Faculty & Department Resources for Study Away Programs
APU Study Away Programs
One way for a degree to integrate experiential and intercultural learning is through APU Study Away Programs.
Study Away programs take many forms and include, but are not limited to learning exchange programs, faculty/student research projects with travel, faculty-led GO Term programs, semester programs, grant-funded academic projects/programs with travel, etc.
These programs are unique in that APU faculty can teach their courses in intercultural contexts (domestic & international) utilizing multiple modalities and pedagogies. All APU Study Away Programs are designed in collaboration with faculty, CCEL/Study Away, and partner organizations and are available for TUG, PUG, Grad, and Doctoral populations.
APU STUDY AWAY APPROVAL PROCESS
1.) PROVOST THROUGH CCEL APPROVAL: Submitting an interest form (button below) does not guarantee approval to move forward with the program, but rather places your request in the que to be reviewed for Provost approval in partnership with CCEL. Currently, it is approximately 1-2 programs per APU school/college being approved per year. We encourage departments to collaborate and partner on interdisciplinary programs when possible and/or think about offering a program rotation every 2-3 years, etc.
2.) TAC APPROVAL: (Travel Activities Committee) This approval is submitted by CCEL Study Away for you for all programs approved through #1 above.
3.) CONCUR (FINANCIAL) APPROVAL: CCEL Study Away will meet with approved programs to determine the information faculty will submit in Concur for this approval after approval through #1 above.
APU STUDY AWAY DEFINITION
APU Study Away programs are collaborative projects in partnership with the APU Center for Career & Community Engaged Learning ("C-CEL" Study Away). A Study Away program is defined as an APU academic programs that include travel (domestic or international) and a learning component that is part of an APU degree requirement including, but not limited to: courses (general education & degree/program specific), fieldwork/internships/practicums/clinicals, research, and any discipline specific accreditation requirements, etc.
Study Away programs take many forms and include, but are not limited to learning exchange programs, faculty/student research projects with travel, faculty-led GO Term programs, semester programs, grant-funded academic projects/programs with travel, etc.
Programs are designed to be heavily integrated with degree programs - however, they cannot be required without a form of equivalent non-travel opportunity being available nor can programs have applications start before an annual approval process and no part of program participation can be pre-paid until formal applications have begun. Programs are for varying lengths of time offered in fall, spring, and summer for master’s students, doctoral students, traditional and professional undergraduate students.
If the program does not include any component to meet degree requirements, the program is considered a co-curricular program and works collaboratively with APU's Office of Service & Discipleship (OSD, osd@apu.edu).
ACTION ITEMS: 2024-2025 Programs
Submit one Interest Form for any Study Away/GO Term Program through the linked interest form below by the due date stated. The following considerations HERE are part of the review process.
DUE DATES: 2024-2025 PROGRAMS
Fall 2024 Programs - Wednesday, February 28, 2024 (Status Notifications will be sent March 10, 2024)
Spring 2025 & Summer 2025 Programs - Friday, May 31, 2024 (Status Notifications will be sent July 1, 2024)
Due dates of program interest forms due 5 months prior (or earlier) to registration opening for the term of program courses.
Deferred programs and interest requests for 2025-2026 programs will open November 1, 2024.
All submissions received from the GO Terms Interest Form will appear in the "APU GO TERMS: Status Dashboard" below with status updates.
Program: 10 Step Process
The program management process for APU Study Away Program development (Learning Exchange Programs, Faculty-led programs/GO TERMS, semester programs, grant funded programs, etc) explores best practices in intercultural education abroad to maximize program participant learning in experiential learning, intercultural competence, addressing program design metacurriculum and student development to be applied to targeted academic disciplines. The process supports faculty to analyze program design from the perspective of faculty director, student participants, collaborating department coordinators, academic leadership, and host community.
Program collaborators investigate the complex and multiple roles program faculty directors experience before, during, and after program design and any travel with participants. Faculty program directors will grapple with the interconnected nature of academic process, participant development, documentation tracking needs, financial transactions, cohort socialization, safety and wellness, host community impact, and program influence in the higher education experience. Faculty work with APU's CCEL Study Away to explore resources and partner organizations available.
Step 1: Interest
TO-DO
GO Term Interest Form (needed each year for each program; due 5 months prior, or earlier, to registration opening for the term of program courses)
NOTE: APU Study Away Programs: Status Dashboard is available to show the status of all interest submissions received.
Step 2: Request/Worksheet
After vetting of the Interest Form, academic leadership makes decisions regarding programs that can be moved forward depending on multiple university considerations.
Faculty/departments of approved programs will be invited to work with CCEL/Study Away on a program worksheet/proposal that will be used for next steps.
Step 3: Approvals & Foundations
Below is a summary of the 3 layers of approvals used with all types of APU Study Away Programs.
1.) Academic Program Approval - CCEL works with Provost Office (Interest Form)
2.) Travel Location Approval - CCEL submits IAC form
3.) Financial Approval - through Concur Submission by Faculty member (during Step 7)
Step 4: Design
Once the 3-layers of approval in Step 3 are completed, then Step 4 includes completing the items necessary to have your program's courses scheduled and begin to put information in place to advertise the program to students. Faculty and departments are encouraged to utilize all resources and partner organizations as much as possible to assist with program workload.
DASHBOARD: CCEL Study Away will send to you a program dashboard spreadsheet. Everything you need for Steps 4-10 will be linked in your program's dashboard.
TO-DO: Complete the following forms/docs that will be linked in your dashboard...
