Students may now receive the same credit for studying on the southern tip of Africa as they can sitting in a classroom in New Cabell Hall.
The International Studies Office recently finalized five new study abroad programs for this summer - Morocco, St. Petersburg, Shanghai, South Africa and Leon, France.
William B. Quandt, vice provost for international affairs, explained that University officials worked for the new study abroad programs because "they provide a genuinely valuable educational experience that exposes students to languages, living in a new culture and meeting different people."
A push for such new overseas options stems from the Virginia 2020 International Activities commission report, release in spring 2000, which found the University lags behind many of its peer institutions in study abroad participation.
"The University has a great reputation in this country, but it is behind other schools in the amount of exposure students have to the rest of the world," Quandt said.
The programs will add to the growing number of University-sponsored study abroad options available to students. Because University faculty members will teach these courses, students will receive credits and grades directly from the University, without the hassle of transferring credits from other institutions.
"This is a new kind of program model because students get U.Va. credits and grades instead of transfer credit," said Sandi Smith, associate director of the International Studies Office and director of study abroad programs.
None of the programs will involve homestays with families and will instead house students in residence halls or hotels. Programs range from three to nine weeks, and longer programs will stay primarily in the residence halls.
Faculty members also will incorporate weekend trips into the general instruction, which will be paid for by the overall student fee.
"They won't just be pleasure trips, they will be integrated into one or all of the courses taught," said Mary McKinley, a French professor who is a faculty member for the Leon, France, program.
McKinley spoke enthusiastically about the benefits such an experience offers both students and the faculty members escorting them.
"Most people in the French department would enjoy the opportunity to teach in France," she said. "I will be able to teach the subject I conduct research on right on site."
Quandt stressed the possibility of adding future study abroad options, including locales such as London, Japan, Germany and Italy.
"Most programs running this summer have strong ties with language programs," Smith said. "But we want to offer programs for every single major at the University"
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