Off-Campus Study

Albion students may participate in a wide variety of off-campus study or study/internship programs in the United States and throughout the world. These opportunities are designed to enhance a liberal arts education through developing interpersonal or cross-cultural skills, awareness of other cultures or an appreciation of the work environment. The offerings listed below represent the off-campus programs approved for Albion credit. The programs are run directly by Albion College, the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) and other respected educational institutions. Some programs are recognized by the Great Lakes Colleges Association, Inc., (GLCA), a Michigan non-profit corporation.

Students in any major may choose to study off campus. Some students study away for one semester; others select two different semester-long programs or spend an academic year abroad on one program. Finally, some students participate in summer programs. Please contact the director of the Center for International Education (CIE), Gerstacker International House, for more information.

Policies and Procedures

Eligibility Requirements
The requirements for study off campus are as follows:

• Junior or senior standing.
• A cumulative grade point average of 2.7. Some programs require a level of preparation and a demonstrated proficiency well above a cumulative grade point average of 2.7. A student interested in a particular off-campus program should confirm that he or she has the necessary qualifications either with the program adviser or the director of the CIE.
• Demonstrated maturity commensurate with the demands of the off-campus program.
• Successful completion of the Writing Competence Examination before attending an off-campus program.
• Good social standing (as determined by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs).

Meeting these minimum qualifications does not necessarily entitle a student to participate in the program. A complete list of policies and procedures is found in the off-campus study handbook, available in the CIE office and on the CIE Web site: www.albion.edu/intledu/ .

Transfer students must spend at least two semesters on the Albion campus and meet all other requirements before undertaking any off-campus study.

The Application Process
The application deadlines are in late September for spring semester and mid-February for fall and summer programs. Long before the application deadline, students can obtain information about all the off-campus programs from the Center for International Education (CIE) and from the faculty advisers to the individual programs. Students need to consider carefully how an off-campus program fits into their studies at Albion. After selecting the appropriate off-campus program, a student then begins the application process.

There are two applications, one for Albion College and one for the off-campus program. The Off-Campus Programs Advisory Committee, composed of administration and faculty representatives from each of the four divisions of the College, approves or denies permission for off-campus study. Then the CIE forwards the program applications to the appropriate programs. A program may accept or deny a student's application. However, in almost every case, a student who is approved by Albion will be accepted by the off-campus program.

Once a student is accepted for off-campus study, he or she needs to:

• Attend a mandatory orientation meeting. Parents are also invited to this meeting.
• Pay a $250 deposit, due the day of the orientation meeting. This deposit is credited to the student's account.
• Attend a required international program orientation meeting, for students studying overseas. Parents are also invited to this orientation.
• Complete a pre-departure assessment form and a post-program evaluation form.
• Attend a special program orientation meeting for Albion programs, such as those in Grenoble, France and Cape Town, South Africa.

Cost
Tuition and maintenance costs for off-campus programs usually do not exceed what a student pays for regular tuition, room and board on campus. However, when costs exceed those of Albion College's regular fees, students will be required to pay the difference. Other important items to note about costs for off-campus study include:

• There is a one-time off-campus administrative fee of $280 that is added to the regular Albion fees.
• Costs for transportation to and from an off-campus study program are the responsibility of the student as well, although in a few programs this expense may be included in the tuition.
• Financial aid applies to all off-campus programs on the list of programs approved for Albion credit, as if the student were on campus. This aid includes merit-based academic scholarships and need-based financial aid.
• Deferred payment plans such as Academic Management Services are not available for off-campus programs.

