Summer Program in Political Communication for Graduate Students
Tampere, Helsinki, and St. Petersburg, Russia
August 6-24, 2007
The University of Tampere in Finland is offering a summer enrichment study program on Political Communication in August 2007. The program combines classroom discussion in English led by expert faculty in the field of political communication, with travel and scholarly exchange in Finland and St. Petersburg.
This summer opportunity is intended for graduate students, especially those with an interest in political communication in a comparative global context.
Program plan: The summer program is composed of three parts:
1. Seminar in Tampere, Finland, August 6-15
- Political communication
- Media and globalization, international and development communication
- Intercultural communication
- Political communication in Russia
2. Nordic conference on Media and Communication Research in Helsinki, August 16-18
- Attend the conference as observers
- Attendance of the 18th Nordic Conference for Media and Communication Research in Helsinki is free for the summer school participants. Registration fee is 40 euros. Conference site
3. Visit to St.Petersburg, August 19-23
- Hosted by St.Petersburg State University, Faculty of Journalism
- Getting acquainted with media in St.Petersburg
- Seminar on Russian media and journalism
The program offers spaces for 4-5 graduate students from the University of Minnesota. These students will participate together with students from the University of Tampere in the Master's program in political communication and with graduate students from University of Texas, Austin. The total number of participants in the summer school is expected to be 10-15.
The program faculty leaders are professors Kaarle Nordenstreng (Tampere), Mika Aaltola (UoMN) and Joseph Straubhaar (UoT).
Texas students should refer to the University of Texas College of Communication for scholarship information.
The program does not offer course credit, but independent study graduate credit may be available upon consultation with the UoM instructor.
For more information on the program, interested students should contact Mika Aaltola at aalto007@umn.edu.
Costs and Scholarships
There is no program fee or tuition for the program. Accommodation in student dormitories (single rooms with a bathroom) throughout the summer program is provided by the University of Tampere. The University will also pay for the student union membership fee which entitles one to reduced prices in the university cafeterias, city buses, and intercity railways.
Interested students can apply for scholarship support from the Government of Finland/David and Nancy Speer Chair in Finnish Studies. The scholarship provides for roundtrip airfare Minneapolis – Tampere, international travel insurance, and a small stipend ($440) to help offset the cost of the field trip to St. Petersburg and the conference registration fee.
Board and other incidental costs (estimated at $300) are borne by the participants.
Application Information
To Apply for participation in the program and for the scholarship, submit the
- Application Form (RTF) (PDF)
- A one-page Statement of Interest
- A letter of Recommendation
- A copy of your transcript
- Signed and dated Release and Waiver Form (RTF) (PDF)
Application deadline is May 1, 2007.
Klaas van der Sanden
Institute for Global Studies
University of Minnesota
214 Social Sciences Tower
267-19th Avenue S.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Email: vande001@umn.edu
Phone: 612-625-1856
Fax: 612-626-2242