Virtual Fair Introduction

This year, the Office of International Programs will host the annual Fall semester "Off-Campus Study Fair" in which students will mingle amongst program representatives to learn more about each program and the courses and experiences they offer. So save the date for Monday, November 14, 2022, 10:30am-1:30pm, in Booth Ferris!

In the meantime, we have organized a "virtual fair" below for students to explore various pre-approved programs. Programs are organized into three groups based on the program model: Direct Enroll, Field Study, and Study Center (for a reminder about the characteristics of each program model, watch the "How to Search for Programs" video below.) Within each section, students can click each program button for a snapshot of the program details and links to additional information and resources.

Off-Campus Study Resources 

F&M students can peruse the Off-Campus Study website at any time for updates, program and application process information, and other resources.  Students also receive weekly Off-Campus Study eNewsletters which highlight upcoming OCS events and important reminders.

If you have any program questions or would like to talk more about Off-Campus Study opportunities at F&M, please drop in to our weekly virtual advising hours. More information about advising hours and upcoming info sessions can be found on our Events webpage.

Direct Enroll 

Direct Enroll study abroad programs are quite immersive as they allow F&M students to directly enroll in a host university (i.e. the University of Edinburgh) and attend classes with local students. Host universities are often much larger than F&M with a sizable student body, an expansive course catalog, and lecture-hall style classes. F&M students will be expected to adapt to the local teaching and assessment styles with expectations of self-guided study and only one or two major exams per semester.

Direct Enroll options are available in both English- and Spanish-speaking countries. All courses will be taught in the local language, so students interested in Spanish-speaking universities are expected to have a high intermediate level of language proficiency.

The Direct Enroll program model fits any major due to the large number of university courses available and works especially well for science and math (STEM) majors in need of specific courses while abroad. Students should be interested in and capable of self-motivated and independent learning.

 

Field Study 

On a Field Study program, F&M students will join a small cohort of 15-30 students from other U.S. colleges & universities and spend a significant amount of time out of the classroom and in the "field". Field-based programs can be centered around either a biology/ecology/environmental science focus or a social-science focus. Each program's curriculum will be thematic and the course list set, meaning students will not select from a broad range of classes. Most field-based programs also have a research component.

The majority of Field Study programs are taught in English but will require students to take a local language/culture course. Some programs, depending on location, theme, and community involvement, are taught in the local language (primarily French or Spanish).

An important component of Field Study programs is learning that takes place outside the traditional classroom. Students should expect a structured schedule that includes significant field study trips as part of the curriculum.

The Field Study program model is great for students who want to dig deeper into a specific topic and/or location, enjoy structured learning outside the classroom, and who are interested in developing their research skills.

 

Study Center 

On a Study Center program, F&M students will take at least some of their courses at an established center designed specifically for U.S. college students studying abroad. Though the overall program size, course variety, program prerequisites, and additional opportunities vary by location, all Study Center programs have the same general structure. Study Center programs offer support throughout the length of the program with local staff on hand to help with adjustment, support, cultural immersion, and any issues that may arise.

In order to maximize cultural immersion and integration, many Study Center programs offer research and internship opportunities as well as host family stays. And in some locations, with the appropriate language proficiency, F&M students may elect to take one or two classes directly enrolled at the local university alongside local students.

The Study Center model provides a great opportunity for students who want to take a variety of courses in English while studying in a non-English-speaking country. It also works well for students seeking to improve their proficiency in another language.

 

  • Advanced Studies in England

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    The ASE program center is situated at the heart of Bath, a beautiful, world-heritage city 90 minutes west of London. Known for it’s challenging liberal arts curriculum, teaching at ASE takes place in small seminar groups (maximum 13 students) and tutorial-style classes taught by highly-qualified British faculty. Internships are available at a number of locations in and around Bath.

    ASE students are housed in shared apartments in the heart of downtown Bath, all within walking distance of the program center, the Roman Baths, and an array of cafes, restaurants and pubs. Throughout the semester, students spend a week-long residential at the University of Oxford and three days in Stratford-upon-Avon where they attend performances at the Royal Shakespeare Company. There are also many organized day trips to historic rural treasures around England and Wales.

