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Haifa, Israel – Spring 2011 IAP Program Handbook
This program is offered by International Academic Programs (IAP) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in partnership with the International School at the University of Haifa. Throughout the course of your study abroad experience you will be communicating with both IAP and the University of Haifa staff. It is essential that you pay close attention to all information provided to you from both organizations. This IAP Program Handbook supplements handbook(s) or materials you receive from the University of Haifa as well as the IAP Study Abroad Handbook and provides you with the most up-to-date information and advice available at the time of printing. Changes may occur before your departure or while you are abroad.
The University of Haifa handles the program’s day-to-day operations. Generally, questions about aspects of your program abroad should be directed to the University of Haifa (ie. housing information, program facilities abroad, extracurricular activities offered as part of the program, etc.) Questions relating to your relationship with UW-Madison or your academics should be addressed to International Academic Programs at UW-Madison (ie. course credits, equivalents, UW Madison registration, etc.)
This program handbook contains the following information:
Contact Information...... 1 Program Dates...... 2 Preparations Before Leaving...... 2 Travel and Arrival Information...... 2 The Academic Program...... 2 Living Abroad...... 3 Student Testimonials...... 3
Contact Information The International School Office Multipurpose Building, room 177 For the International School staff listing and contact information, see their site here: http://overseas.haifa.ac.il/staff.asp?type=2
UW-Madison Information International Academic Programs (IAP) University of Wisconsin-Madison 261 Bascom Hall, 500 Lincoln Drive Madison, WI 53706 Tel: 608-265-6329 Fax: 608-262-6998 Web: www.studyabroad.wisc.edu
1 Katie Saur IAP Study Abroad Advisor Tel: 608-890-0939 E-mail: [email protected]
Emergency Contact Information In case of an emergency, call the main IAP number (608) 265-6329 between 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; after-hours or on weekends call the IAP staff on call at (608) 516-9440.
Embassy Registration Program participants who are U.S. citizens must register at the U.S. Embassy before departure as this will help in case of a lost passport or other mishap. You can register on- line at
U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv Tel: 03.5103822 Fax: 03.510388 Web: http://israel.usembassy.gov/
Jonathan Friedland serves as a Consular Agent in Haifa for the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, his office provides assistance with regard to Federal Benefits (Social Security, IRS forms, absentee voting…) and is available for processing some routine papers. His office is located at: 26 Ben Gurion Blvd. Haifa 35023 Tel: 04-853-1470 Fax: 04-853-1476 E-mail: [email protected] Program Dates
Intensive Hebrew Winter Ulpan 24 January 2011 - 17 February 2011 *Students are required to complete the Intensive Hebrew Summer Ulpan before the start of the spring semester.
International School 20 February 2011 - 2 June 2011 Purim Vacation 20 March 2011 Passover Vacation 17 April 2011 - 29 April 2011 Yom Ha'atzmaut Vacation 9 May 2011 - 10 May 2011
2 Preparations Before Leaving Refer to the Pre-Departure Checklist on pages four and five of the IAP Study Abroad Handbook for essential information.
Immigration Documents
Passport: A passport is needed to travel to Israel and to obtain your visa. Apply immediately for a passport if you do not already have one. Passport information and application forms can be found on the U.S. State Department website http://travel.state.gov/passport/. If you already have your passport, make sure it will be valid for at least 6 months beyond the length of your stay abroad.
Visa: It is recommended that students planning to arrive in Israel for semester or year programs acquire an A/2 multi-entry student visa from the Israel Consulate in their country of residence. This visa is generally good for 12 months; thus students who are coming for the year are advised to obtain the visa close to their date of departure.
Please note: Recently, the policy implemented at the port of entry to Israel has been to limit the official stay on aB/2 tourist visa to 1-2 weeks for those coming to study in Israel. During this period of time they are expected to acquirean A/2 student visa at the Ministry of the Interior (Misrad Hapnim) in Israel. Travel and Arrival Information Students need to make their own travel arrangements to Israel. You’ll receive an acceptance packet from the University of Haifa that will include more information on the date you can move into the student dormitories. Please reference these materials before making your travel arrangements.
Directions from Ben Gurion International Airport to Haifa: Ben Gurion International Airport is about a 1.5 hour car ride from the University of Haifa. It is very easy to find your way from Ben-Gurion International Airport to the University of Haifa. The three best options are: 1) Sherut: Shared taxis called sherut wait outside the arrivals hall exit. There are sherut that bring people directly to Haifa, and you will see signs “Shuttle to Haifa” as you exit the airport. Let the driver know that you need to be dropped off at the dormitories of the University of Haifa. As soon as the sherut van fills with ten people, it will leave for Haifa and will bring you directly to campus. The cost of the sherut is about 70 shekels or about $18. 2) Train: There is a train station at the airport where you can board a train that will bring you directly to Haifa. You will want to get off at the "Hof HaCarmel" train station in Haifa. From there you can either take bus #46, #146 or a private taxi to the University. The cost of the train is about 40 shekel (about $11). A bus to campus will cost 5.9 shekel (about $1.50). A private taxi to the university will cost another 50 shekel ($15). The train is very comfortable, but if you have large amounts of luggage it probably is not the best option.
