Educational Travel

Educational travel transforms the way you look at the world and yourself. For more than two decades, Brightpoint has organized educational trips to places such as Greece, France, Vietnam, Italy, England, Scotland, Ghana and Peru.

The courses we've covered have been just as diverse. Students have earned college credit in nursing, Spanish, philosophy, theatre, information technology, history, English, art and more, all while immersing themselves in the communities and cultures they visit.

Whether you choose to participate in one or all of the courses covered during a particular trip, you can participate in all planned activities.

Upcoming Trips

California

Informational Meetings:

Description: GET more information on the California trip, including dates, costs, classes, and destinations.

When (please only attend one session):

  • Tuesday, January 24 at 11:00 a.m.
  • Wednesday, January 25, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.
  • Thursday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m.

Where: Zoom

Preliminary Itinerary for Global Educational Travel Program California 2023

Proposed Dates of Travel are in late May/early June. The final decision regarding dates will be made based on the cost of the trip. 

This is a ROUGH itinerary and subject to change but it should give you a feel for the travel portion of the program. 

Day 1:  Fly RIC to SFO. Check into hotel, orientation and walking tour of the area. Group dinner.

Day 2:  Spend the morning exploring MOMA. Then take a cable car ride and have lunch in Chinatown. Return to the hotel to prepare to tour The Palace of Fine Arts, Golden Gate Park, the Land’s End Trail and see the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset. Theatre students will see a show at the Golden Gate Theatre.

Day 3:  Depart the hotel to tour Walt Disney and the Cartoon Museum. Lunch on your own. See the Ferry Building and explore North Beach. Theatre students will see a show at the Orpheum.

Day 4:  Day starts with a tour of the Asian Art Museum. Lunch on your own and then explore No Pa and the Mission District. Explore the nightlife on your own or take an optional tour of Alcatraz at night.

Day 5:  Morning is free to explore on your own. Depart in the afternoon for Berkeley and see a show at the Berkeley Greek Theatre.

Day 6:  Fly SFO to LAX. Check into hotel, orientation and walking tour of the area.

Day 7:  Begin with a tour of the Getty Museum and Villa. Walking tour of Union Station and lunch on your own. Meet up in the evening for a group dinner and a show at the Geffen.

Day 8:   In the morning, we tour the Disney Concert Hall and the Gehry Theatre. Lunch on your own. Optional trip to Griffith Park and Observatory.

Day 9:   Depart for Hollywood Boulevard and the Walk of Fame and tour Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Lunch on your own in Chinatown. In the evening, theatre students will see a show at East West Players.

Day 10:  Fly LAX to SFO/RIC.

Courses being offered:

ART 102 History of Art: Renaissance to Modern – The Passport class surveys the history and interpretation of architecture, painting and sculpture from the Renaissance through the modern era.  Teaching this course on location affords the students firsthand experience with the material. Trips to the De Yung Museum, San Francisco and The Getty, Los Angeles provides students the opportunity to interact with paintings and sculptures from the late Gothic through the 18th century, while the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art allows for the interpretation of works form the 20th – 21st centuries. Structures, such as the Xanadu Gallery by Frank Lloyd Wright, Disney Concert Hall, and the Eames House allow these conversations to move into the architectural sphere of the course. Assignments and discussions of these sites and objects will improve their written and oral communications skills and encourage analytical thinking. (3 credit hours; Passport and UCGS course, Humanities or Fine Arts; Requirement and/or elective for several degrees.)

ART 150 History of Film and Animation – This transfer elective exposes the student to the rich history of temporal imagery from the invention of the zoetrope and kinetoscope through the rise of the moving picture industry and the development of the first animated films to present day television. Chronicles the impact of the moving image in the Twentieth century. Discusses the design and concept of influential works as well as the relationship between these earlier forms of moving graphics and today's innovative video technology. Locations, such as The Walt Disney Family Museum, Cartoon Museum, Hollywood Bowl, and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, will contextualize these concepts in their modern setting. Assignments and discussions of these sites and objects will improve their written and oral communications skills and encourage analytical thinking. (3 credit hours; Requirement and/or elective for several degrees.)

CST 100 – Principles of Public Speaking – This UCGS class applies theory and principles of public address with emphasis on preparation and delivery. Teaching this course as a part of the on-site program will add a new dimension to the curriculum. With this approach, all the student speeches (except the introductory speech) will be focused on aspects of the country. For example, for the research speech, students will pick one of the sites that we will visit and focus their research on that site. The day that we visit the site, the student will deliver their speech about the site before we visit it. This will be an excellent way to teach the course since the student will gain real world speaking experience and enrich their understanding of the country at the same time. Students will improve their written and oral communications skills and critical thinking skills. (3 credit hours; UCGS course, specialized GE requirements block; Requirement for several transfer degrees.)

CST 130 Introduction to Theatre – This UCGS class surveys the principles of drama, the development of theatre production, and selected plays to acquaint the student with various types of theatrical presentations. Major areas of focus will include significant locations of influence in modern theatre, including the Orpheum, San Francisco Opera House, Dolby Theatre, Gruaman’s Chinese Theatre, and various playhouses in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Course objectives will include observing the influences modern architecture and practices on theatrical work. Students will develop a deeper understanding of how history has contributed towards our current theatrical practices. In addition, through oral presentations and written classwork, students will improve their oral and written communication and critical thinking skills. (3 credit hours; Passport and UCGS course, Humanities or Fine Arts; Requirement and/or elective for several degrees.)

Funding Your Trip

Brightpoint is committed to making international education experiences affordable and accessible.

Inclusive, High-Value Programs

With tuition and fees about one third of what you would pay at a public four-year college or university in Virginia, Brightpoint is an affordable option for studying abroad. Brightpoint’s Global Educational Travel programs are designed to include lodging and airfare, as well as some meals and admissions. Booking accommodations, airfare and admission tickets as a group helps keep the overall cost of studying abroad more affordable.

Each trip has unique costs. Factors that influence the final cost include number of participants, number of courses and airfare. See trip documents for specific costs for each trip.

Foundation Global Educational Travel Scholarships

Faculty at the college who are committed to the importance of international education have established scholarships to financially assist students enrolled in courses that require travel and educational travel. These scholarships can be used for tuition, books, fees and required supplies during summer educational travel experiences. 

Financial Aid

In many cases, eligible students may use their financial aid to fund international education. All need-based and merit-based aid, with the exception of work-study support, is transferrable to tuition and fees for Brightpoint’s international study programs.