GEOL 301: Natural History of the Hawaiian Islands
Type of Opportunity:
Faculty-Led
Date Posted:
June 20, 2025
Deadline:
September 1, 2025
Current Opportunity:
Yes
Term: Winter 2026 Location: Hawaii Course: GEOL 301
Spend 10 days on the Big Island while learning about the natural history of Hawaii! Instead of a classroom, we will take advantage of the natural environment for a fully immersive learning experience. Classes will take place outside, learning about the geology, native flora and fauna, climates, and culture that make the Hawaiian Islands so unique. Many days will include hiking to and from our field localities. These hikes may range from short walks to up to 6 miles a day. All students must be able to participate in these hikes to make it to the educational sites and pass the class.
We will generally spend full days out in the field, often with work or occasional excursions in the evenings. There will be some breaks, but to accommodate a full class during the 10 days, our schedule will be quite busy.
This course is Geology 301, which is an upper-division science GE class. All majors are welcome to participate, and the program is open to non-SSU students, though all participants must register for the class and pay the associated tuition and fees.
Estimated Costs:
Tuition and fees: $1,245
Ground expenses: $2,100
Estimated flight: $600
Additional meals and personal expenses: $100 (estimated)
Total program cost: $4,045
Ground expenses include:
- Housing throughout the program (shared rooms)
- Transportation throughout the program
- Any required on-site fees
- Most meals throughout the program, including 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches, and 9 dinners. Most meals will be made as a group using the housing kitchen facilities.
What is not included: Round-trip flight to Hawaii, additional meals not included in the program, and personal expenses.
Please note - all prices are estimates and are subject to change. Students will be provided with more accurate fee information once we know how many students are participating. The more students who participate, the lower the cost will be; however, this program has a max capacity of 24 students.
Important Dates
Application Deadline: September 01, 2025
$500 (estimated) Deposit Due: September 20, 2025
Program Fee Due: November 1, 2025
Tuition and Fees Due: December 15, 2025
Program Starts: January 05, 2026
Program Ends: January 15, 2026
Please note that all dates are subject to change.