Welcome!

The Study Abroad Office (SAO) appreciates your interest in developing a faculty-led study abroad program. We look forward to assisting you in what will be a richly rewarding opportunity, both for your own professional development and the academic development of NC State students. Our goal is to create partnerships with faculty and departments to develop more opportunities for NC State students to study abroad.

With today's dynamic and diverse student population, your willingness to consider directing a study abroad program enables NC State to offer a broader range of study abroad options to a variety of students. Most students prefer to study abroad in group programs sponsored by their own university. They wish to travel and study with friends and faculty they know and trust, and welcome the ease with which academic credit is applied toward their degree requirements.

Generally three-fourths of NC State students studying abroad do so on faculty-led programs. In the summer of 2007, approximately 489 students studied abroad on NCSU programs. Frequently, we have seen these programs used as a launching point for further international activities, as numerous students participate in more than one program. In a very direct way, you are helping to train the globally aware leaders of tomorrow by providing life-changing experiences abroad.

Although much work goes into developing and producing a successful study abroad program, you are not alone in this endeavor. The SAO is happy to assist you along the way and help remove some of the burden associated with program development and coordination. We hope that you will be able to find answers to many of your questions about program development in this guide. We also welcome any additional questions or comments.

We look forward to working with you!

Ingrid Schmidt, Director
Deirdre O'Malley, Associate Director
K. Brooke Ashley, Assistant Director
Adam Steckler, Assistant Director
Emily Burnett, Regional Coordinator
Kim Priebe, Regional Coordinator
E. Lowell West, Assistant Director of Operations
Sam Morris, Systems Administrator and Assessment Coordinator

If you are ready to begin your program proposal, please click to fill out the Faculty Interest Form to set up a meeting with a Regional Advisor. This link is also available at the bottom of this page.

Guide to Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs

This guide provides a thorough review of the information to consider when applying to lead a new study abroad program.

• General Overview
• Program Types
• Factors to Consider
• Steps to Follow
• General Timing
• Services Provided by the Study Abroad Office
• Faculty Director Responsibilities
• Contact the Study Abroad Office to Set-up an Appointment

Once you have reviewed this guide, please contact the Study Abroad Office for an appointment to discuss your program ideas, and to obtain the necessary forms to apply for a new program.

PLEASE NOTE: The deadline for submitting new program proposals to the Study Abroad Office for programs held in 2011 is June 25, 2010.

General Overview

This guide is designed for Faculty developing a new study abroad program that meets the following criteria.

The program:

• is taught outside the United States
• involves an NC State faculty member (including adjunct) either as instructor or on-site program coordinator
• involves a group of students (typically more than 3) going to the same location for the same time period
• offers courses or is part of a course for which students could earn NC State credit; typically the course can be taken for a grade, is listed on students' transcripts, and is included in the GPA, similar to on-campus courses
• typically offers off-model courses, which are self-supporting and do not involve regular tuition payments
• is sponsored or supported by NC State University

Your application for a new study abroad program is NOT intended for programs in which:

• no academic credit is earned
• no NC State faculty member is accompanying any portion of the program
• students take courses overseas individually, not in a group. Examples include semester-length exchanges or credit-bearing internships in which the faculty member does not accompany the student overseas. Students applying for these programs should consult the SAO for details on necessary paperwork.

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Program Types

The first step in program development is to review the types of faculty-led programs offered through the SAO. They are roughly categorized by length.

• Summer Programs generally last over 14 days. Some current examples include the NC State programs to Florence, Guatemala, Ghana, Lille, London, Mexico, Oxford, Peru, and Vienna.
• Short-Term Programs generally last 14 days or less, whether that program is during spring break or during the summer. A current example is the Ghana Spring Break program.
• Semester or Year Programs last either a full semester or an academic year. Current examples include the Semester in Spain and Semester in Florence programs.

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Factors to Consider When Developing a Study Abroad Program

The learning environment:

• The academic rigor of the program must meet NC State standards.
• Specific educational objectives of the program should be clearly stated in the program literature.
• The programs should attempt to combine academic learning with cross-cultural experience and be designed to make extensive use of the physical, human, and cultural resources of the host environment.
• Programs should be evaluated regularly by participants, program administrators, instructors, and the appropriate college-based advisory committee (such as the International Programs Committee in CHASS) to determine the extent to which program objectives are being met. If necessary, changes or adjustments should be made in light of the findings.
• If applicable to your program, mechanisms should be provided for co-sponsoring institutions to be involved in setting policies and in evaluating processes that shape the ongoing nature of the study abroad program.

