Broaden Your Summer Horizons by Studying Abroad

If you’re hoping to make the most of your summer this year, going back home to hang out with friends and family might not seem very novel or exciting. Perhaps you long to travel, immerse yourself in new cultural experiences, and light an inspirational fire under your academic interests. A summer study abroad program can give you all that and more.

It’s a great way to combine an adventure with earning course credits that accelerate your degree program. Because they’re typically much shorter in duration, summer study abroad programs are concentrated, deep dives into the subjects you’re most passionate about.

Getting outside your comfort zone for a month or two opens your mind to new insights and opens your heart to new friends. You’ll learn to be more flexible and spontaneous. You’ll connect with other like-minded international students who are enrolled in your program, some of who will become lifelong friends.

Geneva’s Crossroads puts the world at your fingertips

One of the most popular initiatives at Crossroads, Geneva’s Center for Enriched Learning, is the off-campus study abroad program. Geneva students can study in more than 100 countries and transfer credits back to Geneva.

If Africa, Asia, or Australia has always called to you, it’s easy to find study abroad opportunities based on continent. If there’s a specific provider you’d like to apply to, you can search that way as well.

Crossroads makes it easy to choose a program that’s both in line with your major and reflects your deepest interests. Although most programs are designed to be multidisciplinary, this chart helps you determine which programs cover topics in a certain major. Check the program website to see if the program you’re interested in will work well with your major. Also, make sure to speak with your academic advisor about course credits and graduation requirements.

Spotlight on summer programs abroad

Geneva offers students a wide selection of study abroad summer programs that provide specialized and rigorous academics combined with immersive cultural experiences. Check out these programs that guarantee students enjoy an intellectually challenging and very personally rewarding summer.

BCA in London

If the sights and sounds of multicultural and diverse London are calling your name, BCA offers a variety of summer programs, include 3 and 6-week sessions. When you study abroad in London during June or July, you get to attend many festivals and activities available only during these summer months. You’ll attend classes at the University of Roehampton, London’s only traditional campus university nestled on 54 acres of parkland.

Humanities students might enroll in courses such as:

Modern Greece: Language and Culture
Gods and Heroes of Classical Mythology
From Renaissance to Abstraction: The History of Art in London Museums

Psychology majors could find inspiration in:

The Psychology of Murder
The Psychology of Art: Madness, Creativity, and Healing

Study abroad in Spain with Arcadia University

Arcadia offers flexible, innovative summer programs in Barcelona and Granada. Student enjoy cross-cultural learning and exploration through Arcadia’s partner institution, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF). Ideal for students interested in the arts, society, and the audiovisual industry, this program brings local and international students together, learning through English or Spanish.

The Granada program is based at the Centro de Lenguas Modernas (CLM) at University of Granada, which is renowned for its Hispanic Studies, language, and culture courses. Explore the culture and heritage of the charming city of Granada while sharpening your Spanish language skills. Choose from two summer tracks designed to either help you learn Spanish or improve your existing intermediate Spanish language skills.

Serve, protect, and restore with Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies

If serving, protecting, and restoring God's earth is your calling, you’ll find much inspiration here. Au Sable offers 23 4-credit courses that supplement the environmental science curriculum of over 50 Christian colleges throughout North America. Four campuses around the world (Great Lakes, Pacific Rim, Costa Rica, and India) provide students with engaging field-based coursework in line with their area of interest including:

Great Lakes: Conservation Biology, Field Techniques in Wetlands, Animal or Wildlife Ecology, Watersheds in Global Development
Pacific Rim: International Development & Environmental Sustainability, Marine Mammals, Forest Ecology, Ecological Agriculture
Costa Rica: Sustainability, Tropical Agriculture, & Missions
India: Conservation & Development in the Indian Tropics

The Salzburg Institute of Religion, Culture, and the Arts

Have you ever wondered:

How has Christianity changed Western culture?
How has Christianity shaped music and the visual arts?
How has Western culture changed Christianity?

The Salzburg Institute Summer Program offers a forum for undergraduates to discuss these and many other questions with international professors and artists. The summer program is designed for students interested in, but not necessarily majoring in: music, fine arts, communication arts, literature, biblical studies, theology, philosophy, and history. Undergraduates may receive up to 8 credits during the five-week program.

The summer program accepts students from various religious and ideological backgrounds who are interested in exploring the arts and humanities within the context of the Christian tradition. You’ll enjoy a vibrant academic experience in a city with an incredible cultural, intellectual, and musical heritage.

While studying in Salzburg, you’ll attend guest lectures and concerts and visit museums and cultural institutions. Once-in-a-lifetime opportunities include attending:

Salzburg Institute Symposium
Salzburg Institute Chamber Music Concert Series
Lectures of the Salzburger Hochschulwochen, a renowned theological lecture series at the University of Salzburg

Ready to pack your bags and go?

With so many exciting summer study abroad options, you can start exploring the world before graduation. It’s an excellent opportunity for personal growth as you develop an increased sense of connectedness with the planet and people from all nations.

Take these steps to begin your journey:

Stop by the Crossroads office on the main floor of the Student Center to pick up an information checklist for your desired program.
Apply online to the program of choice.
Inform Crossroads of your application.

There’s no time like the present to start planning your summer abroad future!

If you’d like to learn more about professions that enable you to serve wholeheartedly and faithfully in your life’s work or want to learn more about a biblically based, Christ-centered education at Geneva, we’d love to chat with you. For more information on how Geneva College can help you pursue your education goals, please phone us at 855-979-5563 or email web@geneva.edu.

Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.

Jan 31, 2019

Study Abroad

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