Off-Campus Study

Semester in Chicago is a unique opportunity to gain experience living, learning, and working in a large metropolitan city. As an internship and seminar program, Semester in Chicago has opportunities for juniors and seniors who are majoring in social work or education. Recognized nationally as an Experiential Education Program of the Year, students will be placed in an internship in their field, as well as take one or two CORE requirements.

The Viaa Exchange is an exciting program that gives students the opportunity to study and live in the Netherlands for the spring semester. It is a cooperative program with VIAA, a university in Zwolle, Netherlands. Students live with host families and have opportunities to interact with Dutch students as they study in one of four tracks: Western Culture, Social Work, Education, and International Business. The program is open to all majors starting their sophomore year.

Apply now to Viaa Exchange!

The Semester in Zambia is a unique opportunity for students to experience life as a student in Africa. Students will study at Northrise University, a Christian institution in Zambia. Choose from coursework in business, information technology, theology, or agriculture while building relationships with students in sub-Saharan Africa. This program, open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, will give you a first-hand view into the struggles and joys of life in Zambia.

The Semester in Korea gives students the unique opportunity to live and study alongside Korean other international students at Handong Global University. Living in the beautiful city of Pohang, South Korean, students have the opportunity to explore the rich cultural opportunities in the country. Handong offers courses in many majors, from engineering and psychology to art and business. The Semester in Korea is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

The Denver Urban Semester is a reflective, visionary leadership development program which provides a cross-cultural experience in the heart of the city, giving you the opportunity to develop a mature understanding of God’s unique vocational direction for your life. During your semester in Denver, you’ll spend 28 to 36 hours per week at an internship, take 2 to 3 classes, and live in community. You’ll also learn about community development, careers in nonprofits, and how to serve and empower the poor. This program is available both fall and spring semesters.

The Scholar's Semester in Oxford* (SSO) is designed for students interested in completing intensive scholarship. Working with academic tutors, students advance their academic writing and research skills and explore the disciplines and interests of their choice. As visiting students of Oxford University and members of Wycliffe Hall, students have the privilege to study and learn in one of the university's historic halls. The SSO is designed for students interested in the fields of classics, English and literature, theology and religious studies, philosophy, and history, though all majors may apply. Applicants are generally honors and other very high-achieving students and must have a 3.7 GPA to be considered for the program.

The Creation Care Study Program is a semester-long academic experience in Belize or New Zealand is designed to offer students from Christian colleges a field-based education that explores Christian responsibility in a fragmented world marked by poverty, hostility, environmental demise, opportunism, and social disintegration. Students will be challenged to explore the interactions between economic development, society, the environment, government, and faith.

Irish Studies Program offers a transformative experience deeply rotted in Northern Ireland’s culture and history. As part of the Irish Studies program, you will take courses in peacemaking and reconciliation, Irish history and culture, and other electives of interest that will meet Dordt’s CORE and major requirements. The program is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

LA Film Studies Center is a robust, faith-based, academic program that provides a unique opportunity for students to live in the city of Los Angeles while taking courses and an internship in the film industry that will fulfill Dordt’s CORE and major requirements. The program is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

The Contemporary Music Center provides students with the opportunity to live and work in the refining context of community while seeking to understand to integrate music, faith, and business. Both the Artist and Executive tracks offer students instruction, experience, and a uniquely Christ-centered perspective on creativity and the marketplace, while working together to create and market a recording of original music. Both tracks include coursework, labs, directed study, and a practicum.

LCC International University is a multicultural, intentional, relational community with students and faculty from over 60 countries. It is a North American style liberal arts university with a Christian worldview, located in Klaipeda, Lithuania, a country bursting with aplomb, independence, and possibility. Campus is only 15 minutes away from the beach, forest, and historic downtown! LCC operates in English, so whether you take courses in your major, general studies or electives, you will earn credits in an interactive and global learning environment. Join LCC’s vibrant student life by living on campus, volunteering, and participating in a diverse and welcoming community. Discover the other Baltic countries through program excursions to Latvia and Estonia, and travel to the country of Georgia during the semester break with your study abroad cohort. Available for a semester or summer, this study abroad program is perfect for students who hope to make lasting connections, be known, and create a second home in northern Europe.

