Master's programs with study abroad opportunities?

[Jazzman]

OK, this is pretty self-explainatory, I guess. I didn't get a chance to study abroad in undergrad and in all likelihood, I won't be able to do so with the time I have left (I graduate in the fall). With that being said, what PAB-accredited programs in the U.S. offer study abroad opportunities? In doing my research, the only ones I've been able to come up with are the University of Virginia, Ball State University, and Wayne State University. Surely there are more. What are they? I'm hoping to compile a comprehensive list. No, it would not be a dealbreaker in my search for a graduate program, but it's definitely icing on the cake. I'm all ears!

[110chelsea]

International Honors Program (www.ihp.edu) does a semester long comparative planning study abroad program (where you travel to 3 or 4 countries over a semester with traveling faculty) that gives graduate credits. Presumably you could take it from any school as long as the school is ok with you going.

[FuturePlanner]

I saw that Cornell has a program in Rome. Also, I know schools like MIT and Harvard have opportunities to do studio work abroad, usually for a couple weeks during the semester.

[beach_bum]

As long as you go to a graduate school with resources, international opportunities are available. My alma mater UF has international travel associated with the department and some just with the graduate school in general (travel grants). If you are interested in a particular program I would call that school because websites are not always the most up-to-date. Best of Luck!

[H]

It is my assessment that most do, but these opportunitites are subject to change from year to year, depending on the prof putting the programs together, resources available, the programs at the reciprocal school, etc, and thus you can not bank on them. I suggest you contact the the depts in the schools you are interested in, and ask what opportunities they currently offer (becuase often these opps will not be posted on the websites, or offered through the college rather than the dept. and thus harder to find until you are "on campus" and see the flyers, posters, etc.).

Also, if you are talking graduate school (which I assume you are) some universities are receptive to YOU putting a program together (this is a little harder to do but I have seen it done).

[ru_geo]

H makes a good point above - programs change from year to year, and they're not always widely advertised on school's website for that reason. Do a little poking around and see what kinds of things may have been offered in past years to give you an idea of what's possible, or email the program directors to get more info about what the possibilities are.

I'm in the same position as you - I didn't get to study abroad as an undergrad, and it's a very important consideration in my grad schools (although probably not a "make or break" deal). I believe UNC and UCLA often have study abroad programs, and either UCLA or USC have "international labs" where you work rather than study abroad. Rutgers has study abroad options as well. As far as I've seen, most schools offer SOME way for you to pursue international study, it's just a matter of how well they advertise it.

[Jazzman]

I personally know someone who's in the ph.D program at UNC............he said that there were no study abroad programs in either the ph.D. or M.C.R.P. programs........I have to admit that was a bit of a disappointment, but then again UNC seems perfect for me in pretty much every other way so I guess there had to be SOME downside to going to school there

Seriously though........I also knew about MIT, Harvard, and Cornell but truth be told, I don't think I'll even bother applying to those programs, as attractive as they are, if for no other reason than the cost. I'd LOVE to go to Cornell............it seems like the perfect place to study, and according to their website, their study abroad opportunities include a possible stint in Rome as well as Brazil..........but yeah, $$$$ would keep me out of the Ivy League schools.

Thanks for all the info, guys! Keep it coming if you have any more..........I'll be sure to take everyone's advice into consideration.

[ru_geo]

I personally know someone who's in the ph.D program at UNC............he said that there were no study abroad programs in either the ph.D. or M.C.R.P. programs........I have to admit that was a bit of a disappointment, but then again UNC seems perfect for me in pretty much every other way so I guess there had to be SOME downside to going to school there

I trust your info, but their application asks about your interest in study abroad, and I definitely found info on their website about past trips, so its at least happened before (I hope I didn't shoot myself in the foot when I said I really wanted to study abroad and their program with XYZ school looked awesome! eep!) If you want me to look around for the info I found about UNC let me know.

[110chelsea]

".I also knew about MIT, Harvard, and Cornell but truth be told, I don't think I'll even bother applying to those programs, as attractive as they are, if for no other reason than the cost."


Harvard funds better then you'd think. Apply first and see what they give you for aid. Once I saw all of my funding packages, Harvard ended up being the cheapest for me (out of Harvard, Penn, UToronto and UBC.

[luckless pedestrian]

SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University offers study abroad - their BLA degree requires it

[stumpydoo5]

Check with Department of Urban Planning at Hunter College (City University of New York). I participated in their exchange program with the Insititut d'Urbanisme de Paris. Basically, for a semester, if you can speak French, you can attend one of the two premier French planning schools. It's a great experience.

[H]

I trust your info, but their application asks about your interest in study abroad, and I definitely found info on their website about past trips, so its at least happened before (I hope I didn't shoot myself in the foot when I said I really wanted to study abroad and their program with XYZ school looked awesome! eep!) If you want me to look around for the info I found about UNC let me know.

And sometimes these programs are not "through" your enrolled U (in this case UNC), but say another institution, we will call this institution Y State. Y State then has an arrangement with Amsterdam U. Then, as a UNC student you travel through Y State's abroad program and attend Amsterdam U. I dont know is UNC allows this, but many inistitutions do. So again, ask the UNC dept. rep if anything in the past has been done like this, other by other means, as ru_geo mentioned. The thing about academics, the "rules" can be pretty flexible regarding somethin like this, but you have to ask.

and I doubt you "shoot yourself in the foot" Jazzman, do not worry about that.

[Jazzman]

I trust your info, but their application asks about your interest in study abroad, and I definitely found info on their website about past trips, so its at least happened before (I hope I didn't shoot myself in the foot when I said I really wanted to study abroad and their program with XYZ school looked awesome! eep!) If you want me to look around for the info I found about UNC let me know.

Sure if you don't mind.


Well, Harvard's program would be great into, but Cornell's is the one that really appealed to me............based on their website, their study abroad program takes you to Salvador, Brazil...............I've never been there but Brazil seems like one of the more interesting countries in the world.......it's multicultural like the U.S. but at the same time, it really does not appear to be very "American" if that makes any sense.

Anyway, thanks for the info, guys!

[ru_geo]

Sure if you don't mind.

I just searched "study abroad" and came up with this professor: http://www.planning.unc.edu/index.ph...atid=7:faculty

who apparently led a trip to China. So far I can't find anything else but if I have some down time today I'll keep looking.

[luckless pedestrian]

I just searched "study abroad" and came up with this professor: http://www.planning.unc.edu/index.ph...atid=7:faculty

who apparently led a trip to China. So far I can't find anything else but if I have some down time today I'll keep looking.

I went to college with that guy - yes, he has dedicated a lot of his research to Chinese studies beginning at MIT

[kjel]

I'm a CapAsia 2008 alumnus but don't attend Ball State. A few words of advice....

1. Pick the planning program that best fits what you want to get out of it and fits your future career goals.
2. A study abroad can be arranged between two schools under what is called a consortium agreement. Any program worthwhile will have no issue in facilitating this and this is what I did.
3. Many large universities have an independent study abroad office that functions as a gateway to many opportunities abroad. Because planning encompasses many disciplines it is not hard to find an opportunity even if it isn't "planning". There is considerable leeway in courses outside the planning program that complement planning that count towards your degree.