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In an era characterized by increasing worldwide interdependence, the college recognizes its responsibility to maximize global perspectives in its educational programs so that students may gain the international understanding necessary to be informed citizens and world leaders. On-campus, many courses have an international focus. In addition, global perspectives and intercultural sensitivities are stressed in the comparative civilizations program; the program in foreign languages, with its required level of proficiency and emphases on literature and culture; double majors that combine language skills with study in other disciplines; and interdisciplinary area study programs in Western Europe, East Asia, Latin America, and Russia.
The college also encourages its students to investigate the appropriateness of study abroad to their educational objectives. When carefully planned in advance and integrated with a student's on-campus academic program, study abroad can be an integral part of the liberal arts experience, providing cultural enrichment, personal development, and intellectual challenge. Dickinson boasts an exceptionally high study abroad participation rate, the highest in Pennsylvania. Well over half of its students study abroad, over a third for a full academic year.
The Office of Global Education oversees the college's study-abroad programs. Approval for participation in Dickinson, Dickinson Partner, and non-Dickinson study programs is granted only after careful screening and selection processes. Successful applicants must demonstrate strong academic preparation, one common measure of which is a GPA at or above the college average, and the ability to articulate clearly-formulated goals for their chosen program of study off campus. Student disciplinary records are also considered when evaluating suitability for study abroad.
The college sponsors fourteen high-quality programs for off-campus study during an academic year or a semester, as well as a number of summer programs. These Dickinson programs maintain the college's academic standards while integrating study abroad with many of the major programs in the humanities, social sciences, and natural and mathematical sciences. A limited number of additional study abroad possibilities is available for highly qualified students through programs with which the college is affiliated. To learn more about all of these offerings, consult the college's
Global Education web site describing each Dickinson program. Financial aid for eligible Dickinson students is available for Dickinson programs and Dickinson Partner programs.
Dickinson College is the editorial seat of
Frontiers: the Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, a peer-reviewed academic journal focusing on substantive issues in the field of international education.
Frontiers' research interests include the development of students in international and intercultural contexts, learning outcomes assessment, and interdisciplinary reflection on the history and meaning of the study abroad experience.
Frontiers publishes two volumes per year and is sponsored by a consortium of 24 colleges and universities.
Dickinson College is the strategic partner of The Forum on Education Abroad, which is located on the Dickinson campus. The Forum is the only organization whose exclusive purpose is to serve the field of education abroad, and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as the Standards Development Organization (SDO) for education abroad. The Forum's Standards of Good Practice are recognized as the definitive means by which the quality of education abroad programs may be assessed, and its Quality Improvement Program for Education Abroad (QUIP) uses the Standards as part of a rigorous self-study and peer review quality assurance program that is available to all Forum institutional members.
Forum members include over 300 U.S. colleges and universities, provider organizations, overseas institutions, consortia, and affiliates involved in education abroad. Together the membership represents approximately 80% of the U.S. students that study abroad.
The Dickinson Program in Beijing, China, located at Peking University of China in Beijing, provides an academic year or a fall semester of intensive study of Chinese language (Mandarin) at all levels. Chinese culture is explored through individualized independent study on topics of interest in contemporary China, as well as through optional courses such as calligraphy and Chinese painting. Limited opportunities for internships are available. Students may choose a home stay with a Chinese family or live in an international students' dormitory on campus in northwest Beijing near other universities, markets, and well-known historic sites. Two years of college Mandarin is required for admission.
The K. Robert Nilsson Center for European Studies in Bologna, Italy offers a full year program of courses in European history and politics, international studies, history of European political and social thought, international economics, Italian art, and Italian language. A unique offering is the Bologna Practicum. (See
Interdisciplinary Studies in the Courses of Study section.) Courses are taught in English by the Dickinson director, by faculty from Italian universities and by faculty from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Qualified students may follow courses at the University of Bologna, which was founded in 1155 and is the oldest university in Europe. No particular major is a prerequisite. All participants will are required to take a month-long, intensive Italian language course prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
The Dickinson Program in Bremen, Germany, open to students from all areas of the liberal arts who have a good mastery of the German language, is an academic year or spring semester program at the University of Bremen in Germany. Students enroll in one required Dickinson course taught by the resident director and take the rest of their courses at the University of Bremen. All course work is conducted in German. Limited opportunities for internships are available. Participants are fully integrated into university life at Bremen and have use of all university facilities.
