May Seminars are a long-standing symbol of Concordia's dedication to exposing students to new cultures and ways of thinking. Since 1968, May Seminars have given thousands of Concordia students the chance to travel the globe and witness the wonders of the world. May Seminars have enhanced the lives of nearly 6,850 students, helping them apply what they have studied in the classroom while introducing them to 54 countries on 6 continents.
 

May Seminars are led by experienced faculty with whom you have studied on campus. While abroad, you will meet with experts for formal and informal discussions, and attend cultural events that will help you better understand your area of study for academic credit. This four-credit course can be applied to academic requirements for your major.
 

Applications due: November 18, 2011
May Seminar Application & Student Contract
May Seminar Financial Aid Information

Education vs. Training: Schooling in Northern Europe
Education 300SG • Prerequisite: Education 250
Karla Smart-Morstad, Education
Estimated seminar cost: $5,795 plus tuition $3,200

We will study schooling in Iceland, Norway, Denmark, and England. Teachers and students in these countries face the same issues as we do, including public policy and school funding, curriculum, use of educational IT, education and language instruction for immigrant children, national standards and testing, and teaching social skills and classroom management. But, beliefs, values, and practice in education are cultural, so we'll look at education from global perspectives. Our understandings of American education, and beliefs about childhood and adolescence, will be expanded by considering them in comparison to what we learn from students, teachers and administrators in public and private K-12 settings in Northern Europe. Iceland's nuggets include The Blue Lagoon and a daylong Golden Circle Tour to geysers and waterfalls.  Fjords, mountains, Viking history, and the May 17th Syttende Mai celebration are wonders in Norway. We will enjoy a daylong Norway-in-a-Nutshell excursion into the beautiful fjords prior to departing on a North Sea ferry for Denmark.  In Denmark we will visit Tivoli Gardens, Helsingor Castle, Egskov Castle, and Hans Christian Andersen's birthplace and museum. In London, we will see a Shakespearian play at the Globe Theatre, visit the Tower of London, the British National Museum, the London Eye, see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, and people-watch in Hyde Park.

Historic Lifestyles
Family Nutrition and Dietetics 300 • Prerequisite:  Family Nutrition and Dietetics 250
Betty Larson, Education, Nutrition and Dietetics
Estimated seminar cost: $5,650 plus tuition $3,200

Are you fascinated by the communities and lifestyles of individuals and families in the past or present? We will provide an opportunity for analysis of lifestyles and explore the character of life, relationships and communities in England, France, and Switzerland. We will especially focus on the impact of lifestyle on health, wellness and disease occurrence in each community we visit. We will start in England with a stop at Hampton Court, the home of Kings and Queens for over 400 years of English history. This venue provides many opportunities to study daily life, the lifestyle of women, health issues and the development of the Protestant religion. We will then travel to Stratford to examine country life in the 16th century including the origin of "taking pot luck" and the discovery of Vitamin C. We will continue the exploration of communities and the life of royalty with a visit to Warwick Castle, the Tower of London, Napoleon's Apartments and Versailles. We will explore the open air food markets in England and France for an opportunity to view the current daily life. We will discover why the French have a lower infant mortality and a longer life than the US. We can examine the health impact of the Mediterranean Diet, the European view of biotechnology and spend time with researchers at Nestle, the largest private nutrition research facility in the world. We will have the opportunity to enjoy the elegance of gourmet food at the Cordon Blue Cooking School. There will also be opportunity to visit famous cathedrals for insight into spiritual health by exploring Notre Dame, St. Paul's and Sacre-Coeur.

Social Inequality: A Journey from Rome to London
Sociology 300 • Prerequisite: Sociology 328 or Sociology 111
Nicholas Ellig, Sociology, and Natalie Peluso, Sociology
Estimated seminar cost: $5,195 plus tuition $3,200

What do the Roman Colosseum and other architectural marvels in the Eternal City teach us about social inequality? How are the upscale shopping districts of Rome, Florence and Paris benefiting from and contributing to global stratification? What do the slaves of ancient Rome have in common with immigrant laborers in the East End of London and sec workers in Amsterdam? How might we explain the current ethnic and racial tensions found in the suburbs of Paris and other immigrant enclaves? What does the French Revolution teach us about the causes, effects and responses to inequality? How is the legacy of colonization evident in the museums, streets and neighborhoods or great European cities like Paris, Amsterdam and London? Why must we not forget the horrors of concentration camps like the one outside of Dachau? We will use out observational skills as sociologists to address these and other questions about social inequality from the past to the present. Our journey will begin in Rome and take us to London by way of Florence, Munich, Paris and Amsterdam. Along the way we will have many opportunities to engage with the cultures of the places we visit by interacting with residents, visiting some of the greatest museums and churches in the world, touring neighborhoods, eating good food, shopping and visiting historical sites.

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