Semester in Spain combines serious classroom study with the best way to learn Spanish: by living in a Spanish home and using the language every day in ordinary conversation.The program offers beginning, intermediate and advanced courses in Spanish. The location in Seville adds cultural and historical depth to the student's studies and makes learning Spanish a memorable experience.

The Uganda Studies Program* (USP) offers students a very personal encounter with and people of East Africa. Uganda Christian University (UCU), serves as the base of study for students in the USP. Set on the outskirts of the capital city Kampala, this rapidly growing institution brings USP students together with the UCU Honours College. Courses taught by local faculty in the British tutorial tradition will immerse students in a uniquely African education. Homestays, travel, service learning, and daily interaction with Honours College students form the backbone of the USP experience. Uganda Studies students explore the changing Africa from a variety of perspectives.

The Baltimore Urban Studies (BUS) is a “study away,” experiential learning program, designed to teach, mentor, and train college students in spiritual formation and public health. Students will learn from expert educators and clinicians, intern in fields related to social justice or public health, and go on excursions to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the National Mall, and the world-renowned Smithsonian museums. Open to all majors and to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

The Baltimore Urban Studies (BUS) is a “study away,” experiential learning program, designed to teach, mentor, and train college students in spiritual formation and public health. Students will learn from expert educators and clinicians, intern in fields related to social justice or public health, and go on excursions to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the National Mall, and the world-renowned Smithsonian museums. Open to all majors and to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

The Praxis Center Costa Rica offers a unique opportunity to live in Costa Rica and take field trips to Nicaragua and Panama. The Praxis Center coordinates thoughtful and ethical academic and service-learning programs in Central America, in partnership with communities. In addition to coursework, students have the option to do an internship in their field of study. Open to all majors and to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Gordon in Orvieto is a semester-long program where students can experience a unique curriculum of the verbal and the visual. Perfectly positioned between Rome and Florence, Orvieto is a site of significant geographic and cultural intersection. Continuously occupied for at least two and a half thousand years, Orvieto is a place deeply connected to the roots of its own history, tracing a lineage from Etruscan, Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, and Modern times until the present day. This program is oriented towards the fine arts. Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

APPLICATION PROCESS FOR SEMESTER PROGRAMS

To be eligible for a semester off campus you must complete the three-part application process listed below, which consists of Dordt internal approval, an application to the program you hope to attend, and a pre-departure process after you have been accepted.

STEP 1: INTERNAL APPROVAL

Deadline: Deadline: November 1 for Fall and Summer programs, April 1 for Spring Programs

The internal approval process determines your academic, behavioral, and financial eligibility for an off-campus semester program. Contact the Global Education office to begin the internal approval process.

STEP 2: PROGRAM APPLICATION

You can find the application materials on the Off-Campus Program Canvas page. Upon internal approval, you can access the application information on the corresponding programs' website, paying close attention to deadlines and requirements. For Viaa Exchange, you can find the application materials here.

STEP 3: PRE-DEPARTURE INFORMATION

Once you have been accepted to an off-campus program, you should begin to make preparations for going abroad. If your program is outside of the United States, you should obtain a passport immediately. You will also need to complete a number of forms, make an appointment for a pre-travel health consultation, and address housing needs for the upcoming year.

DEADLINES

INTERNAL APPROVAL DEADLINES FOR ALL PROGRAMS

November 1 | Internal approval deadline for ALL Fall and Summer off-campus programs for the following academic year

April 1 | Internal approval deadline for ALL Spring off-campus programs for the following academic year

Yes, there are scholarships available for semester programs. Please contact Financial Aid to learn more.

The following semester programs are approximately the cost of Dordt tuition, fees, and room and/or board:

• Viaa Exchange - The Netherlands*

• Semester in Chicago (SIC)*

• Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO)

• Gordon in Orvieto – Italy

• Creation Care Study Program (CSSP) – New Zealand or Belize

• Veritas South Africa Engineering Program

• Los Angeles Film Studies Center (LAFSC)

• Northwestern College Programs (Oman and Romania)

• Calvin University Programs (Peru, Hungary, France, Ghana, Honduras)

The following semester programs are approximately the cost of Dordt tuition and fees:

• Semester in Korea*

• Semester in Zambia*

• Semester in Spain (SIS)

• Uganda Studies Program (USP)

• Ecuador Semester – Quito

• Irish Studies Program (ISP)

• Study Abroad Lithuania (SALT)

• Praxis Center Costa Rica

• Baltimore Urban Studies (BUS)

• Contemporary Music Center Nashville (CMC)

Meet with the Global Studies Program Specialist in Global Education for more details.

