SIT Study Abroad Program Model

 

SIT Study Abroad programs provide comprehensive experiences that emphasize reciprocity, respect, and engagement. Small programs (10-30 students) are run by Academic Directors, who live full-time in the program location and are experts in the field. Program staff also contribute to SIT networks and deep cultural connections.

Our semester-length programs largely conform to the curriculum model outlined below. Summer programs, because of their shorter duration, use selected elements drawn from this model.

Each theme-based program utilizes an experiential, interdisciplinary curriculum taught by local professors, experts, and professionals. SIT Study Abroad's program components form a logical progression, advancing from a structured learning environment to a more independent one. Find program-specific components on individual program pages.

Most programs include:

·       A thorough orientation, including health and safety information and tools for cross-cultural adaptation.

·       Intensive language study that teaches you the communication skills you need to interact with people in your host community and achieve your academic objectives.

·       An extended homestay that immerses you in the daily life of your host country, builds friendships, and enhances language learning. When not in homestays, students stay in appropriate lodgings that may include guest houses, educational institutions, camping, or small hotels.

·       A thematic seminar that includes in-depth study of critical issues through lectures, seminars, and discussions with experts in the field.

·       The Field Study Seminar that trains you in effective research methods and prepares you for independent fieldwork

·       An Independent Study Project on a topic of your choice, under the supervision of your academic director and a local advisor.

·       Educational excursions that provide comparative experiences, carefully selected to fit with the curriculum.

·       Program evaluation and re-entry preparation where students provide feedback on the experience and reflect on how to take the experience with them back to the United States and into the future.