Tanya R. Saunders, Director
The Office of International Programs encourages students to enhance their undergraduate program with a summer, semester, or year of international study experience. Our staff members can assist students in selecting study programs that fulfill their academic needs as well as their personal interests. With careful planning, students in any major can study abroad.
In addition to sponsoring student exchanges with universities in such places as Australia, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, and Sweden, Ithaca College administers its own program in London. The Ithaca College London Center offers a variety of courses and a number of internships. The College continues to develop new opportunities for students to study abroad, including faculty-led programs.
Through other New American Colleges & Universities (NAC&U) institutions and affiliate arrangements with the Center for Cross-Cultural Studies (CC-CS), the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES), the Institute for American Universities (IAU), and the School for International Training (SIT), students may study various disciplines in many countries around the globe. With the permission of Ithaca College, students may also elect to study abroad with programs sponsored by other accredited U.S. colleges or international institutions.
Students planning to study abroad, whether through an Ithaca College affiliated or nonaffiliated program, must have the approval of the Office of International Programs. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 is required for general approval to study abroad. Exchange programs have a higher GPA requirement of 3.00, and the Singapore program requires a GPA of 3.20.
Students enrolled in affiliated programs are guaranteed academic credit for their study abroad, but petitions for assignment of credit are required to ensure that the credit is applicable to their degree program. Grades received are calculated into students' grade point average, and students are eligible to register in advance for the semester they return from study abroad.
Students who withdraw from an affiliated study abroad program must be attentive to refund deadlines, both those of the affiliate and those of Ithaca College, as there may be serious financial implications involved in withdrawing from a program near or after the start date of that program. Students are responsible for informing both the affiliate organization and the Office of International Programs should they withdraw from a planned study abroad program.
Students who attend programs recognized by the College as affiliated study abroad programs are subject to the following refund policy:
Students applying to an affiliated program should not take a leave of absence. Students participating in affiliated study-abroad programs will be required to pay the Ithaca College tuition charge. In the event that the affiliate program tuition charge is greater than Ithaca College tuition, students will be billed by Ithaca College for the additional amount. Students will also be billed by Ithaca College for the room and board charges associated with the affiliated program and a fee for international health insurance. Students will remit payment directly to Ithaca College for tuition, room and board, and the health insurance. Ithaca College reimburses the affiliate program for these charges after payments and financial aid have been applied to the students' Ithaca College accounts. Students studying full-time with affiliate programs may be eligible for Ithaca College financial aid. They may also be eligible for federal and state financial aid programs.
There are numerous U.S. college-sponsored programs of study abroad in addition to programs offered by the universities of many countries. The Office of International Programs has a library of materials about both kinds of programs.
Students enrolled in nonaffiliated programs are not guaranteed academic credit for their study abroad unless petitions for transfer credit have been approved in advance for the courses they take. Ithaca College will grant transfer credit only for grades of C- or better, but grades are not calculated into the students' Ithaca College grade point average. Students are eligible to register in advance for the semester they return from study abroad, provided they have taken an approved leave of absence. Students on an approved leave of absence must have a $400 deposit on account at Ithaca College and pay a $415 administrative fee for study abroad to the College. Students studying with such a program are not eligible for Ithaca College financial aid. Federal funds, however, may be applicable to participation in nonaffiliated programs. Students with financial need should inquire directly to the program of interest about extramural scholarships and consult with the Office of Financial Aid.
Students who wish to apply federal funds toward the cost of participation in a nonaffiliated program should submit bills for tuition and fees from the nonaffiliated program to Ithaca College's Office of Student Financial Services. Payment should then be made to Ithaca College for the full amount due, less any federal funds already posted to the student's account. Ithaca College will then pay the nonaffiliated program. Students who do not receive federal funds should make payment directly to the nonaffiliated program.
The Ithaca College London Center offers an academic study program for sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Students from Ithaca and other colleges and universities in the United States who want an international study experience of a summer or one or two semesters during their undergraduate years are invited to participate. The London Center's curriculum includes courses in the liberal arts, business, communications, and music that are designed to take advantage of the social and cultural milieu of London. There is also a specialized program in theater arts for students beyond their first year majoring or minoring in this area.
The London Center is housed in a restored Victorian mansion in the South Kensington district of the city. Most faculty members are British and convey a perspective that helps students understand British society and develop cross-cultural awareness. Excursions and visits to various institutions, cultural centers, and museums are an integral part of the curriculum, while presentations by guest lecturers bring students into contact with distinguished individuals from a variety of disciplines.
Students carry a full academic load while studying in London and enjoy many opportunities for class-related trips and other educational travel. The London Center program operates on the following calendar (note: dates are subject to change).
| Fall 2010 | Spring 2011 | |
| Group flight departure | August 23, 2010 | January 10, 2011 |
| Orientation in London begins | August 24, 2010 | January 11, 2011 |
| Academic program begins | August 30, 2010 | January 17, 2011 |
| Semester holiday | October 16-24, 2010 | March 5-13, 2011 |
| Last day of classes | December 9, 2010 | April 29, 2011 |
| Last day of exams | December 16, 2010 | May 6, 2011 |
Transportation and living costs vary, but London Center students pay normal Ithaca College tuition and fees. Students receive assistance in finding flats in London.
