Guidelines for Education Majors

Education students should begin planning early for a study abroad experience due to the highly structured nature of our programs. It is also important for students to understand that many courses required for Education majors cannot be taken abroad.

Therefore, we recommend the following process:

1. Make an appointment with your Academic Advisor in Education to determine a) the semester, summer term, or winter term that is most appropriate for studying abroad based on your Education major, and b) the types of courses to consider taking abroad.
   Elementary Education majors may consider studying abroad during their sophomore year or the fall semester of their junior year. Another option is to consider a winter or summer term program. Courses to consider include lower level Distributive Studies courses, CORE Advanced Studies, and Area of Emphasis courses;
   Early Childhood Education majors may consider studying abroad during their sophomore year or in one of the winter or summer terms. Courses to consider include lower level CORE Distributive Studies courses and CORE Advanced Studies;
   Special Education majors may consider studying abroad during their sophomore year or in one of the winter or summer terms. Courses to consider include lower level CORE Distributive Studies courses, CORE Advanced Studies, and program electives;
   Secondary Education majors may consider studying abroad during their sophomore or junior year, but must be mindful of the "fall-only" and "spring-only" course offerings unique to their major. Another option is to consider winter or summer term programs. Courses to consider include lower level CORE Distributive Studies courses and CORE Advanced Studies. Additionally, Secondary Education majors should consult their Content Area double major Advisors (i.e. HIST, ENGL, MATH, etc.) to determine any specific timelines or benchmark requirements for the double major as well as courses that would apply to the double major requirements. 
2. Make an appointment with Study Abroad Advisor to review the program options available during the term you've selected to study abroad. During this appointment you can determine whether the courses offered through a particular study broad program are acceptable for transfer to the University.
3. Make a follow-up appointment with your Education advisor to have your course selections approved for their applicability to your program. During this meeting it is also advisable for you to review your four-year plan (plan for degree completion) to insure that the study abroad term does not interfere with the completion of College or major program benchmarks. (Please note: In order to determine the applicability of a course taken abroad it may be necessary to take course descriptions to other academic units on campus for evaluation.)