Choosing An Off-Campus Study Program
Steensland Hall • 507-786-3069 • www.stolaf.edu/international
Where Would You Like To Study?
St. Olaf College has over 65 approved destinations for off-campus study. These sites cover most of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, South/Central America, the Middle East and the United States. Each year there are also over 35 one-month, off-campus January interims led by St. Olaf faculty to domestic and international destinations.
What Type of Program Best Fits You?
There are five main types of programs. It is important to determine what type of experience best fits you and your desire for study independently or in a group.
St. Olaf Faculty Led Programs: Term in the Middle East, Term in Asia, Global Semester and Environmental Science in Australia are 4-5 month programs led by St. Olaf faculty. Students live and study as a group and are taught by local faculty for all but one course, which is taught by the St. Olaf Field Supervisor. January Interim programs are one-month programs taught by St. Olaf faculty in both domestic and abroad locations.
Exchange Programs: St. Olaf has exchange agreements with universities in Germany, China, Japan, Tanzania, Great Britain, Norway, Korea and Thailand. Students from universities abroad study at St. Olaf and St. Olaf students most often study abroad in the language of the country.
Direct Enrollment: Programs in England, Scotland, Ireland, Russia, Turkey, Egypt, Norway and Australia allow students to enroll as regular students of these universities for a semester or year. Students live either on campus or in apartments near campus, cook their own meals and take exams alongside university students.
Consortial Programs: St. Olaf belongs to the ACM (Associated Colleges of the Midwest), HECUA (Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs), CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) and numerous smaller consortiums. Colleges form together to offer programs in destinations which might not have enough interest on individual campuses. Students usually have classes with the group of students from the consortial schools, are usually taught by on-site faculty and often have the option of a family stay. ACM offers programs in: Florence, London/Florence, Japan, Chicago, Tanzania, Botswana, Costa Rica, Oak Ridge (Tennessee) and India. HECUA has programs in Norway, Mpls/St. Pau, Northern Ireland and Ecuador. CIEE offers programs in Russia, France, Ghana, Chile, Senegal and Spain. IES offers programs in Paris, Vienna, Argentina and Milan. Other consortial programs are: Programs in France, Washington Semester, Budapest Math Semester, Oregon Extension, Center for Global Education Programs in Namibia and Central America, Social Work in Mexico and Denmark International Study.
St. Olaf Programs: A few programs are St. Olaf organized, but not led by St. Olaf faculty. These are: Study/Service Indonesia (not currently offered); Term in China; Biology in South India and Student Teaching in India, Korea or Hong Kong. Students are alone or in a group of 4-10, integrated into the culture.
Do You Want To Study Where You Speak the Language?
It is important for language majors to study in a culture where they can be immersed in the language. St. Olaf offers programs for student majoring in: Russian, Norwegian, Spanish, German, Chinese, Japanese, and French. Students who are at a higher level, but not majoring in the language can also study in these languages.
When Is It Best For You To Study Off-Campus?
The most common time to study off-campus is during the junior year. However, it is also common to study off-campus during the first semester of senior year. Sometimes students will participate during Semester II of the sophomore year.
First year students may only study off-campus on language programs during interim which are the 4th semester courses for German and Spanish or on the Education interim in the Twin Cities. These are designed for first-year students.
Many students have their first off-campus experience during their sophomore or junior year on a January interim and then elect to spend the following semester or year studying off-campus
Which Is Better? A Semester, Year, Or An Interim?
Students share that the longer you live in a culture the more you understand the people and the society. Many St. Olaf programs allow students to study for a full year. There are also semester and semester/interim programs. The shortest time is the January interim. It is highly encouraged to spend as much time on the off-campus program as possible.
The year/semester programs average in cost from $2,000-5,000 (which includes room and board) over studying on campus (not comprehensive fee) for a 4-9 month experience off-campus. The January interims cost $2,500-5,500 for one-month study program off-campus.
What Credits Can You Bring Back From Off-Campus?
St. Olaf students who study off-campus stay on track for graduation. You may bring back both GE (General Education) credits and major credits from off-campus programs. These credits do not count in your GPA unless they are taught by St. Olaf faculty, but the grade will show on the transcript.
Each program has different allowances for GE credit. The field supervised and some of the consortial programs have pre-determined GE credits, while the direct enroll and exchange programs allow you to take a variety of courses. The most commonly taken GE courses off-campus are: ALS-A, ALS-L, HWC, HBS, MCS-G, MCS-D. Credits that are advisable to finish on campus are: NST, NST-L, MAR, EIN, WRI, BTS-T, PHA and ORC.
Major credit is determined by each individual department chair. Most departments will allow one or sometimes two major credits to transfer from off-campus programs for the major.
When Should You Apply?
The application deadline for the 2010-2011 semester and year programs (both Semester I and II) is Monday, March 1, 2010. Applications will be available in November, 2009, from International and Off-Campus Studies in Steensland Hall. There will be an Off-Campus Study Open House in the Black and Gold Ballroom in Buntrock Commons in early November.
Applications for the 2011 January interims will be available in early April, 2010, at the Off-Campus Interim Open House in the Black and Gold Ballroom in Buntrock Commons. The first deadline for interim selection is Friday, April 30, 2010. Applications will be accepted on a rolling admission after that date until October, 2010.
If You Have QuestionsInternational and Off-Campus Studies are located in Steensland Hall (next door to Old Main). Staff of International and Off-Campus Studies is available to answer your questions. Helen Stellmaker is Coordinator of Advising and Student Activities (stellmak@stolaf.edu or 507-786-3871) and can assist you with choosing a program to suit your academic needs.
Each program listed in the International and Off-Campus brochure has a faculty program adviser. This faculty is a valuable resource about each individual program and is listed in the front of the brochure.
St. Olaf College encourages you to study off-campus on a domestic or international academic program for a semester, year or interim. We look forward to assisting you to study and learn with the world as your campus.
