UCLA Travel Study
Sociology: Cities and Cultures
*2024 Program Information Coming Soon!*
Explore cutting-edge, urban, cultural and political issues and the trendiest neighborhoods in the country’s largest city. See first-hand how a city of 9.2 million goes about its daily life. Visit the brand new World Trade Center memorial site, the sensational new High Line park, and learn about attempts to “green” the city, and its spectacular success in reducing crime.
Hear how the “Big Apple” is dealing with its challenges as the largest public school system in the country, and see first-hand how the city hosts star high-tech companies such as Google and Apple, nurtures thousands of start-ups and is a new media center. View the latest architecture, discuss the changing role of museums, and visit Chelsea, the largest Contemporary Art gallery district in the world. Learn about the new world of journalism, newspapers, television, and magazines.
See how the film and television industry and Broadway and today’s contemporary theater works, and hear first-hand about the turbulent history of Spiderman, the most expensive Broadway show ever. Visit the United Nations and learn about New York as a global city.
Curriculum
Program Courses
All students will enroll in two required courses while attending the program:
- SOCIOL 191NY (5 units)
- SOCIOL 191R (5 units)
Course Descriptions
SOCIOL 191NY: Urban and Suburban Sociology in New York City (5 units)
SOCIOL 191R: Cultural Sociology (5 units)
Prerequisites: None
These courses explore cutting-edge urban and cultural issues in the country’s largest city, including topics such as: 2007-8 financial and economic crisis, rebuilding of the Word Trade Center, the effects of the presidency of Donald Trump on NYC, urban economic development, attempts to “green” the city, immigration, transportation systems, cultural theory, and more. Both courses are taught concurrently with overlapping content and one syllabus.
Optional Courses
SOCIOL 199: Directed Research (4 units)
If desired, students may choose to enroll in one SOCIOL 199 course in addition to the two required courses.
Students will write an academically rigorous 10-15 page paper or present a carefully annotated portfolio of photographs together with an explanatory essay. Obtain your instructor’s approval on the subject and format. Please note that deadline dates apply even if you plan to travel after the program ends. There is an additional fee for this independent study course.
Students can enroll in optional courses by submitting the Optional Course Registration Form, as well as proof of instructor consent, to info@ieo.ucla.edu. You can enroll up until the Friday of the second week of your program.
Syllabus/Schedule
TBA. Courses meet four days a week. Syllabus and schedule are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.
Grading
Travel Study courses must be taken for a letter grade. Grades are typically based on class attendance and participation, journals, a mid-term examination and a final examination/final project. Grading criteria is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.
Textbooks
TBA. You are responsible for purchasing your own textbooks. We strongly suggest you read as much of the text material as possible before you depart. More information on textbooks will be available at a later date.
Budget and Financial Aid
| Budget Estimate | UC Undergrads | UC Grad Students | Visiting Student |
| Program Fee | $5500 | $6100 | $6100 |
| Textbooks (estimate) | $150 | $150 | $150 |
| Airfare (estimate) | $600 | $600 | $600 |
| Meals (estimate) | $1500 | $1500 | $1500 |
| Spending Money (estimate) | $800 | $800 | $800 |
Program fee includes registration and course fees, accommodations, some meals, and program excursions.
Airfare, textbooks, optional courses, other meals, optional excursions and any COVID-19 testing required for travel are additional.
Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents. View full fee disclaimer.
Document Fee
Non-UCLA students will be charged a $50 Document Fee. This is a one-time document fee which covers fees for first-class mailing of official transcripts, diploma and much more. Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for more information. Matriculated UCLA Students: Please visit the Registrar’s Office Website for document fee information.
IEI Fee
All undergraduate students will be charged a $61 IEI fee per summer. The IEI (Instructional Enhancement Initiative) fee is a course materials fee that is charged in order to support the use of technology in undergraduate education at UCLA. For more information please click here.
Budgeting
We recommend that you budget accordingly to cover optional sightseeing, laundry, Internet cafes, emergencies, etc. How much to budget depends on your travel, entertainment, and souvenir choices. It is always best to overestimate your spending. Take the time to research the cost of living in your destination and the activities you want to participate in while abroad.
Purchasing Airfare
Please do not purchase airfare until instructed to do so by your Travel Study Program Coordinator.
Optional Course Fee
| Optional 199 | UC Undergrads | UC Grad Students | Visiting Students |
| Course Fee | $279 per unit | $349 per unit | $360 per unit |
Fees are subject to change by action of the UC Regents. View full fee disclaimer.
Financial Aid
Financial aid for Travel Study programs is available to qualified UCLA students. All other students should inquire about financial aid at their home institution. For details about the financial aid application process, please visit the Financial Aid section of this website.
On Location
Accommodations
Students will stay in housing provided by NYU. Rooms are double occupancy and some students may be assigned to share larger suites with other students who are not in the UCLA program. Students will not have access to kitchens in the residence hall, however, they will be provided a basic meal plan as explained below. Please plan accordingly for all other meals.
Students need to provide their own linens (beds are extra-long twins), pillows, towels, and dishware/cookware if they plan to use the kitchen.
Participants must complete an NYU Housing Application and submit this online directly to NYU Housing. The application will be made available at a later date by UCLA IEO.
UCLA Travel Study reserves the right to change housing location. Should this be necessary, we will arrange comparable accommodations elsewhere.
Meals
Eight meals per week meal plan is included at NYU. Students will not have access to kitchens, so please plan accordingly for all other meals.
If you have strict dietary requirements, this program may not be able to accommodate your needs. Please let us know when you apply for this program if you have special dietary needs as well as any physical or medical conditions. We will advise you accordingly.
Excursions
This program includes several weekly excursions within New York City. A complete excursion itinerary will be available at a later date.
Free time is built into this program for independent sightseeing. If you plan on traveling extensively, we recommend that you budget additional spending money.
The program combines seminars and on-site visits led by some of the major experts in the city, which may include:
- Night at Broadway with a Broadway show, and “after-show” private meeting with the actors, led by tv journalist Dick Oliver and Broadway marketing executive Kate McGrath
- New York Times senior editor, Connie Rosenblum
- Sotheby’s Senior Lecturer, Andras Szanto
- NYC Art Commissioner, Michele Bogart
- New media expert Merry Clark
- Chief Engineer of the Highline, Peter Mullan
- Meat-packing Historic District Co-founders, Jo Hamilton, and Florent Morellet
- Harlem tour led by McArthur award-winning photographer Camilo Vergara
Location
For more information on New York City, please visit New York’s official tourism Web page.