  • Arcadia

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    • ITALY: Students study at the Umbra Institute, which offers a variety of English-taught social science and humanities courses and Italian language courses of varying level. The program is a great alternative to Rome for students interested in being in a smaller Italian city and away from an international metropolis. Perugia, on a hilltop in the heart of Tuscany, is a city with plentiful art, architecture, and historical significance. Home to a large Italian university, students can easily make local friends and find plentiful activities within the city limits. 
    • GREECE: Students study in the heart of Athens, both the current vibrant and modern city and the ancient capital of early civilization. Classes focus on ancient archaeology and history and the current global issues of the region like migration and economic change. Ancient Greek and Latin languages available for Classics majors. The program offers exciting excursions and community-based activities and internships.

  • AU Semester in Washington

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    Available in both the semester and summer terms, the AU Washington program is an excellent opportunity for those students interested in securing a full-time internship in the DC area.

    Academic seminars, taught by American University faculty, provide provocative and topical coursework for students interested in topics as diverse as government, international affairs, public diplomacy, international organizations, communications, business & economics, social justice, criminal justice, and law.

    In addition to their academic coursework, students secure internships in a diverse range of organizations, government agencies, businesses, or Fortune 500 companies in the DC-area. The internship and networking experience this program provides is excellent for those interested in international and DC-based government, law, and NGO work.

  • Boston University Abroad

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    • LONDON SEMESTER: The London Internship semester term, offered in both the fall and spring, features 12 different academic tracks and combines a professional internship with coursework that examines a particular academic area in the context of Great Britain’s history, culture, and society. Students take classes at the centrally located BU London Academic Center. After completing the program’s five-week core phase, students spend the final eight weeks in full-time internships with organizations in the greater London area while also enrolled in a related weekly seminar course.
    • LONDON SUMMER: The London Summer Internship Program offers 8 weeks of study and work through pre-placed internships that complement a student’s particular academic concentration and personal goals. The six available tracks examine a particular academic area in the context of Great Britain’s history, its culture and society, and its role within Europe. Students take classes at the centrally located BU London Academic Center.
    • PARIS SUMMER: The eight-week Paris Summer Internship Program combines coursework that focuses on Paris through a study of language, economics, art history, literature, cinema, and theater, with internships at organizations in the greater Paris area. Classes are taught in French and English at the BU Paris Academic Center, which is walking distance from the Eiffel Tower.

  • CET

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    • The COLOMBIA semester program focuses on the study of race, identity, and ethnicity through the Afro-Colombian lens in Cali—a city with the second largest population of African descent in South America.
    • The CZECH REPUBLIC semester program focuses on film productive at the FAMU - one of Europe's foremost film academics. Film students will see a film through every stage of production, from pitching through staging to post-production.
    • The JAPAN program, both semester and summer, offers an intensive Japanese language immersion. Students will gain one year of language during their semester or summer, as they live with local roommates and explore Osaka.
    • The JORDAN program, both semester and summer, offers an intensive language study in Arabic. The summer internship option is a great immersive experience.
    • The CHINA summer program will cover a year’s worth of Chinese language content. Students live with a local roommate and will maintain a full-time language pledge
    • The VIETNAM semester program focuses on Development Studies. Students take courses in English and Vietnamese language, as well as either an internship or individual research project.

  • CIEE

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    The CIEE Seville Study Center houses both their International Business & Culture (IB&C) and Liberal Arts programs. Students on both programs take courses at both the CIEE Study Center as well as local university classes, offered both in English and Spanish. CIEE IB&C is an excellent choice for students that have taken at least SPA 102 at F&M. CIEE Liberal Arts is meant for a higher proficiency Spanish student, who has taken the equivalent of SPA221 at F&M.

    Students live with host families scattered around the historic city of Seville. Located in the heart of Andalucía, Seville offers an enchanting maze of medieval alleys, baroque churches, and Mudéjar palaces.

  • DIS

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    With programs in both Copenhagen and Stockholm, DIS allows students to build their semester by choosing a Core Course from 27 Academic Programs and select your elective courses from across 48 disciplines. Core courses feature a 10-day comparative travel portion, which builds European travel into the program structure. All courses take students out of the classroom on local Field Studies, exploring Copenhagen through an academic lens. DIS courses offer students opportunities to participate in research and labs, simulate real-life scenarios through case studies, gain professional feedback in studio, update their resumé with practicum and workshop experience, and more. Both locations offer numerous high quality housing options. 

