Sunday, December 14, 2008
The Facts
The USC Office of Overseas studies has seen tremendous growth in the number of students spending the spring semester abroad, up 42 percent from last year alone.
“We’ve definitely had a big jump in spite of the economic crisis and the dollar at one point being so low against most currencies in the world,” said Elizabeth Williams, advisor for programs in France, Italy, the UK, Ireland, Czech Republic and Greece.
According to Trista Beard, program advisor for Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria and Russia, the study abroad staff assumed that a large number of students would face financial difficulties in studying abroad with the downturn of the economy, rise in unemployment, and credit crunch for students to get loans.
“We did have some students withdraw for financial reasons for this coming spring, but even though things have gotten very tight in the states, the dollar has become very strong against the euro, the pound, the Australia and New Zealand dollar…which makes it very affordable to study abroad,” she said.
Williams attributed the growth to the office’s increased promotions this year, noting that students were especially receptive to the week-long study abroad events that took place in January as opposed to the one-day study abroad fair that the office has hosted in previous years. This year’s study abroad week included major- and region-specific information sessions among other events.
The overseas advisors have also spent more time visiting student dorms, giving presentations in classes, and meeting with departmental advisors to provide students and faculty with more information about overseas studies.
“We’ve really been trying to get the word out to students and breaking misconceptions that students have about ‘oh it’s so difficult to study abroad’ or ‘oh it’s so expensive and I can’t get credit for my major,’ so the more we get the word out about it we think the more we get students to realize that it’s possible,” Williams said.
Enrollment breakdown of USC study abroad locations
Peter Hilton, advisor for programs in Spain, Latin America, China, Taiwan, Africa and the Middle East, cited stability in staff and the caliber of incoming USC students as other contributors to the increase in students studying overseas.
“More students coming out of high school just really want to study abroad and that’s something that they want out of the college experience more and more,” he said.
However, some academic departments are more supportive than others of their students spending a semester – or a year – overseas. Many International Relations majors study abroad in addition to many language majors and minors, though some of the science departments including chemistry are less keen on the idea of their students studying overseas.
“The majors going abroad are the ones who have academic advisors and faculty members who are really behind it and who help us organize special info sessions for their major…but there are some departments that are less supportive…they don’t really promote it,” said Williams. “Your academic advisors are the ones that shape the way you’ll be taking your courses over the four years and if they tell you shouldn’t do it most students just leave it there.”
Programs with the largest increase in student interest include Egypt, where 10 students will be spending the spring semester – a number that has increased from an average of 2-3 per year. Additionally, South Africa, New Zealand, and Prague have all seen growth in their numbers –locations the overseas advisors refer to as “off the beaten path.”
“We have more students now that have already traveled to places like Western Europe as opposed to in the past…so they’ve done Europe and now they want to go further a field or off the beaten path somewhere different and not follow the trend of going to Europe,” Hilton said.
This USC study abroad trend reflects the national numbers; according to the Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange published this past November, American students are increasingly seeking non-traditional study abroad destinations including China, India, South Africa, Argentina, and Ecuador. The report, which is sponsored by the U.S. State Department, attributes this increase to the growth in program opportunities and partnerships between universities in the United States and abroad.
Additionally, the report found that the number of Americans studying abroad increased by 8 percent from the 2006/07 academic year, with an increase of close to 150 percent from the previous decade. Europe continues to host the largest number of U.S. students – a trend also reflected at USC – while students electing to study abroad in Asia increased by 20 percent, those going to Africa increased by 19 percent, and those going to Latin America and the Middle East each increased by 7 percent.
The Open Doors Report found a large increase in Americans studying abroad in a variety of locations. (Charts courtesy of the Open Doors Report)
Of the USC students studying abroad, only about 25-35 of them spend the entire academic year overseas, said Beard. This number is also reflected in the national averages, as the report found that less than 5 percent of study abroad students spend two or more semesters overseas.
“It’s the consensus around the office that you get so much more out of a year, much more than two semesters worth. I mean the impact is compounded by spending more time there, especially your language skills and just experiencing immersion in the culture,” said Beard. “We don’t ever think enough students go for a year but so many students just can’t fit it in their schedules.”
The overseas studies office cites cultural and language immersion as the two most critical components of the study abroad experience, and accordingly enforces a language requirement for most of their overseas programs.
“Our philosophy is basically that if a student is going to go to the country, they should have an immersive experience and you can’t have an immersive experience if you don’t speak the language,” Williams said. “In terms of the reputation that Americans have abroad with a ‘we know everything and everyone speaks our language’ kind of attitude, it’s just not the kind of thing we want our students to fall into.”