Credit and Grades

• Academic and internship credit for Albion College-approved off-campus programs will transfer back to the campus as if the student were on campus. Usually, the equivalent of 4.0 units of credit per semester and 8.0 units of credit per academic year will apply. However, some programs may have more or less credit.
• Students may count up to two semesters (8.0 Albion units) of off-campus study toward graduation.
• Students attending an Albion-approved program or a program approved on a one-time-only basis must attend the program as an Albion student to receive credit.
• All off-campus courses will be taken for numerical grades, unless the student specifically requests, in writing, grades of credit/no credit.
• All internships are graded credit/no credit.
• Successful completion of an off-campus program abroad (or the Border Studies program) for at least one semester fulfills the global studies category requirement.
• Off-campus semesters are not considered when determining eligibility for the Dean's List and/or Albion Fellows recognition.
• Students may complete core requirements while attending an off-campus program only if they obtain written authorization in advance from the registrar.
• For category requirements, the chair of the appropriate category committee must approve an off-campus program's course for that category requirement. Students must petition the category committee for approval before attending the program.
• Courses taken for a major or for teacher certification must be taken for a numerical grade unless written permission for a credit/no credit grade is obtained in advance from the department chair.
• Participating in an off-campus program during the last semester of the senior year may delay graduation.

Students who fail to follow College procedures regarding off-campus study, or who withdraw or take a leave of absence from Albion and thus circumvent existing College regulations regarding off-campus study, will not receive credit for course work done off campus.

Reentry
There is a reentry orientation session for students returning to Albion from an off-campus program. The CIE and the faculty work with returning students to help them integrate the knowledge and skills gained during their experience into their campus academic program.

Once the returning student has finished all the necessary course work on the off-campus program and completed the post-program evaluation form, credit from the program is transferred to the student's Albion College record. With proper planning, a student should not lose any time toward graduation.

Gerstacker International House
Albion College maintains the Gerstacker International House for students interested in foreign language study and international affairs. Residents of the International House are often students who are considering off-campus study or who are returning from programs abroad.

Center for International Education (CIE)
The Center for International Education (CIE) coordinates off-campus study programs for all students participating in the programs described in this catalog. Many of the descriptions that follow come from the individual program brochures. For more information, check with the director of the CIE.

Africa

Kenya--A full-year study opportunity in Nairobi is offered under the auspices of Kalamazoo College. Students study Kiswahili, enroll in the University of Nairobi and undertake an independent research project. All participants also take a special course in development models and theories. Housing is with Kenyan families.

Students who wish to spend a semester in Kenya may choose either a culture and development program based in Nairobi or a coastal studies experience based in Mombasa. With both programs, students study Kiswahili and do independent research projects. Home stays are included in the programs. The School for International Training administers these options. Another opportunity is the Center for Wildlife Management Studies, located at Game Ranching Limited. Here students focus on management strategies for Kenya's oldest and most profitable national park. Students also spend part of the semester working on the ecology and land use of the Kuku Maasai Group Ranch. Students take three courses and complete an independent study project. They also are involved in the local community. Housing is provided in the Center. The School for Field Studies sponsors this program. A summer option is available.

Senegal--A year-long program at the Universite Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal, provides European course work in French, a course in Wolof and an independent research project. A feature of this program is a special course in sustainable development, including the design and implementation of a community development project. Housing is with Senegalese families. Kalamazoo College administers this program.

The Council on International Educational Exchange offers a one-semester program in which students study French and Wolof and may also take courses in English at the Universite Cheikh Anta Diop. Students live with Senegalese families. Opportunities for community service and internships are available.

South Africa--Albion is privileged to have a special relationship with the University of Cape Town in the city of Cape Town, South Africa. Students may spend either the fall or spring semester studying in a wide variety of academic areas. Some community service-based internships are also possible. Students live in apartments or on campus in a dormitory. The CIE at Albion manages this program for our students, in conjunction with an on-site director in Cape Town.

Asia

China--By arrangement with the Council on International Educational Exchange, Albion offers students semester or academic year programs at three locations in mainland China: Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing. There is also a program in Taipei. Students live in dormitories. Some summer options are possible.

Hong Kong--The International Asian Studies Programme includes year-long or semester options at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Students take introductory Chinese language and choose two or three courses, taught in English, on China or regional and international studies. Housing is in a dormitory.

