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Types of Programs
As you form your academic and career goals, we encourage you to incorporate planning for a study abroad experience into your academic advising, career counseling appointments and visits with faculty. Starting the process early can help ensure that your study abroad experience can be fundamentally linked to your career interests and degree progress.
ASU Study Abroad programs are academically rigorous, and all participants will earn ASU credit and grades for courses completed on any Study Abroad Office program. We want to help you succeed in and out of the classroom abroad, so we encourage you to review all of the resources available here for current, future and past study abroad students. There are five program types.
Know Your Program
The academic details you need to know vary depending on the type of study abroad program you choose. Review the following information for an overview of the five types of programs offered by the ASU Study Abroad Office. Program length varies, but the following time frames are a general rule of thumb.
Shorter Term:
- Faculty-Directed Programs
Faculty-Directed program courses are created and taught primarily by ASU faculty. Participants enroll directly in one or more ASU courses offered on the program, and will be in class with other ASU students. Offered primarily during the summer sessions, each faculty-directed program focuses on a certain academic discipline with students earning direct ASU course credit, and incorporates excursions and field trips to give students the opportunity to explore and learn about their host country. University, major, elective and internship credit may be earned through participation in a faculty-directed program.
Review available faculty-directed program options. - Global Intensive Experiences
Offered during academic breaks (Spring Break, Winter Break and before/after Spring and Fall semesters), Global Intensive Experiences are embedded as part of a semester course at ASU, or added on at the beginning or end of a session A, B, or C course. Participants will be taught by ASU faculty and will be in class with other ASU students. This intense, immersive study abroad model connects students to experiences and cultures abroad that are integrated with for-credit ASU academic courses. Each Global Intensive Experience generally ranges from seven to twelve days in length.
Review available Global Intensive Experience options.
Longer Term:
- Partnership Programs
Participants may be taking courses with students from the host country, or only with other American or international students. Though some partnership programs will have a limited academic focus, most programs offer a wide variety of courses for students in many different majors. Proficiency in the host language may be required, but there are many partnership programs around the world in which the language of instruction is English. Partnership program participants enroll in the program courses at the host institution, then receive ASU credit after completion of the partnership program. University, major, elective, service-learning, internship and individualized instruction credit may be earned through participation in a partnership program.
Review available partnership program options.
Compare the cost of a semester abroad to a semester at ASU
- Exchange Programs
Participants will be taking courses with students from the host country or only with other American or international students. Though some exchange programs are restricted to a specific department or school, most programs offer a wide variety of courses for students in many different majors. Proficiency in the host language may be required, though there are many exchange programs around the world at universities in which the language of instruction is English. Exchange program participants enroll in the program courses at the host institution, then receive ASU credit after completion of the exchange program. University, major, elective, service-learning, internship and individualized instruction credit may be earned through participation in an exchange program.
Review available exchange program options
Compare the cost of a semester abroad to a semester at ASU
Shorter Term or Longer Term:
- Internship Programs
We offer several different internship programs and there are two main models to consider: Full-Time Internship or Courses + Internships. Internships are a wonderful way to test out a potential career and gain real-world work experience. Consider completing an international internship which will provide you with a global lens with which you can approach your future profession. Along with earning academic credit, students who complete an international internship expand their networks and develop transferable skills which give them a competitive edge after graduation. Get the most out of your experience and intern abroad!