3 3) Private taxi: Private taxis wait at the airport to take travelers to all destinations in Israel. A private taxi from the airport to the University of Haifa will cost between 400-500 Shekel ($100-$130). The Academic Program General Information
The University of Haifa International School http://overseas.haifa.ac.il/
The University of Haifa http://www.haifa.ac.il/index_eng.html
Link to courses http://uhaifa.org/courses.asp
Course Information Students are required to enroll in the Intensive Arabic program (only offered in Summer) or the Intensive Hebrew Ulpan before the start of their semester. Students are also required to take an Arabic or Hebrew course during the semester.
Courses: Undergraduate students are offered courses in subjects as varied as Arabic, communications, Hebrew, Middle East studies, political science, history, economics, anthropology, literature, philosophy, religious studies and sociology.
Students with sufficient command of Hebrew may take classes taught in Hebrew in different departments. In most cases overseas students are permitted to write papers and exams in English.
The University of Haifa also offers an internship program for academic credit. For more information, please see their site here: http://www.uhaifa.org/page.asp?id=66&a=a3&b=b1
Registration Semester Courses: Before the start of the semester, students will submit their preliminary course registration using an online registration form. This will be sent to students by email as their semester of study approaches. During the first two weeks of the semester, students will have a two- week "shopping period" to select their desired courses. During this period students may freely drop and add courses. After this two week period, students will submit their final registration and registration to courses will be closed.
Students who are proficient in Hebrew may also register for courses in other departments of the University of Haifa. The International School will assist in registration for these courses. Students who select courses in other departments should note that the semester schedule of the University is not always the same as the schedule of the International School. Therefore, if you intend to take courses offered through other departments you must be available to stay on campus for the duration of the course.
4 Our staff will be available to help students plan their course schedule. During orientation and throughout the shopping period, students will be able to make appointments for academic advising with International School faculty and staff.
Equivalents and Course Equivalent Request Form (CERF) Each course you take abroad must be assigned a UW-Madison “equivalent” course in order for your grades and credits to be recorded on your UW-Madison transcript. In order to establish UW-Madison course equivalents for your study abroad courses, you will submit a Course Equivalent Requests through your My Study Abroad account. Detailed information on the UW course equivalent process that you will use through your My Study Abroad account is available in the IAP Study Abroad Handbook.
Credits The normal course load for a student studying in the International School is 15 credits per semester, though 12 credits is the minimum and 18 credits is the maximum. Students who drop below the twelve credit minimum will lose access to campus facilities such as dormitories and libraries. Dropping below full-time can also affect your financial aid at UW-Madison.
Pass/Fail/Drop/Audit Please refer to the IAP Study Abroad Handbook for academic policies.
Grades and Grade Conversions The University of Haifa grading scale is as follows:
Letter Grade Numerical Grade A+ 97-100 A 91-96 A- 86-90 B+ 82-85 B 77-81 B- 73-76 C+ 65-72 C 61-64 D 55-60 F 54 and lower
The grade conversion scale for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem is as follows:
Haifa Grade UW-Madison Grade A+/A A A-/B+ AB B B B-/C+ BC
5 C C D D F F
Living Abroad
Educate yourself about your host country. Read the Preparing to Live in Another Culture section of the IAP Study Abroad Handbook. Consult the following resources as well as travel books in the Study Abroad Resource Room (250 Bascom Hall). Remember- it won't be possible to prepare yourself completely. There will be situations you will not have anticipated and your flexibility will determine in great part the kind of experience you will have while abroad.
Websites of Interest:
UW-Madison International Academic Programs (IAP): http://www.studyabroad.wisc.edu
University of Haifa http://www.haifa.ac.il/index_eng.html
University of Haifa: International School http://overseas.haifa.ac.il/
UW-Madison Center for Jewish Studies: http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/jewishst/index.htm
U.S. State Department information: http://travel.state.gov
Center for Disease Control (CDC): http://www.cdc.gov/travel/
Lonely Planet Guidebook: http://www.lonelyplanet.com
Useful Travel Books:
Fodor’s Guides Frommer’s Travel Guides Let’s Go Lonely Planet Michelin Guides Rough Guide
Communications
6 When making calls, keep in mind time zone differences (www.timeanddate.com/worldclock).
To make an international call to the United States, dial the access code for the country from which you are calling plus the United States country code (always “1”) followed by the appropriate U.S. area code and local number. To call internationally from the United States, dial “011”, the country code, city access code (if necessary) and the phone number . Country and city codes can be found online (www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/dialing.html). Some of above steps can vary if you are using a calling card.
