In addition to regular academic programs, St. Mary’s College sponsors special programs that provide opportunities for study and work away from the campus. These programs make available to St. Mary’s students experiences of significant educational value that are not available on the College’s own campus. Students who take part in these programs receive appropriate academic credit at the College for doing so. The two offices that manage these programs are the Office of International Education and the Career Development Center.
Office of International Education
The mission of the St. Mary’s College Office of International Education is to provide support for students, faculty, administrators, staff, and institutional partners as they collaborate in opportunities for educational and cultural exchange to achieve global awareness and engagement within the framework of the College’s commitment to academic excellence. In its daily work, the Office of International Education advises and assists St. Mary’s College students who wish to study abroad for academic credit. For each of these programs, see the Office of International Education in Glendening Hall, Annex.
Study Abroad
Studying abroad is one way that students may satisfy the Experiencing the Liberal Arts in the World element of the Core Curriculum. Students are also encouraged to integrate their study-abroad experience with a St. Mary’s Project. (See a description of St. Mary’s Projects.)
All study abroad programs work toward achieving the following learning outcomes:
- Recognizing cultural differences within and between cultures
- Displaying intercultural communication skills when responding to members of another culture
- Articulating their personal growth in response to experiences in another culture that challenges or deepens their world views
- Increasing their independences and self-reliance through learning to successful navigate travel logistics, new communities and host culture
- Comprehending and speaking a foreign language more proficiently and in culturally appropriate ways, when studying in a country where the language of the university and/or the program differs from the student’s native language(s)
Students can participate in one of the St. Mary’s College-sponsored study-abroad programs described below, or they can apply to attend another program with the approval of the College and apply to have the credits transferred back to St. Mary’s. A student who chooses to participate in a non-St. Mary’s program has the option to remain a full-time student at St. Mary’s and receive applicable benefits for an administrative fee. Students interested in finding a program that is right for them should consult the Office of International Education and their academic adviser at least a year in advance of the time they wish to go abroad. There are special deadlines for the proposals for non-SMCM programs. Please see visit www.smcm.edu/ie for more information.
SMCM study abroad application deadlines are October 15th for spring semester or winter-break study abroad, February 1 for summer study abroad and March 15th for fall semester study abroad. Students who wish to study abroad should become familiar with the “Academic Policies: Study Abroad” section of this catalog. Students receiving financial aid should consult the director of financial aid for details about the possibility of applying their aid toward program fees
Study Abroad Programs:
Africa
AMIDEAST in Morocco
SMCM students have the option to enroll in two distinct program options through our partnership through AMIDEAST in Morocco. The first, the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Program in Ifrane, offers a diverse curriculum through direct enrollment at Al Akhawayn University (AUI), a private Moroccan university patterned on the American model of higher education. The second option, the AMIDEAST Education Abroad Regional Studies in French Program in Rabat, offers a diverse set of courses taught in French on Morocco in its Muslim, Arab, African and Mediterranean contexts. In addition, students learn Moroccan Arabic and have the opportunity to study Modern Standard Arabic if they so desire.Add CIS Abroad in South Africa SMCMCIS in South Africa allows students the opportunity to study at the worldclass Stellenbosch University in the heart of South African wine country. The campus and surrounding communities are a melting pot of cultures. You’ll find a beautiful, safe campus with many international students. You can take innovative courses taught by highly qualified professors, and you’ll have access to Stellenbosch University’s amazing facilities, including a gigantic underground library, a music conservatory, openair amphitheater, and a student center that has everything a student could want.
Australia
James Cook University (JCU)
James Cook University offers St. Mary’s students access to a broad curriculum at a comprehensive research institution. SMCM students may take courses within their majors or on topics that are uniquely Australian. The locations of the Townsville and Cairns campuses near both the Great Barrier Reef and tropical rainforest (the Daintree Rainforest north of Cairns) make JCU a popular destination for students interested in tropical ecology and biology.
China
Faculty/Student Exchange Program with Fudan University
St. Mary’s College and Fudan University (Shanghai, China) sponsor a faculty-student exchange program. Fudan University faculty teach and conduct research at St. Mary’s College, and students from St. Mary’s study Chinese language and culture at Fudan University for a semester or a full academic year.
