My Iona

Isle of Iona, Scotland

Isle of Iona

Spend your spring break engaging with the roots of our University’s heritage on the island where St. Columba originally founded his community. The Isla of Iona is a place of historical significance, natural beauty, and profound spirituality. Students on this trip will have an opportunity to reflect on the connections between these things and consider how they relate to life back in New Rochelle.

Estimated Cost: $2000-$2200

Cost includes:

  • Roundtrip airfare

  • Ground transportation in Scotland

  • A week of full room and board at Bishop’s House, Isle of Iona

  • Excursion and admission fees

COURSE OVERVIEW

Students May Take One or Both Courses

ENG 402: The Medieval Traveler (Carlson)
Given the outdated but persistent notion of the medieval period as the “Dark Ages,” students might be surprised to discover the range of travel experiences recorded by medieval people, and marvel at their ability to traverse great distances and encounter diverse cultures without the aid of airplanes, smart phones or the internet. This course will serve two main objectives: 1) to explore the diversity of medieval travel narratives, particularly those related to St. Columba and the Celtic world, and to consider the motives and logistics of medieval travel, as well as the encounter of different cultures it facilitated; and 2) to think about their own experience of travel within the context of these narratives, and to consider how it is similar to, different from, and informed by, these medieval accounts.

RST 213: Religion and the Natural World (Robinson)
This class will explore the relationship between religion and the natural world, investigating how religious worldviews have traditionally conceived of nature and have shaped human attitudes and behaviors toward it. Adopting a broad, religiously diverse perspective, the course will explore the convergences and distinctions among global religious traditions in their identification and celebration of nature as a sacred reality and their capacity to creatively respond to contemporary challenges and threats to the viability and integrity of nature in its planetary expanse. This study abroad section will include an immersion in Celtic spirituality and its connection to ecological thinking, as well as an analysis of the Iona Community’s efforts to embody ecojustice.

REQUIREMENTS

A stone design on grass making a Celtic Cross inside of a circle.

  • Enroll in ENG 402, Medieval Traveler and/or RST 213 Religion and the Natural World

  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5;

  • Students under any active form of academic of disciplinary probation at the time of departure will not be permitted to participate in the program.

Apply Now: Isle of Iona

CONTACTS

Jim Robinson Ph.D.
RST 213: Religion and the Natural World
Email: jxrobinson@iona.edu

Christina Carlson Ph.D.
ENG 402: The Medieval Traveler
Email: cmcarlson@iona.edu

Study Abroad Office: studyabroad@iona.edu