Passport to Learning

Characteristics of a High-Quality Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program

  • The program topic is relevant and supports the goals of the department, college, and Academic Affairs.
  • The course content and location appeal to an adequate pool of students to ensure sufficient enrollments.
  • The location is appropriate for the program in terms of safety, host country partnerships and resources, and language.
  • The program has been planned with a balance of fiscal responsibility, logistics, and academic content to maximize both the opportunity for student learning and participation by students who may rely on financial aid.
  • The program provides an in-depth experience in each travel destination. 
  • The program seeks to offer a new opportunity to students, rather than duplicating previously developed offerings.
  • The program complies with all CSU and Chico State policies for study abroad and self-support programs.
  • The program provides substantive orientation programs, including pre-departure and in-country components, to prepare the students adequately for living and studying abroad.
  • Field trips, site visits, and other cultural activities are integrated into the program to provide an in-depth view of the host country and enhance the classroom experience.
  • Guest lectures and experiential activities do not comprise an inordinate percentage of the contact hours of any course as determined by the academic department.
  • Additional opportunities for students to interact with residents of the host country are organized within the framework of the program.
  • Assessment of student performance compares favorably with the assessment of the same course offered on campus.
  • A substantive evaluation of the program is conducted after each offering and utilized in planning for the next cycle of the program.
  • The program uses an itinerary that neither exhausts the participants or the faculty leader, nor inflates the cost of the program unnecessarily.
  • If accommodations are generally in hotels or bed and breakfast settings, the program strives to maximize additional opportunities for contact with residents of the countries visited.
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