India--The ACM offers a junior year experience in India at a university in Pune. This program begins in July with a five-week orientation program around Pune and continues to December. Students study the Marathi language, take courses on India and complete an independent study project. Housing is with families in Pune.

Japan--The Japan study program is located in the international division of Waseda University in Tokyo. Instruction is in English, but students study Japanese as part of the program. The full-year program includes a one-month cultural practicum that includes an internship in a local community. Participants live with Japanese families. A one-semester option is also available in the fall. The managing college for the program is Earlham College.

South Korea--Albion students may study at the International Undergraduate Division of Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea for a full year, semester or summer. Courses are taught in English, but students may take Korean language classes. Students are housed in a dormitory on campus.

Australia

Province of Queensland--AustraLearn sponsors two programs in Brisbane available in both the fall and spring semesters. The University of Queensland in Brisbane (enrollment: 27,000) offers the following fields of study: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies, Australian studies, botany, business/management, marine science, psychology, religion and zoology. At Griffith University, fields of study include: tourism, communication, music, information technology, environmental science, film and television studies, commerce and multimedia. Students in both of these programs live in university residences.

James Cook University (JCU), another AustraLearn university, is located in Townsville near the Great Barrier Reef. JCU is a world leader in environmental and biological research but also has strong programs in education, psychology, business, creative arts, health and social sciences. Students may enroll either during the fall or spring semester. Housing is in university residences.

The Center for Rainforest Studies provides the opportunity to study the ecology of Australia's rainforest and look at issues of rainforest management and restoration. Participants apply their knowledge to the surrounding area by working on projects with members of the local community. Students take three courses and complete an independent study project. Housing is provided in the Center. The School for Field Studies sponsors this program. A summer option is available.

Province of New South Wales--The University of Newcastle (enrollment: 17,000) is located in Newcastle, New South Wales, two hours north of Sydney. Some subjects offered are: Aboriginal studies, environmental studies, management and business studies, geography and geology, Australian history, film and literature, psychology and sociology, music, visual arts and graphic design, communication studies and education. Housing is in university residences. Available in both the spring and fall semesters, the program is sponsored by AustraLearn.

AustraLearn sponsors two programs in the Sydney area: Maquarie University and the University of Wollongong. Academic highlights at Maquarie are Aboriginal studies, business, communications, history, biology, psychology, sociology, languages and education. The University of Wollongong is widely recognized for its interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary research strengths in these major areas: materials and manufacturing, policy and social impact, and communications and information. Both of these universities offer on-campus housing.

Boston University (BU) offers an academic internship program in Sydney that combines a professional internship with course work on Australia's dynamic history and its contemporary culture and place in the modern world. Courses are taught at the BU Sydney Center by faculty from Australian universities and industry. Internships are available in advertising and public relations, arts and arts administration, business and economics, film, radio and television, health and human services, hospitality administration, journalism and politics. The program is offered in both fall and spring semesters. Housing is furnished at the BU Sydney Center.

New Zealand

Dunedin--The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest and most prestigious university. The main activity of the host city is education. Academic highlights are earth and ocean sciences, environmental sciences, biological sciences, medical sciences, social sciences and New Zealand studies. This program is also sponsored by AustraLearn and is offered both fall and spring semesters. Students may live in dormitories or in shared flats with New Zealander students.

Caribbean

British West Indies--At the Center for Marine Resource Studies, located in the Turks and Caicos Islands, students confront the challenges of fisheries management. Participants study how to develop and manage the fisheries, park and reserves for the benefit of residents and visitors without degrading valuable marine resources. Students take three courses and complete an independent study project. They also are involved in the local community. Housing is provided in the Center. The School for Field Studies sponsors this program. A summer option is available.

Dominican Republic--The Council on International Educational Exchange administers a program at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra in Santiago, Dominican Republic for Spanish language and Caribbean area studies. Students may participate in the program in either the fall or spring semesters. Housing is with families.

