinity College is partnering with the University of Western Cape’s Center for Multilingualism and Diversities Research (CMDR).

Students will enroll in 1 course at the CMDR. Student will be provided with options of available courses from the CMDR shortly before the start of the semester

An example of a possible course is “Multilingual Diversity and Bi-/Multilingual Education: Beginnings, Transitions and Futures”

Required Internship Lab: Multilingualism and Social Consciousness

Students must enroll in a lab titled “Multilingualism and Social Consciousness”. Taken together, students will process their internship experience by gaining an understanding of human rights discourses in South Africa through the critical lens of multilingualism and studying the connection between linguistic diversity and social justice activism. Students will be expected to complete a final project, presenting on what they have learned about multilingualism and social justice advocacy in the context of their internship work.

Internship Hours: 8-10 hours per week. All interns must complete their weekly hours either 1 day or 2 days a week to maximize effective participation, supervision and mentorship.  Spreading out your internship hours across 3-5 days of the week is not permitted.

Visit the Experiential Learning page to view internship options.

University Courses

Students will take 2 courses at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Recommended majors/possible areas of study: economics, African studies, international studies, music, theater and dance, political science, psychology, environmental studies, human rights, urban studies, public policy and law, anthropology, sociology, history and more.

Local University Information

Trinity partners with the University of Western Cape in Cape Town.

History

University Size

The University of Western Cape enrolls approximately 20,000 students (undergraduate and graduate) and is located in the suburb of Bellville.

Academic Differences

The academic system in South Africa is different from what you are used to in the U.S. It is more similar to the British tutorial system, with which some of you may be familiar.  South African students do not take many electives or general education requirements. Thus, they specialize in  their  majors  or  fields  of  study  earlier  and  often  are  more  advanced  in  their concentrations  than  U.S. students  are  as  undergraduates.  Professors  expect  students  to  be  independent,  self motivated,  and  able  to keep up with their reading and prepare for the final examinations without receiving as much direction (such as  regular  help,  homework  to  keep  you  on  track,  very  specific  reading  lists,  etc.).  In  short,  the  system  is geared  toward  students  who  are  self-sufficient,  hard-working,  and  deeply  interested  in  the  subject  matter.

Students  have  greater  responsibility  and  must  show  greater  initiative  in  a  less structured  environment. Depending  on  the  course  and  the  professor,  there  may  not  be  a  syllabus  or  regular  homework. Rather, students may be given a list of books to read throughout the semester.

Class Sizes

Class size varies greatly, depending on the course.

Amenities 

• Library
• Computer lab
• Cafeterias and Cafes