| PLU Programs |
Sponsored Programs |
PLU is committed to a vibrant array of global educational opportunities, linked to its mission and vision of educating to achieve a just, healthy, sustainable, and peaceful world.
Both on- and off-campus opportunities abound. Academic majors and minors provide on-campus study of global issues such as development, global resources and trade, and human rights as well as specific cultures and societies. Departmental courses and multidisciplinary programs are described in detail in their respective sections of this catalog. Please note among others the offerings in anthropology, history, international business (under business), languages and literatures, political science, and the following multidisciplinary programs: the Americas, Chinese studies, environmental studies, global studies, and Scandinavian studies.
Off-campus programs span the globe and the calendar. PLU encourages
majors in all fields to participate in off-campus study for a January
term, semester, academic year, or summer term. The following outline
suggests the types of programs available to undergraduates; consult the
Wang Center for International Programs for comprehensive and more
detailed information.
Offered every fall semester, this study away program is based at Sichuan University in Chengdu. The curriculum is centered around Chinese culture and language, business, and global studies courses and includes unique study travel opportunities – including an educational excursion to Tibet. Service learning assignments and part-time international internships provide opportunities to apply knowledge gained in the classroom. Students may arrange to spend the full year at Sichuan University. No prior Chinese language study is required. Students earn up to 17 semester credit hours.
Located in the Bloomsbury District, this program – offered every fall and spring term – uses London as its classroom. Students explore the city’s exceptional resources through an interdisciplinary study of literature, history, political science, theater, and art. Academic and cultural learning is enhanced through extensive co-curricular activities, weekend study tours, living with a British family, and optional service learning. Students earn up to 16 semester credit hours.
PLU offers internship opportunities to selected locations
around the globe, providing students the chance to apply their on-campus
curriculum in an international work setting. International internships can be
completed concurrently with a study away program (depending on the study away format
and location) or independently with supporting university coursework. Every year PLU students explore career
possibilities and enhance their skills by completing semester-long internships
in England, Namibia, and beyond.
Every January a wide variety of off-campus “J-term” courses
led by PLU faculty take students around the globe to destinations ranging from
Neah Bay to New Zealand. In January
2006, PLU received national attention when it became the first U.S. university
to have students studying on all seven continents at the same time. Nearly 400 students participate annually in
these intensive J-term learning experiences, which fulfill many degree
requirements. The application process
occurs during the preceding spring semester, with remaining openings filled
during summer and early fall. See the
Wang Center website for current offerings: www.plu.edu/~wangctr.
Designed for advanced Spanish language students with an
interest in Latin American Studies and offered in fall semester, PLU’s newest
program – based in Oaxaca – explores the intersection of development, culture,
and social change through the lens of the dynamic and evolving context of
contemporary Mexico. Student learning
is deepened through home stays, educational excursions, and the opportunity for
academic internships. Prerequisites: Completion of Spanish 202 (301 preferred).
Students earn up to 16 semester credit hours.
This fall semester program explores contemporary global issues through the lens of contemporary Norway. Particular areas of focus are Norwegian approaches to democracy, conflict mediation and international development. Field study experience and a final research project allow for analysis and reflection on a topic related to the student's academic discipline. Cross-cultural learning is an integral part of this program that includes students from PLU, Namibia and Norway. The program is open to all students regardless of major, with special interest for students in political science, communication, Global studies and Scandinavian studies. Courses are taught in English. No prior Norwegian language study is required. Students earn up to 16
semester credit hours.
Students take upper-intermediate and advanced level Spanish
at the Centro de Lenguas Modernas at the University of Granada. With its Moorish past, rich cultural
heritage, and natural beauty, Granada provides an excellent setting to build
Spanish language skills. The program is
offered every fall and spring semester.
Prerequisites: completion of Spanish 202 for fall term; completion of
Spanish 301 for spring term. Students
earn up to 16 semester credit hours in the fall and up to 18 in the spring,
which includes J-term.
