International Programs

APPROACH AND PURPOSE

International Programs promotes, provides, and supports international and intercultural educational opportunities for the Georgetown University community and others by serving as an information and advising resource, providing international student and scholar services, developing and administering overseas studies programs, and coordinating special projects.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AND
SCHOLAR SERVICES (ISSS)

Georgetown takes great pride in its international character and the over 2,500 international students, researchers, professors and staff who contribute to the uniquely multi-cultural learning environment on our campus. The division of International Student and Scholar Services was established to assist Georgetown’s international community with the academic, emotional, and practical concerns of living, studying, and working in the United States, while ensuring institutional immigration compliance with applicable federal regulations.

Among its primary responsibilities, International Student and Scholar Services administers immigration-related services for the University. Experienced immigration advisors are available to assist non-U.S. students and scholars with issues such as entry into the United States, authorization for employment, and the general maintenance of legal status in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

In addition to immigration assistance, the division offers a variety of other services designed to support life and study in the United States. Orientations are an important aspect of this support. For international undergraduate and exchange students, a mandatory 3-day orientation program is held each August. ISSS offers on-going programs on topics ranging from cultural adjustment to career development throughout the academic year. For students with individual concerns, staff advisors are available to provide personalized counseling in the areas of cross-cultural communication and adjustment.

For both U.S. and non-U.S. Georgetown students, International Student and Scholar Services sponsors events and programs that promote cross cultural understanding and celebrate the diverse international character of the University. The International Student Association, one of Georgetown’s largest student run organizations, and the Global Living Community, a living, learning community within the residence hall, which focuses on international/intercultural issues, are both sponsored by International Student and Scholar Services. Each Spring, ISSS sponsors Georgetown’s campus-wide international celebration, called iweek. Student organizations and several university departments sponsor events and an international food and performance festival celebrating the global diversity on campus. Other activities held throughout the year include cultural adjustment forums; performances; and social events that educate, entertain, and bring our community closer together.

For more information on International Student and Scholar Services, please visit our website at http://oip.georgetown.edu/isss.

OVERSEAS STUDIES

Georgetown University is recognized as a national leader in providing overseas studies opportunities for its undergraduates. It is important to note that studying overseas is possible for qualified students from almost all academic disciplines. The Division of Overseas Studies offers academic year, semester, and summer programs in many countries, including: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, People’s Republic of China, Poland, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, Vietnam, and others.

Georgetown supports full integration into the host university’s academic environment by encouraging students to enroll in regular courses overseas. For this reason, students of Western European languages (including French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Portuguese) joining direct matriculation programs are required to demonstrate sufficient proficiency in their host-country language. A number of programs in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Europe are designed to facilitate the study of language, culture and area studies. In addition, several overseas programs focus on specific academic areas such as classics, business, regional politics, and community-based learning; the majority of these programs are offered in summer. The overseas experience is a natural continuation of the undergraduate degree program since many upper-division requirements, as well as elective courses, may be taken at overseas universities.

A maximum of 17 credits (five courses) per semester and 12 credits (3 courses) in the summer may be applied towards the Georgetown degree, provided the evaluation of the student’s work is equivalent to a grade of C or better. Semester and academic year grades earned, including those for which no credit is awarded, are posted on the student’s transcript as reported by the program faculty, but are not included in the student’s Quality Point Index (QPI). Students on the Alanya, Villa le Balze, and SFS-Qatar programs and most summer programs may be directly enrolled in Georgetown courses for their overseas studies, in which case all grades received are factored into the student’s QPI. Work completed on overseas study does not count toward fulfilling the residency requirement, with the following exceptions: semester-long study at SFS-Qatar, the Villa le Balze, or the McGhee Center, Turkey, counts as one semester toward the four semester minimum residency requirement. Some departments limit the number of overseas courses that can be applied to the major.

In most cases, study abroad fees are comparable to a semester or academic year at Georgetown University. Students pay Georgetown University full tuition for study abroad during the semester and academic year. Cost of living overseas will vary depending on the city and country in which the program is located. All forms of financial aid except work-study awards may be applied to Georgetown-approved programs and approved independent (I-status) programs.

Georgetown faculty members and deans, in conjunction with the Office of International Programs, work to identify and approve excellent programs abroad. When approved, these programs become “Georgetown-approved” and credit earned at these institutions may be counted toward a student’s Georgetown degree. A list of Georgetown-approved programs may be obtained from the Division of Overseas Studies in the Office of International Programs or from the Internet at: http://oip.georgetown.edu/os.

Georgetown University continues to evaluate and add overseas studies programs so that the academic needs of the Georgetown student body are met in a variety of overseas environments. Students who wish to transfer credit for overseas semester or year programs that are not Georgetown-approved, but are administered by other U.S. institutions or foreign universities, are also required to complete the overseas studies application available at the Office of International Programs and participate in the selection and nomination process. Students are responsible for researching and understanding the program’s academic policies, integration into the host country’s system of education, orientation sessions, housing provisions, health, and safety issues. Although Georgetown cannot be expected to provide guidance and assurance on any or all of the above issues, the University does reserve the right to deny participation on a non-approved program on the basis of any one of these concerns. Transfer of credit will depend on the student’s prior academic record at Georgetown. Students who complete the overseas studies application and are nominated for participation in an independent program (referred to as independent status programs) do not take a leave of absence. These students are considered fully-matriculated Georgetown University students and subject to the same conditions of participation on overseas programs that govern Georgetown-approved programs.