The Dickinson Program in Málaga, Spain attracts students interested in all areas of the liberal arts who have a good mastery of Spanish, normally indicated by the completion of a course in Spanish conversation and composition. Spanish 231, Spanish Composition, is a prerequisite. The curriculum includes courses taught by the Dickinson director, courses organized and taught by faculty from the University of Málaga especially for the Dickinson program (see specific course offerings listed under the
Spanish department), and regular courses at the Facultad del Filosofia y Letras of the University of Málaga. All course work is in Spanish. Students live and take all meals in local Spanish residences. Students may apply for academic year or spring-semester study in Málaga.
The Dickinson Program in Moscow, Russia is based at the Russian State University for the Humanities. Dickinson students from all academic majors who have strong preparation in Russian concentrate on courses in advanced Russian language and culture for an academic year or semester. Housing is with Russian families located throughout Moscow. Opportunities for travel, including field trips and excursions to cultural, historic and educational sites in and outside of Moscow, are an important aspect of the program.
The Dickinson Program in Nagoya, Japan is offered in cooperation with the Center for Japanese Studies at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan. Participants enroll for a semester or the full year in the Center's Japanese language courses and in courses on Japanese culture and civilization taught in English in a variety of disciplines, including history, literature, economics, political science, international studies, and art. Participants are normally housed with Japanese families.
The Dickinson Humanities Program in Norwich, England, in cooperation with the University of East Anglia, offers a full academic year abroad from late August to late June for students desiring to pursue disciplinary and interdisciplinary studies in the humanities and the social sciences. Using the exceptional resources of the cities of London and Norwich, the program begins in London with an intensive one-month seminar in the humanities taught by the Dickinson director. Moving to Norwich in late September, students continue their special study of the humanities through a second seminar-style course and take the remainder of their course work at the University of East Anglia, where they enroll in a wide variety of courses in areas such as literature, drama, history of art, history, music, archaeology, philosophy, American studies, economics, and politics. In Norwich, students live in university residence halls in order to integrate themselves fully into British university life.
The Dickinson Science Program in Norwich, England encourages qualified Dickinson science students in biology, chemistry, environmental science, geology, mathematics, psychology, and computer science to spend the academic year or a semester at one of the University of East Anglia's well-known Science Schools. Participants gain invaluable academic experience and insight from high-quality teaching utilizing the latest technology and scientific equipment in well-equipped laboratories. Cross-registration in non-science courses is also possible. Students live in single rooms in residential accommodations on the main campus and are fully integrated into the social and intellectual life of the university. Internships are possible during the year-long program.
The Dickinson Science Program in Brisbane, Australia provides students in biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, mathematics, and psychology the opportunity to study for a semester or an academic year. The University of Queensland is one of Australia's leading universities, with an international reputation for high-quality teaching and research. Dickinson students are integrated fully into academic and campus life. This program is intended primarily for science majors; other majors may be admitted on a space available basis.
The Dickinson Program in Querétaro, Mexico is a spring semester option available to students from all areas of the liberal arts who have completed at least Spanish 231, Spanish Composition. Students enroll in one required Dickinson course, Latin American Studies 202, taught by selected faculty of the Universidad Autonoma de Querétaro, and take classes in a variety of disciplines (such as literature, sociology, biology, anthropology, and business) at the Universidad Autonoma de Querétaro. In addition, there are opportunities for field experiences with local industries. All course work is conducted in Spanish. Participants are fully integrated into Mexican university life and have use of all university facilities. Students live and take their meals with local families. Opportunities for travel, including official excursions to important neighboring cities and archaeological sites, are an important aspect of the program.
The Dickinson Program in Seoul, Korea offers students interested in a Pacific Rim experience a semester or year of study at Yonsei University. Participants without a strong command of Korean language enroll in the Division of International Education, which offers a wide variety of courses in East Asian Studies and International Relations and Business, taught in English. Students qualified in Korean may take courses offered by other divisions of the University. Yonsei University, the oldest university in Korea, has a large, quiet campus in the middle of Seoul, only twenty minutes from the centers of government, business, and culture. Students are normally housed in the International Dormitory.
