The International Education Council solicits proposals for short-term study abroad programs and summer courses from faculty interested in designing faculty-led study abroad or domestic, off-site programs during the summer.
Integrated into departmental curricula, short-term programs should provide the opportunity for faculty to explore pedagogical methods and approaches that are otherwise impossible in a classroom-based course. Short-term programs can be scheduled flexibly, ideally involve the cooperation of two instructors teaching two courses from within their disciplines that complement each other as well as the destination. Depending on the offerings, each student earns credit for one or two courses, and pays a program fee that covers all aspects of travel and living abroad. Most short-term study abroad programs run between ten and twenty-five days during the January or Summer break. Course proposals will engage the location, through regular engagement with local people and groups and/or sites of interest in order to enhance opportunities for learning.
Priority will be given to proposals that best incorporate the Study Abroad Student Learning Goals into the proposal and that can show how the course will/can attract students who do not typically engage in study abroad.
Short-Term Proposals are approved through a competitive review process with the evaluation and recommendation of the International Education Council to the Provost, who will make the final approval.
Proposal Process
Faculty interested in making a proposal are encouraged to discuss their ideas with the Associate Director of Study Abroad (
kohut@gonzaga.edu) in addition to their departmental Chair(s) and Dean early in the planning stages. Faculty proposing courses at GIF are invited to communicate with the Director of Gonzaga in Florence to discuss your course ideas (
houston@gonzaga.edu). Faculty must solicit a letter of support from their Chair(s) and Dean to ensure that the program fits within Departmental and College/School goals and is programmatically feasible for the proposed year. In addition, as the proposal is put together, faculty should consult with the staff of Study Abroad to discuss details about budget and other logistics for which they can offer assistance. Once approved, limited funding may be requested for pre-trip travel expenses for faculty developing program themes or itineraries.
All initial proposals for a short-term study abroad or GIF Course must begin with the following documents:
- Part I: Overview of Study Abroad Proposal. Complete this section online, and share with your Chair as part of the initial proposal formation. Includes basic information: dates and names of all faculty to be involved in the Program in addition to the responses posed on page 2 under Program and Focus, Program Design, and Rationale. We also need a preliminary itinerary and target audience.
- Part II: Course Information. Complete this section online, and share with your Chair. Includes a brief description of your course, syllabi of course(s) to be offered (leave off university policies), and explaining what curricular requirements they will fulfill.
- Part III: Academic Approval for Faculty-led Programs is a form indicating the course numbers to be used and giving registrar clearance to create courses. This document must be signed by your Departmental Chair(s).
- Letter of Support from Departmental Chair(s) and Dean. (If appropriate) CORE director, indicating what CORE requirement the course fulfills, and if not already approved, an indication of when the course will be reviewed by the relevant CORE committee. The letter of support should explain how the proposed program aligns with the goals of your department(s), strategic goals of the College or School(s), and committing the department(s) to support promotion of the program, and the programmatic feasibility for the proposed year.
After an initial review of your program proposal and proposed course offerings, the study abroad office will assist in developing a program budget, marketing materials, and a risk assessment during the summer prior to your proposed program. Once a program or course is approved, any changes to the courses taught, itinerary, or the addition of any personnel or non-student participants must be approved by the Provost.