  • IAU

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    The Institute for American Universities (IAU) is a study center that offers semester and summer programs in the following tracks: the School of Humanities & Social Sciences, the Marchutz School of Fine Arts, and the French Honors program. Courses are taught in both English and French, depending on your track and language proficiency.

    The IAU program center is centrally located in the historic southern French town of Aix-en-Provence, home of beloved French painter Paul Cézanne. Amidst the rolling hills of Provence, students gain an enhanced understanding of Provençal culture as well as French history and society. 

  • IES

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    Study at an IES program center in one of many cities around the world. In most cases, you will take at least one language course and often take your other courses in English (exceptions are Santiago, Nantes, and Madrid, in which you will take your other courses in the local language). 

    IES offers internship seminars in conjunction with academic courses in some semester locations as well as providing full-time summer internships. 

  • IFE

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    IFE is a small cohort-focused internship program in Francophone Europe, with semester programs in Paris, Strasbourg, and Brussels. The program begins with 5 weeks of intensive interdisciplinary courses, focused on French culture, politics, and history. During the following 12 weeks, students hold a full-time internship in their chosen field. As part of the internship, students conduct field research, delving into an issue and producing a 30-page independent study at the conclusion of the program.

    IFE require a high level of French proficiency - F&M students should expect FRN302 to be a reasonable prerequisite.

  • IFSA

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    IFSA Study Center programs are approved in China, the Czech Republic, and India. Study the rising economies, social and political complexities, regional cultures, and the local languages in each location. Internships and direct-enroll course electives vary by location. 

  • INSTEP Cambridge

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    Spend a semester in Cambridge where you can study topics that include international relations, business, economics, political economy, geopolitics, history, and English literature. The INSTEP Cambridge program is designed to provide you with small and interactive seminars taught by world class British faculty. The seminars will have no more than 12 students and the supervisions will have no more than 4 students enrolled in them giving you a very personalized and specialized academic experience. 

  • Middlebury

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    CHINA: Middlebury in China offers programs in three locations throughout mainland China: Beijing, Hangzhou, and Kunming. Intended for students looking to improve their Mandarin Chinese language proficiency, these programs require students to agree to a language pledge. At the end of a semester, student’s are expected to have gained at least on full year’s worth of language proficiency.

    Though academics vary per location, each of the three sites specializes in certain areas:

    • Hangzhou, located southwest of Shanghai on China’s east coast, offers a broad curriculum in humanities, such as history, art & literature, religious studies, and Chinese social issues.
    • Kunming is a multi-ethnic city located in southwest China and offers courses in anthropology, social sciences, and environmental sciences.
    • Beijing, China’s capital located on the northeast coast, offers courses in political science, economics, and the arts.

     

    SUMMER LANGUAGE: Middlebury Language Schools is one of the U.S.’s preeminent language learning programs. Located in either Vermont or California, the Middlebury Summer Language programs offer weeks of intensive language immersion, after which students are expected to have gained one full year’s worth of language proficiency progress. Students can choose from programs in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

  • SACI

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    Study studio art and art history in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. Traditional and contemporary studio arts, design, conservation, art history, and Italian language and culture courses available.

     

  • UM Madrid

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    The University of Minnesota program center in Madrid hosts a traditional Spanish studies program and a Psychology & Research program. The UMN Madrid program is an excellent choice for students interested in studying in the Spanish capital but who have had little to no Spanish language. All non-language program courses are taught in English and the Psychology program offers a wide variety of major electives to choose from.

    Internships are available, in either English or Spanish. Students also have the option of taking English-taught courses at the local Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.

  • UVA Valencia

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    UVA Valencia Language & Culture is a great program for Spanish-proficient students looking to get “off the beaten path” in their Spanish immersion. Students take courses in Spanish language, literature, culture, and history. Serving learning opportunities are available.

    Set on the Mediterranean coast, Valencia is the third largest city in Spain and is surrounded by immense beaches.

    For students who have taken F&M SPA221 or who are at the equivalent level.

  • Other

    The Office of International Programs has a wide variety of pre-approved programs, some of which are small and specialized. Linked below are some programs that are not listed on the main program map of this website but that offer many interesting academic and cultural opportunities for F&M students. Please click the program links below for more information!