Higher Ed: Scholarship Aboad

While university fees continue to rise in many parts of the world, some of you might be thinking that getting a recognized degree qualification, either in your home country or abroad, is simply impossible without having a four- or five-figure budget at your disposal.

You’ll be pleased to hear that this isn’t necessarily the case! There are many countries worldwide where students are able to study abroad for free or for a very affordable amount; you just need to know where to look.
Below you’ll find a selection of countries that offer low-cost or free tuition, with details on eligibility and what current (low) university fees you can expect. To find internationally reputed universities in these countries, visit the QS World University Rankings® 2014/15.

Study in Germany for free

Interest in studying abroad in Germany just seems to keep on growing. This is largely due to the fact that there are no undergraduate tuition fees at public universities in Germany, and this applies to both German students and internationals, regardless of nationality. Just a small nominal university fee is charged, of around €150-250 (US$160-270) to cover administration costs.

These low study costs, combined with Germany’s strong economy and excellent higher education system, makes the prospect of undertaking study in Germany for free extremely appealing for both students and their parents worldwide.  Indeed, in a recent HSBC report on ‘The Value of Education’, Germany came third – behind the US and UK – in terms of perceived quality of education among surveyed parents. More than 40 German universities are featured among the world’s leaders in the QS World University Rankings – again, beaten only by the US and UK – with the highest place taken by Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg.

If you’re successful in finding a university at which to study in Germany for free, you will of course still need to budget for living costs. You should allow around US$10,520 a year to cover living costs and university fees. Two of the top destinations for study in Germany, Munich and Berlin, are also ranked as two of the most affordable cities to study in the QS Best Student Cities 2015.

   

    Study in France for free (or at low cost)

    France may not be quite as widely known as Germany for affordable higher education, but again, international students may be surprised to hear that they can also study in France for free (or, at a very low cost), regardless of their nationality.

Although technically university fees do exist at public universities in France, they’re just a fraction of those charged in most countries, amounting to just €180 (US$250) per year to cover course administration. Additional charges can bring this price up, particularly for more specialized programs such as medicine and engineering, but not dramatically. If you’re looking to study at a leading grande école, however, expect fees to vary widely.

As is the case in Germany, the majority of programs offering the chance to study in France for free are taught in the native language. However, there are a growing number of opportunities to study in English, particularly at graduate level. Alternatively, you can also attend a preparatory school to perfect your French skills before beginning your degree, but this you’ll have to pay for.

While it is possible to study in France for free, living costs can be substantial, particularly in the ever-popular capital. That said, despite its notoriety for high living costs, Paris is still fairly affordable, with living costs amounting to around €9,600 (US$10,430) per year. According to Numbeo, cross-channel rival London eclipses Paris in all aspects of expense, with consumer prices marked 20% higher and rental prices a whopping 80% higher than in Paris. The French capital’s comparative affordability, combined with a huge selection of internationally ranked universities, means it continues to top the QS Best Student Cities index.

Study in the Nordic countries for free

Known for its high quality of life, stunning nature and liberal politics, Northern European nations (known as the Nordic countries) also boast some of the strongest higher education systems in the world. And for many students, it’s possible to study abroad for free in four out of five Nordic countries!

While Iceland does charge tuition fees, fellow Nordic nations Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden all offer opportunities to study free of charge. However, there are certain requisites students must fulfill.

In Norway, university study is available free of charge to all students, regardless of study level or nationality. The majority of undergraduate programs are taught only in Norwegian, and international students need to demonstrate proof of proficiency in Norwegian in order to study at this level. At master’s and PhD level, however, English language programs are far more common and free tuition still applies.

Denmark and Sweden, meanwhile, only extend their free higher education perks to students from within the EU/EEA and Switzerland, meaning that students from outside these regions must pay tuition fees for bachelor and master’s level programs. PhD programs in both countries are fully funded, offering exceptional PhD candidates the chance to gain their degree without paying fees, and earn a salary.

In both Denmark and Sweden, international fees at bachelor and master levels varies. In Denmark, university fees range from between DKK 45,000 and DKK 120,000 (US$6,550-$17,500) annually, while in Sweden they fall between SEK 80,000 and SEK 140,000 (US$9,400-16,500).

But what about living costs? Well, this is the catch, as the costs of living in Northern Europe are among some of the highest in the whole of Europe. This is largely due to the healthy economy of the region overall and the strength of the Nordic currencies, so paying more for living when the streets are clean and the people are happy perhaps isn’t so bad! Three Nordic capitals were this year ranked among the world’s top 50 student cities: Copenhagen, Helsinki and Stockholm.

Other places to study in Europe for free (or at low cost)

What about other places to study in Europe for free or at a low cost? There are a number of places in Europe which offer affordable and free universities, without any need to sacrifice on quality. See below for more examples.

Austria

Another country where students can study in Europe for free (or at a very low cost) is Austria. EU/EEA students enjoy the same rights as Austrians when it comes to the cost of higher education, and can study for up to two semesters for free at any degree level. After this time, students pay a fee of just €360 (US$390) per semester. International students from outside of the EU or EEA should expect slightly higher fees of around €730 (US$790) per semester. Living costs will set all students back approximately between €850 and €1,000 (US$920-1,080) a month. Vienna, Austria’s capital city, was ranked 20th in the QS Best Student Cities 2015.

Belgium

There are two main speaking communities in Belgium, each with their own stance on university fees. The cost of higher education for EU students in the Flemish-speaking part of the country is approximately €610 (US$660) a year for full-time study, while the French-speaking part offers fees of €830 (US$900). And while it’s just EU students who get the major benefits of being able to study in Europe for free, fees are still very affordable for international students, ranging from €1,900 to €3,850 (US$2,050-$4,170) a year. You can live in Belgium with a budget of around €600-800 (US$650-$860) a month. Brussels, the capital city, was ranked 47th in this year’s QS Best Student Cities.