Skype
Skype is a free, downloadable software application that allows users to make live video and voice calls over the internet. Skype users can also add money to their account and can then use the service to call land lines and cell phones internationally at very low rates. Additionally, Skype also provides an instant messaging function as well as file sharing.
To create a Skype account, users must download the application from www.skype.com and create a user name and password. Once the application is installed onto their computer, they can search for friends either by first and last name or using their friends' Skype usernames. Once a friend is added to a users contact list, they will be able to see whether that person is available to chat. If two users both have web-enabled video cameras for their computers, they will be able to chat face to face. For users without a web cam, a microphone is all that’s required for calls to another computer.
Student Testmonials
Preparations before leaving
Familiarize yourself with the exchange rate. It will save a lot of math in your head when you get here.
Travel and Arrival Information
The flight will be long. And after touching down, there is still another two-ish hour journey to be made to the University. Don't sweat it, it’s really not that difficult. Getting to the University was a bit confusing at first, because all the signs are in Hebrew, but everyone is really helpful in telling you where to go. Also: DON'T tip taxi drivers. A lot of foreigners do on their first ride.
Packing
I'm finding myself wishing I had brought a sleeping bag as there are quite a few overnight outdoor trips as part of our social activity calendar, and it’s a useful thing to have when you want to do some traveling of your own. Having said that, you
7 can get just about everything here. My first purchase was a fan for my room, as they aren't air conditioned, and I think the average daily temp here in August was around 100 degrees?
I would advise bringing more than one adapter, or a power strip so you can plug more than one thing in at a time.
The University gives you sheets and a pillow, but they are not the greatest things in the world..and kind of dirty. So I also bought sheets and a pillow when I got here. I had my mom send me my laundry bag from home, as it became difficult to do laundry here while trying to carry loads in small plastic bags. So that might be another thing worth bringing. (it comes in handy too if they do any other traveling while they are here).
While it was REALLY hot here when I arrived, it is starting to cool off, and everyone says its going to get even colder. I guess I don't know exactly how cold it will be, or how much I'll be missing my warmer wardrobe just yet-but I do already wish I had brought a jacket with me. (Or something a little thicker than a zip-up sweatshirt). It gets cold at night, especially in the desert in the south.
M y last suggestion right now is a bit more trivial, but it's something I've thought of now and again just the same. I wish I had brought more to make my room mine. The walls are very plain and very white-and I wish I had brought more pictures/posters/little touches from home to decorate it. Definitely not a necessity for someone who doesn't have room in their suitcase, but I think it would be worth it to pack a couple extra photos and the like.
Bring movies! I've heard rumors that the University is on the path towards changing things, but as they are right now, we don't really have internet in our rooms...which means it’s helpful to have movies along to watch on your computer if you get bored. The students that brought whole cd cases of dvds are popular here and always lending their movies out. (Or just plan to update your itunes or whatever system you use before leaving, the internet here is much to slow to download new movies or tv shows once you get here.)
Academics
During Ulpan, you will have class for at least five hours a day. This is not nearly as bad as it sounds, and you get breaks. There is usually a significant amount of homework, but since there really isn't a whole lot else going on during the summer-it’s easy to handle the workload.
As far as semester classes go-the whole registration business is so different from UW that it’s a little bit difficult to get used to. You are allowed to and in fact
8 encouraged to go to as many different classes as you can for the first two weeks- see which ones you like and which ones you don't, then after the first two weeks of the semester, you register for classes. I guess it’s kind of like how Madison does things before the Add/Drop deadline, but with a much more laid back feel to it. I went to a couple classes earlier this week that I didn't like, and so won't be returning to, but I also went to one this morning that I loved, and can't wait to go again next week. But I'm not technically registered for any of them yet, nor am I obligated to commit to any yet.
Most of the courses within the International School are along the International Relations field-but not all. But taking courses through the regular University can prove difficult at times. (And the international school only offers about 15 classes a semester to chose from) A friend of mine here wanted to take an art class (in addition to her other classes this semester) through the regular university, but the international school wouldn't let her as she's not an art major at her home university. They also don't have the capacity within the international school for Arabic language instruction that I was hoping for or that I'm used to coming from Madison. (Hence why my language classes haven't started yet). And Arabic instruction through the regular university is taught in Hebrew, and is simply translation-no grammar or speaking. So, with some issues, the bureaucracy of the international school has gotten to be a little bit maddening. But these are minor complaints, if they can even be classified as such, more so just differences from the things I'm used to back home. If someone is really interested in pursuing peace and conflict studies or psychology, I think it might be worth it to apply to the respective honors programs here, as you can't take the seminars offered otherwise.
Living Abroad
Housing here is actually pretty nice. I would definitely suggest requesting to live in Talia (single rooms) vs. Federman. Talia is MUCH nicer, and most students who are originally placed in Federman switch to Talia. There is a mini mart on campus, and a grocery store about a 15 min bus ride away.
Health and Safety
Everything is ridiculously safe here. It isn't even an issue.
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