Students will study the role of the science and social aspects of foods and physical activity for shaping community and global health. The first two weeks of the program will be online academic work with the remaining 21-24 days in Europe, split equally between Spain, France and Switzerland. This program will be a physically active experience. Participants will engage in extensive hiking and biking in these regions. While not competitive, course activities can be at times strenuous, so applicants should have a high level of fitness.

For a glimpse into the 2017 program, watch a student made video here

The first two weeks of the program will be course work for the program and this is before the traveling part of the program. The following three weeks will be in Europe with a week each in Spain, France and Switzerland. The three areas chosen provide a variety of culinary and activity behaviors. Although located adjacent to each other in Western Europe, their cultures vary dramatically, and this can be seen in their dietary practices. The course will take advantage of this diversity.

Spain: The program starts in Barcelona, Spain.  We will spend 3-4 days in the city at centrally located apartments navigating the different markets and restaurants, as well as the various recreation facilities.  We will go on a bicycle tour of the city for an afternoon. We will have a cooking class one day, a Tapas tour through the streets another day, and then visit museums and notable landmarks. After Barcelona, we will travel to Cadaques, Spain, in the northern part of the country. There students will kayak, hike, and enjoy the fresh seafood and other delicacies of the area.   

France: We will travel by vans to Provence area of France for 4 days of biking and hiking. We will stay in an apartment in Bedoin, France. Small groups of students will rotate and cook meals nightly for the rest of the class. This includes creating a menu, shopping, and preparing the food. Activities in this area will also include a cooking class, hiking, and biking in this historic and beautiful countryside full of vineyards, wineries, and fields of flowers. We will bike from 25-40 miles for two days and hike for 8 miles another day. Passing through the villages we will observe the cuisines and culture associated with the diet, as well as the markets for procuring the food. Leaving Bedoin, we will travel by van to Chamonix for 3 nights where students will go glacier hiking, and alpine hiking to picturesque lakes. Students can also enjoy the shopping and eating pleasures of this international destination. 

Switzerland: From Chamonix, we will travel in vans to Gimmelwald, Switzerland, where we will start a 5 day hike to mountain huts and small hotels along the trek. This 5 day experience of backpacking will take you to remote locations where we marvel at the landscape and appreciate the work performed to get there. The food scene changes drastically in Switzerland and we understand the basis for this shift. These will be ~4-7 hours of hiking each day and at times it will be strenuous, but totally worth the effort.   The last destination in Switzerland is to Interlaken to provide an opportunity for more hiking and or participate in an adventure sport such as hang-gliding. 
 
We then drive back to Barcelona, Spain for our return flights home.

HES 384 Global Perspectives in Food, Activity, and Health

Discover how traditional foods and physical activity behaviors within a culture shape the health of a community or population.  We will study dietary practices and physical activity research, including from the perspective of the built environment, how these influence the community’s health.  The original impetus for this class stems from observing in my global experiences and travels that there is wide variety of dietary habits that sustains health in a population.  Often, this may be in contrast to what Americans perceive as a “healthy” diet.

The class will be based on readings and discussions with writing and presentations. Students will choose a region to research and create a video of their information for others to view. In addition to 2 weeks of online work, students and the faculty will travel to three primary regions of Europe, one location each week. These include Spain, France, and Switzerland.  During these travels, the group will participate in many traditional activities surrounding diet and activity, and observe and engage in the dietary practices of the regions. These experiences will serve as laboratory for the theories and knowledge gained in class discussions.  Examples of these experiences are visiting markets, biking as transportation, hiking in the mountains, and cooking program. These will enrich the student’s knowledge and provide a much needed international exposure to them.

Dr. Gary Miller
Professor, Health and Exercise Science
Office: 315 Reynolds Gym
Phone: 336 758 1901
Email: millergd@wfu.edu

In Europe, the group will stay in hotels, apartments and mountain huts.

In Spain, both hiking and biking will be performed.

In France, the focus will be on the Provence region of France with biking as the primary activity.

In Switzerland, the focus will be on hiking in the Alps in the Interlaken area.

Individuals will be selected based on their interest and desire to be in the program by the Faculty Director. 

• Admissions will be on a rolling admission. 
• Upper-classmen will be given priority if necessary. 
• All students are encouraged to apply. 
• No prerequisites are needed for the course. 
• All students must interview with Dr. Miller to complete the application.

*Please note that this program contains a high level of physical activity. Applicants should have a high level of fitness.

The total cost of summer study abroad can be broken down into four categories:
Program Fee – Usually covers room, in-country travel, excursions, some meals and other costs associated with the program.
Tuition – Students on WFU summer programs pay WFU summer school tuition per credit hour. The 2024 summer rate was $950/per credit hour. 
Airfare (estimated) – Varies per location. Students are responsible for their own airfare unless otherwise noted.
Personal Expenses (estimated) – These will vary depending on the students’ spending habits, cost of living in the destination country, and the number of meals included in the program fee. This may also include visa fees, vaccinations, academic supplies/books and other miscellaneous daily expenses.

Estimated Program Fee – $7,000
Tuition (3hrs) – $2,850
Airfare (estimated) – $1,800
Personal Expenses (estimated) – $800
Estimated total cost – $12,450

*Final program fee is dependent on total number of students enrolled in the program

Scholarships are available through the Center for Global Programs and Studies.

Passport Information
Students need to check their passport’s expiration date and ensure that it will be valid for at least 6 months after the program’s end date.

Students going on a summer program need to make sure their passport is valid through at least mid-February of the following year.

US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State’s passport website for information on this process.

Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country’s passport office.

Visa Information
If you are a US citizen, you most likely will not require a visa for your summer abroad program. If you do, details will be shared with you by GPS. Non-US passport holders should check with their host country’s embassy or consulate to find out if a visa is required for their program or not.

Dr. Gary Miller
Professor, Health and Exercise Science
Office: 315 Reynolds Gym
Phone: 336 758 1901
Email: millergd@wfu.edu

Tyler Favale 
Study Abroad Advisor
Center for Global Programs and Studies
336-758-4072
favalet@wfu.edu