CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

STUDY ABROAD

 

All proposed study abroad experiences should conform to the W&L Study Abroad Mission Statement:

Washington and Lee's mission is, in part, to develop in its students the capacity and desire to learn and to understand, stressing harmonious relationships with others and the responsibility to serve society. W&L seeks to nurture all the qualities of a liberally educated mind, including patience, open-mindedness, a desire to understand the world in which we live, and an appreciation of the values of the human experience as derived from a study of the liberal arts and the social sciences.

Studying abroad is an integral part of this W&L education. The purpose of study abroad is to further one's knowledge of the world and its cultures and to expand the opportunities and arenas for academic inquiry. Study abroad programs must offer an intellectually demanding academic experience, with optimum cultural exposure and enrichment, with a dynamic yet safe and secure environment.

To fulfill this purpose, W&L will offer a range of overseas study options supported by the resources necessary to ensure a suitable international experience for any student. To facilitate our students' access to quality experiences, W&L will work to maintain strong, on-going relationships with approved programs and universities abroad. The Center for International Education will work with students individually to identify programs appropriate to their academic and personal interests.

Approval of particular study abroad programs will be based upon quality of instruction, range and appropriateness of curricular offerings, opportunities for cultural integration, and strength of administrative and structural support. Students should select from programs approved by W&L based on their academic interests and in consultation with faculty, advisers, and the Director of International Education.

In considering programs for approval, and an individual student's proposal for s course of study,  the following characteristics must be considered:

• intellectual engagement of students and faculty
• quality of academic programs as determined by national ratings or rankings, home-country or US accreditation, breadth and depth of the curriculum available to visiting students, appropriate language instruction, and reputation among peer departments or disciplines
• safety and security situation in the host country, city, and at host institution
• cultural engagement of students through courses which explore the host country's politics, society, economics, arts, literature, etc.
• cultural exposure determined in part by the locale, program of study,  availability of "home stays" or other housing options which can maximize cultural learning, and the proportion of home-country students, non-US students, and US students in the program
• quality of faculty and administrative relationships with students
• returning-student evaluations and reports from on-site visits by W&L faculty and staff

Study abroad should be viewed as a part of the W&L educational experience, not separate from it, and students should pursue appropriate academic and cultural preparation before departure and seek to utilize and report on their experience upon return.  The Center for International Education and university faculty and administration will assist in this effort.