UNIVERSITY RELIGIONS STUDY ABROAD
Study Abroad Religious Studies Program |
Experiential Learning for University Students
Enhance your students’ understanding of the world’s religions through a unique, immersive experience specifically designed for university students.
Similar to our public Discovery Week, your students will participate in engaging classes which set the stage for site visits to sacred spaces, houses of worship and community gathering spaces. Students have the opportunity to meet with members and leaders of these diverse communities. We often schedule our visits so we can observe and sometimes participate in communal rituals which bring the religions to life and off the page.
Every program is customized to meet your pedagogical goals for your students.
Customized University Programs for Religious Studies
We will work with you to create meaningful experiences which may include:
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Savouring a Sikh langar meal
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Attending Jewish Shabbat service
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Exploring a Hindu Temple
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Observing a Muslim congregation at Friday prayer
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Engaging in Zen meditation
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Practicing Daoist Tai chi
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Meeting a Wiccan Community
Classes for our Discover World Religions Program delve into key aspects of the tradition including history, key tenets, practices and sometimes aesthetics and political issues. Class instruction helps prepare students to maximize the learning experience at the visits where we often gain access to rituals and spaces not easily accessible to the general public. We meet practitioners and leaders of various traditions and process our experiences on bus trips, in class discussions, and over meals.
Over the past 25 years of hosting these types of programs, 95% of our participants consistently rate our program as exceeding expectations.
What University Educators Need to Know
We will tailor the program in consultation with you. Length of program and the specific content (which religions, visits, etc.) can be customized based on your preferences and with assistance from us. Having run programs like this for 25 years has given us a lot of local knowledge on the benefits of different visits, where to find great guides, what days and times are best for visiting certain communities (often to catch ritual), as well as matters like proximity and transportation time.
Diversity Centre: Toronto
Toronto has been deemed the world’s most diverse city by the United Nations and features enormous temples, gurdwaras, synagogues, etc. in addition to having a notable presence of smaller communities like Rastafarians, Zoroastrians and Wiccans.
What You Can Expect
Engaging Talks
Before visiting the sites, Encounter’s Executive Director Brian Carwana introduces each religion, offering insightful summaries of the tradition as well as explaining what we will see and experience during the visit. In addition to exploring the basics of the religion, classes can provide students with important knowledge in recognizing iconography and understanding temple etiquette and the role of body comportment at specific sites.
These classes will help students understand and internalize all they encounter in our site visits. All classes are taught from a non-sectarian perspective, and are respectful of all religious, secular and spiritual identities.
The Encounter World Religions program proved transformative, broadening my students’ perspectives in profound ways. Opportunities to meet adherents, visit sacred sites, and observe services across diverse religious traditions gave them a truly immersive global perspective. Over the course of a week, my students grew in their critical thinking and deepened their empathy for diverse faith communities.
Dr. Brian Carwana has crafted a well-structured and engaging program. His expertise as a scholar of religion and his experience teaching in higher education ensure that students engage in rigorous study grounded in the standards of the field.
I am pleased to provide my highest recommendation to educators considering Encounter World Religions as a reliable and enriching provider for academic programs abroad. Their commitment to educational excellence and cultural sensitivity is exemplary. Your students will learn a great deal and love every moment of it — and in all likelihood, so will you.
Dr. Rebekka King, Professor, Middle Tennessee State University
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Fantastic Religious Site Visits
As part of the Discover World Religions program, you will be warmly welcomed by our
many hosts. You will be invited to observe and participate in unique experiences and
explore fantastic art and architecture. Our guides are engaging and open to answering
your questions and making you feel comfortable in their rituals and places of worship.
Our schedule is carefully crafted to allow us the best opportunities to observe ritual and
communal life.
Meaningful Learning: Religions
The combination of intriguing class instruction and rich experiential visits is often transformative for students’ understanding of religion. The program helps religions come to life and makes them tangible in the communities, rituals and even the food we savour.
University Program Coursepack
A coursepack summarizes lecture content for students, complete with images that help further learning and provide a valuable resource to look back upon.
All the Details are Handled for You
Transportation for site visits and some meals are provided as part of your package. Accommodations are available through a number of options and can be arranged when booking your Discover World Religions program.
We welcome you and your students to join us in a fascinating tour of world religions in one of the most diverse and vibrant cities in the world. Reach out to learn more about the program by emailing us at brian@worldreligions.ca
