Expand your horizons through Study Abroad and Cultural Immersion Experiences!
Experiential Credit Opportunity
Travel study includes both study abroad (earning credit in another country) and Mount-sponsored study programs that are in the USA but away from campus. These experiences help you better understand cultural differences – and find similarities – across the country and globally. Some experiences are short-term (just a few days to a few weeks) and long-term opportunities (up to 6 months). These options may qualify for experiential (EXP) credit, which is a core graduation requirement. To find out more, contact the Career & Experiential Education Center at career.center@msj.edu or call 513-244-4888.
Advantages
Students who travel abroad gain a wider perspective and an open mind about different cultures. In addition to providing opportunities for personal growth, study abroad programs foster awareness and respect for cultural, political, environmental, and social issues. A student’s self-confidence and independence mature while studying in new locations. Study abroad experiences can be beneficial to students as they explore career paths.
Watch a student's "Study Abroad at the Mount" instagram takeover below!
Studying abroad allows Mount students to experience the world, lending a global perspective and providing valuable opportunities for personal growth. We offer two options for travel abroad: long-term, traditional study abroad and short-term travel study. Within both of those options, there is a wide range of opportunities to choose from.
The Mount partners with two organizations that offer a variety of study abroad options. Learn more below and contact the Career & Experiential Education Center for more information.
Short-term programs in English-speaking countries. Example programs:
- Alaska Experience (biology/environmental science)
- Belize: Ethnographic Field School (anthropology)
- Belize: Land and Sea (biology)
- England & Scotland: Land and Storytelling (Storytelling through Media, Birthplace of Modern Geology)
- Ireland: Connecting with Culture (Art/Drawing Dublin, Chemistry behind Irish Beers and Spirits, Creative Writing, Digital Storytelling, Nonprofit Administration, Literature of the Emerald Isle)
- London Summer (Peter Rabbit to Harry Potter: Children’s Literature, Tolkien’s Medieval Rings, Photography in London, Newton to Franklin: British Science and Medicine, Sustainable Finance, Law and British Legal Tradition).
- London and Dublin Winter Programs (British Drama in Action; Trends and Issues in Nursing and Healthcare, Advertising Sports and Popular Culture in Britain, the Sociology of Evil in London)
Opportunities to study, intern, and volunteer in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Wide range of program options include full-semester programs and short-term experiences.
Example programs:
- Italy – Liberal Arts, Business, Italian Culture, Intensive Italian Language
- London, England – Art and Design, Museums and Galleries
- Australia – Full Curriculum
- South Korea – Korean Studies, Liberal Arts, and Business
- Germany – European Studies
- Costa Rica – Spanish Language, Liberal Arts, and Environmental Sciences; Spanish Language and Latin American Culture
- South Africa – Public Health Care, Doing Business in Southern Africa
Find out more about study abroad on the Study Abroad FAQ page.
If you’re looking for a service component to your learning, the Religious Studies faculty organize cultural immersion courses. Cultural immersion trips allow students to:
- Build new relationships and participate in a new community.
- Learn about the Christian tradition within the context of a new culture.
- Communicate with and relate to people from other cultures.
- Engage in diverse religious and spiritual experiences.
Cultural immersion trips vary each year. Examples of cultural immersion experiences from previous years:
- Eastern Kentucky – an exploration of mountain culture and spirituality through interaction with an Appalachian family
- Cherokee, North Carolina – experience first-hand the rich, yet tragic, history of the Cherokee people
- Red Cloud Mission, South Dakota – learn from the Lakota Sioux Plains Indians about their culture
- Ireland – experience the history, culture, language, faith and economy of contemporary Irish life
Contact the Career & Experiential Education Center for more information.
Consider a long-term (3-6 month) study abroad program if you:
- Are studying a foreign language.
- Want the experience of being a college student in another country.
- Wish to be fully immersed in a new culture.
- Have an interest in meeting people from around the world.
- Want the option for additional travel (on weekends) to neighboring international cities/countries.
Consider a short-term study abroad program if you:
- Wish to study abroad for a week or two, over the summer, or during spring break.
- Find in-depth study of a specific topic appealing.
- Want to complete a study abroad while still taking most of your classes at the Mount.
- Are interested in meeting new people from around the world.
Consider a travel study program within the United States if you:
- Desire to incorporate a service component with your learning.
- Have an interest in social justice issues in the USA.
- Are interested in domestic travel with fellow Mount students.
The Mount offers two scholarships to help fund study abroad experiences:
- for Sister Francis Marie Cultural & Service Immersion Fund
- Betty Brothers Travel Abroad Scholarship for Art, Fine Art, and Graphic Design majors
Our study abroad partners also offer scholarships of up to $5,000:
- Scholarships
Additionally, some external sources provide scholarships for study abroad:
Contact information
For more information, contact the Career & Experiential Education Center at career.center@msj.edu