“We’ve definitely had a big jump in spite of the economic crisis and the dollar at one point being so low against most currencies in the world,” said Elizabeth Williams, advisor for programs in France, Italy, the UK, Ireland, Czech Republic and Greece.
According to Trista Beard, program advisor for Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria and Russia, the study abroad staff assumed that a large number of students would face financial difficulties in studying abroad with the downturn of the economy, rise in unemployment, and credit crunch for students to get loans.
“We did have some students withdraw for financial reasons for this coming spring, but even though things have gotten very tight in the states, the dollar has become very strong against the euro, the pound, the Australia and New Zealand dollar…which makes it very affordable to study abroad,” she said.
Williams attributed the growth to the office’s increased promotions this year, noting that students were especially receptive to the week-long study abroad events that took place in January as opposed to the one-day study abroad fair that the office has hosted in previous years. This year’s study abroad week included major- and region-specific information sessions among other events.
The overseas advisors have also spent more time visiting student dorms, giving presentations in classes, and meeting with departmental advisors to provide students and faculty with more information about overseas studies.
“We’ve really been trying to get the word out to students and breaking misconceptions that students have about ‘oh it’s so difficult to study abroad’ or ‘oh it’s so expensive and I can’t get credit for my major,’ so the more we get the word out about it we think the more we get students to realize that it’s possible,” Williams said.
Enrollment breakdown of USC study abroad locationsPeter Hilton, advisor for programs in Spain, Latin America, China, Taiwan, Africa and the Middle East, cited stability in staff and the caliber of incoming USC students as other contributors to the increase in students studying overseas.
“More students coming out of high school just really want to study abroad and that’s something that they want out of the college experience more and more,” he said.
However, some academic departments are more supportive than others of their students spending a semester – or a year – overseas. Many International Relations majors study abroad in addition to many language majors and minors, though some of the science departments including chemistry are less keen on the idea of their students studying overseas.
“The majors going abroad are the ones who have academic advisors and faculty members who are really behind it and who help us organize special info sessions for their major…but there are some departments that are less supportive…they don’t really promote it,” said Williams. “Your academic advisors are the ones that shape the way you’ll be taking your courses over the four years and if they tell you shouldn’t do it most students just leave it there.”
Programs with the largest increase in student interest include Egypt, where 10 students will be spending the spring semester – a number that has increased from an average of 2-3 per year. Additionally, South Africa, New Zealand, and Prague have all seen growth in their numbers –locations the overseas advisors refer to as “off the beaten path.”
“We have more students now that have already traveled to places like Western Europe as opposed to in the past…so they’ve done Europe and now they want to go further a field or off the beaten path somewhere different and not follow the trend of going to Europe,” Hilton said.
This USC study abroad trend reflects the national numbers; according to the Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange published this past November, American students are increasingly seeking non-traditional study abroad destinations including China, India, South Africa, Argentina, and Ecuador. The report, which is sponsored by the U.S. State Department, attributes this increase to the growth in program opportunities and partnerships between universities in the United States and abroad.
Additionally, the report found that the number of Americans studying abroad increased by 8 percent from the 2006/07 academic year, with an increase of close to 150 percent from the previous decade. Europe continues to host the largest number of U.S. students – a trend also reflected at USC – while students electing to study abroad in Asia increased by 20 percent, those going to Africa increased by 19 percent, and those going to Latin America and the Middle East each increased by 7 percent.
The Open Doors Report found a large increase in Americans studying abroad in a variety of locations. (Charts courtesy of the Open Doors Report)Of the USC students studying abroad, only about 25-35 of them spend the entire academic year overseas, said Beard. This number is also reflected in the national averages, as the report found that less than 5 percent of study abroad students spend two or more semesters overseas.
“It’s the consensus around the office that you get so much more out of a year, much more than two semesters worth. I mean the impact is compounded by spending more time there, especially your language skills and just experiencing immersion in the culture,” said Beard. “We don’t ever think enough students go for a year but so many students just can’t fit it in their schedules.”
The overseas studies office cites cultural and language immersion as the two most critical components of the study abroad experience, and accordingly enforces a language requirement for most of their overseas programs.
“Our philosophy is basically that if a student is going to go to the country, they should have an immersive experience and you can’t have an immersive experience if you don’t speak the language,” Williams said. “In terms of the reputation that Americans have abroad with a ‘we know everything and everyone speaks our language’ kind of attitude, it’s just not the kind of thing we want our students to fall into.”