Armstrong State University will offer a new study abroad program in Havana, Cuba from July 9-29, 2017. Students will learn about the history, culture and contemporary issues affecting the Communist island nation post-Fidel Castro. The program is open to all Armstrong students, as well as University System of Georgia transient students, and offers a roster of semester credits.

“Students will be exposed to an array of cultural activities and study excursions designed to encourage direct interact with the Cuban people,” notes Armstrong Associate Professor of Sociology Ned Rinalducci, Ph.D., who will act as the director in residence for the program. “Cuba is on the verge of dramatic change and this frozen-in-time nation, just starting to open up, is a compelling place to study.”

Classes will be held at the Instituto de Filosofía de Cuba, a higher-education facility that is affiliated with The Academy of Sciences of Cuba, an official institution of the state. Located in Havana’s residential neighborhood Vedado, which was founded in 1859 and is notable for its strong Spanish, Moorish and French architectural influences, the institute is a short walk from the city’s five-mile sea wall, the Malecón. The U.S. embassy is also within close proximity.

Cuba’s rich heritage, rooted in Latin America, Europe and Africa, will be explored, in relation to the island’s cultural, economic and political structures. As well, students will discuss the country’s pre and post-revolutionary history, education and healthcare systems and diverse ecosystems. In addition, they will experience Cuban music and dance first-hand.

Courses include Comparative Societies, Politics & Institutions: Cuba, Global Sociology, Ethics, Values, Special Topics and Cuban Culture.

Havana is located on the northern coast of the Hispanic Caribbean island, approximately 90 miles south of the Florida Keys. Cuba was founded by Christopher Columbus in 1492 and today is home to more than 11 million habitants.