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Learning Abroad in English

“Study abroad helps you experience literature and writing in wholly new and different ways. Exploring books and exploring the world are related processes, and no education is really complete without opportunities to do both.” —Josephine Lee, Professor, Department of English,
Leader of the ‘Shakespeare Our Contemporary’ Global Seminar

Academic Planning

Review the following suggestions from the Department of English before beginning your study abroad research.

Seek cultural immersion

• Look for programs that offer significant cultural integration. Deep involvement in the host culture leads to personal growth and instills cross-cultural skills.
• Consider programs that get you into classes with host-country students at a host university and programs that get you out of the classroom and into the community.
• Seek a program that houses you with a family or host-country roommate, or look for systematic experiences outside the classroom such as internships, service-learning or research opportunities, or the option to take some courses in a host-country university.
• Be realistic; not all students are ready for the same amount of cultural immersion.

Look for a program that provides insights into another society

• Seek to study in a society that contrasts with yours.
• The department encourages students to consider study at non-Western sites. Countries which are former British colonies provide exceptional opportunities for students to experience cultures out of which some very current literature and films are created, works which address issues germane to the challenges and conflicts and benefits of globalization, (e.g., African and South Asian countries.) These regions also provide exceptional opportunities for the linguistic study of world Englishes. See the English Department Faculty Directory to identify faculty with whom to consult.
• Learn about other traditions and perspectives in English studies. See how scholars in another country view their discipline; choose a program where your professors are from the host country.
• Consider taking at least one U.S. American literature course taught by a host-country faculty member. An outside perspective on your own society can be a real eye-opener.
• Look for opportunities to study educational systems differing from what you have previously experienced, especially if your professional goal is teaching.
• Explore opportunities to study legal systems in other countries, especially if you are considering applying to law schools.

Develop or improve second language skills

• Beginning or intermediate level students: consider a program where you can study a language and be surrounded by it.
• Students with advanced language skills: consider a program taught in the language.
• Plan your language course sequence carefully or you may find yourself out of sequence upon return to UMTC. French, German, Italian, and Spanish are the only languages at UMTC that offer each of the first four courses both Fall and Spring Semester. For all others, only the first and third courses are offered Fall Semester and only the second and fourth in the spring.

Work on your English major or minor

• The English Department Director or Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies will screen overseas coursework and help you fit appropriate courses into your major requirements. Courses must offer a study of literature written in English (e.g., postcolonial, genre studies, surveys, film, studies in literature of a particular century), English language, literary theory, or writing (creative or advanced expository or professional), but don’t have to be listed under ‘English.’
• Look for junior- and senior-level courses.
• Many programs offer literature courses, including world literatures written in English, or British and American literature. Look especially for courses in literature, culture, and language of the host country; if they teach literatures written in English or world Englishes, they can apply to the major; if not, they are excellent choices for non-major elective courses.
• Some programs offer English language linguistics courses. Look especially for the opportunity to study world Englishes.
• Some institutions have creative writing workshops. In most cases you will need to provide an appropriate writing sample for admission to such workshops.
• Look for internships and service-learning that bear credit. Internships abroad might apply toward the elective component of the major, but the academic documentation must be persuasive. Chances for major credit will improve if you work with the English adviser before departure, allowing adequate time for the adviser to review the description. Otherwise you may use the internship credit as an elective outside the major. If you are doing an internship on your own, without the help of a study abroad program, a UMTC faculty supervisor is required to obtain any credit.
• Use an Academic Planning Form for Study Abroad (.pdf) to structure and document your consultation with your major adviser. List more courses on the form than you will actually take. A particular course or schedule may not be available on-site, and it will be useful to have prior feedback on additional courses from the English adviser. If your course choices change, notify the English adviser via email.
• For tentative pre-approval of a course abroad, provide a syllabus to the English Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies for review at least a month before departure.
• For exact course substitution (EngL 3001, 3007, 3003, 3004, 3005, 3006, 3601, etc.) the course needs to be equivalent. It may be easier to apply study abroad to the required upper-division elective courses within the major.
• Finally, remember that the UM English BA program requires five University of Minnesota three- or four-credit English courses completed in residence at the Twin Cities campus, to include EngL or EngW 3960W and the Senior Project and at least three other upper division courses (3000-level or higher).

Fulfill Liberal Education requirements

• Plan early to apply study abroad credits to the University’s Liberal Education requirements. Decide early which requirements you want to satisfy through courses taken abroad so you don’t fulfill them on campus.
• Consult the Learning Abroad Center’s Liberal Education Database of study abroad courses that have been approved for Liberal Education.