Global Programs

Cross-Cultural and Group Dynamics in Stressful Environments

Location: Tel Aviv, Israel
Dates: May 23 – June 24, 2010

APPLY: NYU Steinhardt Summer Study Abroad Application

The deadlines for the Summer Application are:
Round #1: December 6
Round #2: January 31
Round #3: February 28

Applicants

Graduate students are encouraged to apply for this program.  Qualified upper-level undergraduates (seniors with 96+ earned credits only) with related course work may be considered and will require approval from the faculty director as well as their advisor.

Qualified students from other Universities are encouraged to apply. Please refer to the directions for "Non-NYU Students for Summer Abroad" on the "How To Apply" page.

Courses

Students enrolled in the program must register for both of the following courses:

E63.2682 Cross-Cultural Counseling, 3 points.
E63.2620 Group Dynamics, 3 points.

The program will include readings, lectures, and guest presentations by local scholars in Cross Cultural Counseling and Group Dynamics, with a particular focus on stressful environments. Students will participate in growth-oriented group experiences to enhance course content. We will meet with clergy of different religions and visit a variety of ethnically diverse communities to study their cultures and social structures. Students will spend time in an immigrant absorption center, participate in joint seminars with graduate students studying in Israel, and travel to major religious and cultural sites.

This program elaborates theories and practices of multi-cultural and group interventions in a colorful melting pot setting. The goal of this program is for students to gain experiential insights into these disciplines from a perspective of sensitivity and respect for ethnic and religious diversity. Students who complete the program will:

1.    Develop a systemic understanding of group dynamics.
2.    Master basics of cross cultural psychology.
3.    Gain a dynamic understanding of the relationships between individuals, groups, and organized society.
4.    Understand counseling interventions designed to promote respect for diversity which enhance group functioning.
5.    Adopt an empirically oriented critical approach to the theories.
6.    Enhance their counseling and group therapy skills.

Syllabus

To review a draft of the course syllabus, click here.

Faculty

Sam Juni, Professor of Applied Psychology, the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University

Please click here for the faculty bio

Accommodations & Activities

Students will stay at a modern Tel Aviv Guest House, serving breakfast and dinner daily.

Tentative co-curricular activities:

• Interviews with Multi-Cultural Social Service agencies in Jaffa and the Galilee.
• Interviews and visits with Druze, Bedouin, Ethiopian, Armenian, & migrant communities.
• Holocaust Study Center presentation on Inter-Group Prejudice.
• Interviews with Chassidic and Arab mental health professionals.
• Field visit and interviews at an absorption center.
• Joint seminar session with Israeli graduate psychology students.
• Visiting major religious and cultural sites.

Costs

Tuition: $1203 per point, plus registration fees

2010 Housing fees: approximately $1650
2010 Activity fees: approximately $500
Total 2010 Housing and Activity Fees: $2,150

Flight, Travel, and Visa Information

Flight: Students book their own travel to coincide with program dates.

For U.S. passport holders the following is required for entry to Israel: a passport valid for six months beyond duration of stay, an onward or return ticket, and proof of sufficient funds (such as a credit card or bank statement).  A no-charge, three-month visa may be issued upon arrival and may be renewed. 

Weather

The weather in Tel Aviv during June is seasonably warm. Daytime Fahrenheit temperatures range from the 70's to the 80's (with occasional readings in the 90's) with no precipitation. Evening temperatures are usually in the 60's and 70's.

For More Information

Office of Academic Initiatives and Global Programs, The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, 82 Washington Square East, 5th Floor, New York, NY10003-6680; 212 992 9380; steinhardt.global@nyu.edu

Sam Juni, Professor of Applied Psychology, the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University. (t): 212 998 5548; email:

Laura Price, M.A., Department of Applied Psychology, the Steinhardt School ofCulture, Education, and Human Development, New York University. (t): 212 998 5548; email: