Some of our programs require skills in languages other than English, while others have no language requirements. All Allegheny sponsored programs require serious engagement with the on-site learning opportunities and a strong connection between the off-campus experience and the student's academic goals and objectives. To ensure the most from the off-campus program, students are carefully selected and prepared, and the decision to study off-campus is made together with the student's academic advisor and International Programs and Services ("International Office"). Please see individual program descriptions for additional information and requirements.
Allegheny College sponsors 22 semester and yearlong programs. Summer programs led by Allegheny faculty are also organized, in addition to a small number of short-term programs over winter and spring breaks. Allegheny sponsored programs may include internships and community service opportunities. For students whose academic goals take them to parts of the world where the College does not sponsor a program, the International Office and the academic advisor will work together with the student to provide information about appropriate programs.
Linda DeMeritt
Dean of the College
Questions To Help You Decide On The Program That's Right For You
Types of Programs
Academic Credit
Program-Specific Questions About Housing, Meals, Activities & Support Services
Program Costs
Final Considerations
Resources For Studying Abroad
So you know you'd LIKE to study abroad—but what do you DO next? Here are a few basic questions we think you should ask yourself to get the ball rolling:
WHERE do you want go?
Do you want to study...
...At a particular university?
...In a particular city or country?
...In a place that has some personal, historical or geographical relevance
to you?
WHAT do you want to do?
Do you want to...
...Study?
...Work?
...Volunteer?
...Intern?
WHEN do you want to go?
Do you want to be abroad...
...As a sophomore, junior or senior?
...In the fall or spring semester?
...For a whole academic year?
...During winter or summer break?
WHAT goals do you have or what are you expecting to accomplish?
Do you want to...
...Learn a language?
...Become fluent in a language you have been studying?
...Earn upper division credit that fulfills your major or minor requirements?
...Gain hands-on experience related to your major or expected career?
...Learn about your host country?
...Have a completely new and challenging experience that will most likely
build your crosscultural communication skills, critical thinking skills, self-confidence and independence?
...Other goals?
...All of the above?
WHICH of the answers above is the most important to you?
Determining what is most important to you will help you decide which program to apply to and how much money you want to spend. Explore the types of programs that are available to your or the specific programs that Allegheny sponsors...
What type of study-abroad program is right for you? Allegheny offers several different types of programs that you can consider:
Intensive
language programs
Discipline-based
courses in English and language learning programs
Language
and area studies programs
Major-specific
programs
Direct
enrollment or exchange programs
Field
placement/service internship programs
Summer
programs
Questions
to ask regarding the type of program for you
To participate in this program, students need little or no host country language background and study with people who want to learn the language of that country (students will probably only take language classes). Example: You go to Rome, Italy, and only take Italian language courses with other visiting students in Rome.
Allegheny sponsors three intensive language programs: China, France (Angers) and Mexico.
Discipline-based courses in English and language learning programs
In this type of program, students choose from a limited number of special courses for visiting students as well as some language courses. Example: You study in Warsaw, Poland, and take courses in Eastern European history and political science in English, and one or two Polish language classes with other students who are not native Polish speakers.
Allegheny sponsors several discipline-based programs: Ecuador, Germany (Köln), India, Kenya, Israel (Haifa) and Senegal.
Language and area studies programs
To participate in this program, students must already have some college level language experience. Example: You already have two years of college-level Spanish language and you study (in Spanish) Latin American market economy and post-Cold War/NAFTA-era political strategy in Mexico City with other students on the program.
Allegheny sponsors five language and area studies programs: China, France (Angers), Germany (Tübingen), Israel (Haifa) and Spain.
These programs are specifically designed for students with a particular major. There is no language learning involved in these programs. Example: You participate in a program geared to environmental science students in Brazil and the only courses offered (in English) are specific ones for that major.
Allegheny offers several major-specific programs: Costa Rica, Israel (Arava Institute, Washington Semester, Woods Hole (Massachusetts) and the Duke Marine Lab (North Carolina).
Direct enrollment or exchange programs
In these programs, students enroll in regular classes at the host institution. These programs often involve an exchange between another institution and Allegheny. Example: You directly enroll in physics courses with Australian students at James Cook University.
Allegheny sponsors six direct enrollment/exchange programs: Australia, France (Angers), Germany (Tübingen), South Africa, and United Kingdom (Lancaster and Oxford).
Field placement/internship programs
Students participating in this program have an internship after completing 6 to 8 weeks of classes and receive Allegheny credit for both parts of the program. Example: You enroll in a program which provides internship experience in Tokyo and your academic department at Allegheny thinks this is superb and agrees to award credit.
Allegheny offers six field placement/internship programs: Ecuador, France (Paris), India, Kenya, Senegal, and Washington, D.C.
These programs are usually three to eight weeks and are very often led by U.S. faculty members. They are often less expensive than semester programs (because they are shorter), but they also offer less flexibility in program structure as well as fewer courses.
Questions to ask about the type of program:
The next step in preparing to study abroad is to determine from the program information the type of credit that will be earned for the off-campus course work. Listed below are the types and definitions of credit that are available for off-campus course work:
Allegheny resident credit
U.S. transfer credit
Foreign transfer credit
Non-credit experience
Questions to ask regarding academic credit
Allegheny resident credit
This is credit that will be recorded on the Allegheny transcript as Allegheny credit and the grade earned for the course work will be factored into the Allegheny GPA. On the following Allegheny-sponsored programs, students earn Allegheny resident credit and their grades count towards the Allegheny GPA: Costa Rica, Germany (Cologne), Duke Marine Lab and Woods Hole. All grades are factored into the Allegheny College GPA.
U.S. Transfer Credit
This is credit that will be recorded as US transfer credit on the Allegheny
transcript. On the following Allegheny sponsored programs, students earn
U.S. transfer credit AND the program GPA counts toward the Allegheny GPA:
France (Paris). On the following Allegheny-sponsored programs, students earn
U.S. transfer credit only but the grades DO NOT count towards the Allegheny
GPA: Ecuador, India, Kenya, Senegal, Spain and Washington, D.C. Only the
courses in which you have earned a C or higher will transfer to Allegheny.
Foreign Transfer Credit
This is credit earned at a non-U.S. institution and subsequently transferred
to Allegheny. In order to accept this transfer credit, Allegheny must acknowledge
the credit granting foreign institution as officially accredited and recognized.
If the foreign transfer credit is accepted by Allegheny, it is then recorded
as foreign transfer credit on the Allegheny transcript. On the following
Allegheny sponsored programs, students earn foreign transfer credit AND the
program GPA counts toward the Allegheny GPA: Israel (Arava). On the following
Allegheny-sponsored programs, students earn foreign transfer credit only
but the grades DO NOT count towards the Allegheny GPA: Australia, China, France
(Angers), Germany (Tübingen), Israel (Haifa), Mexico, South Africa, United
Kingdom (Lancaster), United Kingdom (Oxford) and all independent programs. Only
the courses in which you have earned a C or higher will transfer to Allegheny.
Non-credit Experience
An experience where there is no credit available or the credit is not
transferable to Allegheny. Examples of these experiences could be language
institute credit, work or volunteer experiences.
Questions to ask regarding academic credit:
Remember, the decision on whether or not the credit will transfer is made by the Allegheny Registrar - NOT with the program itself or your academic department. The decision as to how the transferred courses will fit into your degree requirements of your Allegheny degree is made by your academic department. If you are considering a non-Allegheny program (i.e., an independent program), it is especially important to find out before you go abroad if Allegheny will accept these credits as transfer units, and whether or not they will help you graduate.
WHAT about housing?
WHAT about meals?
WHAT about activities?
WHAT about support services?
The following information addresses program costs for Allegheny-sponsored programs:
The following information addresses program costs for independent programs:
Questions to ask regarding program costs:
Here are some final matters to consider:
Pick up a printed version of this information if you would like a handy table to compare the programs in which you're interested. Printed versions of these guidelines are available at International Programs and Services at 200 Reis Hall.
For information about programs not sponsored by Allegheny College:
For information about raising funds for studying abroad:
For information on travel:
For information on safety abroad:
For information on health abroad:
For additional and interesting information on studying abroad:
