Studying overseas is a method for many students to enhance academic and cultural understanding, and with the right planning, university officials say that all students can take part in study abroad programs.
Inge Steglitz, assistant director for the Office of Study Abroad, said early planning is key to fitting in a cross-cultural learning experience.
"We try to dispel some of the myths people seem to have about study abroad: 'I can't afford it,' 'Only language students go,' 'Only can do it junior year,' or 'It will delay graduation.' We talk to them and explain none have to be true at all," she said. "For students, there is no way to say, 'I can't do this.'"
The MSU Office of Study Abroad sent 1,686 undergraduate students abroad in 2002-03.
Majors in the College of Business, College of Arts & Letters and College of Social Science remain the most avid in study abroad participation.
Steglitz said the office works to reach out to both incoming students and their parents with presentations and literature. She said many come to the university set on studying abroad.
"That's very encouraging and reflects our current students and awareness about international experiences," Steglitz said.
Once on campus, students can visit the Office of Study Abroad in the International Center to read program evaluations and speak with staff members or peer advisers - students who have previously studied abroad. A study abroad fair full of information on specific programs also is held each semester.
The office's Web site, www.studyabroad.msu.edu, also has information about the more than 180 programs the university offers in more than 50 countries.
To apply for a study abroad program, students need to be in good academic standing with a 2.0 grade-point average. A $100 application fee is required and admission is subject to transcript and Judicial Affairs Office record reviews.
To help students get the most out of their experience, the office has changed its policy this year for co-sponsored programs to include the course name and grade on transcripts.
Co-sponsored study-abroad programs are semester-long sessions that place MSU students at foreign universities under foreign faculty. Previously, these study abroad sessions were based on a pass/fail system, which staff felt didn't urge students to work their hardest.
Faculty-led programs remain unchanged.
The Office of Study Abroad also is working on a large-scale Curriculum Integration Project to revamp the information system to help students find the perfect program for any stage of their academic career.
The goal is to have major-specific advising sheets to help see which study abroad programs apply to them.
Steglitz said by planning a semester abroad, students not only make the most out of their years at MSU, but also prepare for the future.
"We believe having study abroad on a résumé, in a portfolio, is the best way to have international experience," she said.
