Prague - Admissions | Principia College

Fall 2016 Prague

Principia Abroad! Metamorphosis:
Principia College
Elsah, IL 62028 The moral vitality of creativity and the arts
T: 618-374-5214
T: 800-277-4648 Program Focus
x2831
F: 618-374-5977 This abroad emphasizes the vital connections between
www.prin.edu creativity, critical thought, and responsible citizenship
through creative writing, studio art, and the study of
modernist and contemporary Czech literature and visual art.

Students will explore the arts as more than entertainment,
but as vital activities that can change the world. The program
serves Principia’s unique educational mission by cultivating
ethical, original thought. Policy 6 of The Principia states that
the institution “shall dedicate its service to the task of
training its students to think – and to think clearly,
vigorously, fearlessly, tolerantly, and unselfishly.” In “A Word
about Words,” the late playwright and president of the Czech
Republic Vaclav Havel said, “…self-awareness, our ability to
generalize and think in concepts, to perceive the world as the
world (and not just as our locality)…surely all these are
meditated…by words” (acceptance speech for the Peace Prize
of the German Booksellers Association, Frankfurt, 1989).

These statements suggest a powerful rationale for Principia
College students to study creative writing, studio art, and
literature in Prague and surrounding sites in Moravia and
Bohemia: it is vital for students to learn to think
independently and to have a practical understanding of
creative and fearless responses to human difficulties.

This program is open to all students, regardless of their
experience with the arts. Novices, as well as experienced
artists and writers, are encouraged to apply!

Applications

Applications are available on line at:
http://www.prin.edu/college/academics/abroads/abroads.htm

Completed applications must be submitted to the Abroad Office no
later than 5:00pm on Wednesday, September 16, 2015.

Program Staff Program Preliminary Itinerary

This program will be directed by A typical day will look like this:
professors Dinah and Paul Ryan.
Dinah is Associate Professor of English  Classroom study (75 minutes of either ENGL 243 or ENGL
at Principia College. As a practicing 263) and then either ENGL 345 or ARTS 330 as a longer
fiction writer, art critic, and studio class period in either visual art or creative writing.
independent curator, she has the Students will be expected to work independently in both
experience and knowledge to direct a creative areas daily.
program exploring the links between
creative writing, visual art, and culture.  In addition to classroom study, each day will include one or
Dinah has an MFA in creative writing two of the following activities:
from the University of Virginia. She  A visit to an important site in the city
has a background in modernist and  A visit with a practicing Czech writer or visual artist
postmodernist critical theory and  One hour of language study.
practice, as well as a strong knowledge  Time for the students to draw or write on their own
of Eastern European writers. on location. ENGL 345 and ARTS 330 will frequently
be conducted in the field and, because growth in both
Paul is Professor of Art at Mary areas requires practice, we will structure protected
Baldwin College. With an MFA in time for students to work creatively on a regular basis.
painting from Virginia Commonwealth
University, he is a practicing painter  In most weeks, one entire day will be taken for a day trip to
with an extensive exhibition record. an important site near the city, either as a group or as
Also an art critic, he has published art independent day trips in small groups.
criticism since 1989. Profoundly
engaged with issues of modernism and The focus for each week:
postmodernism, their impact on the Weeks 1-4: In Elsah we will begin classroom study of Czech
contemporary, and the uses of the arts history, literature, art, and language, and—in the studio--build a
in culture, he has been dedicated in his shared creative vocabulary and explore experimental writing and
teaching career, as Dinah has been, to studio art processes.
sharing the vitality and practical
importance of the arts with students. Weeks 5-9: Fly to Prague, our home base for the next seven
Connie Crandell will travel with the weeks. Living in the Mala Strana neighborhood as urban
group as resident counselor. Connie students, we will have classes, explore the city’s literature, visual
has a long association with Principia as art, and architecture in the context of the Czech Republic in the
a former RC—and has been part of the 20th century, conduct studio visits with artists and writers, spend
Prague Abroad from its inception in daily time in creative work, and take side trips to such places as
2011. Terezín, Lidice, Český Krumlov, Kutna Horá and the Kersko
Forest.
Dinah, Paul, and Connie are all class
taught Christian Scientists. Weeks 10-11: Travel by train to Moravia and the university city of
Olomouc, Moravia’s medieval former capital city. We will
continue creative study and work at Palancky University and the
Olomouc Museum of Art. Students will continue to make
independent day trips in this location.

Week 12-13: Return to Prague by train to complete our study in
the city that has become our home in the Czech Republic, ending
with a farewell dinner at the Art Nouveau Municipal House.