Czech Republic

Students who speak Czech are able to study abroad for free in the Czech Republic at any public university. Students who wish to study in English can also study fairly cheaply, at around CRK 27,270 (US$1,080) per semester. Living costs are more affordable than in many countries in Western Europe, at around CRK 8,800-18,850 (US$350-750) a month. The Czech capital city, Prague, was this year ranked 49th in the QS Best Student Cities.

Greece

All students from within the EU or EEA are able to study abroad for free in Greece at public universities and colleges at all levels, with the exception of some master’s degree programs. And if this doesn’t sound like enough, you can also get your course textbooks for free! International students are also eligible for low cost higher education, at approximately €1,500 (US$1,630) per year. Greece offers one of the lowest costs of living in the European Union.

Italy

Although private universities in Italy can be known to charge up to €16,000 (US$17,360) a year, public universities in Italy are markedly cheaper, charging between €850 and €1,000 (US$920-1,080) per year for undergraduate programs. EU students are eligible for the same funding opportunities as Italian students, including loans, grants, scholarships and fee waivers. Living costs in Italy are also not as high as you might expect, at around €1,200 (US$1,300) a month. This year, Milan was ranked 36th in the QS Best Student Cities.

Spain

With the same education rights as Spanish students, EU students are not required to pay high education fees. International students, meanwhile, are able to study in Spain for a price of between €680 and €1,400 (US$740-1,500) a year at public institutions. Fees are charged on a ‘per credit’ basis and can be higher at graduate level. To live in Spain you should expect to spend between €900 and €1,100 (US$970-1,200) in living costs. Barcelona and Madrid are both featured in the QS Best Student Cities 2015 ranking, at 19th and 39th respectively.
Other places to study abroad for free (or at low cost)

Argentina

While Argentinian students all enjoy access to free universities, international students should expect to pay a small, nominal fee to enroll at public universities in the country. Private institutions in Argentina, on the other hand, can charge upwards of ARS 43,800 (US$5,000) a year. In the QS Best Student Cities 2015, Argentinian capital Buenos Aires was ranked 24th.

India

In India, international students at undergraduate level will often pay a combined yearly amount of between Rs 75,350 and Rs 332,400 (US$1,200-$5,300) to cover both their tuition fees and their accommodation. While government institutions charge fairly similar fees, graduate degrees tend to be more expensive and private schools charge significantly more. Living costs in India are, for most students, likely to be very appealing. According to Numbeo, consumer prices are 236% cheaper than in the UK, while rental prices are as much as 471% cheaper.

Taiwan

Tuition fees in Taiwan offer great value, with the nation’s top universities offering affordable programs. For example, National Taiwan University (NTU), the nation’s leading university at 76th in the QS World University Rankings 2014/15, last year charged undergraduate students just NTD 50,460-62,100 (US$1,600-2,000) for the year. In the QS Best Student Cities 2015, Taipei was ranked 25th in the world and the most affordable city for students in 2015.   

Courtesy of topuniversities.com

Related Topics:

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10 USA Universities That Offer International Students the Most Aid

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AGRICULTURE AS A FILED OF STUDY (Why We Need to Choose Agriculture)

What type of career do you aspire to have? Do you want to be an artist, a business person, or a policymaker?

Or, have you ever wanted to become a farmer? I would not be surprised if you said no.


When weighing career choices, many young people in the developing world tend to shy away from agriculture.  Plenty of evidence shows us that agriculture provides youth a viable way to harvest success and grow a sustainable future. In other words, I believe youth can, and should, choose agriculture.
Considering that everybody eats, and therefore has at least a tenuous connection with agriculture, it’s amazing how ignorant so many people are of it. The latest example is generating a fair amount of negative buzz among those who care about agriculture’s future.

Terence Loose wrote a piece for the website Yahoo! with the headline “College Majors That Are Useless.” He listed five, and the majority, believe it or not, are in ag: Agriculture (meaning farm management), Horticulture, and Animal Science. The other two were Fashion Design and Theater, and I really can’t quibble with those, though that might be demonstrating my own ignorance. Fashion, especially, is not my area of expertise. Just like agriculture is not Loose’s.One rebuff came from Allen S. Levine, Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences at the University of Minnesota (UM). Levine noted in a piece on The Huffington Post — he’s definitely not preaching to the choir — that he didn’t want to give the list credibility, but he couldn’t resist.

Levine writes that a degree in horticultural science is a ticket to a good job. Of the UM Class of 2010, 89% of graduates found a job in their field within a few months of graduation, and 100% of them said they are either very or moderately satisfied with their positions. Not bad.

As for farm managers, Levine notes that the number of self-employed farm producers will decline in coming years because farms are consolidating and technological advances are improving productivity. But the labor department also states job prospects are actually expected to increase for people who manage large farms and who grow products for niche markets such as organics. As current U.S. farmers — average age, 56 — retire, opportunities will be there for college graduates.
 Here are five reasons:

1. Agriculture matters to the future of development.
Agriculture is up to four times more effective than other sectors in reducing poverty. Increasingly, the world is counting on agriculture to produce more nutritious food for — and improve the livelihoods of — a booming population, especially the poor. What could be more meaningful than being part of a proven solution to such a critical challenge?

2. Agriculture can be a gold mine for young entrepreneurs. 
Meet Randa Filfili, a young entrepreneur from Senegal. She is also the first Senegalese producer who saw value in the fruit of cashew trees that others had considered waste, and turned it into “niche” jam products for export. Through agribusiness, Randa has not only carved out a successful career of her own, but also helped local farmers reach global markets, and create jobs for other young people — especially women. So, the next time you come across Randa’s all-natural cashew apple butter in your local produce store, think about how you can also start up a business in agriculture to help both yourself and the rural poor.

