Program Highlights
- Develop a deeper understanding of the golf industry through an increasingly important international/cultural lens.
- Spend time in Edinburgh and St. Andrews, Scotland exploring cultural and golf-related issues at various sites.
- Conduct informal qualitative research on the golf industry in the birthplace of golf.
- Explore various golf facilities and interact with international staff and management.
- Become familiar with the golf industry from a course management perspective as well as from an agricultural perspective.
Academics
Course of Study
This education abroad program will include preparatory sessions during the Spring 2018 semester in the US (delivered via face to face as well as online) followed by a 10-day program overseas to gain hands-on experience with issues explored in the preparatory sessions. The preparatory sessions will include reading materials on the golf industry in Scotland, the history of golf (starting in Scotland), review of growth of the game in the United States as well as merchandizing practices common in the United States. While in Scotland, students will write reflective journal entries each day and reflections should be related to learning outcomes as expressed in the course syllabus. Students will be expected to engage in tours, guest lectures (provided by professional staff at various facilities) as well as other activities relating to the program (scavenger hunt, etc.). At the conclusion of the education abroad experience, student will review their journal entries and create a presentation summarizing their experiences with special consideration given to previously outline course objectives. A final paper will also be required which will contain journal entries as well as a post-trip reflection/elaboration on those entries. Learning Outcomes:
Learning Outcomes:
- Identify similarities and differences between a golf operation in Scotland and those in the United States.
- Compare growth of the game initiatives in Scotland to those in the United States.
- Understand important events in the history of golf and relate them to the development of golf in the United States
- Develop an understanding of golf merchandising potential in a golf mecca.
- Identify common turfgrass management of practices in Scotland.
Course Credit
Students will earn UNL credits for AGRI 310: Study Tours in International Agriculture.
Eligibility
Priority will be given to those students in College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Students must have a GPA of 2.5 or above. Students must participate in pre-travel orientation facilitated by study abroad leaders as well as participate in one of the Education Abroad Office workshops in the spring of 2022.
Faculty Leaders
Mr. Brad Goetsch, is a PGA Professional and PGA Gold Management Instruction Coordinator in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at UNL. Mr. Goetsch will facilitate aspects of the education abroad program relating to Scottish culture and the Scottish golf industry. Having been part of a previous education abroad program to Scotland with another institution, Mr. Goetsch has become familiar with the golf industry in Scotland.
Brad Goetsch
203H Keim Hall
bgoetsch2@unl.edu
(402) 472-7426
Dann Husman
KEiM 203
dhusmann2@unl.edu
(402) 472-4101
Location
The United Kingdom is an impressive mixture of fertile farmland, rugged cliffs, and mountains, yet it also has its share of sophisticated cities and friendly towns. Scottland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom that covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain.
Mainland Scotland has a 96-mile (154 km) border with England to the southeast and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, the North Sea to the northeast, and the Irish Sea to the south. The country also contains more than 790 islands, principally in the archipelagos of the Hebrides and the Northern Isles. The capital Edinburgh in the Central Belt is where most of the population is concentrated and it is the plain between the Scottish Highlands and the Southern Uplands – in Scottish Lowlands.
Accommodations and Other Arrangements
INTERNATIONAL AIRFARE: Program participants will purchase their own international airfare with direction from the Education Abroad Office. Students are required to purchase their airfare with the university travel agency - Fox World Travel. All students will purchase direct flights to the United Kingdom from the U.S. (no layovers abroad) on the program departure date (no personal travel prior to the program start date) due to precautions and mitigation measures specific to COVID-19. If the COVID-19 situation improves, we will re-evaluate these procedures. Personal travel outside of the United Kingdom during the program dates will not be permitted.
- Airfare Assistance Program (AAP): EAO staff will partner with the University’s travel agency on behalf of eligible students to purchase airfare for programs with individual flight reservations. Students will be billed for airfare at the beginning of the term in which they go abroad.
LODGING in COUNTRY: For the majority of the program, students will stay in hotels.
MEALS in COUNTRY: Breakfast will be provided in St. Andrews. Participants will be responsible for all other meals.
TRANSPORTATION in COUNTRY: The majority of local transportation will be via large vans.
DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED for TRAVEL: All U.S. citizens will need a valid passport to participate on the program. Non-U.S. citizens need to research entry requirements specific to the country of destination at the time of applying to the program. Deadline to upload passport to MyWorld:
March 15, 2022. No visas are required for U.S. citizens to enter the United Kingdom
.
HEALTH AND MOBILITY: Students are expected to walk sometimes rugged and uneven terrain (up to 12 miles) while carrying their golfing gear. The terrain ranges from relatively flat to extremely steep hills. Temperatures can vary while outdoors from low 50s to mid 60s °F.
Budget
See the Budget Sheet near the top of this page (click on "Summer") and the Fund your Experience page on the Education Abroad website.
Explanation of Costs
Please see the Budget Sheet for a detailed explanation of billable and non-billable program costs, withdrawal policies, and the payment process. Costs vary by program, so it is important to review this information carefully.
Deposit
Upon confirmation of participation, program participants will pay a $500 deposit. The deposit will be applied to the final program cost balance. If a participant withdraws from the program, the participant will be responsible for any irrecoverable costs associated with the program at the time of withdrawal. The final program cost balance will appear on the participant's MyRED student account.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Please see the Education Abroad website for detailed information about financial aid and scholarships.
Additional Resources
Below you will find links to resources for travel, health, and safety:
U.S. Embassy in the United Kingdom
US Department of State
Center for Disease Control
*UNL Education Abroad does not officially endorse, administer, or monitor the content of these links.
