Thousands of students around the world have participated in international education and exploration through Study Abroad. This program enables students to travel to countries like Colombia, Ireland, Thailand, Morocco, Greece, Ghana, Australia, India, Uganda, Brazil and Bangladesh.

Study Abroad encompasses both the academic year and semester long stays, domestic, off-campus study, overseas student exchange, service learning and teaching programs. Additional opportunities offered include e-Learning, internships, independent-study, intensive language and faculty-led programs as well.

Students from all three Pace campuses will be participating in ten faculty-led travel courses this spring and summer. Education majors will gain teaching experience in elementary and middle school classrooms in Trinidad and Tobago, while other students will compare Ireland’s criminal justice system to other international criminal justice systems.

Travel Courses archived as far back as Fall 2010 have taken place in India, London and Brussels. Faculty members are obligated to submit a course proposal to the Faculty-Led Travel Course Department where it is reviewed and approved. Courses can last anywhere between one to three weeks and vary in price.

Currently there are no scholarships available for this type of study-abroad experience. Pace tuition goes towards the program while students pay for the international education component. Honors College students, who are incoming freshman, are eligible for a thousand dollars toward a travel course or semester abroad.

For those interested in studying abroad, there are several courses of action available. One begins the search by completing thorough research of one’s program of interest, break down of all the costs while determining whether the course fulfills any academic requirements. Research the college or university involved with the program and courses that are offered there, as well as the country itself. One can make the Study Abroad process fun by listening to music from the respected country, research a popular sport or food blogs, search for a documentary that highlights a political, social or economic issue or create an Art Journal to fill while away. The Financial Aid Office is open for discussion in regards to payment methods and possible scholarships.

“You want to be able to get an overall experience which includes going abroad,” International Programs and Services Coordinator Rosaceli  Ortega said. “We are in a global economy. In order to compete we have to know about other cultures, how the market works in other cultures and just be a part of the world. Plus it’s an amazing experience; it truly is a life changing experience. I hear that from students all the time.”

Ortega is located in Room 213 of the Kessel Student Center.