3. Agriculture is not cool? Think again. 
Innovations for Transparency In Uganda, a young team with the World Bank and UNICEF used a mobile and web-based app called “U-Report” to swiftly help 190,000 farmers save their bananas — a staple food for Ugandans — from a vicious disease. Countries like Kenya and Rwanda are also eager to boost productivity through information and communication technologies and other creative solutions. Agriculture in the developing world has become a field vibrant with effective innovations, thanks to a growing number of young techie minds that make it happen.


4. Agricultural research needs young brainpower. 
If you are a “young nerd” into development research, agriculture may be the right place for you. Numerous stories from East Africa and other places have shown that research revolutionizes agriculture and transforms livelihoods. Today, more than before, climate change and a growing demand for nutritious food are for fresh ideas and renewed knowledge to explore ICT in agriculture, foster climate-smart agriculture and innovate in the sector to power future growth.

5. The trend of youth choosing agriculture is growing. 
Attitudes toward agriculture are already changing. In Cameroon, where agriculture is becoming more competitive, young educated Cameroonians “have decided to become farmers, acquire land, grow maize professionally for trade, and manage their enterprises in order to earn a living,” according to Félix Nkapemin, an agricultural expert working with local farmers. Other countries like Armenia, Brazil, Malawi, and Senegal are investing in youth and agriculture with the support from the World Bank Group and other development organizations. Young people are also increasingly speaking up for themselves on why they choose agriculture.


The trend is growing. Support for the agriculture sector is increasing. The list of reasons is endless. This International Youth Day, I invite you to share your thoughts and experiences on why you think youth should engage in agriculture, and how it can help reduce poverty and boost shared prosperity. 

MOST SEARCH PROJECT TOPICS

The most difficult part of getting started on a research paper is choosing the topic to write about. We have carried out research to find popular research paper topics from a wide variety of fields. This topic is dedicated to helping you with ideas for research projects topics. Each of these topics can be a standalone subject for a research paper, or can give a general idea for a good place to start. Either way, the research paper topics listed here are very useful for anyone who is trying to find just the right topic to spend the time researching.

Method of Finding the Right Research Project Topic

The process of writing the research paper is going to be very time consuming. It’s important to select a topic that is going to sustain your interest for the duration of the project.  It is good to select a topic that is relevant to your life since you are going to spend a long time researching and writing about it. Perhaps you are considering something like starting your own business or pursuing a career in politics. Look through the suggested research paper topics and find one in a category that you can relate to easily. Finding a topic that you have some personal interest in will help make the arduous task a lot easier and the project will have better results because of your vested interest.

What kind of topics is available?

We compiled an exhaustive list of topics that would make great research papers. The topics are organized in a way to help you find one that will work for your project. There are broader topics as well as more narrow topics listed underneath them. This allows you to look through the broad topics to find an area to focus on, but then gives you suggestions so that you don’t have to worry about narrowing down a broad topic. The way we have organized the topics for research papers can save you lots of time getting prepared to write your epic research paper. We have topics which fit into categories which cover areas such as education, environmental sciences, communication and languages, current events, politics, business, criminal justice, art, psychology and economics to name just a few. Simply get started by choosing the category that interests you and peruse through the topics listed in that category. Then you’ll be well on your way to constructing an excellent research paper.

Be sure to check other topics ideas: persuasive speech topics, argumentative speech topics, policy speech topics. We also have some sample outlines and essay templates.

Topics and issues under debate

Abortion

1.    What limits are responsible?

2.    What limits are realistic?

3.    How to protect abortion doctors, pregnant women and the unborn protection of abortion clinics vs. right to protest

4.    Partial birth abortion

5.    Scientific evidence vs. definition of viability

6.    Stem cell research

7.    Unborn victims of violence

Affirmative Action

1.    Relative equality has been achieved vs. serious inequities continue

2.    Can racial balance in business, education, military be achieved without policies that promote Affirmative Action

3.    Reverse discrimination

4.    NOW, National Organization for Women

Education

1.    No government support vs. fairness to parents who pay twice for education

2.    Separation of church and state vs. religion’s contribution to the public good

3.    Placement by age vs. placement by academic ability

4.    Mainstreaming students with disabilities vs. special classrooms for their special needs

5.    Required standardized tests for advancement vs. course requirements only

6.    National standardized tests vs. local control of education

7.    Discrimination in education

8.    Multicultural/bilingual education vs. traditional basics

9.    Teacher competency tests vs. degree requirements only

10. Teacher’s needs/demands vs. teaching as a service profession

11. Policing schools

12. School’s responsibility vs. parental responsibility for school violence

13. Drug and alcohol abuse, pregnancy, suicide

14. Zero tolerance toward violence vs. toughness with flexibility

15. Permit corporal punishment

16. Exams often do little more than measure a person’s ability to take exams. Should exams be outlawed in favor of another form of assessment?

17. Should teens in the U.S. adopt the British custom of taking a “gap year” between high school and college?

18. In some European schools, fewer than 10% of students get “As”. Is there grade inflation in the U.S.? Why so many “As” for Americans?

19. Education and funding

20. Grade inflation

21. No Child Left Behind Act: Is it working?

22. Home schooling

23. Standardized tests

Internet

1.    Are children smarter (or more socialized) because of the Internet?

2.    Should the federal government be allowed to regulate information on the internet?

3.    How has the music industry been affected by the internet and digital downloading?

4.    How does a search engine work?

Health, pharmacy, medical treatments

1.    What are the effects of prolonged steroid use on the human body?

2.    What are the benefits and hazards of medical marijuana?

3.    How does tobacco use affect the human body?

4.    Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks?

5.    What are some common sleep disorders and how are they treated?

6.    What are the risks of artificial tanning or prolonged exposure to the sun?

7.    Should thin people have to pay Medicare and other health costs for the health problems of obese people? Should obese people have higher premiums?