Students should begin their overseas studies research during their first year at Georgetown. First semester sophomores are encouraged to attend information sessions in September of the fall semester preceding their junior year. Program information and application deadlines may be found on the OIP web pages. General requirements for admission to programs include (but are not limited to): good academic standing, sufficient language preparation, approval of the Dean’s Office, and overall suitability for the program chosen. Students applying to universities where the language of instruction is not English are generally required to pass a language exam administered by the appropriate department.

The International Programs Welcome Center maintains extensive information on Georgetown program opportunities, and on internships, work, and travel opportunities. The Peer Advisors provide initial information and direct students to the appropriate resources. Overseas Studies Advisors meet with students individually to discuss their proposed study site, answer questions, and to guide them through the application and nomination procedures. The advisors also provide extensive written information on the program and the country and organize pre-departure orientation sessions and reentry workshops after students have returned. The staff of the Division of Overseas Studies maintains liaisons with University departments, Deans’ offices and universities overseas.

Villa Le Balze

In December 1979, the University was deeded Villa Le Balze, a villa just outside of Florence. The mansion and grounds have been named the Charles Augustus Strong Center in memory of the father of the donor, the Marquesa Margaret Rockefeller de Larrain. The formal opening of the academic program in Fiesole was in January 1981. Presently, the University offers many programs of study at the Villa. During the fall and spring semesters of each academic year, approximately twenty-five students live in the Villa and with Italian families nearby, and study the art, history, and literature of the Italian Renaissance. Students also take courses on Italian language and culture. During the summer months, approximately twenty students from Georgetown as well as other schools, go to the Villa to study various Italian topics. Students interested in the Villa Le Balze programs should visit the Villa’s website, www.villalebalze.org, e-mail villainfo@georgetown.edu, or call (202) 687-5624.

MCGHEE CENTER FOR
EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN STUDIES

In 1989, George C. McGhee, the former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, donated his 170-year old Ottoman villa to serve as the base for an overseas program in Eastern Mediterranean Studies. The McGhee Center is located in Alanya, a town of 90,000 inhabitants situated along Turkey’s southern coast. During the fall semester, the McGhee Center hosts an intensive program featuring coursework in Turkish language and culture, contemporary politics, history, and archeology. Approximately fifteen students from Georgetown and other universities make Alanya their home during the program. Courses are taught in English by Georgetown and visiting faculty. Program highlights include a two-week orientation in Istanbul and Ankara, weekly course-related site-visits, and a mid-semester excursion eastern Turkey. Students interested in the McGhee Center program may visit the website at http://mcgheecenter.georgetown.edu.

SUMMER SESSIONS ABROAD

Georgetown University offers short-term study abroad options through the Office of International Programs (OIP). Most programs are open to both Georgetown and non-Georgetown students. The large majority of these programs are designed and led by Georgetown University faculty, who accompany students overseas, teach or supervise instruction at foreign host universities, plan and lead cultural excursions, and provide ongoing logistical support to students. Programs run from two to eight weeks between May and August, and offer from three to twelve semester credits.

OIP also collaborates with the Georgetown SFS-Qatar campus to provide students appropriate study abroad opportunities in Doha during the summer. Interested students should contact OIP for more information. Summer overseas programs directly administered by the Office of International Programs vary from year to year, and students should contact OIP for the most up-to-date information. Past programs have included:

Georgetown-at-Alexandria, Egypt

Hosted by Alexandria University’s Center for Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language, this program offers twelve credits for eight weeks of intensive language study. Local excursions, cultural activities with Egyptian university students, and visits to local families complement the academic program.

Georgetown-at-Barcelona, Spain

An intensive five-week, nine-credit program that offers Spanish language study at the advanced level, hosted by the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona. Students may take additional coursework in Art History, Linguistics, and Regional Politics. Content courses focus on the themes of national identity in a multi-lingual and multi-cultural city.

Georgetown-at-Barcelona, Spain (Business Program)

Hosted by the Escuela Superior de Administracion y Direccion de Empresas (ESADE), this program offers Georgetown business students the rare opportunity to study entrepreneurship and international marketing at one of the world’s most prestigious business schools. The five-week program combines intensive classroom instruction with cultural activities and visits to key centers of economic activity. Students receive six semester credits for the program.

Georgetown-at-Beijing, China

An eight-week program that offers intensive Chinese language instruction. Georgetown administers the program in partnership with the Associated Colleges in China.