Europe

Belgium--Students interested in European studies or international relations may choose to do a political internship with an English-speaking member of the European Union (EU) in Brussels. A knowledge of French is not required although a French class is offered. Students may opt between home stays or sharing an apartment with other international students or Belgian students. The program is sponsored by Educational Programmes Abroad.

France--Albion College's French program for a semester or full year is located in Grenoble, at the Centre Universitaire des Etudes Francaises, Universite de Grenoble III. Both language and non-language majors may participate, although students are expected to take two courses each semester in French language with three other courses in related areas. Students live with families in or near Grenoble. Students interested in studying for a Certificate in International Business take classes at the Ecole Superieure de Commerce in Grenoble. Classes are taught in English although an intensive French class is required. Students are housed with host families, and all efforts are made to place students with little or no knowledge of French with families who speak some English.

Students also may choose the Boston University Paris Internship Program, combining intensive French language study and liberal arts courses in French with an eight-week internship. Participants may choose to live either in a dormitory or with a family.

Studio art students may spend a semester at the Marchutz School in Aix-en-Provence where they enroll in the Studio Seminar, the Art Criticism Seminar and one art history class. Students also study French. Housing is with a French family. A summer session is available. The Institute for American Universities administers this program.

Germany--Students may spend a semester, summer or a full year in Heidelberg, with the American Junior Year at Heidelberg University, administered by Heidelberg College (Ohio). Students choose from a variety of classes, live in apartments with German students and participate in community activities. Another option for a spring semester or full-year program includes a language program at a Goethe Institute followed by study at Eberhard-Karls-Universitat in Tubingen. This program, sponsored by Antioch College, can include independent research, internships or part-time work. Students are housed in dormitories.

Greece--The College Year in Athens is an independent study program that offers full-year, semester and summer programs in ancient Greek civilization and East Mediterranean area studies. These two multidisciplinary tracks encourage the selection of related courses. Areas of study include art and archaeology, classical languages, ethnography, history, modern Greek language, philosophy, political science, and religion. Students live in apartments provided by the program.

Ireland--Students may study for a semester or a full year at University College Cork National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland. UCC has eight faculties: Arts, Law, Commerce, Celtic Studies, Science, Food Science and Technology, Engineering and Medicine. There are over 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students. There are also limited internship options at UCC and a summer session. UCC arranges housing for Albion students.

Studio art students may choose a semester or summer option at the Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughn, County Clare, Ireland. Burren provides students with personal studio space, one-to-one tutorials with faculty, and housing on site. Courses are available in drawing, painting, photography and sculpture.

The CIE at Albion manages these programs for our students.

Italy--Lexia offers fall and spring programs in Rome and Venice geared to students who wish to do research. Students participate in a ten-week language course and civilization seminar. During the fifth week they start a research methods seminar at which time they decide on a field research topic. The last five weeks of the program are spent working on and finishing their field research project. Students share an apartment with other international or Italian students.

The Studio Art Centers International (SACI) in Florence offers classes in studio art, art history, art conservation, archaeology, and Italian language and culture. Fall, spring and summer sessions are offered. SACI is located in the Palazzo dei Cartelloni in downtown Florence. This location boasts a beautiful gallery/exhibition space, classrooms, a library, offices and studios surrounding a traditional Italian garden. Students are housed in shared apartments throughout Florence.

Russia--An ACM program, the fall semester in Russia offers intermediate-level Russian language students a combination of intensive language and area study course work. The program is based in the old city of Krasnodar, capital of the Kuban region, set in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains. Students live with families.

Spain--Albion students study at the Center for Cross-Cultural Study in Seville. The program offers series of courses in Spanish language, Spanish and Spanish-American literature, Spanish and Spanish-American civilization, contemporary Spain, business in Spain, and teaching English as a second language. Students also may choose to complete an independent study project or intern in the local Seville area as well. A second program is located in Segovia under the auspices of the Midwest Consortia for Study Abroad. Classes are offered in Spanish language, literature, civilization and culture. Semester, summer or full-year options are available in both programs. Students live with local families both in Seville and Segovia. A Spanish language program is also available in Seville through the Council on International Educational Exchange. Students may choose to enroll directly in the University de Sevilla and live with host families.