The Dickinson Study Center in Toulouse, France draws students from all areas of the liberal arts who have a good mastery of the French language and have completed French 236, Introduction to Cultural Analysis, or its equivalent. The program offers integrated study in French language, literature and society, intercultural communication, and art. (See specific course offerings listed under the
French department offerings). In addition, students may enroll directly in courses offered at the University of Toulouse in subjects in the humanities, social sciences, and mathematics. Internships in both the public and private sectors in the Toulouse area are also available. All course work is conducted in French. Participants are housed with French families in the Toulouse area. Students apply for the academic year or for the semester.
The Dickinson Program in Yaoundé, Cameroon gives Dickinson students the opportunity to spend the spring semester studying at the University of Yaoundé, choosing from a wide variety of courses in African culture and history, as well as traditional offerings across several academic disciplines, taught in English. Individualized tutorials supplement classroom lectures. Students with sufficient command of French may also take Francophone course work. Students live in an apartment leased by the program or with Cameroonian host families. Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, provides unlimited opportunities for cultural integration.
The Dickinson Program at Baruch College in New York City is a spring semester program that provides students the opportunity (a) to take two courses at the Zicklin School of Business of Baruch College; and (b) to earn two academic credits through an independent study that involves hands-on experience in a professional setting and field research. The program is intended for declared International Business & Management majors with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.4 who will be served adequately by its academic offerings.
Dickinson Language Immersion Programs were initiated in 1984 with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Programs are offered at the following locations: Bologna, Italy; Bremen, Germany; Málaga, Spain; Moscow, Russia; and Toulouse, France. Directed by faculty members from the college's modern language departments, each program is designed to encourage students who have completed the intermediate level to refine their language fluency by spending a month in a country in which the language is spoken. In addition to increasing oral proficiency through sustained use of the foreign language in and out of the classroom, students receive a first-hand introduction to the culture through formal instruction and day-to-day experience. Thematic programs are also offered each summer; course topics vary from year to year. Past thematic programs have included "The China Practicum" in Beijing, China; "China Rising: Regional Dynamics in an Emerging Superpower" in Hong Kong and Shanghai, China; fieldwork in classical archaeology in Mycenae, Greece; "The Japan Practicum" in Nagoya, Japan; "Jewish Culture and Intellectual Life in Germany" in Berlin, Germany; summer humanities programs in London, England; studio arts programs in Toulouse, France; and a physics program in Bremen, Germany.
Through special agreements with foreign institutions and study abroad organizations, Dickinson students have the following additional opportunities available to them.
The University of Durham in England offers students in classical archaeology the opportunity to study for an academic year within one of the world's leading archaeology programs. Students are integrated fully into the academic and campus life of the University.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem offers a full range of Judaic, Israel, and Middle East studies in such fields as political science, international relations, history, religion, literature, philosophy, and archaeology. A variety of courses are also offered in gender studies, sociology, science, and psychology. Ulpan, an intensive Hebrew language course, is also available to facilitate students' access to Israeli society and culture. (This program has been indefinitely suspended.)
The School for Field Studies Programs offer study and fieldwork in conservation biology and related subject areas. Full-semester programs are located at permanent Centers for Sustainable Development Studies in Costa Rica, Tropical Rainforest Management Studies in Australia, Wildlife Management Studies in Kenya, Marine Resource Management Studies in Turks and Caicos, and Conserving Marine Mammals and Coastal Ecosystems in Mexico. Students live and work at the site, attend classes taught by regular academic staff, and participate in cooperative and independent field research.
The CIEE Program in São Paulo, Brazil, located at the Catholic University, is intended for students with at least two years of college-level Spanish or one year of Portuguese (or the equivalent). Students have access there to a full range of courses in Latin American studies, social sciences, and culture and literature. All classes are taught in Portuguese. Enrollment at the university is preceded by an intensive five-week language and culture program and orientation. Housing is with home stay families screened by CIEE staff.
