Arts and Letters
Students in the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) have a lot to gain through study abroad. Click on a department name to see the list of programs that offer coursework in that field.
Art & Design
Studying abroad allows Art & Design students to experience and learn about artistic and design traditions, styles, and techniques not prevalent at home. Many study abroad destinations are also home to world-renowned art museums, galleries, and studios, giving you firsthand experience with iconic works and influential creatives. This exposure, along with immersing yourself in a new environment, can provide fresh perspectives and inspiration for your work, while also broadening your artistic repertoire.
Communication & Media Studies
Studying abroad provides exposure to different media landscapes and communication styles that can inspire your creative process, while gaining firsthand experience in a different cultural context enhances your ability to tell more informed and authentic stories. Give yourself an edge when working in a globalized media environment and build a network of international contacts that can open doors to future collaborations, internships, and career opportunities.
English
Studying abroad allows English students to engage with literary traditions and genres outside of the US. This experience provides a richer understanding of how stories are told and how language shapes cultural identity. Study abroad can also provide great insight into the geographic and historical contexts in which literary genres have emerged and expose you to different approaches to literary criticism and global issues. Challenging your preconceived notions can encourage deeper analytical thinking, and immersion in a new environment fosters creativity. Students who study abroad are likely to experience a wealth of new ideas and perspectives that can inspire their own work.
Liberal Studies
The field of liberal studies is rooted in interdisciplinary thinking and cultural understanding, which are enriched through international experience. Studying abroad allows you to see first-hand how different societies create knowledge, tell stories, and make meaning. Time overseas will challenge your assumptions, deepen your analytical skills, and inspire new questions and perspectives about the ways in which history, literature, philosophy, and art are deeply shaped by place and culture. Studying abroad also shows future employers and graduate schools that you are curious, adaptable, and globally-minded.
Music
When you study abroad, you have the opportunity to learn and to perform new musical styles, sometimes in the historical venues where they originated. Being immersed in a new environment often sparks creative inspiration, and you will become a more well-rounded musician through alternative approaches to music education, theory, and composition. Become part of a global artistic community.
Philosophy
Philosophy thrives on discussion. Study abroad offers the opportunity to debate with students from another culture, who may approach problems and reasoning different than you’ve previously encountered. Study abroad will also broaden your exposure to schools of thought not emphasized in the US, especially non-Western and Indigenous philosophies. These experiences can challenge your assumptions and broaden your perspectives. You can even travel to philosophical landmarks, like Plato’s Academy in Greece or Wittgenstein’s cabin in Norway.
Theatre Arts
Theatre is a global art form and experiencing it in different countries deepens both creative expression and personal potential. When you study abroad, you discover new approaches to storytelling, movement, and audience engagement, and new entrance points to exploring history, identity, ritual, and resistance on stage. Because theatre is inherently collaborative, the soft skills in cross-cultural communication that are gained through study abroad are particularly valuable. You also benefit from the feedback and perspectives of interlocutors trained in different traditions, challenging and refining your theatrical skills.
World Languages and Literatures (Arabic, French, Spanish)
Living in a country where your target language is spoken provides immersive language practice that will enhance your fluency, pronunciation, and comprehension, making you more proficient and confident in using the language and helping you to grasp cultural nuances, idiomatic expressions, and social norms. Experiencing the cultural and historical context of a country’s literature also provides deeper insights into its themes, styles, and significance.
Art & Design
Studying abroad allows Art & Design students to experience and learn about artistic and design traditions, styles, and techniques not prevalent at home. Many study abroad destinations are also home to world-renowned art museums, galleries, and studios, giving you firsthand experience with iconic works and influential creatives. This exposure, along with immersing yourself in a new environment, can provide fresh perspectives and inspiration for your work, while also broadening your artistic repertoire.
Communication & Media Studies
Studying abroad provides exposure to different media landscapes and communication styles that can inspire your creative process, while gaining firsthand experience in a different cultural context enhances your ability to tell more informed and authentic stories. Give yourself an edge when working in a globalized media environment and build a network of international contacts that can open doors to future collaborations, internships, and career opportunities.
English
Studying abroad allows English students to engage with literary traditions and genres outside of the US. This experience provides a richer understanding of how stories are told and how language shapes cultural identity. Study abroad can also provide great insight into the geographic and historical contexts in which literary genres have emerged and expose you to different approaches to literary criticism and global issues. Challenging your preconceived notions can encourage deeper analytical thinking, and immersion in a new environment fosters creativity. Students who study abroad are likely to experience a wealth of new ideas and perspectives that can inspire their own work.
Liberal Studies
The field of liberal studies is rooted in interdisciplinary thinking and cultural understanding, which are enriched through international experience. Studying abroad allows you to see first-hand how different societies create knowledge, tell stories, and make meaning. Time overseas will challenge your assumptions, deepen your analytical skills, and inspire new questions and perspectives about the ways in which history, literature, philosophy, and art are deeply shaped by place and culture. Studying abroad also shows future employers and graduate schools that you are curious, adaptable, and globally-minded.
Music
When you study abroad, you have the opportunity to learn and to perform new musical styles, sometimes in the historical venues where they originated. Being immersed in a new environment often sparks creative inspiration, and you will become a more well-rounded musician through alternative approaches to music education, theory, and composition. Become part of a global artistic community.
Philosophy
Philosophy thrives on discussion. Study abroad offers the opportunity to debate with students from another culture, who may approach problems and reasoning different than you’ve previously encountered. Study abroad will also broaden your exposure to schools of thought not emphasized in the US, especially non-Western and Indigenous philosophies. These experiences can challenge your assumptions and broaden your perspectives. You can even travel to philosophical landmarks, like Plato’s Academy in Greece or Wittgenstein’s cabin in Norway.
Theatre Arts
Theatre is a global art form and experiencing it in different countries deepens both creative expression and personal potential. When you study abroad, you discover new approaches to storytelling, movement, and audience engagement, and new entrance points to exploring history, identity, ritual, and resistance on stage. Because theatre is inherently collaborative, the soft skills in cross-cultural communication that are gained through study abroad are particularly valuable. You also benefit from the feedback and perspectives of interlocutors trained in different traditions, challenging and refining your theatrical skills.
World Languages and Literatures (Arabic, French, Spanish)
Living in a country where your target language is spoken provides immersive language practice that will enhance your fluency, pronunciation, and comprehension, making you more proficient and confident in using the language and helping you to grasp cultural nuances, idiomatic expressions, and social norms. Experiencing the cultural and historical context of a country’s literature also provides deeper insights into its themes, styles, and significance.