8.    Low carbohydrate vs. low fat diets

9.    Benefits of weight training vs. aerobics

10. How much weekly exercise is needed to achieve lasting health benefits

11. Health websites give too much information

12. Psychological disorders, such as cutting and self-harm, eating disorders, Autism, Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, ADD, Asperger Syndrome

13. Are we taking it too far by blaming fast food restaurants for obesity? When is it individual responsibility and when is it appropriate to place blame?

14. Should companies allow employees to exercise on work time?

15. Steroids, Antibiotics, Sprays; Are food manufacturers killing us?

16. Alternative medicine

17. Alzheimer’s disease

18. Anorexia

19. Causes of eating disorders? society’s portrayal of women

20. Eating disorders statistics

21. Down’s syndrome

22. Autism

23. Birth control

24. Bulimia

25. Depression

26. Dietary supplements

27. Dyslexia

28. Exercise and fitness

29. Fad diets

30. Fast food

31. Heart disease

32. In vitro fertilization

33. Obesity

34. Attention deficit disorder

35. Investigate the history and authenticity of ADHD and ADD.

36. Organic foods

37. Prescription drugs

38. Smoking

39. Vegetarianism

40. Learning disabilities

41. Schizophrenia

42. Coma recovery: techniques, successes, new strategies.

43. What are the primary different types of cancer, and in what ways are they related?

44. Investigate the success ratio of holistic and non-medical cancer treatments.

45. Is Alzheimer’s inevitable? Examine theories regarding its prevention.

46. What forms of physical degeneracy are seen as linked to aging?

47. Investigate the connections between emotional stability and physical well-being, and provide evidence as to how the two are related or otherwise.

48. Investigate differences in rates of injury recovery and overcoming illness based on cultural parameters.

49. Examine the modern history of viral epidemics, researching what is known about the emergence of deadly viruses.

50. Examine how congenital heart disease may be treated, and how it differs from other forms of heart disease.

51. Is occasional depression a natural state to an extent, and is the culture too eager to treat this as a disorder?

52. Investigate SOCIOPATHY, determine biological and psychological roots, typical patterns, and potentials of treatment.

53. How are compulsive behaviors determined as such? Explore examples of anal retention and expulsion, OCD, etc., as offering accepted criteria.

54. Research and analyze the nature of codependency as both a normal state of relations and as an unhealthy extreme.

55. Investigate the history and practice of electroshock, analyzing how and why this extreme treatment came to be widely used.

56. Hoarding: symptoms and treatments, causes, types of hoarding

57. Limits on extraordinary, costly treatments vs. doing everything possible

58. Nutritional/alternative therapy vs. mainstream medical treatment insurance coverage for alternative treatment?

59. Government grants for alternative treatment research?

60. Health superiority of alternative treatments?

61. Assisted suicide vs. preservation of life

62. Governmental insurance requirements

63. Should there be a national database to track controlled substances (i.e., OXYCODONE) or should it be a state issue?

64. Should parents avoid vaccinating their children?

Interpersonal Communication

1.    Decline of communication due to technology

2.    Online social networks and their influence

3.    Impact of texting and cell phones

4.    How do men and women communicate differently using body language, and why does it matter (in dating, the workplace, and social circles)?

Marketing and Advertising

1.    Limitations of the media

2.    Marketing to children

3.    Sexual innuendos in marketing

4.    Global marketing trends

5.    Should certain kinds of ads be banned in the interest of health/morality/annoyance – alcohol, cigarettes, prescription meds, etc…?