In an effort to help you in your recruitment efforts and in order for the SAO to maintain a diverse range of program options for students, the SAO recommends you keep the following standards in mind as you design your new program:

• New programs should complement, rather than compete with, existing NC State programs (for a list of current programs, please contact the SAO).
• Less traditional sites should be considered. The majority of programs currently offered are in Europe.
• Program costs should be kept as low as possible, to ensure greater accessibility and participation. Students participating in summer programs for example, are not only paying an additional cost to study during the summer, they are also (in most cases) giving up some if not all potential summer income from full-time work.
• Carefully consider your program curriculum. Students participating in study abroad programs are usually looking to fulfill major/minor/general education requirements in order to justify (to themselves and their parents) the additional expense of the program. Special topic courses can be offered on Study Abroad program, but fully approved, regular courses are preferable.
• If students need to maintain eligibility for financial aid, they must earn a minimum of 6 credit hours during the summer. Ideally, programs should either offer the option of earning 6 credits during the program itself, or should be scheduled to fall within one summer session, so that students can take additional courses during the remaining summer session.

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Steps-To-Follow to Apply for a New Study Abroad Program

PLEASE NOTE: The deadline for submitting new program proposals to the Study Abroad Office for programs held in 2011 is June 25, 2010.

1. Contact the Study Abroad Office to Arrange a Meeting with a Study Abroad Regional Advisor
To arrange a meeting with a Regional Advisor, you simply need to submit a "Faculty Interest Form" to the SAO (the form can be found in the section below titled: "Contact the Study Abroad Office to Set-up an Appointment"). After you submit the "Faculty Interest Form", the SAO will assign a Regional Advisor to your program. The Regional Advisor will then contact you to arrange a meeting.

During your meeting, you and your Regional Advisor will discuss your preliminary program ideas. Your Regional Advisor will walk you through the online "Application for a New NC State Study Abroad Program" and will answer any questions you have about the application process. Additionally, your Regional Advisors will review your responsibilities as a study abroad Faculty Director as well as the SAO resources and support services that are available to assist you in your role.

Timeline: contact with the SAO should be made at least 18-24 months prior to the intended start date.

2.  Meet with Department Head - When you meet with your Department Head, discuss preliminary ideas for the program including the course(s) you plan to teach and/or offer on the program, and any course related field trips included on the program.  Also inform them of the anticipated time frame, budget/cost, and location. Early discussions about your program will help to determine whether the program is well integrated into departmental goals and enrollment strategies and whether the program's academic content meets departmental standards.

Timeline: at least 18 to 24 months prior to the intended start date.

Determine preliminary logistics - Gather detailed information on matters such as travel arrangements and housing options, and decide on academic content. Preliminary logistical arrangements can be made by the Faculty Director, in conjunction with the SAO, or with the assistance of outside agencies. These steps are necessary to determine preliminary costs and budget.

Timeline: at least 12-18 months prior to the intended start date.

4. Submit application - Complete and submit the online "Application for New NC State Study Abroad Program" to the SAO. Note that many details will still be proposed or in the preliminary state at this time, but the intended structure should be clear. A complete application includes:

• Application for New NC State Study Abroad Program
• Statement of program purpose
• Preliminary program budget
• Preliminary itinerary
• Course information
• CV's for any non-NC State faculty/staff
• Preliminary location safety assessment
• Non-CHASS Faculty: Letter of support from College Dean and Department Head.
• CHASS Faculty: Letter of support from your Department Head.

Timeline: at least 12 to 18 months prior to the intended start date.
Deadline: June 25, 2010 for summer or short-term programs (summer, spring break, winter).

5. Committee review - Some colleges have existing college-level international program committees (such as the CHASS International Programs Committee) who must approve your program's courses. 

All CHASS programs must be approved by the Committee before the program can be advertised to students.  The SAO will provide Faculty with the appropriate CHASS course approval form.  The CHASS board generally meets at the start of the Fall semester and notifies Faculty of approval or request changes are made to course content soon thereafter. 

If a College-level committee is not in place, your Department Head and College Dean will handle the approval. 

6. Decisions - You will be notified by the SAO of the decision on your application within two months of your completed submission. International program committee decisions on academic content vary in timing.

7. Program Administration - Once your program has been approved by both the SAO and the appropriate academic committee, you can begin the program administration process. Your Regional Advisor will lead you through the next steps in developing your program.

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General Timing

For new programs, planning is generally a two-year process. The required span is often underestimated and program quality becomes compromised when less time is allowed for program development. 

