BYU IR International Study Opportunities

I sent this email to all the majors last month. (Actually, Noelani Porter in the advisement center sent it out). It is worth reposting here.

Dear International Relations Majors:

Just a quick email to inform you of some opportunities to study and receive IR credit for classes taken while residing abroad.

The Kennedy Center offers numerous leads on internships and sponsors a variety of study abroad opportunities. Unfortunately, the international relations content is uneven and the coursework is usually suitable only for credit in one of the major’s specializations. We are working on ways for our majors to take classes at universities in other countries that will count as the direct equivalent of the courses listed in our MAP.

One opportunity is already in place. This is direct enrollment at Cambridge University in England for the summer. Enrollment is open to all majors, and that includes IR majors. More detail on this program is available at the following web address - http://kennedy.byu.edu/isp/isp.php?id=246.

A second opportunity is in the planning stages for Spring Term of 2010 and will involve a Study Abroad experience at the Foreign Affair College in Beijing. This will be a BYU sponsored study abroad program directed by BYU faculty, but at least some of the instruction will be provided by the Foreign Affairs College, which trains all of China’s diplomatic corp. The primary focus of this program would be on international relations, though it will be open to all majors for enrollment.

A third possibility is Korea University’s International Summer Campus which runs for six weeks during July and August each year. Many of the courses taught there are direct equivalents of courses required for the major. More information on this program is available at http://isc.korea.ac.kr/v4/src/program/course.php. The program is rather costly compared to equivalent coursework at BYU, but we are exploring the possibility of an agreement that might allow BYU students to pay BYU tuition. If you are interested in this last option, please contact me before enrolling as BYU has rather strict rules on approving course substitutions from other universities BEFORE taking the classes.

If you are interested in any of these options and have questions, please to not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached via email at kerk_phillips@byu.edu, via telephone at 422-1866 or 422-5928, or during my office hours on Tuesday & Thursday from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. in 215 HRCB.