The price of the program typically covers the following costs:

• Tuition, food & housing
• Selected excursions throughout the semester

Additional expenses:

• Airfare
• Visas (required for some countries)
• Application fee (typically $50)
• Textbooks
• Independent travel
• Travel insurance ($185) - This insurance is a supplemental health insurance policy that also provides financial assistance for medical or security evacuations if necessary. Required for all students studying abroad, the Global Education office will enroll each student and he/she will be billed through Dordt for this expense.

For Dordt Programs:

• 100% of your Dordt institutional aid is applied to your semester off-campus

Possible Exceptions:

• Activities scholarships (choir, band, athletics, Kuyper Honors Program, etc.) Please talk to the coach or director of your activity about your plans to study off-campus. This person can allow you to keep the scholarship during your semester off-campus or can withhold the scholarship that semester.

For Partner Programs:

• 50% of your Dordt institutional aid is applied to your semester off-campus

Possible Exceptions:

• Activities scholarships (choir, band, athletics, Kuyper Honors Program, etc.) Please talk to the coach or director of your activity about your plans to study off-campus. This person can allow you to keep 50% of the scholarship during your semester off-campus or can withhold the scholarship that semester.
• Institutional Grants (alumni, distance, heritage, etc.) 100% of any institutional grants you have from Dordt will still apply to your semester off-campus.

Whether you plan to participate in a Dordt or partner program, all financial aid from outside of Dordt should still apply. These may include:

• Government loans
• Bank loans
• Private scholarships
• Gilman Scholarship (for Pell-eligible students)

Dordt faculty-led programs are typically offered in a two year rotation (either even or odd summers). The programs are 1-3 weeks long and complete three Dordt credits. Students should start the application process approximately one year in advance. Check with the Global Education office to see which programs will be offered this coming term.

Central America: Language, Culture, and Society*

Looking to fulfill your cross-cultural requirement? Immerse yourself in the language, culture, and history of Puerto Rico on this 3 week trip! Explore Puerto Rico's historical roots and the influences shaping this Caribbean Island. Emphasis is placed on understanding the culture and perspective of its people through hands-on investigation. Additionally, you have the option to study the rich and diverse ecosystems in depth, with the possibility of getting Core science credit. Open to any major, Spanish knowledge is not required.

Dante's Divine Comedy and the Italian Renaissance

The course will require students to critically analyze the transition from the medieval to the Renaissance worldview, with Florence and Tuscany—key sites for the Italian Renaissance—as the primary example of this transition. Students will analyze how worldview development affected every aspect an entire city and region, and they will critique from a Reformed perspective the particular applications of an all-encompassing, total Roman Catholic worldview that includes in its scope all aspects of human life and society. The course is taught throughout the fall semester and includes a guided 6-8-day trip to Florence, Italy in January, before the spring semester begins.

Dutch Culture and a Reformed Worldview*

Study Dutch culture from the 17th century to the present while living in the Netherlands for three weeks. Examine the history of the Calvinist heritage from the Synod of Dordt to the present day. Discover how Kuyper's Reformed worldview has shaped various aspects of life and society such as church, politics, trade, land reclamation, etc. Special attention will be given to events and sites relating to World War II. There are classes in the morning and field trips in the afternoon. Weekend trips to London and Normandy/Paris are part of the program. CORE 283 is not a language class and is open to students from any major. Students receive credit for CORE 283 with this program. The cost is approximately $3,000, not including plane ticket.

Encountering the Land of Israel*

Travel on location in Israel for a two-week, transformative immersion course covering the land, culture, and story of the Bible. Biblical study takes on new meaning as you relate it directly to your surroundings through activities and experiences that engage all your senses. Assignments include readings and lectures on the history, culture, archaeology, and geography of Israel, all framed within a Reformational perspective on how to read the Bible well and how to engage important political and religious issues that continue today.