The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) also offers Spanish programs in Alicante on the Mediterranean. Classes are tailored to students from beginning to advanced. In Barcelona, the CIEE offers classes at the intermediate level. Internship possibilities are also available. In Alcala, the CIEE courses are designed for advanced students in Spanish, and courses may be taken at the Universidad de Alcala. All sessions are offered fall and spring semesters. Alicante also offers summer sessions. Housing is with host families in all CIEE programs in Spain.

United Kingdom--Albion College sponsors a full-year program at the London School of Economics where students study a variety of subjects, e.g., anthropology, economics, mathematics, operational research, philosophy and sociology. Participants live in university-owned dormitories. There is also a summer school option.

There are semester, summer and full-year opportunities at the University of Sussex in Brighton, England and the University of Stirling, Scotland. Semester or full-year options also are available at the University of Aberdeen through the Scotland Program (GLCA-recognized program). At all three universities, students live in university residences. Albion also is affiliated with Educational Programmes Abroad (EPA), an internship/study program in London that offers semester and summer opportunities. During the semester, students intern three days per week and take two courses. Students live in apartments provided by the program. In an internship program available through Boston University students take classes for the first eight weeks and then do their internships during the last eight weeks. Students in this program live in provided housing.

Central European Studies--The artistic, cultural, historical and political heritage of Central Europe provides the focus of this ACM fall-semester program in the Czech Republic. Based at Palacky University in Olomouc, the program also involves cases studies of transformation on local, national and regional levels. Instruction is in English, but participants live in dormitories with Czech students and study the Czech language as part of the program. The semester includes field trips across much of former Czechoslovakia.

Women's Studies in Europe--In the Comparative Women's Studies in Europe program sponsored by Antioch College, students observe firsthand the European women's movement. Participants meet with women from varied professions in four different European countries: Netherlands, Germany, Poland and Britain. The program includes three courses and an independent research project. Students stay at pensions and hotels in Germany, Poland and the Netherlands, and with families in Britain.

Latin America

Costa Rica--The ACM sponsors a Latin America Culture and Society program in San Jose[aa in the fall and a Tropical Field Research program in the spring. The fall semester has three major components: Spanish language study, Introduction to Costa Rica and the core course taught by a local expert. Students live with families and complete an independent study project. The Tropical Field Research semester is a program for advanced independent work in the natural and social sciences and the humanities. The semester includes language study (including a home stay), field research and a research seminar and paper.

The International Center for Human Development (CIDH) offers three programs based in San Jose. A Spanish language program, Language, Cultural Diversity and Development in Central America, incorporates studying the Spanish language with cultural issues of Central America. Students live with Costa Rican families. The CIDH programs on sustainable human development in Latin America and on environmental studies do not require a high level of Spanish as core classes are taught in English. A course in Spanish is required, and living with host families helps the students to quickly acquire a basic knowledge of the language.

The Center for Sustainable Development Studies, located at Atenas, is working on sustainable development opportunities for Costa Rica. Students study the seven Protected Areas and then apply that knowledge to the local canton of Atenas. Students take three courses and complete an independent study project. They also are involved in the local community. Housing is provided in the Center. The School for Field Studies sponsors this program. A summer option is available.

Honduras--This biennial spring program focuses on archaeological investigations. Students have the unique opportunity to experience seminars on the cultures, history, politics and prehistory of Central America, produce an independent research project, take field trips and live in a rural Honduran community. Kenyon College is the program sponsor.

Mexico--Located in Baja, the Center for Coastal Studies explores alternative management strategies for the fisheries of Bahia Magdalena. Opportunities also are available to conduct research to determine the effects of human activity on the whale populations. Students take three courses and complete an independent study project. They also are involved in the local community. Housing is provided in the Center. The School for Field Studies sponsors this program. A summer option is available.