With a focus on post-colonial issues in Tanzania and Africa,
the program begins in late-July with an in-depth orientation at Arusha and basic
training in the Swahili language.
Through lectures by local experts, visits to rural and wildlife areas, and
teaching conversational English to school children, students work to develop an
understanding of this region of the world. During fall semester, students select three or four courses from
the wide offerings available at the University of Dar es Salaam. All university courses are taught in
English. Students earn up to 16
semester credit hours.
January to mid-May, this study away program provides students
with unique opportunities to explore the islands and learn about the varied
heritages of the country’s multicultural society. During January students take a core course, which varies from
year to year, and begin preparations for the Carnival celebration. From February to mid-May students take a
second core course, Caribbean Culture and Society, and choose two additional
courses from the regular offerings at the University of the West Indies. Because of the direct enrollment feature at
UWI, this program is suitable for a wide variety of academic majors and minors
including studies in the natural sciences.
Students earn up to 18 semester credit hours.
Hundreds of PLU students participate in the featured programs listed above every year. However, sometimes a student’s particular academic goals are better served by a different program. Through collaborative partnerships with other universities and agreements with study abroad program providers, PLU offers an array of semester-long study away programs with courses in a wide variety of academic disciplines. Short-term study away programs are also available during the summer months. PLU awards academic credit for approved programs and locations. For details call the Wang Center for International Programs at 253-535-7577. Or, visit the on-line study away catalog at www.plu.edu/~wangctr.
Opportunities to study abroad are made available through many other organizations and colleges in the United States. Some U.S. students choose to enroll directly in an overseas university. In these cases, special arrangements must be made in advance for appropriate credit transfer. PLU financial aid is not applicable.
With appropriate planning, it is possible for qualified
students in almost any major to successfully incorporate study away into their
degree plans. 
Prior to studying off-campus on
semester or yearlong programs and on short-term sponsored programs, students
work with their academic advisors to determine how courses taken and credits
earned will fit with their academic goals and transfer back to PLU. Using a pre-departure academic planning
worksheet, the student’s intended course of study is documented, approved by
the appropriate academic chair, and filed with the Wang Center.
Because off-campus study requires an additional level of independence and the ability to adapt to other cultures, the application, selection, and pre-departure review process is rigorous and includes a comprehensive evaluation of student records. Applications for off-campus study must be pre-approved by the university. Students must submit applications to the Wang Center by the relevant application deadline, which is typically six to twelve months prior to the program start date.
Application materials include, but are not limited to, an official transcript, an essay, letters of recommendation, and an application fee. Consult with the Wang Center for application requirements and deadlines by calling 253-535-7577 or visiting the web site at www.plu.edu/~wangctr. The university reserves the right to decline an application for off-campus study and/or to cancel the participation of an accepted student before departure or during the program.
Students participating on approved study away programs
receive PLU credit and letter grades for their coursework. Courses, credits and grades are recorded on
the PLU transcript. However, study away
grades are only calculated into the PLU G.P.A. for courses taught by PLU
faculty and for students graduating with honors and in the School of Business. Study away courses are not pass/fail.
Financial aid may be applied to all PLU approved
programs. This includes State and
Federal financial aid (with the exception of work study), university grants and
scholarships, and government loans.
While abroad, students continue to be billed by PLU and are expected to
maintain their payment plan arrangements.
Tuition
remission benefits apply to the cost of study away tuition on PLU
approved programs, but not to housing and meal charges. Tuition exchange benefits apply only to the
tuition component of these PLU-directed programs: Norway, China, Mexico,
Trinidad, and International Internships.
Tuition exchange benefits do not apply to any other study away programs
offered through third party providers, consortia, etc.
The Wang Center for International Programs awards grants on
a competitive basis to students interested in advanced research and
experiential learning in a global context, building on previous international
experience.
PLU graduates pursue their global interests in many ways
after they complete their degrees.
These include Fulbright awards, Rotary scholarships, and Wang Teaching
Fellowships in China. Contact the Wang
Center at 253-535-7577 for more details.