Academics Program Selection

ENGL 243: Theory as Practice on Location: Prague Selection will take place during fall
SH: 3 Attribute: GEH semester, 2015. Each applicant will
be interviewed by professors Dinah
This course explores the links between critical theory and and Paul Ryan and the program
creative practice in contemporary Czech literature and resident counselor, Connie Crandell.
visual culture. Equal consideration will be given to
all applications submitted by the
ENGL 263: Literature of Conflict application due date.
SH: 3 Attribute: GEH
See the ‘Eligibility and prerequisites’
The study of Czech writers such as Franz Kafka, Václav section for selection criteria.
Havel, Karel Čapek, Ivan Klíma, Milan Kundera, Jaroslav
Hašek, and Bohumil Hrabal, especially as their work The Principia Abroad Office will
reflected and influenced a century of social upheaval, world notify each applicant during Week 8
wars, and political change. of fall semester, 2015 regarding the
decision on his/her application.
ENGL 345: Creative Writing on Location (Prague)
SH: 3 Attribute: GEA Those eligible but not accepted in
the initial selection process may be
This on-location creative writing course offers students the placed on a waiting list.
opportunity to write poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction
with. Emphasis on experimental writing processes and Participation in this program could
techniques of the avant-garde. The course includes a be denied any accepted student
journaling component equivalent to a sketchbook in a whose grades put her or him on
studio art class. Students will compile a portfolio of finished academic warning or academic
works by the end of the quarter. It is equivalent to a fiction probation. Students must also be in
or poetry course within the sequence of courses in the good standing with regard to the
creative writing track, and will meet a requirement for Principia Pledge and Standards (see
English majors and minors in that track. page 4).

ARTS 251: The Language of Drawing
SH: 4 Attribute: GEA

An immersive study of on-location drawing practices and
techniques where drawing becomes a tool for observation
and recording of cultures, historical sites, and landscapes.

LANG 100: Elementary Language Study: Czech
SH: 2 Attribute: none

This course will offer an introduction to Czech so that
students can navigate the country. Students will begin
language study during the four weeks on campus and will
have weekly classes in the Czech language with a qualified
language instructor during our stay in Prague.

SPST 281: Reentry Seminar: Prague
SH: 0.5 Attribute: none

Taught on campus during spring semester, 2017, this
required reentry seminar is an opportunity for students to
internalize, integrate, and formulate the personal and
academic learning gained from their study in Prague.
Through reflection, writing assignments, and the creation of
a documentary presentation for the college community,
students will interpret and articulate their growth and
experiences.

Prague

Financial Aid & Eligibility and Prerequisites
Responsibility
This abroad is open to all students in good academic and social standing
Students who will be eligible to (preferably having a GPA of 2.5 or better), regardless of major, who show a
receive financial aid for the 2016- commitment to creativity, openness to interdisciplinary ideas, flexibility,
2017 academic year will have and a commitment to a sense of community. We expect students to show
their fall 2016 loans, grants and a commitment to solving problems metaphysically and to developing
scholarships automatically strength of character.
applied towards the cost of this
program. Broadly designed to meet the interests of English majors in the creative
writing track, studio art majors, and the general student body, the program
Payments for past and current will require only some “basic training” to ensure that each member of the
tuition, room, and board must be group has sufficient skill to make the most of the coursework. In field
up-to-date, or a satisfactory studies students can work at individual levels of growth.
payment schedule must be
arranged with the Accounting Therefore, a recommendation for participating in the program is at least
Office in St. Louis, in order for a one introductory level creative course of some kind in order to have basic
student to be allowed to familiarity with creative process. For example, students would find it
participate in this program. helpful to have completed one course such as any of the following: ENGL
240: Poetry Writing I; ENGL 241: Fiction Writing I; ARTS 102: Visual
If accepted, students will be Fundamentals; ARTS 201: Basic Drawing; or, ARTS 330: Seminar: Experimental
required to sign a financial Drawing. The abroad directors will also be open to students, such as
commitment agreement stating transfer students, who may have taken similar courses to those listed
that if they withdraw from this above, as well as to students who show a deep interest in exploring
program, voluntarily or creative process.
involuntarily, after Noon on
November 18th, 2015, they agree Cost
to pay the amount equal to the
non-recoverable expenses Under a subsidy policy sponsored by Principia Abroad, the cost of the Prague Abroad
incurred by their withdrawal plus program will be the same as tuition, room, board, and activity fees on campus for fall
any Principia Abroad semester, 2016, plus airfare and a $500 Abroad fee.
administrative fees. Even if all
pre-paid expenses are recovered, The following items will be INCLUDED in the cost: tuition for 15 semester hours; all
a minimum $500 fee may be accommodations, meals, and transportation in Prague; lectures; admissions to
levied. scheduled sites, museums, and cultural activities planned as part of the program;
some insurance; and administrative fees.
The program cost, less any
applicable financial aid, will be Costs NOT INCLUDED: Domestic U.S. and international airfares; $500 Abroad fee,
billed to each participant's passport fees, personal expenses; optional activities not planned as part of the
Principia account and payment program; and any other expense not specifically noted as included in the cost of the
will be due by August 26, 2016. program.