Program Worksheet
Itinerary & Contact Form
Budget
Set up online meeting with your CCEL Study Away representative
WAIT: Students cannot apply to your program until the official program packet is made using the information gathered during Step 4 and 5. Feel free to gather an interest list, but be clear to students that the official program information will not be available until the Program Packet is made. It is through the combined completion of STEPS 4 and 5 that we will have everything needed in order to start advertising your program.
Step 5: Development
This step will build upon the core items you submitted during STEP 4 in order to schedule your program's courses and have all details ready so students can apply and be accepted into your program (STEP 6).
TO-DO:
Respond to CCEL Study Away questions regarding your Program Worksheet, Itinerary, and Budget.
International Activities Committee - Location Approval/Clearance (CCEL)
Program Packet: Create & Finalize
Step 6: Recruitment
The items completed during STEP 4 and STEP 5 are able to produce the information needed for a "program packet" that will have the link to the program application inside of it. Once you have the official APU Program Packet you can begin official recruitment.
TO-DO:
Recruit & Advertise. See ideas listed below. The more you do, the more applicants you will receive.
Answer student questions about the application.
Program Review & Applications Received: CCEL Study Away will link all applications received into your dashboard for you to review. We will explore all possibilities to ensure the right amount of students are able to participate by the dates needed to operate your program with a balanced budget and ensure a quality experience. If not enough applications are received, the program can be deferred until another term.
Participant Clearances: (CCEL) Discipline clearances, references/rubric reviews, prerequisites, etc.
Decide: Make decisions on who and how many you will accept, deny, or wait list. Post your decision in the applicant "status" column in your dashboard (on the roster tab).
"Program Offers": Inform CCEL study away once your decisions have been entered in your dashboard. Then, CCEL Study Away will send out the official APU program offer emails to each accepted student. The notice will have a link to a Canvas site with all of your program forms for students to complete. Students are not considered "accepted" into a program until all forms have been submitted and payments made. You will have full access to the Canvas site to communicate with students.
RECRUITMENT IDEAS
Who are the students that will be most interested or need to take the classes offered through your program?
Class Visits: Ask faculty if you or a program representative can physically attend a class to talk about your program. Focus on classes that have students most likely needing/interested in the classes your program offers. As a former student participant to share or your program collaborator is available to do class visits as well.
Class Canvas Announcements: Ask faculty if they are willing to post an announcement to go out to all of their students about your program through Canvas. Design/write the announcement and include a link to your program packet so faculty and copy and paste it into their canvas announcements.
Class Canvas Module Page: Ask faculty if they can include a page in their course modules communicating about available programs for your degree program. Include the link to the GO TERMS SITE
where your program packet will be posted once finalized.
Department Communications: Do the faculty and staff of your department know about your program? Discuss with your chair, dean, and program coordinator(s) to see how the program information is best shared.
Social Media: Does your department have social media accounts that your program can be posted about?
Emails - Study Away: If you have access to a list of emails for students that need to take the courses offered through your program, send it to studyaway@apu.edu and your program collaborator can send emails to those students and follow up with student questions to encourage them to apply.
Emails - Academic Departments: You are free to send program recruiting notices within your department and to interested students, but we have been told that university-wide emails should not be used.
Step 7: Program Processing
STEP 7 covers the specific processing of items for all travelers and program needs. Online access to all information and forms is provided through a program canvas site.
TO-DO
STEP 7A - Processing - Students & Participants
Canvas Site Assignments: Anything that your program participants need to do before departure should be noted in your program Canvas site.
Follow up with student inquiries.
Develop and instruct on all preparation materials needed for participants.
Travel Coordination: For all Students & Participants (and any visa processing)
CCEL: Student Registration Preparation, Course Scheduling, Student Account Charges, Insurance & Safety Processing
STEP 7B - Processing - Faculty & Staff Forms
Faculty Canvas Site: Each year a new faculty canvas site is developed for all faculty & staff traveling with students. The Canvas site link will be available on your dashboard so you can access the site.
Complete all Forms: Submit all needed forms posted in the faculty canvas site. There will be several.
Faculty Contract
Travel Coordination: For all Faculty & Staff (and any visa processing)
STEP 7C - Processing - Travel & Program Needs
Concur Submission - enter your program into the APU Concur system to be financial approved. Submitting the Concur request also connects you with the APU Travel Management Company.
Travel Coordination: For all program needs. Work with the APU Travel Management Company on all travel reservations (flights, lodging, shuttles/transportation, meals, etc), scheduling, and payments needed.
Post Travel Arrangements: Any travel information that participants will need should be posted through the program canvas site.
Step 8: Academic Term
Your program travel dates might be different than the academic term dates. However, course engagement takes place throughout the term to ensure WASCUC requirements are meant for programs to show engagement all throughout the academic term (and not only during travel dates) if students are receiving academic credit through your program.
TO-DO:
Initiate all regular course needs: Publish Course Canvas site, syllabus access, beginning pre-travel content/assignments, etc.
Step 9: Travel
Departure! Enjoy the hard work that has taken place to lead up to your program. Travel resources, safety information and more are all provided to traveling faculty through the faculty canvas site linked in your dashboard.
TO-DO
Submit communication of safe arrival.
Submit communication of any incidents to report (as needed, if needed)
Submit the Mid-Program Survey
Step 10: Return & Closure
Before you depart, a time will be set to meet upon your return to review the program, student experiential learning, community engagement, and finalize financial reporting and closing out the program budget.
TO-DO
Complete the Program Faculty Input Form "End of Program Review Form"
Complete all Financial Entries in Concur
Budget Closure
Debriefing with CCEL: Schedule an online or in person meeting with your CCEL Study Away representative for within 30 days of your return.
Debriefing with Participants
Evaluation & Assessment