Study Abroad Resources for Faculty

Thank you for your interest in leading a study abroad course. This information will help you get started on the process.

Study Abroad Benefits for Students
There are multiple benefits for students when they study abroad. A few research findings include:

  • "Multiple large-scale studies have found that students who study abroad, especially underrepresented or 'at-risk' students, are more likely to complete their degrees or certificate programs than students who did not study abroad."
  • "Students who study abroad have a higher GPA than similar students who stayed on campus, even when controlling for external factors. This impact is even more pronounced for minority and at-risk students."
  • "Students who have studied abroad are better able to work with people from other countries, understand the complexity of global issues, and have greater intercultural learning. One study found that students returned from their study abroad experiences more tolerant and less fearful of other countries, but with a greater sense of nationalism—a phenomenon they called 'enlightened nationalism.'"
  • "Multiple surveys have shown that the skills gained while studying abroad are the same skills that employers value and that employers recognize the importance of cross-cultural understanding in an increasingly global economic environment."

Additional research about the benefits of study abroad can be found at the link below:
Measuring the Impact of Study Abroad

Proposal Process Overview

  • Study abroad courses are approved by the VPAA following recommendations form the faculty Dean and the Study Abroad Advisory Board. Typically proposals are reviewed in the spring semester in the year prior to the trip being taken.
  • Submit those forms to the VPAA by January 20, 2023.

Course Information
You have several options for the study abroad course offering. Discuss these options with your Dean prior to submitting an application. Be sure to discuss how you will be paid for the course (as part of load or overload). Typically courses have some contact time in the spring semester prior to a May trip. Grades are entered as Incomplete until the students complete the course work following the trip. A three-credit course would require 45 hours of contact time (in the classroom prior to the trip, in structured tours during the trip, etc.) and an additional 90 hours of student work on coursework (e.g. reading, writing papers, etc.).

Each program has a 389 course for Study Abroad that you can use for your class. It is pre-approved with General Studies credit. See the VPAA for more information.

Making Arrangements
Basically, there are two options in making arrangements for your trip.

  • Work with an external provider. The College has worked with EF (Education First) in the past. There are two options for working with EF: a pre-planned trip that would be taken with other schools or a customized trip. In either case, the students pay EF directly and there is no contract with the College.
  • Make arrangements on your own. This would involve making sure that contracts and agreements are approved (usually by the Board) well in advance of the trip.

Brief Timeline

  • Spring semester year prior: Propose course, gain approval, begin recruitment
  • Fall semester, year of trip: Finalize recruitment and gain student commitments
  • Spring semester, year of trip: Offer course, finalize arrangements

Student Forms (Develop these forms with the VPAA once your course is approved.)

  • Application Form
  • Student Agreement Form
  • PeruQuest Scholarship Application
  • Student Assistant Application