CHED 47 |
| Science and engineering undergraduates have historically been extremely underrepresented among American students who study abroad. The reasons that students in non-scientific disciplines are attracted to study abroad are well known: curricular flexibility, faculty enthusiasm, administrative support, historical basis. Despite the international connections that many science and engineering faculty have, they do not necessarily see the added value of the study abroad experience to the students' overall education. A real problem to the student is the fact that highly specialized courses and research fill the junior and senior years when most travel abroad has been traditionally done. While it is possible for American undergraduates to enroll directly in a university in another country (Germany, for example), there are a number of serious deterrents: instruction would be in the local language, the academic calendar will probably not coincide with that of the home institution, and the expectations of the instructors might not be compatible with the background and maturity of the students. An appropriate alternative to the total immersion approach is to have the American science and engineering courses replicated at a foreign site. Boston University's Dresden Science and Engineering Programs will be presented as a model that affords students the opportunity to study abroad in their major and avoids the common obstacles. |
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Connections to Germany: Research and Education Opportunities
1:30 PM-5:00 PM, Sunday, August 19, 2007 Seaport -- Plaza A, Oral
Division of Chemical Education |