There were three course options for students going on this trip, and every student was asked to sign up for two courses. These are the course description, as given by the University:
POSC/COMM319 - Topics in Politics and Broadcast Journalism: Geopolitics of Antarctica (3 cr.)
In developing an understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of journalism, students will be exposed to political and scientific issues they may never have considered, and will come to understand why global problems often require complex international agreements. Expected focus on Antarctica as a political football during the cold war.
ENGL409 - Topics in Journalism: Antarctica Photojournalism (3 cr.)
Students will discover the difference between writing concisely to accompany their photography and writing more extensively for a special-interest audience. Possible topics include: environmental issues (such as wildlife, global warming, scientific exploration at the poles, the ozone layer) and the politics of the continent, including its military and scientific significance.
ENWC367 - Topics in Wildlife Photography: Antarctica Photojournalism (3 cr.)
Students will plan, prepare and execute a photojournalism project, perhaps in pairs or a small group. Students may use conventional or digital camera equipment, or may choose to create a broadcast video production.
The three courses were taught as one class, with the major differences being the assignments students were asked to complete. As every student was taking one of the photojournalism classes, the first assignment was to create four postcards, using pictures that had been taken by the student. The postcards each had a theme of night, motion, landscape, and portrait. Each student was then asked to write a short paragraph about their postcard, so that another person could look at it and see the same image that inspired the student.
The second assignment was a group assignment, where pairs of students created a one-page advertisement, using pictures that they had taken on the trip. These advertisements could use text, titles, multiple images or a single image, and could be manipulated. The only requirement was that it must be clear what item was being advertised.
The third assignment was also a group assignment, with students creating a photo manipulation. Using the exact same photos, students wrote two articles, one being factual and the second a creation. This assignment was intended to show the students how photos don't always explain the full story, even when the images themselves are unedited.
The final assignment was a research paper. This assignment varied dependent on the classes that students were signed up for. Students in the political science class were required to choose a politically themed research topic, while students in the English class were asked to write a longer paper, as well as have a more structured overall thesis. These papers included photos that the students had taken on the trip, as well as research that every student had completed before the trip even began.
See these assignments here.