Costa Rica
Institute for Central American Development Studies (ICADS)
Students who have completed at least ILCS102 have the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the Central American region through study with ICADS for a semester or full academic year. ICADS focuses on women’s issues, economic development, environmental studies, public health, education, human rights, and wildlife conservation. ICADS is therefore well suited not just for students of Spanish and Latin American Studies, but also other disciplines. For more information, visit the ICADS web site: www.icads.org. To apply for the program contact the Office of International Education or a Spanish professor in the Department of International Languages and Cultures.
England
Semester at Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (CMRS)
This program in Oxford provides an opportunity for students to take courses in anthropology, art, art history, economics, history, language, law, literature, music, philosophy, political science, psychology, religious studies, sociology, and women studies at the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (affiliated with Keble College of Oxford University) for one or two semesters, or a summer term.
IES Queen Mary
Make London your classroom. The SMCMIES Queen Mary University Program offers students the opportunity to study at a large university in the heart of London. As a large institution (more than 16,000 students), QM offers an extensive range of challenging academic options. In addition, the college has a long history of internationalism: 20 percent of the student body comes from outside the United Kingdom, with more than 100 countries represented in the international student population. Add Roehampton University:The University of Roehampton is located in southwest London and is the only traditional campus in the city. Students benefit from a green and peaceful place to live while being only 6 miles from the heart of central London.
France
Exchange Program with Institut D’Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po)This exchange program provides an opportunity for students to study at “Sciences Po,” one of Europe’s premier institutions for the social sciences. Students may take content courses in French or English or a combination of the two. St. Mary’s students take classes alongside Sciences Po peers. Concentrations are offered in economics and business, European studies, French studies, history, international relations, law, political science, and sustainable development. In addition to study in Paris, students may opt to enroll in regional campuses with their own distinct academic themes: Dijon focuses on Eastern European studies; Nancy on French-German; Poitiers on Latin America, Spain, and Portugal; Menton on Middle East and Mediterranean; and Le Havre on Asia. Full-year participants may work toward an international certificate.
SMCM-AIFS in Cannes
This program in Cannes, Frances allows students the opportunity to earn up to 18 credits in a variety of French language and culture courses while being immersed in Southern France. Courses include art, French language, cinema, political science, and sociology. Students also have the opportunity to participate in internships throughout the area. This program is available for one or two semesters.
SMCM-AIFS in Grenoble
This program in Cannes, Frances provides students with the opportunity to earn up to 16 credits in this intensive French language program through the University of Grenoble. Students are able to take advantage of this program, located in the French Alps, and take courses in French language, art, literature, history, and political science. This program is available for one or two semesters.
SMCM-UNC in Montpellier
This program in Montpellier, France, located close to the Mediterranean Sea, provides students, at a variety of French levels, with the opportunity to enhance their French speaking and writing abilities. Students may take courses towards their major and their minor in several disciplines in the Humanities, Social Sciences and Sciences. In addition, students now have the opportunity to take a course on “French for the Professionals” and prepare for the “Diplôme de Français Professionel de la Chambre de Commerce”. This program is available for one or two semesters.
Germany
University of Heidelberg Exchange Program
Students with an adequate knowledge of German may study in a variety of disciplines for a semester or an academic year in Heidelberg. Students can attend Heidelberg after graduation if they do so in the semester immediately following their semester abroad.
Hong Kong
Lingnan University Exchange Program
Students of all majors may study in Hong Kong, one of Asia’s most dynamic cities, for a semester or year at Lingnan University. Lingnan is Hong Kong’s premier liberal arts university on its own residential campus. The university offers a broad selection of classes in the humanities, social sciences, and business. Courses are offered in English and Cantonese.
Hungary
Budapest Semesters in Math
The Budapest Semesters in Mathematics (BSM) provides a unique opportunity for North American undergraduates. Through this program, mathematics and computer science majors in their junior/senior years may spend fall, spring or summer semester in Budapest and study under the tutelage of eminent Hungarian scholarteachers. Students have the opportunity to take a wide variety of mathematics classes as well as Hungarian language and culture classes that will allow them to increase their knowledge of the field and of the country they will be living in.
Ireland
University College Dublin
University College Dublin (UCD) offers students from almost any major the opportunity study abroad at one of Europe’s premier institutions. UCD is particularly strong in the sciences as well as the humanities. Students have the opportunity study among Irish and other international students as well as take part in various excursions throughout their semester or year abroad.
