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Ecology of Namibian Ecosystems

Program Details

This Study Abroad course will travel to central and northern Namibia, including coastal areas centered on the town of Swakopmund, parts of the Namib Desert, and the savanna region in the northern part of the country that includes Etosha National Park. These three areas will provide access to a variety of coastal, desert, and savanna habitats.

Selection Criteria:

  • Be 18 years of age or older.
  • This program is designed for Science majors (Zoology, Botany, Environmental Science, etc.) but other interested students will be considered for admission to the course.

Prerequisites:

ZOOL 4700 has the prerequisites of ZOOL 1610 (formerly 1010) and ZOOL 2220 or permission of instructor.

Destination: Namibia

Program Dates:

July 28th - August 12th, 2025

Cost

Cost: $6,195 (Airfare is included)

Deposit: $500 Deposit is due 72 hours after registration. If not paid in that timeframe, you may be dropped from your trip.

Payments can now be made online! Visit this website for instructions on how to pay your deposit and future payments online. Charges should show on your account within 24-48 hours after registration. If you want to pay with cash or check, please pay at the Hurst Center for Lifelong Learning.

Includes: airfare, insurance, tuition, domestic transportation, excursions, and some meals.

Not included: passport, incidentals, excess baggage costs, any unscheduled travel, and some meals.

Itinerary

This is a tentative itinerary and is subject to change as we finalize the details of this trip:

Pre-departure Orientation: Wednesday 16 July
2nd Pre-departure gathering to build group cohesion: date TBD but within a week of the pre-departure orientations

SLC Departure: Monday 28 July
Arrival in Nambia, Walvis Bay Airport: Wednesday 30 July
Swakopmund: 30 July - 1 August (Hansa Hotel)
Gobabeb Research and Training Center: 2 August - 4 August
Windhoek: 5 August (Urban Camp)
Etosha National Park: 6 - 8 August (Okaukuejo, Halali and Namutoni Lodges)
Windhoek: 9 August (Urban Camp)
Windhoek Departure: Sunday 10 August
SLC Arrival: Tuesday 12 August

De-briefing Session: Thursday 14 August

 

Academic Courses

Students who participate in this study abroad program will be able to register for up to four (4) semester credits through Weber State University by choosing one of the following:

ZOOL 4700: Topics in Zoology

Program Directors

Dr. John Mull is a Professor Zoology who is in his 28th year of teaching at Weber State. He received his Ph.D. in Biology-Ecology from Utah State University and his bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of Pittsburgh. He has also taught at Denison University, Truman State University, and the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. His research focuses on the ecology of insect-plant interactions and his teaching responsibilities include ecology, animal behavior and entomology. He has also taught summer field courses that have included extended field trips to southern Utah, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and the Pacific Northwest. jmull@weber.edu
Dr. Robert Okazaki, Professor Emeritus of Zoology, taught at Weber State for 20 years and at Southeastern Louisiana University for 7.5 years. He received his Ph.D. in aquatic and population biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, his M.A. in marine biology at San Francisco State University and a B.A. in zoology at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Okazaki was a staff associate involved in research in environmental toxicology and pollution with the University of California’s Bodega Marine Laboratory and Richmond Field Station and with the Bodega Bay Institute of Pollution Ecology. His +50 years of experience in marine biology have included collaborative international research in Brazil, Costa Rica, China and Japan. rokazaki@weber.edu

Trip Cancellations

If Weber State cancels a trip for any reason, all participants will be refunded 100% of funds paid to the school. If a participant withdraws from the program for any reason, they are subject to the refund policy found on the first page of the application.  Deposits are always non-refundable, unless the program is canceled by Weber State.  No refunds will be issued 30 days prior to program start date. 

Refunds will NOT be given to students due to COVID-19 concerns. Before programs were canceled in 2020, every student was given the option to withdraw from programs without penalty due to COVID-19. This year students are applying, cognizant of the pandemic. Weber State will not intentionally place students into high risk situations. We will work together with Program Leaders and Departments on canceling should the destination demonstrate increased risks, be they from COVID or any other concern. As such, students must abide by the standard refund policy.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Study Abroad Office at (801) 626-8715.