6.    Children’s programming and advertising

7.    Most controversial political ads

8.    Media response and public outcry to political ads

9.    Campaign funds and their relation to political advertising

Barack Obama

1.    Domestic policy

2.    Separation of church and state

3.    Judge nominations and make up of supreme court

4.    Congressional opposition to presidential nominees/filibusters

5.    Affirmative action

6.    Erosion of civil liberties vs. protection against terrorism

7.    Patriot Act One and Two

8.    Most developed nations have universal health coverage. Why doesn’t the U.S., the wealthiest nation, have it?

9.    Tax cut as economic stimulation

10. Needs of the states vs. needs of the individuals

11. Budget deficits and deficit spending

12. Rich vs. poor

Discrimination

1.    Protection of victims vs. freedom of speech/rights of the accused

2.    How to improve race relations

3.    Profiling

4.    Reverse discrimination

5.    Women still earn only 75 cents for every $1 a man earns. Explain why.

6.    Discrimination in education

7.    Discrimination in the workplace: analyzing issues for today’s corporations.

8.    Gender discrimination

9.    Interracial marriage

Schools

1.    Should government impose restrictions on what kinds of foods can be served in school cafeterias?

2.    Pros and cons of school uniforms.

3.    Do children learn better in boys-only and girls-only schools?

4.    Charter schools

5.    Prayer in schools

AIDS

1.    Rights of the individual vs. community safety (or campus safety)

2.    Funding for research

3.    U.S. obligation to third world countries

4.    Manufacturing of generic drugs vs. U.S. pharmaceutical companies

5.    How contagious diseases “jump” from animal hosts to human

6.    What treatments are available to people infected with HIV and are they effective?

7.    Right to privacy of a child with AIDS vs. safety of other children

Alcohol

1.    Limits for campus safety vs. personal freedom

2.    Implications on violence and crime

3.    Issues with binge drinking

4.    Should the U.S. lower the drinking age to 18?

5.    Leniency because of condition vs. community safety

6.    Revoking drivers license vs. being able to attend classes and work

7.    Age discrimination of violators

Animals

1.    Animal rights vs. medical research

2.    Should it be illegal to use animals for sports and entertainment?

3.    Humane treatment of animals vs. factory farms

4.    Animal welfare in slaughter houses

5.    Animal protection vs. business, employment interests

Athletes

1.    School prestige vs. academic standards

2.    Should shoe companies be able to give away free shoes and equipment to high school athletes?

3.    Should college athletes be paid?

4.    Doping in sports

5.    What are the effects on children whose parents push them in sports?

6.    Steroids: Should they be legalized?

7.    Title IX: Has it helped women’s sports? Has it harmed men’s sports?

8.    Social effects of team sports

Censorship

1.    Needed in public school library/curriculum?

2.    Needed in entertainment industry?

3.    Needed on the Internet?

4.    Should parents censor textbooks and other literature for children in schools?

5.    Parental filters on the Internet. Does censorship actually increase curiosity and use of pornography?

6.    How is internet censorship used in China and around the world?

7.    How has United States censorship changed over the decades?

Bill Clinton

1.    Democratic kingmaker, influence on political succession

2.    Impact of global initiative

3.    Influence on fundraising

Hilary Clinton

1.    Influence as Secretary of State

2.    Foreign policies

3.    Influence on women

College

1.    ACT or SAT score requirements

2.    Promotional techniques, such as 1st time scholarships

3.    4 year vs. 2 year colleges

4.    College admission policies

5.    College tuition planning

6.    Distance education

7.    Diploma mills

Computer Crimes and Security

1.    Online porn vs. freedom of speech

2.    Stalking, invasion of privacy vs. reasonable access

3.    Hacking crimes–workable solutions?

4.    What are the latest ways to steal identity and money?

5.    From where does spam email come and can we stop it?

6.    How do computer viruses spread and in what ways do they affect computers?

7.    Cyber security

8.    Securing Internet commerce: is it possible in today’s arms’ race of hackers and evolving technology?

Copyright

1.    Is downloading of media (music, videos, software) infringing on the rights of media producers and causing economic hardships on media creators?

