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 (IS)

Georgetown takes great pride in its international character and the over 2,000 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.

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 undergraduate and exchange international students, a mandatory 3-day orientation program is held each August. IS 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 residence hall program which focuses on international/intercultural issues, are both sponsored by International Student and Scholar Services. Each Spring, IS sponsors Georgetown’s campus-wide international celebration, called I-WEEK. Over 25 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 Overseas Studies division offers academic year, semester, and summer programs in many countries, including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, People’s Republic of China, Poland, Russia, Senegal, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, 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 and Villa le Balze 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 students QPI. Courses taken overseas are not counted towards the 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 (IC-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 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-consortium 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 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 Resource Center maintains extensive information on Georgetown program opportunities, and on internships, work, and travel opportunities. The Resource Center Coordinator provides initial information and directs 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 Overseas Studies maintains liaisons with University departments, Deans’ offices and universities overseas.

SUMMER SESSIONS ABROAD

Georgetown University offers short-term study abroad options through the Office of International Programs. 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 instructions 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.

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

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.

An eight-week program that offers graduate and undergraduate courses in Chinese language. Georgetown administers the program in partnership with the Council on International Educational Exchange.

A six-week, six-credit program that serves as an introduction to the political and economic dimensions of Latin America within the international system. Students survey the impact of the changing international environment on national security and the challenges facing Latin America in the new century. All courses are conducted in Spanish.

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.

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

A four-week course (6 credits) taught in English, Reading and Writing Italy 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.

A four-week, six-credit program offering coursework in economic integration, human security, and technology in the context of globalization. Although primarily designed for graduate students, advanced undergraduates may apply with the permission of the faculty director. Visits to the World Trade Organization and U.N. agencies in Geneva complement the academic program.

A five-week program in Strategic Management and International Marketing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, it includes special seminars on the Asia-Pacific market and field trips in Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China. All coursework is conducted in English.

A four-week, six-credit program offering course work in Moroccan Arabic, economic development, and Islamic religious and political culture. 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.

A five-week, six-credit immersion program that offers students with beginning and intermediate Italian an opportunity for intensive language study in the medieval town of L’Aquila.

A three-credit, two-week 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.

A six-week, six-credit program designed for rising 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, with optional pre-program internships.

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 politics and business in contemporary France.

A seven-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 three program tracks providing (1) Practicum sessions in gourmet cooking taught by USFQ Gastronomy School professors; (2) Special courses and fieldwork exploring issues of race, gender and ethnicity; (3) 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 which track they choose.

An eight-week, nine-credit community-based learning program taught in Spanish and hosted by Universidad Alberto Hurtado. Students take courses concentrating on poverty and development, and Chilean culture and society. Community service opportunities partner students with nonprofit organizations to address the needs of the poor and complement the course offerings. Students live with host families and pledge to speak only Spanish.

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.

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 address literature and contemporary Russian affairs. Georgetown administers the program in partnership with the Council on International Educational Exchange.

A six-week, six-credit course, offered at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, focusing on Australian studies. The program includes organized excursions to historic and cultural sites.

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

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 may receive six or seven credits for the program.

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.

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 program in Florence 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 must also take courses on Italian language. During the summer months, approximately twenty students from Georgetown as well as other schools, go to the Villa to study literature and writing. 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 literature, 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 faculty. Program highlights include a two-week orientation in Istanbul and Ankara, weekly course-related site-visits, and a mid-semester excursion to Syria or eastern Turkey. Students interested in the McGhee Center program may visit the website at http://mcgheecenter.georgetown.edu.

Undergraduate Bulletin 2009-2010 Table of Contents
Copyright 2009, Georgetown University.