Italy
CIS Abroad in Perugia
SMCM CIS in Perugia, Italy offers students the opportunity to study at the Umbra Institute, which offers a variety of courses across multiple disciplines for study abroad students. No previous knowledge of Italian language is required. The diverse faculty and staff at the Umbra Institute strive to incorporate a genuine Italian experience into all elements of both the academic curriculum and student life.
Arcadia in Rome
SMCM Arcadia in Rome offers SMCM students the opportunity to combine academic learning inside the classroom with experiential learning on the streets of Rome, the Eternal City. Although all students will take Italian language, prior language study is not required as most other courses are offered in English.
Arcadia in Florence
SMCM student have the opportunity to join students from all over Italy and the world to study at Accademia Italiana in Florence, Italy. One of the best art, fashion and design schools in Europe, Accademia Italiana was founded in 1984 and is the perfect setting for professional growth and specialization in various design, artistic and linguistic fields.
Japan
Akita International University (AIU)
, “Kokusai Kyoyo Daigaku,” is recognized as one of the top universities in Japan and places strong emphasis on a well-rounded humanities education and innovation. AIU is a small liberal arts college with a global orientation, welcoming a high percentage of international students from around the world. SMCM students have the opportunities to take courses, taught in English, in the Japan Studies Program, Global Business Program, Global Studies Program, and in a variety of other disciplines.
Spain
SMCM-ISA Granada, Spain: Spanish Language, Culture, and Electives
The Granada program, in Southern Spain, offers interested intermediate and advanced Spanish students the opportunity enhance their Spanish skills by taking classes in Spanish culture, language, literature and more. Advanced language speakers also have the option of taking Arabic and participating in an internship program. All students are also required to take a course on Islamic culture. This program is available for one or two semesters.
Thailand
SMCM-CIS in Bangkok allows students to enroll at Mahidol University where they have the opportunity to take courses in English alongside other international and local students. Mahidol University was founded in 1889 by his Majesty, King Chulalongkorn the Great Rama V, making it the oldest educational institution in Thailand. Over the course of a trimester, students will take 12 to 16 credits in courses such as Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Studies, Media Studies, Thai Culture, and more.
USAC in Chiang Mai
Students participating in the SMCMUSAC in Chiang Mai, Thailand, study at Chiang Mai University (CMU). This university is recognized throughout Southeast Asia for it’s high academic standards. Founded under a Royal Charter in 1964 by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, CMU was the first institution of higher education in Northern Thailand.
Summer Programs & Study Tours
In addition to semester and year-long study abroad programs, students also have the opportunity to earn academic credit through short-term summer programs and study-tours, led by St. Mary’s faculty. These programs vary year to year. Below is a sampling of the short-term programs; please check the Office of International Education website for current offerings.
Belize: Marine Biology Study Tour
This course introduces students to the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics and processes of coastal tropical marine environments. The course uses the Caribbean as a primary example to instruct students on the application of the scientific method for ecological/environmental research problems. Students conduct self-designed projects in the field while in the Caribbean. Offered every other year during the spring semester.
Greece: The Greece Study Tour
This program will explore the history and culture of Greece through historical, philosophical, literary, and religious readings, through evening seminars, and through visiting archaeological and cultural sites related to the readings and seminars. Offered every other year during the summer.
Himalayan Sacred River Study Tour
The Passage to India Summer Study Tour introduces students first-hand to the major religious traditions of the Indian subcontinent, and more broadly to Indian history, culture and society.
The 18-day itinerary includes Rishikesh, Kanda Jakh, Kedarnath, and Haridwar (Uttarakhand). At these colorful locations students will experience directly the living traditions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, Sufi and orthodox Islam. Students will engage in Yoga, Ancient Sanskrit chant, vedic fire sacrifice, Buddhist meditation, mass devotional celebrations at the bank of the sacred Ganges river, and clamorous late night processions along the guru’s walkway in the Sikh Golden Temple.
Thailand: Engaged Buddhism in Thailand
The focus of this program is to explore traditional and contemporary Buddhist views on the relationships between Buddhist wisdom and social justice. Students will have the opportunity to meet with a number of leaders of the Engaged Buddhist movement in Thailand and learn first-hand how they apply traditional Buddhist principles to contemporary problems. Offered every other year during the summer.
International Exchange Students
The Office of International Education provides assistance to international exchange students on campus. St. Mary’s College provides in-country orientation as well as excursion opportunities to regional and national destinations to assist students in adjusting to life in the U.S.
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