Georgetown-at-Buenos Aires, Argentina

A six-week, six-credit program examining Latin American politics and the root causes of poverty in the region. All courses are conducted in Spanish and students must have sufficient Spanish-language proficiency to understand lectures addressing political and economic concepts.

Georgetown-at-Buenos Aires, Argentina:
Translational Health Science Internship

This six-week, six-credit program serves pre-med, nursing, and biology students. It combines classroom study, laboratory research, and field experience in local hospitals. Students are embedded in a team of local and U.S.-trained researchers and physicians studying the basic science and clinical effects of viruses that cause respiratory infection in children.

Georgetown-at-Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

A six-week, nine-credit program hosted by the University of Dar es Salaam. Participants study Kiswahili and development issues while living with host families in Dar. Students also travel to Zanzibar and Arusha as part of the program.

Georgetown-at-Fiesole, Italy

A four-week course (six credits) taught in English, Italy and the Arts combines literature, writing, and cultural studies. Students reside at the Villa Le Balze (the Charles A. Strong Center of Georgetown University), which is located in Fiesole, a hill town overlooking Florence and the Arno River.

Georgetown-at-Geneva, Switzerland

A three-week, six-credit program offering coursework in trade and economic development. Although primarily designed for graduate students, advanced undergraduates may apply with the permission of the faculty director. Visits to the World Trade Organization and other international agencies in Geneva complement the academic program.

Georgetown-at-Ifrane, Morocco

A four-week, six-credit program offering coursework in Moroccan Arabic, economic development, and North African history. The program is hosted by Al-Akhawayn University in Ifrane. Meetings with development practitioners, visits to development sites, and tours of key historical, religious, and cultural centers complement the academic program. Content courses are taught in English.

Georgetown-at-L’Aquila (Rome), Italy

A five-week, six-credit immersion program that offers students with intermediate Italian an opportunity for intensive language study. As of this printing, the program is located in Rome.

Georgetown-at-London-and-Stratford, England

A two-week, three-credit program combining lectures on Shakespeare’s life and work with world-class performances of his plays in London and Stratford. Meetings with Shakespearean actors, acting coaches, and scholars from the Stratford Shakespeare Center complement the academic program.

Georgetown-at-Oxford, England (Business)

A six-week, six-credit program designed for rising juniors and seniors in business administration that offers courses in Comparative Strategic Management and International Finance. It includes field trips to industrial plants and business offices in Britain. Georgetown also offers a six-week, six-credit graduate program in International Management at Oxford.

Georgetown-at-Paris, France

A six-week, six-credit program organized jointly by Georgetown University and the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de Paris (CCIP). The program combines instruction in advanced and post-advanced French with lectures and coursework in politics and business in contemporary France.

Georgetown-at-Quito, Ecuador

A six-week program offering coursework in Latin American culture, literature, and society at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ). All courses are conducted in Spanish. In addition to classes at USFQ, students select one of two program tracks providing (1) Special courses and fieldwork exploring issues of race, gender, and ethnicity; (2) Extended research trips to ecological stations in the Tiputini rain forest and the Galapagos Islands. Students receive up to nine credits for the program depending on course selection.

Georgetown-at-Santiago, Chile -- Graduate

An eight-week, six-credit program designed for Master’s candidates concentrating in Latin American Studies and Ph.D. candidates in Comparative Politics with a focus on Latin America. Undergraduates pursuing the Certificate in Latin American Studies are also eligible to apply. The program takes place at the Universidad Alberto Hurtado of Chile and offers classes in Latin American economy, politics, and literature.

Georgetown-at-Shanghai, China (Business)

A five-week program in Comparative Strategic Management and Intercultural Communication at the Fudan University School of Management, it includes meetings with business experts, visits to key cultural and historical sites in Shanghai, and a one-week trip to Beijing. Students also attend four hours per week of instruction in Chinese language and culture.

Georgetown-at-Shanghai, China (Health)

A four-week program examining China’s health care system and efforts to control emerging diseases on the Asian continent. Students visit local centers for disease control and health-care providers for migrant communities.

Georgetown-at-St. Petersburg, Russia

An eight-week program that offers courses in Russian language at the St. Petersburg State University. Classes in phonetics, conversation, and grammar meet Monday through Friday. Biweekly lectures explore literature and contemporary Russian affairs. Georgetown administers the program in partnership with the Council on International Educational Exchange.

Georgetown-at-Tours, France

A seven-week, six-credit program that offers courses in French language, literature, history, culture, and civilization. Language courses range from introductory to the advanced level.

Georgetown-at-Trier, Germany

A five-week program that offers introductory and advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in German language, literature, culture, and business. Internships with German businesses and community service opportunities are also available to participants. Students receive six credits for the program.

Georgetown Classics Tour

A two-week study-tour designed to provide unique insights into classical texts through the study of ancient ruins and material remains. Program itineraries vary by year. Recent tours have explored the archaeology of Greece, Rome, and Turkey. Students should contact the Office of International Programs to learn the current year’s destination.

Undergraduate Bulletin 2012-2013 Table of Contents
Copyright 2012, Georgetown University.