Overseas Studies, Center for Spirituality and Healing, Academic Health Center at the University of Minnesota

The Center offers several study overseas opportunities that enhance students' knowledge and understanding of culturally-based healing practices, natural products and differing world views of healthcare.

For registration information about these and other educational programs offered by the Center, call us at 612.624.5166 or email Carla at cmantel@umn.edu

January 2009 -- Two courses on the Big Island of Hawaii!
Register now for January 2009!

NEW!  Ways of Thinking About Health

This course offers students a rare opportunity to explore indigenous Hawaiian healing in an intensive week-long immersion on the Big Island. Set in a magnificent location, students directly experience the wisdom and grace of Hawaiian healing arts and culture through an introduction to cultural ways of wellness including traditional, contemporary, and transformational models of indigenous healthcare philosophy and methodology.

Ways of Thinking About Health creates bridges of experience connecting the language and methodology of an ancient civilization to our contemporary paradigms of wellness. Field-trip learning serves as a micro-cultural immersion experience for the purpose of helping students understand different worldviews and systems of knowledge that do not correspond to a scientific model.

 Offered for either academic or continuing education credit, this transformative learning experience is designed to allow each student the maximum opportunity to explore, experience, appreciate, and articulate the diversity in ways of thinking about health.

Where?  The Island of Hawaii
When? January 7 - 13, 2009
How Much? Costs and credit options vary.  Contact Carla at cmantel@umn.edu or 612-624-5166 for further information

Plants in Human Affairs

From the beginning of time, plants have played a significant role in human affairs, influencing the evolution of civilizations, cultures, human migration, medicine, healthcare, war, art, mythology and religion.

Led by renowned experts in ethnobotany, this 12-day, four-credit intensive taught amongst tropical and rare plants of Hawaii, will introduce students to the fascinating science of ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology and the role of plants in human affairs through lectures, field trips and presentations by local experts.

 This course is open to the UMN students, the public, and students at other universities.  It will provide participants with cross-cultural perspectives on humanity's age-old relationships with plants, drugs and toxins, an understanding of the importance of plants as sources of food, fiber, and medicines, and an appreciation of the contributions that indigenous plant wisdom has made to the evolution of medicine and the discovery of new medicines from nature.

Where? The Island of Hawaii
When? January 4 - 16, 2008
How much? $2,200 course fee + tuition includes some meals, lodging, field trips.  Airfare not included.
Course #: CSPH 5405
Register by: November 14, 2008
Contact Carla Mantel at 612-624-5166 for further information.