Course at a Glance
Course: HIST 317H
Class and Credits: Prague, The Heart of Central Europe (3 credits)
Location: Prague, Czech Republic
When: 26 March – 22 April 2025
On-Site Prague: 11-14 April 2025
Register by: : 13 March 2025
Status: Open
Highlights:
- Bila Hora
- Vyšehrad
- Prague Castle
- Czech Senate
- Petrin Tower
- Monument to Czech Legion
- Church of Ss. Cyril and Methodius
- Museum of Communism
- Letna Park
Tuition and Fees:
$750.00 Undergraduate 3-credit hour tuition cost
$350.00 Additional Fee (Museum/ticket fees, excursions)
Not included: Meals, transportation to and from the location, and hotel accommodations.
Historians vacillate on European history between ideas of towering cultural and economic achievements and astonishing brutality and repressiveness to human life.
This field study course investigates Prague's political, economic, and cultural development, emphasizing the factors involved in the Hussite Rebellion, two world wars, and the rise and fall of Communism. Time will be given to explore places of historical significance for Prague's art, culture, politics, and literature. The objective is to evaluate the causes and consequences of significant and major events of this period, its wider influence on Europe, and the local culture it produced in Prague. Fieldwork will include guided tours, onsite lectures, and interactive assignments encouraging students to connect historical theory with real-world observations and experiences.
Topics include:
- Prague’s Early history as a center of proto-Enlightenment
- The Defenestrations of Prague
- Hussite Rebellion
- Hapsburg Empire, Democracy
- Famous Writers and Philosophers
- Occupation by the Nazis
- Operation Anthropoid
- Communist Czechoslovakia
- The Prague Spring
- Velvet Revolution
Faculty member: Dr. Malcolm Magee, e-mail malcolm.magee@umgc.edu
May apply for general education requirements in humanities, history major and minor, electives, or certificate.
Course Details
Tentative Online class times and dates:
Meeting times: April 11-14, 9:00 AM - TBD
ZOOM LECTURE:
Three Saturdays, 9:00 AM – 12:00 March 29, April 5 & 19.
Tentative itinerary—location and times:
Meets in Prague 11-14 April. Classes begin each day at 0900—Schedule subject to change. Please review the syllabus. Students must be in Prague on 11 April for the first course.
1st Day Ancient Prague
· Bila Hora
· Vyšehrad
· Subjects Related to Students Research Interests
2nd Day Prague From Mozart to Kafka
· Prague Castle
· Czech Senate
· Historic Café’s and Salon locations.
3rd Day Czech Independence to the Velvet Revolution
· Petrin Tower and Monument to Czech Legion
· Church of Ss. Cyril and Methodius
· Operation Anthropoid
4th Day
· Museum of Communism
· Letna Park
· Historic Jazz Club
Textbooks and Course Materials
Please refer to the current course syllabus found on the online web schedule of classes for details about course materials.
Registration Details
You may register for the 3 credit field study course with your local program coordinator or online at MyUMGC. Tuition assistance or financial aid can be applied toward tuition costs. For more information, contact the UMGC Field Study Office at CIV +49-(0)631-534-800, or e-mail fieldstudies-europe@umgc.edu.
Before completing your travel plans, please verify with your local program coordinator or the Field Study Office at UMGC Europe Headquarters that the course will be held as scheduled. If you drop/withdraw from a field study course after the registration deadline, you will be charged a fee of $100.
How is a field study course different from a regular course?
A field study course packs all of the 48 contact-hours of other courses into adventure-filled days on location, so you can earn one to three credits at an accelerated pace. In addition, rather than taking place in an education center, a field study course takes place in a historical European city where the subject being studied has its roots. You will visit historical sites and museums as well as participate in lectures that bring it all together for a one-of-a-kind learning experience.
For more information, please visit the Field Study Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page.
Helpful Hints
Before you leave:
- Contact your travel agency concerning insurance coverage for cancellations.
- Contact your health insurance company for information concerning coverage at your destination.
- Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of your destination country.
- Check the weather forecast for your destination.
- Obtain city maps for your destination.
- Leave contact information with people at home who may need to reach you during the course.
- Make sure your legal affairs are in order and leave a short-term power of attorney with someone you trust.
- Make two photocopies of your passport and the contents of your wallet--leave one copy at home and bring the other with you.
For more information, please visit the Field Study Resources page.