2.    Should media producers prosecute students and individuals that they suspect of downloading copyrighted materials?

3.    Programs such as SPOTIFY and PANDORA

4.    Copyright Law

Cosmetic Surgery

1.    Age limitations on surgery

2.    Addiction to surgery

3.    Demand for beauty by society

4.    The dangers of breast implants for teenagers

5.    The cost of cosmetic surgery

6.    Plastic surgery

7.    Weight loss surgery

8.    Body image

9.    Are surgeons “scissor happy,” and are surgeries widely performed when there is no need?

Bullying

1.    Negative texting, instant messaging, email

2.    Is cyber-bullying as bad as face-to-face?

3.    Kinds of punishment for cyber-bullying

4.    Media response

5.    Should the state or federal government put laws into place to prevent bullying?

Date Rape

1.    Mutual consent vs. exploitation

2.    Campuses with “no touch” policy

3.    Drugs associated to Date Rape

4.    Violence and Rape

Day Care

1.    Government support vs. parental financing

2.    Benefits vs. harmful effects

3.    Elder Care

Drugs

1.    Punishment vs. treatment

2.    Family reactions

3.    Social acceptance

4.    Community safety vs. legalization

5.    United States military involvement in Colombian drug trade?

6.    Drug legalization

7.    Abstinence Program: Do they work?

8.    Should the federal government legalize the use of marijuana?

9.    Cocaine

10. Heroin

11. Nicotine

12. Doping in sports

Environment

1.    Pollution, air, and water

2.    Endangered species

3.    What are the risks of climate change and global warming?

4.    Rain forests

5.    Acid rain

6.    Alternative energy

7.    Alternative fuel/hybrid vehicles

8.    Conservation

9.    Deforestation

10. Endangered species

11. Greenhouse effect

12. Landfills

13. Marine pollution

14. How have oil spills affected the planet and what steps are being taken to prevent them?

15. Pesticides

16. Sustainability of buildings

17. Recycling programs

18. Cost of “green” programs

19. Wind turbines

20. Landfill issues

21. Renewable fuels

22. Pollution

23. Radioactive waste disposal

24. Smog

25. Soil pollution

26. Wildlife conservation: what efforts are being taken to protect endangered wildlife?

27. Excessive burden on industries?

28. Drilling for oil in Alaska in ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge)

29. Gasoline consumption vs. SUV’s popularity

30. Wildlife protection vs. rights of developers

31. Clean air and water standards–weakened vs. strengthened

32. What are the dangers of scuba diving and underwater exploration?

33. Should the use of coal be subjected to stricter environmental regulations than other fuels?

34. Is global warming a hoax? Is it being exaggerated?

35. How much is too much noise? What, if anything, should we do to curb it?

Family Violence

1.    Protecting victims vs. rights of the accused

2.    Women who kill abusing husbands vs. punishment for murder

3.    Marital rape?

4.    How to protect children vs. respect for parental rights

5.    Children who kill abusing parents

6.    Child abuse–workable solutions?

7.    Child abuse

8.    Domestic abuse

Farming

1.    Organic farming vs. mainline use of chemical sprays

2.    How to best protect the environment; conservation

3.    Family vs. corporate farms

4.    Food production costs

Foreign Policy

1.    Interventionism?

2.    Third world debt and World Bank/International Monetary Fund

3.    Military support vs. economic development of third world countries

4.    Human rights violations

5.    European Union in competition with the U.S.

6.    Unilateralism

7.    Relevance of the United Nations

8.    Neocon role in foreign policy

9.    Christian right influence on foreign policy

10. Pentagon vs. State Department

11. Nation building as a policy

12. Arms control

13. Obama’s National Strategy for Counterterrorism

14. Control of al Qaeda

15. Drawdown of U.S. Armed Forces in the Middle East

Gambling and Lotteries

1.    Easy way to earn revenues vs. social damage

2.    Individual freedom vs. social damage

3.    Do lotteries actually benefit education or is it a scam?

4.    Can gamblers ever acquire a statistical advantage over the house in casino games?

Gays

1.    Should there be a constitutional amendment that allows gays and lesbians to legally marry?

2.    Adoption rights?

3.    Need special rights for protection?

4.    College campus response

5.    Gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender

6.    Gay parenting

7.    Gay pride

Generational Conflict

1.    Elderly to share in the tax burden vs. government support of elderly

2.    Future of social security

3.    Job discrimination

4.    Child rearing

5.    Employment issues

6.    Generational differences

Gun Control

1.    Community and police safety vs. unrestricted right to bear arms

2.    NRA (National Rifle Association)

3.    2nd Amendment

4.    Do states that allow citizens to carry guns have higher or lower crime rates?

Hate Crimes

1.    Community safety vs. freedom of Speech

2.    Punishment inequities

3.    Bullying

4.    Persecution of alternative lifestyles

5.    Church Arson: Hate crime?

Hazing

1.    Prevention of hazing

2.    Greek organizations and rituals of hazing

3.    Statistics of death or injury due to Hazing

4.    High Schools and Hazing

History

1.    What happened during the Salem witch trials?

2.    How did trains and railroads change life in America?

3.    What may have occurred during the Roswell UFO incident of 1947?

4.    What Olympic events were practiced in ancient Greece?

5.    How did Cleopatra come to power in Egypt what did she do during her reign?

6.    What are the origins of the conflict in Darfur?

7.    What was the women’s suffrage movement and how did it change America?

8.    How was the assassination of Abraham Lincoln plotted and executed?

9.    How did Cold War tension affect the US and the world?

10. What happened to the lost settlers at Roanoke?

11. How did Julius Caesar affect Rome?

12. How did the Freedom Riders change society?

13. What was the code of the Bushido and how did it affect samurai warriors?

14. How did Joan of Arc change history?

15. What dangers and hardships did Lewis and Clark face when exploring the Midwest?

16. How are the Great Depression and the Great Recession similar and different?

17. What was the Manhattan Project and what impact did it have on the world?

18. Why did Marin Luther protest against the Catholic Church?

19. How did the Roman Empire fall?

20. How did the black plague affect Europe?

21. How did Genghis Khan conquer Persia?

22. How did journalists influence US war efforts in Vietnam?

23. Who is Vlad the Impaler and what is his connection to Count Dracula?

24. Who was a greater inventor, Leonardo di Vinci or Thomas Edison?

25. What was the role of African Americans during the Revolutionary War?

26. What was Britain’s view of India during British rule?

27. What were the factors in the China-Tibet conflict?

28. Research and analyze the emergence of the Catholic Church as a political force following the collapse of the Roman Empire.

29. Investigate Dr. Eileen Powers’s claim that the Roman Empire was lost primarily due to an inability to perceive itself as subject to the change inevitable to all governments, or her “force of nature” theory.

30. Explore and discuss the actual cooperation occurring through the centuries of Barbarian conquest of Rome.

31. Examine the differences and similarities between Western and Eastern concepts and practices of kingship.

32. Investigate and explain the trajectory of ALEXANDER THE GREAT’s empire, with minimal emphasis on personal leadership.

33. To what extent did commerce first link Eastern and Western cultures, and how did this influence early international relations?

34. Research and analyze how Japan moved from a feudalistic to a modern state, and how geographic isolation played a role in the process.

35. Analyze the process and effects of Romanization on the Celtic people of ancient England: benefits, conflicts, influences.

36. Overview of British dominance of Ireland, Wales, and Scotland! How was this justified in each case, and what motivated the attempts over centuries of rebellion and failure?

37. Investigate the known consequences of Guttenberg’s printing press within the first 30 years of its invention, and only in regard to the interaction between European nations.

38. Identify and analyze the point at which the Reformation became fused with European politics and nationalist agendas.

39. To what extent did Henry VIII promote the Reformation, despite his vigorous persecution of heretics in England?

40. Trace and discuss the uses of papal power as a military and political device in the 14th and 15th centuries.

41. Research the city/state of Florence from the 13th to the 16th centuries, discussing how and why it evolved as so fiercely republican.

42. Compare and contrast the Russian Czarism of Peter, Elizabeth, and Catherine with the monarchies of England and France in the 18th and 19th centuries.

43. Investigate the enormous significance of Catholic Orthodoxy as the dominant faith in Russia, and its meaning and influence in an empire populated by a minimal aristocracy and predominant serfdom.

44. To what extent did Philip II’s religious convictions shape European policy and conflict in the 16th century?

45. Trace the path leading to the convocation of the Estates in France in the late 18th century, leading to the Revolution. Assess political and social errors responsible.

46. What eventually ended serfdom in Russia, and why were various attempts to end it by Czars in power uniformly unsuccessful?

47. Research and report on how the industrial revolution, and the advent of the railroad, transformed England in the 19th century.

48. Compare and contrast the consequences of the industrial revolutions in England and America in terms of urbanization.

49. What were the circumstances leading to World War I, and how might the war have been averted?

50. Assess the Cold War of the 20th century in an historical context: can any parallels be made between this conflict and other ongoing tensions between major powers in earlier centuries?

51. Analyze Roosevelt’s decisions in implementing the New Deal, beginning with the closing of the banks; suggest alternative strategies or reinforce the rationale of the actions.

