Study abroad
Study abroad is an educational approach that allows students to immerse themselves in a different culture while earning academic credit toward their home degree. Predominantly found at the university level, these programs can also cater to younger students. The concept has historical roots in the European Grand Tour tradition, which began in the 17th century, allowing students to explore art, history, and culture. Modern study abroad options vary in duration, with programs ranging from as short as a few weeks to a full academic year, providing flexibility to students.
Today, study abroad experiences often include rigorous academic content, combined with elements of service learning to promote civic engagement and global awareness. Financial support through scholarships and grants has broadened access, enabling a more diverse group of students to participate. Research indicates that students who study abroad not only gain valuable cultural insights but also improve their understanding of their own identities and societal roles. Consequently, many higher education institutions now emphasize the importance of international experience as part of their degree requirements, reflecting the growing recognition of global competencies in today’s interconnected world.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Study abroad
Study abroad is a form of experiential learning where students spend a portion of their academic years in a different country and receive credit toward a degree at their home institution. Students most commonly study abroad at the university level, but some programs are geared toward elementary and secondary students. In the increasingly global marketplace, it is essential to experience other peoples, cultures, and languages in order for students to succeed in their future professions. Study abroad programs can be short or long term, and generally contain a rigorous academic content overseen by teachers and professors to ensure quality and transferability.
Overview
The practice of making travel an important part of education has its roots in the European tradition of the Grand Tour, which began in the seventeenth century when young aristocratic men were sent to the great European capitals to complete their classical education. As travel became more popular in the nineteenth century and onward, due to the emergence of railroads and steamships, the Grand Tour became an opportunity for upper- and middle-class commoners to learn of other cultures, languages, and history. In the United States in the late 1800s, university students were given the opportunity to enroll in courses at European universities and receive credit for their degrees. Initially, students spent one year abroad taking classes and this came to be known as the junior year abroad in the United States and the gap year in Britain.
Whereas the Grand Tour lasted anywhere from several months to several years, current study abroad programs usually have a more fixed timeline. Students may enroll in short-term programs lasting from one to four weeks, semester long programs, or programs that last for an academic. The greater choice of international experiences allows students more flexibility in their studies, as well as the possibility of participating in more than one study abroad program over the course of their education.
While traditional study abroad provided international opportunities for students to study art, literature, history, culture, and language, many educational institutions now incorporate elements of service learning into their study abroad programs. The idea behind this is to help students become engaged citizens with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences necessary to successfully compete in the global marketplace or to work toward implementing solutions to global problems.
Unlike in previous eras when travel was financed primarily by the participants and their families, many grants and scholarships are now available for students who wish to pursue study abroad opportunities, making these experience more accessible for a wider range of participants. Research has consistently shown that students who participate in a study abroad program not only enrich their knowledge of the foreign culture and language, but also gain a better understanding of themselves, their own culture, and their place within the world as a whole. In fact, because of the many positive benefits of study abroad, many institutions of higher learning now require an international component as part of their undergraduate degree programs.
Bibliography
Anderson, S., et al. International Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Global Issues. Boulder: Westview, 2013. Print.
Brewer, E., et al. eds. Integrating Study Abroad into the Curriculum: Theory and Practice across the Disciplines. Sterling: Stylus, 2009. Print.
Duke, Steven T. Preparing to Study Abroad: Learning to Cross Cultures. Sterling: Stylus, 2014. Print.
Highum, Ann, ed. Undergraduate Global Education: Issues for Faculty, Staff, and Students. San Francisco: Wiley, 2014. Print. New Directions for Student Services.
Killick, David. Developing the Global Student: Higher Education in an Era of Globalization. New York: Routledge, 2015. Print.
Lantis, J., and J. DuPlaga. The Global Classroom: An Essential Guide to Study Abroad. Boulder: Paradigm, 2010. Print.
Lewin, Ross. The Handbook of Practice and Research in Study Abroad: Higher Education and the Quest for Global Citizenship. New York: Routledge, 2009, Print.
Leonard, J., and Leonard, B. Study Abroad: The Book of Jobe. Dandridge: Leonard, 2012. Print.
Pérez-Vidal, Carmen. Language Acquisition in Study Abroad and Formal Instruction Contexts. Philadelphia: Benjamins, 2014. Print.
Slimbach, R. Becoming World Wise: A Guide to Global Learning. Sterling: Stylus, 2010. Print.
Twombly, S., et al. Study Abroad in a New Global Century: Renewing the Promise, Refining the Purpose. ASHE Higher Education Report 38.4. New York: Wiley, 2012. Print.
Vande Berg, M. Student Learning Abroad: What Our Students Are Learning, What They’re Not and What We Can Do about It. Sterling: Stylus, 2012. Print.