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

DUE DATES: 2024-2025 PROGRAMS

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

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NOTE: APU Study Away Programs: Status Dashboard is available to show the status of all interest submissions received.


Step 2: Request/Worksheet

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...


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).  


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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. 

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RECRUITMENT IDEAS

Who are the students that will be most interested or need to take the classes offered through your program? 

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.

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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. 

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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. 


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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. 

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