The CIEE Program in Hyderabad, India, through a cooperative arrangement with the University of Hyderabad, offers students the opportunity to take courses in anthropology, art/art history, business and management, cinema/film studies, communications, computer science, dance/drama, geography, Hindi language, history, linguistics, literature, political science, religion and theology, Urdu language and Tegulu language. Students take a required Hindi language course organized by the program and direct enroll for the remainder of their course load. Enrollment at the university is preceded by an intensive orientation and introduction to the culture via an experiential program. Housing is with home stay families screened by CIEE staff or in the international dormitory.
The Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome offers majors in Latin or Greek, or other students especially interested in classical antiquity, the opportunity to spend one or two semesters at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome. Classes in Roman archaeology/history, art history, Italian, Latin language and literature, and Greek language allow the student to develop a full program of study. Field trips to the Etruscan north and the Naples area are part of every semester's work. The Dickinson classics department manages the Christopher Lee Roberts Scholarship which may be used for a semester at the center.
The Washington Center (TWC) in Washington, DC, provides students with the opportunity to participate in an internship program for either the fall or spring semester. Dickinson was chosen "College of the Year" by the Washington Center in 2004 for its support of students in the program. Students are strongly encouraged to combine this semester internship experience with an additional semester in a Dickinson study abroad program. TWC offers experiential learning within an academic structure in order to encourage academic, civic, professional and personal development. TWC's unique format includes a 4 1/2 day-per-week internship, an academic course held once a week and an independent study supervised by a Dickinson College professor. In addition, students attend a presidential lecture series, a congressional breakfast series and may take advantage of many other opportunities such as tours, discussions and social and cultural activities.
The Jewish Theological Seminary/List College (JTS) program enables Judaic studies majors and minors to spend the spring semester of their junior year in New York City. The diversity of Jewish religious and cultural life in New York City will give students the opportunity to explore varieties of contemporary Jewish experience. These students have the opportunity to achieve proficiency in Hebrew and be provided the unique opportunity to take a variety of courses with renowned professors in the field. Furthermore, students at JTS/List have access to internships at New York based organizations such as the Jewish Museum, Mayan: the Jewish Women's Project and Jews for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ), among others.
The American University in Cairo, Egypt program provides an opportunity for Dickinson students who are studying Arabic, and who are pursuing studies in the history and cultures of the Middle East, to spend a fall or spring semester or a full academic year studying abroad in the Arab world. The range of courses offered includes Arabic language, Arab-Islamic civilization, Arabic literature, classical/medieval Islamic history, Islamic art and architecture, Islamic studies, and Middle East studies, along with other courses in the humanities, social sciences, business, and management. All courses are taught in English. Students live in American University in Cairo residence halls or in apartments in the city.
The IES (International Education of Students) Program in Buenos Aires, Argentina operates from three universities in Buenos Aires: Universidad de Buenos Aires, Academia Dante Alighieri, and Universidad Torcuato Ditella. A variety of courses are offered in the following areas: Argentine and Latin American literature, art, architecture and design, theatre, dance, film, humanities, social sciences, and international business. Credit-bearing internships are offered in arts, business, education, government, human rights, and public health. Students can take one or two courses at IES, depending on their language skills and needs, and two or three other courses at any of the partner universities. Provided that they command the language sufficiently, students can also choose to take a full course load with Argentine students. The program offers field trips to Chascomús, Colonia (Uruguay), La Rioja, Salta, and Tierra del Fuego. Housing is with homestay families.
Students may be able to enroll directly in a foreign university, in specialized courses and institutes for foreigners at leading universities abroad, in internships overseas, or in U.S. college-sponsored overseas programs designed to meet the needs of American students. Students must apply to study abroad on a non-Dickinson Program by satisfying the necessary requirements, including demonstrating that their academic needs cannot be met by a Dickinson or Dickinson Partner Program. In past years, Dickinson students have studied for an academic year, a semester, or a summer in:
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Costa Rica
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
England
Fiji
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Hong Kong
Hungary
India
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Madagascar
Mexico
Nepal
New Zealand
People's Republic of China
Peru
Poland
Russia
Scotland
Singapore
South Africa
Spain
Switzerland
Tanzania
Thailand
Wales
The
Office of Global Education has more information on programs and procedures.