Sport in Society and Culture*

This course studies sport, exercise, and physical activity within the contexts of society and culture by investigating and analyzing contemporary views and a Reformed perspective. Including a cross-cultural element, an evaluation of physical culture will be examined between the United States and Scotland with the semester culminating in a two-week trip to Scotland in May to experience the country’s sport and societal customs. Activities include: experiencing Highland Games events, curling, hiking in the Highlands, touring a Glasgow club soccer stadium, walking the home of golf at St Andrews, attending a cathedral worship service, volunteering at a Glaswegian church, learning about John Knox and the Scottish Reformation, sightseeing castles and cathedrals, traversing lochs and battlefields, and exploring the cities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling, Inverness, and St Andrews.

* Participation in one of these programs satisfies the Core Program's cross-cultural requirement.

KOREAN STUDIES SUMMER PROGRAM

KSSP is a 3-week program hosted at Hannam University, a small English-speaking campus located in the center of Daejeon, South Korea. During the first three weeks of the program, participants will complete a course focused on Korean language and culture. The courses are subject to change but generally include the following topics and activities: Korean Martial Arts, Architecture, Society, History, Dance, Intercultural Communication, Cinema, Culture and field excursions. If students choose to stay for the fourth week of the program, they will complete a Teaching Practicum where they will teach English to elementary school students.

LCC INTERNATIONAL - SUMMER IN LITHUANIA

Students participating in this 5-week program are fully immersed in Eastern European cultures as they study in an international community and live in the port city of Klaipėda, Lithuania. Students are housed in one of our residence halls with three international roommates. Taking a wide variety of courses with their Eastern European peers exposes students to a variety of different cultures and enables them to learn the subject material while at the same time challenging their worldview through classroom diversity and intercultural engagement. In addition to academic learning, students are enabled and encouraged to immerse themselves in the community through volunteer and service oriented opportunities as well as academic internships / practicums.

AU SABLE INSTITUTE

The Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies offers field-based courses at two primary campuses: one in the Great Lakes Forest near the middle of the North American continent, the other on the Puget Sound on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, north of Seattle, Washington. The Institute also has a program at ECHO in North Fort Myers, Florida. There are three-week and five-week summer sessions. Courses can be applied toward meeting Dordt University graduation requirements in several majors. Au Sable courses and Dordt courses can also be used to meet requirements for certificates issued by Au Sable Institute in the following areas: Naturalist, Land Resources Analyst, Water Resources Analyst, and Environmental Analyst. Au Sable fellowships and grants-in-aid are available to Dordt students. Talk with the Dordt Au Sable representative, Professor Robert De Haan, for more information.

SUMMER IN SPAIN*

A summer term version of Trinity Christian College's Semester in Spain Program in Seville, Spain. Two four-week sessions are offered each summer, with the option to participate in one or both sessions.

CHEZ VOUS: NORMANDY, FRANCE *

Chez Vous is a six-week summer program that integrates French language study with real life. Students grow in their French language skills, experience authentic French culture, and learn about the spiritual heritage and ministry opportunities within the Francophone world.

OXFORD SUMMER PROGRAMME *

The Oxford Summer Programme (OSP) is associated with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. This program is designed for students wishing to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between Christianity and the development of the West. Students have the opportunity to learn under expert Oxford academics in the areas of history, religious studies, political theory, philosophy, English, and history of science. This program is structured for rising college sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate and seminary students, non-traditional students, teachers, and those enrolled in continuing education programs. Students earn 6 semester hours of credit.

IRISH STUDIES PROGRAM

The Irish Studies Program, a 6-week summer term, is a transformative experience deeply rooted in the country’s culture and history. As part of the program, you will take courses in peacemaking and reconciliation, Irish history and culture, and other electives of interest. While there, you will reside in the historic, 19th-century Lakeside Manor, situated on four acres overlooking Willis Lake in the quiet suburbs of South Belfast. With Belfast a short bus ride away, you can venture to the city to visit the historical locations from your textbooks or sit down with friends for a cup of tea and biscuits.

* Participation in one of these programs satisfies the Core Program's cross-cultural requirement.