Financial aid arrangements available in Ithaca, including New York State scholarships and rehabilitation grants, are available to students at the London Center. In addition, students may compete for a limited number of supplemental Fred Camden London Assistance Grants and for one Studin Sisters London Center Scholarship per semester. Students going to London in a spring semester who are business, art history, or theater arts majors are eligible to apply for the Wendy Bahlav '78 London Center Scholarship, which provides one award of $1,000 each spring semester to a student demonstrating high levels of financial need and academic achievement. Resident assistant stipends are not available in London, and college work-study positions are limited.
Participation in the London Center program -- whether for a summer, a semester, or a year -- is open to sophomore, junior, and senior students from Ithaca College and other U.S. institutions. A minimum 2.50 cumulative average and approval by the applicant's dean are required for admission to the London Center, in addition to an academic reference, an essay, and judicial review.
The London Center features a special program in British theater and internships in a number of fields, including but not limited to English, history, art history, theater, business, communications, economics, music education, politics, and social services (health administration, psychology, and sociology). See the Office of International Programs for updated course listings and descriptions.
In cooperation with the Department of Theatre Arts, the Office of International Programs offers a theater program in London. The program is designed to provide students with an understanding and experience of British cultural life -- both historical and modern -- through the medium of the theater.
All students in the theater program take the 9-credit core, consisting of a seminar and a laboratory involving attendance at numerous plays during the semester. In addition, students may take an internship, a performance course (either THPA 23400 Introduction to British Styles of Acting or THPA 34100-THPA 34200 Styles of Acting), or any other course offered at the London Center.
The theater program is designed for juniors and seniors. The theater program is selective, with priority given to theater majors. Applications are available from and should be submitted to the Office of International Programs.
Internships, a special feature of the London Center program, are available in many different fields, each with its own internship coordinator, who locates placement opportunities for students and supervises the internship once secured. Students must submit an application for the internship they seek, but approval does not guarantee placement. Interns work at a placement site 16 hours per week for the duration of the semester and earn 3 credits. All internships are unpaid.
See further information on internships in culture and communication and the Schools of Business, Communications, and Humanities and Sciences.
Culture and Communications
Business
Communications
Humanities and Sciences
Ithaca College has an agreement with the University of Valencia, allowing two students to be exchanged from each campus every year. Valencia is a beautiful, cosmopolitan city on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. The university has nearly 60,000 students and a wide range of course offerings suitable for almost any major. This program is specifically intended for students with advanced Spanish language skills, because all courses are taught in Spanish and participants will be in classes with native Spanish speakers.
Ithaca College has exchange agreements in Australia with Griffith University in Brisbane, La Trobe University in Melbourne, Murdoch University in Perth, and the University of Tasmania in Hobart. All four universities have a wide range of course offerings, and students from any major will find classes to suit their program of study.
Ithaca College is a partner in the Killiam Fellowships Program. This program provides exceptional undergraduate students from select universities in Canada and the United States with the opportunity to spend either one semester or a full academic year as an exchange student in the other country. Ithaca College students may apply for this very competitive program, which awards $10,000 for a full year of study and $5,000 for a semester. Students choose from approximately 11 possible Canadian universities.
Ithaca College has an exchange agreement with Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. Masaryk offers two programs in English that are appropriate for Ithaca students. The first program is central European studies and consists of courses related to history and culture. The second program is a TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) training program. Upon completion of one semester in this program, students will receive a certificate in TESOL instruction from the University of Cambridge (England).
Ithaca College has an exchange agreement with the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Arts at the University of Hong Kong. This program is open to all students at Ithaca College. Courses will be selected from those offered by the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Arts and may be appropriate for students in a wide variety of majors. Ithaca College also has an exchange agreement with Hong Kong Baptist University, which provides study abroad opportunities for students from selected programs in the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance.
Ithaca College has exchange agreements with Akita International University and the University of Tsukuba. These programs are open to all Ithaca College students. The programs can be for a spring semester or a full year and are ideal for students wishing to learn Japanese and deepen their knowledge of Japanese culture.
Ithaca College has an exchange agreement with the School of Information and Communication and the School of Business at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Students who will be juniors and seniors at the time of the exchange in Singapore are eligible to apply to this rigorous program. Program prerequisites include evidence of good judicial standing at Ithaca College, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.20, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to adhere to behavioral norms and a personal code of conduct appropriate for this Southeast Asian society.
Ithaca College has signed an exchange agreement with Hanyang University in South Korea. This exchange program is open to all Ithaca College students. Some courses are available in English, and programs for students interested in studying the Korean language and learning about Korean culture are offered. No prior Korean is required.
Ithaca College and Jönköping University in Sweden have an exchange agreement. This program is open to students in the Roy H. Park School of Communications, the School of Health Sciences and Human Performance, and the Gerontology Institute.
Ithaca College is pursuing a number of international connections throughout the world. Please contact the Office of International Programs for the latest information on new programs.
Ithaca has developed a number of short (two- to four-week) summer or winter break study tours led by College faculty members, and more of these opportunities are continually being developed. The College makes every effort to keep the cost of these courses low so that as many students as possible have the opportunity to go abroad. Please contact the Office of International Programs for information on current short-term study abroad opportunities.
Affiliations with the Sea Education Association (SEA) and the Duke University Marine Laboratory (DUML) allow students to broaden their understanding of the ocean firsthand. Both are one-semester programs (fall, spring, or summer). Certain courses will fulfill elective credit requirements for a biology degree or general education requirements in the School of Humanities and Sciences. For information and advising, please see program coordinators in the biology department (Professor Susan Allen-Gil for SEA; Professor Nancy Jacobson for DUML). Students should apply through the Office of International Programs.