Adelante Abroad: Ecology Summer Study in Scotland

Name: Adelante Abroad: Ecology Summer Study in Scotland
Brand: Adelante Abroad
SKU: 16113
Rating: 4.76 (17 reviews)

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4.76 Rating

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Location

Scotland
- Edinburgh

Term

Maymester, Short Term, Summer

Subject Areas

Agriculture Archaeology Business Conservation and Preservation Earth Sciences Ecology Geography Geology Natural Sciences

Payment plans

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Degree Level

High School Diploma

Housing

Dormitory

Language

English

Pricing

Starting Price

4895

Price Details

•Pre-departure orientation and counseling
•Airport pickup and orientation on arrival
•College tuition for 2 classes worth a total of 6 US credits
•Private room and bathroom in college accommodation. Free wireless internet available.
•Breakfast, lunch and dinner provided during the week, breakfast and dinner at the weekend.
•Access to computers in the Resource Centre. Laptops can also be borrowed.
•College staff on-site will be available to assist students with individual requests, trecking in the Highlands or other activities and in-country travel.
•Excursions to local natural heritage sites (Loch Lomond, the Isle of May, Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle, William Wallace Monument, etc).
•Sealed college transcripts on completion

What's Included

Accommodation Airport Transfers Classes Meals Wifi

Last Updated: May 18, 2020

Last Reviewed: Jun 28, 2015

Wish List

3 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Edinburgh, Scotland- natural beauty and heritage come to mind with this beautiful, green destination. Scotland's cliffs, freshwater streams, woodlands, and grasslands make this the ideal Ecology study abroad program.

Students will enroll in two courses: "Conservation Skills" and "Habitat Management." Beyond the classroom, this program is majority valuable field experience with site visits, guidance from site managers, field investigations, and exposure to practical management techniques. This program adds to your future marketability in Ecology and Conservation careers/fields.

Excursions are also a part of the package with visits to local heritage sites such as the Isle of May, Edinburgh Castle, Loch Lomond, The Trossachs National Park, and more. With Adelante's program, you are primed for a complete Scottish experience that will last a lifetime.

Please note this program is limited to 16 participants each year, so apply early to secure your placement!

This program is currently not being promoted on Go Overseas by its provider. Check with Adelante Abroad for the most up-to-date information regarding the status of this program.

Video and Photos

Ecology Conservation Intern holding a bird

Ecology Scotland summer interns exploring by the river

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Diversity & Inclusion

BIPOC Support

At Adelante Abroad, we take pride in fostering a diverse and inclusive community for aspiring students seeking international internships and study abroad experiences. We are committed to providing equality and opportunity, as we firmly believe that every individual, regardless of their background, deserves the chance to embark on a transformative journey. Through our specialized biopic program, we actively encourage and support students from all walks of life to participate without discrimination. We understand the importance of nurturing emerging talents, and our program stands as a testament to our dedication to providing an enriching, empowering, and unbiased platform for students to thrive and make their mark on the global stage.

LGBTQIA+ Support

At Adelante Abroad, we are dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive space for all students, including those who identify as LGBTQIA+. We wholeheartedly encourage and support LGBTQIA+ students to participate without fear of discrimination. We recognize the unique challenges that LGBTQIA+ individuals may face, and we are determined to provide a safe and empowering environment for them to embark on their international internship and study abroad journeys. With a focus on celebrating individuality and fostering growth, our program stands as a beacon of acceptance, ensuring that all students can thrive, learn, and contribute meaningfully to the global community.

Accessibility Support

Adelante Abroad is committed to offering comprehensive accessibility support for participants with physical disabilities and/or chroni conditions. While our foremost goal is to provide optimal conditions for all participants, there may be instances where certain program country locations pose challenges to full accessibility. Despite these limitations, we continually strive to ensure that all individuals can benefit from our programs to the best of our abilities.

Impact

Sustainability

At Adelante Abroad, we are driven by a vision of sustainability that goes beyond mere neutrality. Our commitment is to create programs and business practices that generate a net positive impact on the world. By striving to tip the scales towards positive outcomes, we seek to ensure that any potential negative effects are outweighed by the overall benefit we bring to the individuals, communities, and environments we engage with, aligning our efforts to leave a lasting, positive legacy.

Ethical Impact

At Adelante Abroad, our ethical impact programming is thoughtfully designed to harmonize student experiences with the well-being of our host communities and the environment. We meticulously assess the social and environmental implications of our programs, ensuring a balanced approach that maximizes positive outcomes for both our students and the communities they engage with. By fostering meaningful connections, minimizing environmental footprints, and prioritizing sustainable practices, we aim to create lasting benefits for host communities, safeguard our planet's resources, and preserve the integrity of the experiences we offer for generations to come.

For more details, click on "Visit Site" or if you're ready to fill out an application, click on "Get Started" above. Adelante's support team is excited to hear from you!

Program Highlights

The two courses included are 90 – 100 hours of instruction. Successful completion of the two courses will give you 6 hours of US credit, fully transferable, towards your degree at your home University or College

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Program Reviews

4.76 Rating

based on 17 reviews

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Rating Spread Study

5 rating 76.47%
4 rating 23.53%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Academics 4.15
Support 4.65
Fun 4.15
Housing 4.6
Safety 4.8

Showing 1 - 8 of 17 reviews

Adelante's study abroad program exceeded my expectations, I received equal levels of cultural experiences and academic knowledge. The program's lecturers were beyond knowledgable about their respective subjects and wanted us to have the best time possible. This is the easiest and funnest way to earn some college credit whilst you are a in another country.

The staff did struggle with communication to the students about daily activities but it allowed us to learn to be flexible. It was frustrating at times because our course paperwork was not outlined in an orderly fashion but was ultimately finished.

Overall the experience allows participants to juxtapose management systems in Scotland with those in the United States.

What would you improve about this program?

-I would change communication between instructors and having a schedule prior to the visit of all the participants.
-I would also change the nutrition of the program. I would have to pay extra to add protein to my meals because it was seldom an option for the program students.

This study abroad trip with Adelante to Scotland was my first experience to see a completely new environment and culture. Although I have been a well versed travel in the Untied States. None of my past experiences come close to the experience I have had in Scotland this past month. For a country that is so small compared to the United States, Scotland has such a diverse landscape. One day we drove about an hour away from our campus with our instructor. All he told us was we were going to take an overnight trip to Loch Lomond and we would be doing some work on the side of Ben Lomond. As we started our hike up Ben Lomond with a spade in one hand and a pair of wellies in the other, we realised was going to be a long day. After a two mile hike up the side of the "wee" hill we started making dams in the peat bogs out of peat. The view from the side of Ben Lomond was definitely worth the hike and labour. From the Lowlands to the Highlands, Scotland has some of the most magnificent scenery I have ever seen. This trip has made me want to visit more places around the world, but hopefully in the near future I can come back to Scotland.

Overall, this program provided a great balance between education and culture. From working in peat bogs to banding birds... even climbing a mountain, we were able to fully experience Scotland and all its beauty.

The positives:
- The work we got to do was unlike any traveling experience. You wouldn't get to do anything we did on any other tour.
- We had Sundays off to explore what we wanted (I recommend the Highlands, Aviemore was such a cute ski town that provided great access to some Highland walks).
- Such a variety of landscape! We got to walk in peat bogs, climb mountains, and walk in sandy beaches. Everything is so close you could do it all in one day.
- The class work never got in the way of having a great time on the sites.

The negatives:
- Lack of communication was a concern. The schedule was changed so many times that we had little to no time in advance to know what we were going to do that day. It would have been nice to know in advance, as we could have planned more outings to Edinburgh and longer weekend trips.
- Food lacked nutrition and there were no substitutes in protein and iron if you are a vegetarian.
- Because of the students on campus, we were not able to call for taxis. Their behaviour spoiled our source of transportation and we needed the staff (and community members when we were off campus) to call the cabs for us.

The positive far out way the negatives. Given the chance to go again, I would do it in a heartbeat!

What would you improve about this program?

Scheduling. If the schedule could have been communicated to us better I think we could have better planned outings and trips for ourselves.
Food. There was plenty of food, and it did taste good, but had there been enough protein and iron in our meals I don't think it would have been an issue. But the lack of nourishment was noticeable.

Response from Adelante Abroad

Dear Payton, thank you very much for your detailed review as well as all the positive bullet points. To the helpful points that we can improve on: I spoke with the Environment Team Leader (who heads up our Ecology program in Scotland) to clarify the schedule changes. The staff put their heads together and built what they thought were better visits, practical and class work combinations, but neglected to advise everyone in a timely manner. I’m sure there were apologies at the time and we apologize again for those last minute changes. The feedback from these changes from your group was definitely good, so next year all will be incorporated into the program schedule well in advance. We have met with the catering manager too, and have confirmed a healthy, better balanced diet for all students in this program... independent of their dietary needs (e.g. vegetarians or kosher, for example). In regards to taxi services: if students call out for taxi services out to campus then do not come out to redeem requested services, it is unlikely taxi drivers will come out again. This is apparently what happened. The solution is to run taxi request services through the campus housing office and we will highlight this in Orientation next year. Thank you again for your excellent detail; it helps make the program better for future Ecology Program students!

By Allison Munder on June 23, 2015

Prepare for cooler weather and high winds in Scotland, as well as high 60's to mid 70 degree temperatures. Scotland is a beautiful area, with beautiful weather. However, "Scotland can get all 4 seasons in one day" is a very real statement made here, so be prepared for varying weather and tons of fun.

What would you improve about this program?

For the most part the program went rather smoothly, however the schedule did change on us quite often and I think it would have been nice to know what we were doing on the changed days.

