PSU's Office of Education Abroad partners with academic departments on a Curriculum Integration intiative that helps maps international education opportunities with individual academic majors. Our goal is to help students see that going abroad to study or intern can fit well into their academic plan while at PSU. This initative involves working with faculty and advisors to select programs that are well suited for major courses, to explore new program options for the department, and to provide advising materials that will show just how possible it is for PSU students to go abroad for a few weeks or a year.

While students may still be interested in studying in a specific region of the world, we are hoping to shift the focus to WHAT to study from WHERE to study. Our goal is to ensure that geographic and linguistic diversity exists where possible in each discipline to provide as many options as possible.

Searching for Education Abroad Programs by Major

With more than 200 programs to search through, finding just the right program for you major might seem challenging.  However, if you utilize the "Advanced Program Search" feature, there are a lot of different filters to apply to find the right program for you. You can also visit our major advising pages to view our recommended programs for your major.

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What is Curriculum Integration of Education Abroad?

Curriculum Integration of Education Abroad is an international program development and advising process through which:

• Departments integrate specially selected education abroad offerings into degree major and minor maps in all Schools and Departments*
• Departments design short-term faculty-led programs to meet major and minor requirements
• Education Abroad thus becomes an 'expectation' for degree requirements (see SBA example)
• Advising/awareness building for education abroad opportunities originates in the Departments as a part of regular expert curriculum/academic advising
• The role of education abroad is clarified in meeting PSU's mission of providing globally impactful education 
• PSU meets the strategic goals of increasing the participation of under-represented populations in education abroad (See Strategic Goal # 1, Initiative #7)

*Ideally all departments.

Learn more about our curriculum integration project. 

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Faculty and Advisors: Getting Involved

Education Abroad is looking for key liaisons from each department, ideally both faculty and advisors, to work as a team reviewing the items outlined below, to help 'Get your Major on the Map'.  For a detailed explanation of the initiative, please review the powerpoint above. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Ron Witczak, Executive Director of Education Abroad.

Curriculum Integration Involves:

• An assessment of:
  • Current Education Abroad Program offerings – including traditional, faculty-led, and internship offering
  • Existing Department curriculum requirements (Pre-requisites, electives, major requirements, course sequencing requirements, etc.)
  • Flexibility, receptiveness, and sustainability within each Department to build programming and growth of majors going abroad.
• The creation of a strategic global program portfolio (preferred program list) by each Department to include:
  • Department commitment (stance) on the importance and relevance of international education to the major
  • Articulation of degree requirements and how an Education Abroad program can fit in
  • Diverse selection of program offerings endorsed by the Department for majors
  • Goal: 1-2 Faculty-Led Department Programs
  • Note: students could still petition to take a different program, or a program not at all related to the major. (Eg. International Capstone, language immersion programs, etc.)
• The development of a team advising approach.
  • Partnership between Academic Advising and Education Abroad Advising – Liaison from Department works directly with Education Abroad Advisor assigned to the Department
  • Shift advising focus from WHERE to study to WHAT to study abroad

Implementation Steps

1. Department Overview Meeting(s) 
   • Clarification of process and discussion of Department goals/objectives
   • Review of existing education abroad participation data for majors
   • Determination of key faculty/advisors for implementation
2. Program Assessment/Development
   • Clarification of Department curriculum requirements
   • Review of existing international education program options 
     • Endorse existing programs that are meeting Department needs
     • Identify new program offerings to fill any gaps (geographic, academic, linguistic, etc.)
       Develop new Faculty-Led Department programs
   • Review new partner programs
     • Articulation of Department petition process (flexibility for majors wanting to study on a program  NOT in the Department Strategic Program Portfolio)
3. Development/Creation of Department Specific Strategic Program Portfolio
   • Department articulation of value of international education to majors 
   • Curriculum mapping for international education for majors
   • Department preferred list of programs

To learn more about how to get involved: email: witczar@pdx.edu 

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