Why Study Abroad?
Plymouth State University offers students a number of ways to study abroad. Some programs are full semester or even an entire year of study abroad. Others are for a week or two as part of a course or may be a course in and of itself. These programs may be a PSU program or PSU working in partnership with a foreign university or established provider of study abroad programs for college students.
PSU Programs: We offer some programs that have been created by the Office of International Programs that are truly unique. These programs may be continuing programs or an opportunity that may be offered only once. What all programs share is that they are unique programs to our campus. Our Freshman Program in Ireland is a good example. Working with our long time partner, Center for International Studies (CIS), we have one of the very few programs in the U.S. that allow first semester freshmen the opportunity to study at a university abroad – in our case at the University of Limerick in Ireland.
PSU students majoring in business have an opportunity to spend a semester at prestigious Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary while Adventure Education majors can take advantage of our partnership with LaTrobe University’s School of Outdoor Studies in Bendigo, Australia.
Reciprocal Exchange Programs: The Office of International Programs has entered into official exchanges with some international universities and continues to seek additional agreements. In these situations, because of the agreement, a student pays PSU tuition but studies abroad and a student from that campus attends PSU in turn. An example of this would be our relationship with Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan. Due to the nature of the exchange, these programs have limited openings each year. Formal exchange programs currently exist for PSU students at the following schools:
Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan and Bishop's University in Quebec, Canada.
Visit Kansai Gaidai University for more information on the Asian Studies Program. See an advisor at The Bagley Center for more specific information on the exchange terms.
Visit Bishop's University in Lennoxville, Quebec for more information on the exchange programme. See an advisor at The Bagley Center for more specific information on the exchange terms.
Preferred Provider Offerings: By far, the largest number of study abroad opportunities is via one of our many preferred provider organizations such as AIFS (American Institute of Foreign Studies), CIS (Center for International Study), or API (Academic Programs International) and many others. These organizations offer study abroad programs at universities around the world and generally present a full package of room/board, tuition, cell phone, insurance, special excursions, etc. The Office of International Programs does not adopt a preferred provider organization until they have completed an exhaustive review of the organization. In most cases, some member of the PSU Office of International Programs will have visited the site where you are electing to study away.
Faculty-led Short Term Study Abroad Courses: While not a product of the Office of International Programs, these short-term international courses created by our faculty involve our office in logistical arrangements, risk and liability management and a host of other considerations to ensure an academically rewarding and safe trip. Staff of the PSU Office of International Programs may accompany the teaching faculty to assist in the administration of the course abroad.