This trip was an amazing experience. Every day was different - sometimes we would go to nature reserves and speak to habitat managers about their work, other days we would work out on peat bogs, and some days we could sneak in a visit to a castle or two. I learned a lot about conservation in Scotland, and I look forward to applying what I've learned in the future.

What would you improve about this program?

Add more structure to the academics. Have more of a time table for assignments.

Our four weeks was packed with cultural visits, sight seeing, hiking, and fascinating projects pertaining to our field of studies. We were never far away from an ancient burial site, a castle, or a beautiful mountain view. After this trip I am positive that I am in the correct field for my interests and I feel confident that I can succeed in any place my career takes me.

What would you improve about this program?

There was a lack of communication between our instructors which was a bit frustrating at times. However, we ultimately completed all of our coursework and we were taken on many really great excursions.

Be prepared for cooler weather, long hikes, and manual labour. I'm not trying to scare anyone away, I just want everyone who is interested to be prepared so bring a comfortable pair of hiking boots. I think this year's program was unlike any other where we worked a lot in bogs or spraying for giant hogweed for example. This program does give you a good idea what it will be like to work in the ecology field from the several nature reserves visited and hands on activities. One day we went bird ringing (or bird banding in the US and my personal favourite thing out of the entire trip) and on other day trip we did electrofishing.

The staff here is incredibly friendly, relaxed, and will do anything they can to make the program more enjoyable for you. They're also extremely knowledgeable in their respected fields and are qualified to work somewhere more posh than the SRUC Oatridge campus. Things are a bit unorganized at times, but you will always be in for a good time. You will receive two assessments where you will get multiple chances to correct mistakes as well.

From the social aspect things are similar, but different in others. The Oatridge campus is located about a 20-30 minute walk to Broxburn. The Scottish locals are just as friendly as the staff and are easy to strike a conversation with.

If you are feeling adventurous, take an overnight trip to Aviemore and hike to the top of Cairngorm Mountain. It has a spectacular view! When you're there you can go from 32 degrees at the top of the mountain to 70s at the lake walking back from the mountain to Aviemore. We stayed at the SYHA hostel and would recommend staying there...it's only £23 a night for one adult.

And if you find yourself in Sterling looking for dinner there is an amazing Indian restaurant called Maharaja.

What would you improve about this program?

The worst thing about the program was the lack of communication and control of one of the lecturers. Again, you will always be in for an interesting and enjoyable experience.

The program is in a beautiful country, next to a beautiful city, and the people here are incredibly nice. Just be ready for 21 hours of sunlight per day and some pretty chilly weather (by my Arkansas standards). I would recommend doing and seeing all you can while you're here. hike some hills, go to a pub, try the local food, and in general make memories. you're only here once, and it was over for me before I knew it.

Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Dr. Raymond Barclay

Program

Adelante Abroad: Ecology Summer Study in Scotland

Job Title

Director of Adelante Abroad, Scotland

Dr. Raymond Barclay built and now oversees both the Study Programs (Equine and Ecology) and the Internship Programs (Research & Observation) in Scotland. Previously, he worked with the University of Arkansas for 20 years, with offices in Scotland for 15 years serving as Director of Global Studies. He is a former Fulbright Fellow and has evaluated technology and communication programs in Bolivia, Ireland and Scotland. He has conducted lectures in Bolivia, England, Greece, Ireland, Italy and Romania. Travel is second nature to him, and he feels it should be like that for most. He tries to make sure that everything in Scotland is prepared for program candidates, although they also do plenty on their own to truly grow during their time abroad!

Tell us a little more about this program, what makes it a unique study abroad experience?

Student in Pond

Raymond: The Ecology Conservation Program provides students real-life and practical experiences concerning the current challenges and issues relating to the environment. Students have the opportunity to investigate a diverse range of habitats from the highlands to the lowlands, from freshwater streams to inland cliffs, woodlands and grasslands. Students learn how to manage some of these habitats and understand the ecological processes that link plant and animal species together.

Describe a typical day for students on this program.

Raymond: In addition to classroom lecture and the one course, students spend nearly 75 percent of their time in the field, talk with site managers and conduct field investigations that are both practical and academic. Unavailable to similar programs in the US are things like visits exploring habitat management with the Manager at the Scottish Wildlife Trust Preserves; or a “Seafari” to Firth of Forth. Again, not duplicated anywhere and access has to come from application acceptance via Adelante Abroad.

What are some extra-curricular activities program participants enjoy?

Raymond: Scotland has a rich cultural heritage. In addition to ecological research visits to the Isle of May, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, students have the opportunity to visit numerous historic castles in Edinburgh and Stirling, whisky distilleries, the famous golf course at St. Andrews and the beautiful landscapes throughout the Highlands.

red bridge

What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering this program?

Raymond: Bring rubber boots! And, this courses blends practical and research learning experiences together with field trips throughout the countryside. It is the perfect course to learn ecology and conservation skills and explore the history and culture of Scotland.

About Adelante Abroad

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