52. What architectural marvels were found in Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire?

53. What was the cultural significance of the first moon landing?

Poverty

1.    Food programs

2.    Welfare reform

3.    Governmental supplementation

4.    Homeless: urban restrictions vs. needs of the destitute

5.    Workable solutions?

Immigration

1.    Realistic limits vs. openness toward people in need

2.    English as official language vs. respect for diversity

3.    Should illegal immigrants be made legal citizens?

4.    Access to public school and public programs for Illegal Aliens

5.    Policing borders–workable solutions?

6.    Employment and/or taxation for Illegal Aliens

Middle East

1.    International trade

2.    Arms control

3.    Democratization

4.    “Shock and awe”

5.    U.S. occupation vs. liberation

6.    Iraqi run vs. U.S. puppet state

7.    Oil and Gas prices-Control of resources

8.    Effective self-government

9.    War on Terrorism

10. Is America winning or losing the War? What is the measurement of success? Have the benefits outweighed the costs?

Maternity/Paternity Leave

1.    Parental leave for both parents

2.    FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act)

3.    Bonding time

Military

1.    Preemptive strike policy

2.    Precision weapons

3.    Intelligence reliability

4.    Afghanistan – a success or stalemate

5.    Should the U.S. have mandatory military conscriptions? For whom?

Natural Disasters

1.    Governmental support

2.    Preparedness

3.    School emergency plans

4.    Community warning systems

5.    Damage costs

Police Work

1.    Police brutality vs. dangers that police face

2.    Racially motivated brutality?

3.    Profiling

Politics

1.    Politician’s right to privacy vs. the public’s right to know

2.    Campaign financing reform vs. reform is unworkable

3.    Amount of money going into presidential campaigns

4.    Views on abortion, gay marriage, and other controversial topics

5.    Political debates throughout history

6.    Third-party candidates at presidential debates

7.    Rights of religious citizens vs. freedom from imposition (e.g. prayer in schools)

8.    Religious motivation for political involvement vs. cultural pluralism

9.    Christian Right’s influence on foreign policy

Population Explosion

1.    How serious? Causes? Workable solutions?

2.    Funding abortion as a form of birth control in third world countries?

3.    What would happen globally if the demand for natural resources is greater than the supply?

Pornography

1.    Limitation of social deterioration vs. freedom of speech

2.    Definition of Pornography

3.    Child Pornography

Prisons and prisoners

1.    Building prisons vs. alternative sentencing

2.    Adjusted sentencing for lesser crimes

3.    Community service

4.    Diversion Programs for inmates

5.    How does the prison population in America compare to other nations?

Prostitution

1.    Prostitution laws in the US and abroad

2.    Benefits and drawbacks to legalizing prostitution

3.    Psychological effect on prostitutes and former prostitutes

4.    Sex slavery, buying and selling

Privacy

1.    Should the government be allowed to wire tap without permission?

2.    What, if any, limitations should be applied to the paparazzi?

3.    What medical information should be confidential? Who, if anybody, should have access to medical records?

4.    Does the public have a right to know about a public figure’s private life?

5.    Privacy rights

Rape

1.    Do harsher punishments mean fewer convictions?

2.    Date rape: consent vs. exploitation

3.    Drugs-Rohypnol, GHB, KETAMINE

4.    Legalization of Date Rape Drugs

5.    Recently, a 17-year-old boy was sentenced to 10 years in prison for having consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girl. Are statutory rape laws patronizing to girls and discriminatory to boys?

6.    Acquaintance rape

Religion

1.    Is there one true religion?

2.    Freedom of religion

3.    Offer distinct reasons why the Bible should be studied as literature, removed from religious significance.

Security

1.    How has airport security intensified since September 11th, 2001?

2.    Identity theft

3.    Homeland Security: Are we safer since the creation of this department?

4.    Should the government use invasive pat-downs and body scans to ensure passenger safety or are there better methods?

5.    Is arming Pilots a Good Idea?

6.    What responsibilities do secret service agents have?

Student Loan Debt

1.    Student loan scams

2.    How to avoid student loan debt

3.    Managing student loan debt

Taxation

1.    Progressive vs. flat tax

2.    Excessive taxes vs. worthwhile programs

Terrorism

1.    Osama Bin Laden

2.    World Trade Center and Pentagon bombings

3.    September 11, 2001

4.    Al-Qaeda

5.    War on terrorism

6.    Afghanistan

7.    Taliban

8.    Bioterrorism

9.    Al Qaida: Has U.S. policy actually spread terrorism rather than contain it? Will it get better or worse? Why and how?

10. Can terrorism ever be justified?

11. What kind of person becomes a suicide bomber?

12. What were the circumstances surrounding the death of Osama Bin Laden?

13. Has the Patriot Act prevented or stopped terrorist acts in America?

Women, mothers

1.    Is there a glass ceiling?

2.    Obstacles to women running for political office?

3.    Should women be priests, pastors, ministers, and rabbis?

4.    What differences, if any, are there in children who are raised by stay-at-home moms and working moms? Does society today still discriminate against working mothers who wish to have flexible work schedules?

