Office of Study Abroad

We are happy to meet with you to discuss the program development and approval process. The Study Abroad staff is available to faculty members and departments to answer questions about program ideas, types, duration, as well as about program feasibility, organization, budgets, credits and university regulations before submission of a proposal.

This initial meeting for feasibility will identify any problems or ambiguities so that the proposal is clear and complete. Given the limitations on staff and financial resources, it is possible that not all programs that are feasible will be advanced to the next stage of consideration.

Please reach out to Ari Kramer, Assistant Director of Study Abroad, to set up an initial meeting.

The full proposal will be prepared in consultation with the Office of Study Abroad, which will consult with the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Provost on academic and budget considerations at this stage.

You may also wish to consult with other Brandeis faculty members, including departments, programs, or colleagues who may be in a position to contribute, whose offerings might be enriched and better integrated, and whose curricula might be affected (positively or negatively) by the new abroad program.

Program Design

Program designs can vary significantly, and could include short-term, stand-alone programs (during a summer term or a semester break), semester-long courses with embedded component overseas (February break or after the end of term), long-term (semester or academic year) study abroad, or other models. Courses could be designed for limited audiences (a select group of pre-determined students) or open to students across disciplines. Courses and programs must be offered as for credit only.

Program Standards

The Office of Study Abroad and the Brandeis-Run Study Abroad Committee supports the Standards of Good Practice of the Forum on Education Abroad and endeavors to use them as a guideline when creating, monitoring and evaluating Brandeis University overseas programs.

Please use the Program Development Proposal Resources as found on this webpage. Please thoroughly review the Guidelines for Program Proposals before submitting both a Program Proposal Cover Sheet and the completed Brandeis-Run Study Abroad Program Proposal.

The Brandeis-Run Study Abroad Committee will consider both the feasibility of a proposal, and its consistency with university academic, financial and strategic priorities. A successful proposal will demonstrate strong academic quality, cultural enrichment for students, integration into the Brandeis curriculum, and where possible, opportunities for experiential learning. It will also give indications of a solid administrative structure and financial plan, as well as an initial plan for addressing questions of student health and safety.

How a proposal fits into the university’s strategic priorities includes the geographic location, the present and future student interest in the subject matter and location, the relationship of the proposal to other university initiatives, the relationship of the proposal to enhanced opportunities for faculty research, and the program’s potential to enhance the university’s global profile.

The Committee will also evaluate the proposal in the context of the competitive landscape, seeking programs where Brandeis can carve out a distinctive niche and draw on specific university strengths. Priority will be given to proposals that give evidence of sustainability over time, including the involvement of more than one faculty member. The committee will also consider the impact of proposals on staff and faculty resources, including on the Office of Study Abroad itself and on the departmental home of the faculty sponsor.

In the final approval process by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC), the most significant criteria will be issues of feasibility, including finances, staff and faculty resources, impact on existing programs, and student health and safety issues. They will evaluate the academic quality of proposals according to the usual standards.

Approval Process

The Office of Study Abroad will bring the proposal to the Brandeis-Run Study Abroad Committee which includes representation from the Office of the Provost, Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences, the Budget Office, Students and Enrollment, the Registrar, and members of the faculty. The Brandeis-Run Study Abroad Committee will consider the proposal’s feasibility according to the criteria described above. The faculty sponsor may be asked to meet with the members of the Committee to discuss the proposal.

Once the proposal is complete, the Office of Study Abroad will make a recommendation regarding approval to the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Provost, who will approve the program’s budget and forward the proposal to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC).

The final step of the process will be approval by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC). New programs would be approved with the understanding that the Faculty Director must adhere to all university policies and program review processes in order to receive reauthorization for the program.