Thoughts on studying abroad from Sarah N. '13:

Studying abroad options are numerous and accessible at Carleton.  About 70 percent of Carleton students will study abroad at least once during their four years, and of those students, about 37 percent study abroad a second time.  I think a large reason that studying abroad is so easy is at Carleton is our trimester academic calendar.  When a student goes abroad during the year, he or she is only missing ten weeks.  This leaves two trimesters during the year to take all of the classes you need to take.  There are also study abroad programs that take place during the summer.  If you study abroad in the summer you can pick which term during the following academic year you wish to take off.  There are study abroad programs connected to almost all departments, but the neat thing about Carleton is that you aren’t limited to study abroad options within your major.  As a studio art major, you could go on the biology department's marine ecology program to Australia.  As a computer science major, you could go on the theatre department’s study abroad program to London.  Some other trimester programs include: Spanish studies in Madrid, economics in Cambridge, geology in New Zealand, conservation and development in Tanzania, and cross-cultural psychology in Prague.

Carleton’s six-week winter break also holds great opportunities for studying abroad.  If you don’t want to or can’t afford to miss a term at Carleton, winter break programs are a great option.  These trips are normally between 2-3 weeks long during December, and students will take a class relating to the trip during the fall term.  Some of these trips include: Faith and Fiction in Israel, Biogeoscience in Belize, and Afro-Arab Women’s History in Dubai.

Even though Carleton runs on a trimester system, students are not limited to trimester programs.  There are several semester length programs through other universities that Carleton College has approved for Carleton student to participate in.  You can miss two terms at Carleton to participate in these programs, but it is a popular decision to participate in these programs in a fall semester.  This means Carleton students would only miss their fall trimester and finish the program during Carleton’s winter break.  Some of these programs include: a Swedish program at Stockholm University, SEA semester through the Sea Education Association, and a classical studies program in Rome through the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies.

I decided to pursue a study abroad option that is great for students that can’t fit a study abroad program into their schedule or for students that would like an experience that isn’t currently offered at Carleton.  I applied for one of the many study abroad fellowships and grants available to Carleton students.  Students who wish to receive these grants must design and propose their own study abroad program, as well as provide an itinerary and budget for the trip.  I received the Larson International Fellowship to use during my senior year winter break.  During my six-week break I will be travelling around Norway learning about Emergent Christianity and about how the Norwegian church has changed over the past fifty years.  As a biology major, I didn’t think I would have time to study and learn about another field that I was strongly connected to, but the academic calendar at Carleton, along with its many study abroad opportunities, has given me the chance to participate in the study abroad program that isn’t necessary tied to my major, but is a huge component of my life as a Christian.  Study abroad options at Carleton are abundant, and I think every Carleton student should seize the opportunity to have an amazing study abroad experience!

-Sarah

Each year the Off-Campus Studies Office hosts a photo contest.  Here are some past winners: