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** The deadline for to study abroad Fall 2010 Semester is Friday, March 5th 2010 at 4:30pm **
Our International Center mission statement asserts that study abroad "enhances education in the liberal arts . . . ." In the Educational Goals essay that all students who want to study abroad must write, we ask them to describe how their proposed off-campus study will enhance their liberal arts education.
The International Center, located on the 1st floor of Markim Hall, has a qualified and professional staff ready to help you. Click here to read about International Center staff members.
The student confronted with this requirement may well wonder what, precisely, we mean by "education in the liberal arts," as there is plenty of room for discussion and disagreement on the subject. As a place to begin, we recommend Professor William Cronon's 1999 essay, published in The American Scholar, "'Only Connect . . .' The Goals of a Liberal Education." This piece -- short, clear, persuasive -- offers everyone interested in the subject a full chest of tools to use in thinking about how study abroad and liberal learning may complement one another.
Read William Cronon's essay before you continue on to completing your Study Abroad Proposal.
Read the sample essays!
- Download the Study Abroad Proposal (Word Document)
- READ all of the propsal instructions.
- TYPE all of the necessary information into pages 1-5 (6 and 7 if needed).
- PRINT the proposal.
- SIGN the Student Agreement and Transcript Release on page 2. TALK to your Academic Advisor. Make sure they sign the proposal on page 4.
- DISCUSS your proposed courses with your Department chair. Have him or her sign the Coursework Approval Form(s) (pages 5 through 7).
- WRITE all the essays you need (see instructions on pages 8 - 10).
- SUBMIT your proposal PLUS four copies (5 total) to the International Center no later than the stated deadline.
Elements of a Good Study Abroad Proposal:
You do not need to have all the elements described below to have your proposal approved. But, if you want to put together an outstanding proposal, try to include them. Not only will the Study Away Review Committee likely smile on you, you will have improved your own preparation for the experience.
- Your credits for on-time completion of your major and general distrabution requirements are in good-shape.
- If your proposal involves field work or a foreign language, and if your coursework, completed or in progress, prepares you adequately for the proposed program.
- Two courses of the academic work you plan abroad will count towards a major(s), minor(s) and/or concentration(s).
- Your proposal has some element of cultural immersion.
- Your proposal includes some element of Global Citizenship, that is, action in addition to scholarship, whether during the experience or late, making use of the experience. We recommend that you read Professor Andrew Latham's Project Pericles Paper for a fuller explanation.
- A plan for making use of your study abroad experience after you return, whether in your studies at Mac, or later on (in your career goals, graduate school etc).
- A solid sense of why the program you have chosen is the best program for you ACADEMICALLY. If you have chosen a program that is not on the recommended list, show that you have investigated that program's academics, including, if possible, the credentials of its faculty.
- Read through some of the sample essays to get a sense of what to include in your proposal.
The Study Away Review Commitee (SARC) recognizes that it is often enthusiasm for a particular place that drives the choice of a study abroad program. SARC is interested in location only insofar as it has to do with academics and your preparation as a global citizen.
Get Help!
Ask questions, request information, or set up an appointment with a study abroad advisor at the International Center.
In Person: Markim Hall, 1st floor
Email: studyabroad@macalester.edu
Phone: 651-696-6310