5.    Should stay-at-home moms get a salary from the government?

What, why, and how

1.    Why do we sleep?

2.    How do GPS systems work?

3.    Who was the first person to reach the North Pole?

4.    Did anybody ever escape Alcatraz?

5.    What was life like for a gladiator?

6.    Are there any effective means of repelling insects?

7.    How is bulletproof clothing made?

8.    How was the skateboard invented and how has it changed over the years?

9.    What is life like inside of a beehive?

10. Where did hip hop originate and who were its founders?

11. What makes the platypus a unique and interesting mammal?

12. What is daily life like for a Buddhist monk?

13. How did gunpowder change warfare?

14. How were cats and dogs domesticated and for what purposes?

15. What do historians know about ninjas?

16. Are humans still evolving?

17. What is the curse of the pharaohs?

18. Why was Socrates executed?

19. How did ancient sailors navigate the globe?

20. How are black holes formed?

21. How do submarines work?

22. Do lie detector tests accurately determine truthful statements?

23. How does a hybrid car save energy?

24. What ingredients can be found inside of a hotdog?

25. How does a shark hunt?

26. How does the human brain store and retrieve memories?

27. How does stealth technology shield aircraft from radar?

28. What causes tornados?

29. How does night vision work?

30. What causes desert mirages and how do they affect wanderers?

31. What are sinkholes and how are they formed?

32. What are the major theories explaining the disappearance of the dinosaurs?

Relationships

1.    Should we reform laws to make it harder to get a divorce?

2.    Divorce rates

3.    Family relationships

4.    Family values

5.    Race relations

6.    Marriage and Divorce

7.    A view of home life and its affect on child development

Technology

1.    How is text messaging affecting teen literacy?

2.    Cell Phones: How have they changed us socially?

3.    Does the Information Age mean we are losing important historical information?

Veterans

1.    Public attitudes toward veterans

2.    Health issues caused by service time

3.    Organizations for veterans

4.    Governmental support for veterans

5.    What programs are available to help war veterans get back into society?

6.    Iraq War Vets: Are they being cheated on medical benefits?

Business

1.    How 4 different generations in the workplace can work together.

2.    Building positive employee relationships

3.    Modern work environments

4.    Business leadership

5.    Workforce regulations

6.    Small business and taxation

7.    Corporate law

8.    Issues in modern Human Resources: Are today’s corporations patronizing employees or being more responsible for them?

9.    Cultural conflict in globalization: Strategies for successfully establishing a presence in a foreign culture

10. Corporate abuse: How can executives so successfully manipulate corporations criminally?

11. Identifying stakeholders in non-public companies: is the corporate responsibility the same as for public offerings?

12. Discrimination in the workplace: analyzing issues for today’s corporations.

13. Devise a new model of leadership for business today, incorporating elements of existing leadership models and theories.

14. Examine the actual impact of social media as a business promotion instrument.

15. Devise a scenario in which traditionally unethical business practices may be justified.

Media

1.    Should newspaper reporters be required to reveal their sources?

2.    Do the media (both print and broadcast) report fairly? Does it ever cross the line between reporting the news and creating the news?

3.    Does news coverage favor whites?

4.    What steps are involved in creating a movie or television show?

5.    How have the film and music industries dealt with piracy?

6.    Media bias

7.    Media conglomerates/ownership

8.    Minorities in mass media

9.    Portrayal of women

10. Reality television

11. Talk radio

12. Television violence

13. Media portrayals

14. Sensationalized media

15. Examine the issues of responsibility in pharmaceutical companies’ promotion of drugs in the media.

Science

1.    Forensic science technology

2.    What are the current capabilities and future goals of genetic engineers?

3.    What obstacles faced scientists in breaking the sound barrier?

4.    What is alchemy and how has it been attempted?

5.    Stem cell research

Energy

1.    What technologies are available to home owners to help them conserve energy?

2.    Nuclear energy

3.    Clean energy resources

4.    Wind energy: s wind energy really that cheap? Is it effective? Is it practical?

5.    What are the dangers and hazards of using nuclear power?

Psychology

1.    Investigate Freud’s contributions to psychology as they exist today: what value remains?

2.    Are there gender foundations to psychology and behavior that are removed from cultural considerations? To what extent does gender actually dictate thought process?

3.    To what extent is sexual orientation dictated by culture, and may there be an orientation not subject to social and cultural influences?

4.    Investigate the psychological process in group dynamics, with regard to the emergence of leaders and the compliance of others.

5.    Compare and contrast Jung, Freud, and Adler: explore distinctions and commonalities.

6.    What is “normal,” and to what extent is psychology reliant on culture to define this?

7.    Research and assess the effectiveness of radical psychotherapies and unconventional treatments.

8.    Research the concept of human will as both a component of individual psychology and a process or element removed from it.

9.    To what extent is self-image influenced by culture, in regard to eating disorders? Are external factors entirely to blame?

10. How do centuries-old beliefs of madness and dementia relate to modern conceptions of mental illness?

11. Is psychology itself inevitably a non-science, in that virtually any theory may be substantiated, or is there a foundation of science to the subject to which all theorists must conform?

12. Examine Euripides and gender psychology: what do THE TROJAN WOMEN and MEDEA REVEAL?

13. Using three characters, explore Chaucer’s insight into human behavior in The Canterbury Tales.

Literature

1.    Identify the true relationship between Dante and Virgil in The Divine Comedy, emphasizing Dante’s reliance on the poet.

2.    Research and discuss the English fascination for euphemism and ornate narratives in the 16th century, beginning with John Lyly.

3.    Examine any existing controversies regarding Shakespearean authorship, citing arguments on both sides.

4.    Analyze similarities and differences between Marlowe and Shakespeare in regard to Tamburlaine and Titus Andronicus.

5.    Defend or support Bloom’s assertion of Shakespeare as the “inventor of the human being.”

6.    To what degree Shakespeare’s plays are influenced by or reflective of the Elizabethan era? Identify specific cultural and national events linked to at least 3 plays.

7.    Analyze the unusual construction of A Winter’s Tale in regard to transition from comedy to drama. Is this valid? Does the transition benefit or harm the play?

8.    Support the belief that Shakespeare is representing himself as Prospero through evidence, or similarly refute the belief.

9.    Why was extreme violence so popular in English Reformation drama? Cite Marlowe, Kyd, Webster, and Shakespeare.

10. Analyze the metaphysical in Donne’s poetry: is it spiritual, existential, or both?

11. What is Shelley seeking to say in Frankenstein? Support your answer with passages from the novel.

12. Compare and contrast Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina with Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, noting the characters of the heroines.

13. It is argued that Dickens failed when he turned to serious, romantic narrative in his novels. Using Copperfield, Great Expectations, and Dombey and Son, defend or refute this claim.

14. Assess Dickens’s stance as a moralist in Bleak House and Hard Times: to what extent does he seek reform, and to what does he comment on the human condition?

15. Was the Harry Potter phenomenon warranted by quality of storytelling or more a matter of public receptivity at the time combined with media exposure?