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Services Provided by the Study Abroad Office

The SAO assists Faculty Directors with managing program specifics and with the overall coordination of the program, including:

• Consulting extensively with Faculty Directors during the program development process.
• Assisting with the establishment of an appropriate budget that meets University guidelines.
• Determining payment schedules for program expenses.
• Making payments to on-site program vendors, as necessary.
• Coordinating with Contract Management for review and approval of program invoices and contracts with overseas vendors.
• Assisting directors in developing program safety assessments.
• Monitoring world events and U.S. State Department reports on program location safety.
• Providing marketing support, which includes: posting your program on the SAO website; inclusion of your program in the SAO fair; creating program flyers to be displayed in the SAO and used by the Faculty Director for recruitment; and referrals to your program in peer presenting and SAO advising sessions.
• Assisting students with financial aid.
• Maintaining an online application process for your students which complies with all higher education regulations (FERPA, ADA, etc.)
• Managing an online application database for Faculty Directors to monitor and review student and program information. This is important, not just for the convenience of directors, but for facilitating emergency coordination.
• Designing, distributing, and collecting all necessary forms from students (i.e. a liability waiver and health and safety information).
• Reviewing student discipline records for all participants.
• Assisting directors with students who have disabilities or conduct records.
• Routing courses for approval to be taught off campus.
• Collecting payments from students and depositing them into specially designated University accounts.
• Ensuring the availability of funds, which will cover student expenses, until financial aid is disbursed.
• Obtaining travel advance funds for faculty directors.
• Registering students in courses.
• Administering student insurance*.
• Providing all students with an orientation session and general handbook.
• Processing expense reconciliation with Travel Accounting.
• Paying salary and other compensations for directors.
• Assisting in alternative model programs and course registration.
• Coordinating university response in the event of an emergency.
• Bearing financial and legal risks for the program. This includes covering unexpected and unavoidable expenses leading to negative balances in a program budget.
• Providing overall guidance and help throughout the process.

Programs will be provided with assistance from the SAO on all of these administrative program tasks. In addition, you and other program staff are invited to attend our Faculty Director sessions, held in the fall and spring. During this orientation we discuss and provide training on study abroad processes and issues of importance to your role as a Faculty Director.

Finally, before departure, you will receive our pre-departure travel packet, which includes important on-site documents, including travel accounting receipt forms, emergency contact cards, and more. Faculty Directors will also have online access to student forms while abroad (i.e. health history forms, emergency contact forms, participant agreements, etc.).

*Please Note: All students studying abroad through NC State must be covered by the UNC system-wide mandatory health insurance through HTH.

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Faculty Director Responsibilities

Many responsibilities are required of Faculty Directors before, during, and after a program. Directors will be provided guidelines, support, and full details on program administration from the SAO. Administrative steps necessary for programs may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Collaborating with the SAO to develop an affordable, self-supporting budget. Your program should not only support itself, but the cost to students should be as low as possible.
• Providing prospective students with accurate and complete information on the nature and scope of the program.
• Marketing your program and recruiting students. This is a very important responsibility that rests primarily with the Faculty Director.
• Using the SAO's application procedure, which complies with Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other higher education regulations.
• Reviewing and accepting applicants online. Assistance is available from the SAO if you have applicants with disabilities or conduct records.
• Arranging for housing, meals, classroom space, excursions, on-site transportation, etc. and complying with NC State policies on purchases and contracts. Please note that the director need not make all arrangements personally. The SAO encourages use of on-site agencies, partner universities, and other support services if they are not cost prohibitive.
• Working with academic departments to establish study abroad course(s).
• Providing students with program-specific orientation materials.
• Registering students with overseas embassy/consulate.
• Locating doctor/hospital in host country that complies with HTH Insurance.
• Monitoring and notifying students of any risks associated with host country.
• Locating and arranging accommodations for any disabled students.
• Serving as onsite advisor for students (mental health issues, medications, sexual harassment, student conduct, cultural adjustment, crime, emergencies, etc.).
• Managing on-site finances and receipts according to NC State Accounting Office policy.
• Preparing for and managing on-site emergencies (evacuate students, communicate with local authorities and possibly media, administer first aid, facilitate medical evacuation or repatriation, communicate with NC State staff, etc.).
• Submitting grades for students.

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Contact the Study Abroad Office to Set-up an Appointment

We hope this introductory overview has been helpful. As a next step, please click to fill out the Faculty Interest Form to set up a meeting with a Regional Advisor. The Regional Advisor will review the online program application materials with you and answer any questions you have regarding your role as Faculty Director.

Once the SAO receives your completed proposal, it will be reviewed by the Study Abroad Office and either approved or denied.

*Please note that your College may have their own study abroad program approval process. You may be required to request additional approval from your College and/or provide your College with additional information in order to have complete program approval.

We hope that this guide has been informative for you regarding the program development process for new Study Abroad programs. The Study Abroad staff looks forward to working you. Please contact us so that we can assist you in beginning your program application.