Another opportunity in Mexico is located on the border of Mexico and the U.S. See below.

Middle East

Turkey--The Global Partners Semester in Turkey was created through the efforts of the 41 member colleges that comprise three consortia, the GLCA, the ACM and the Associated Colleges of the South. This fall-semester-only program offers students the chance to study in both Istanbul and Ankara, and includes a nine-day field study trip in western Turkey. Participants will study beginning Turkish during the program. Housing is in university dormitories.

United States

Border Studies Program--This GLCA-recognized fall-semester program in El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua focuses on the Mexican-United States border region, which offers a unique view of how nations, cultures and languages interact to create what is known as border culture. Students take courses about the border region, labor history and cultural conflict resolution. They also can select a course at the University of Texas at El Paso. Students complete individual field studies or independent research projects. Some internships are possible. Students live with families, either in El Paso or Ciudad Juarez.

Chicago--The ACM Newberry Library Program in the Humanities (a GLCA-recognized program) is an opportunity for students to do research at one of America's foremost libraries in the humanities. This fall-semester program includes a thematic seminar and a significant individual research project, related to the broad theme of the seminar. Apartment housing is provided by the program.

Another program in Chicago, at the Urban Life Center, offers Albion students a combined academic and internship experience. During the semester, students intern four days per week, take a Chicago Communities and Cultures Seminar, and complete an independent study project. Students live in apartments provided by the program. This urban studies program is available in fall or spring semester and has a summer session.

New York City--The New York Arts Program (a GLCA-recognized program), offered in the fall and spring semesters, provides students in the performing, visual and communication arts opportunities not available on their home campuses. Each participant engages in an apprenticeship and in a seminar on the arts. Students work with professionals in a wide variety of areas. Students live in the New York Arts Program house. Ohio Wesleyan University manages this program.

North Carolina--Duke University's Marine Laboratory at Beaufort, North Carolina, is a campus of Duke University providing semester and summer courses in marine science, including biochemistry, ecology, developmental biology, geology, oceanography, physiology and systematics. Fall and spring semester options are available. The spring semester, called the Beaufort to Bermuda semester, focuses on international study in environmental science and policy, in Beaufort and Bermuda. Housing is provided at the laboratory site.

Oak Ridge, Tennessee--The Oak Ridge Science Semester (a GLCA-recognized program) is a fall semester program that enables upperclass students (primarily seniors) to join ongoing research projects at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Majors in biology, chemistry, computer science or mathematics are eligible. In addition to their research, students participate in an interdisciplinary seminar and take an advanced course from a resident faculty member from a member college of the GLCA or ACM. Housing is in apartments provided by the program.

Philadelphia--The Philadelphia Center (a GLCA-recognized program) provides an integrated internship and academic experience in an urban context. Students choose an internship in a school, institution, agency or community group related to their academic discipline. The course work consists of a city seminar and an elective. Students also participate in seminars and workshops in the Philadephia area. Students live in apartments. Hope College manages the program during the fall and spring semesters.

SEA Semester--The Sea Education Association (SEA) semester is a fall, spring or summer program that integrates science, the humanities and practical seamanship with deep-water oceanographic studies. Students spend the first half of the program at the SEA campus in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Participants then spend the second half of the program on board one of SEA's sailing research vessels. Cruise tracks include the Caribbean and the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Southwestern U.S.--In the Southwest Field Studies program sponsored by Earlham College, students learn about regional natural history and participate in experiential outdoor education at various locations in the southwestern United States. Housing is provided on site. This program is available spring semester every other year.

Washington, D.C.--Two programs are available. The Washington Semester program with The American University in Washington, D.C., offers students an internship plus studies in a variety of areas. The semester program is made up of three parts: the two-day per week internship, a thematic seminar and an elective course or research project. Housing is in an American University dormitory. The Washington Center for Learning Alternatives provides semester students with an intensive internship experience four and a half days per week and a Washington Center-arranged seminar. Students live in apartment complexes. Both Washington programs have a summer option.

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