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Off-Campus Study programs exist in most regions of the world. You will find information on a very wide range of
programs at http://www.grinnell.edu/offices/ocs
ACM
Grinnell cooperates with 13 other independent liberal arts institutions in the Associated Colleges
of the Midwest (ACM). The other members of the ACM are Coe and Cornell in Iowa;
Carleton, Macalester, and St. Olaf in Minnesota; University of Chicago, Knox,
Lake Forest, and Monmouth in Illinois; Beloit, Lawrence, and Ripon in Wisconsin;
and Colorado College. The ACM provides off-campus study programs for students
of member institutions and promotes opportunities for faculty research and
development.
Featured Programs
The programs featured on the
Off-Campus Study website have been carefully selected and are believed to
represent some of the best opportunities available today in off-campus study.
From among the broad academic and geographical diversity of options, most
students should be able to identify a program well suited to their academic
goals.
Types of Programs
Most programs offer you the
opportunity to enhance your major, concentration, or other area of academic
interest while broadening your liberal arts education by learning about another
area of the world. In some programs, the courses offered are linked by a common
theme, such as women’s studies, environmental studies, or global development
studies. In others, coursework may be closely connected to a particular major
such as biology or economics. Programs may be organized and operated by
American educational institutions, universities abroad, or a combination of
both in a cooperative arrangement. Formats vary from traditional classroom-based
instruction to fieldwork, independent study, and internship.
Program Competitiveness
It is important to note that
off-campus study programs vary considerably in competitiveness. While some
programs are highly competitive, accepting only students with higher GPAs and
specific course preparation, others may have more relaxed criteria for
admission. Specific prerequisites and GPA requirements are normally set out in
the program information materials. Campus Program Advisers are also able to
advise you regarding your eligibility for a particular program. Normally,
Grinnell students apply to only one off-campus study program. Denial of
admission to Grinnell students is rare because of the screening that takes
place during the on-campus approval process.
Yearlong Programs
Approval to attend yearlong programs is limited and is granted by the Off-Campus Study Board on a
competitive basis to students demonstrating exceptional academic achievement,
strong written rationale, and support for their plans from their major
department. The Off-Campus Study Board gives preference to well-focused
proposals designed to deepen the student’s knowledge of a single culture within
the context of a single integrated program. Successful applications for
yearlong approval normally involve a request to study in one program in one
country.
Assessing the Importance of Off-Campus Study
You may already have a good idea
about where and what you would like to study off campus. However, if you are
just beginning to explore the possibilities, you should reflect seriously on
what you are planning to do. Personally, at this point in your life and
education, you are likely to be at the optimal point in your capacity to learn
by living and studying in a new and challenging environment. Since an optimal
point occurs by definition only once in a lifetime, and off-campus study may
hold valuable personal, academic, and professional benefits, the careful choice
of an appropriate program may well be one of the most important decisions you
make during your college career.
Core Rationale for Off-Campus Study
Grinnell requires that you select
a program compatible with your academic goals, which you will clearly set out
in a four-year course-plan and written rationale for off-campus study. It is up
to you to define your goals in consultation with your academic adviser. Since
your choice of program must be linked to your academic objectives, you should
begin by thinking about why you want to study off campus, i.e., your core
rationale. Most students choose to link their off-campus study to their major
or concentration while others may wish to use the experience to enhance their
understanding of other subjects studied on campus.
Additional Objectives for Off-Campus Study
In addition to the core rationale
described above, your choice of program may be partly determined by additional
academic objectives
you want to achieve. For example, you may wish to broaden your
liberal arts education by studying a language or taking courses not offered at
Grinnell. You may also have broader educational goals connected to the
experience of living in another culture. The possibility of community service,
fieldwork, or an internship might be an important consideration. Additional
objectives
such as these are important to consider along with your core
rationale and will help in selecting a program that is right for you.
Campus Program Advisers
A Program Adviser is assigned to
every off-campus study program featured by Grinnell College. These advisers are
very familiar with the programs they represent and can provide you with
detailed program information as well as answering any questions you may have.
Peer Advisers
Every semester, large numbers of
Grinnell students return from studying off campus. Talking with other students
who have already studied on a program of interest to you is essential to making
an intelligent decision about off-campus study.
International Students
Grinnell College is fortunate to have a diverse student body from many parts of the
world. International students may be able to provide you with valuable insights
and information to help you in making a decision about where to study off
campus. The International Students Office will provide names of students from
specified countries or regions.
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