The U.S. National Park Study Away program is a 3-week program in which students study the politics of U.S. public land, while traveling around Western U.S. national parks and monuments. The program is sponsored by the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) however, it is open to all majors. The program will focus on US public land regulatory policy and politics via the lens of an outdoor classroom. All students are required to take 6 hours of coursework—one course on the law and politics of U.S. public land, and one research-based course that explores related topics.
Trip activities include camping, hiking, interaction with stakeholders (policymakers, interest groups, park managers, and the general public), and group cooperation in travel and living experiences. Students will travel by sprinter van to visit approximately 15 national park areas along a generally southwestern route that starts in Bozeman, Montana and ends in San Francisco, California.
