Off-Campus and Study Abroad Learning Opportunities
Off-Campus and Study Abroad Learning Opportunities provide opportunities for students to explore off-campus study – both short-term and semester-long international and domestic programs — that will enrich their college education. Students can travel across the ocean to Europe, the Middle East, or Africa. They can visit neighbors to the south in Latin America or discover educational adventures here in the United States. In partnership with a variety of programs on campus (such as the Agape Center for Service and Learning, the Collaboratory, and AROMA Sports Ministries), students have many opportunities to engage the world through short-term experiences – both credit-bearing and non-credit-bearing. Three-week three-credit cross-cultural courses include intensive study of the local culture through lectures and readings, as well as either extended home-stay or an ethnographic fieldwork project. Weeklong co-curricular service trips provide students the opportunity to serve alongside their peers while investing in long-term projects around the world. The Intercultural Office houses catalogs, brochures, course listings, applications, videos, and travel-related literature and resources. Students can also learn about costs, deadlines, and requirements, as well as obtain passport photos, passport applications, and International Student Identity Cards. For additional information, browse the Intercultural Office Homepage at: www.messiah.edu/intercultural.
Approved Off-Campus Study Programs
The Intercultural Office provides students with information about off-campus and enrichment study opportunities, such as study abroad, internships, and service programs. This office is open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and is located in the Larsen Student Union. The Intercultural Office is the first stop in beginning the journey to study off campus. Advisors are available to meet with students to explore options. All students seeking pre-approval must meet basic eligibility requirements including:
- Sophomore, junior, senior status (some programs only accept juniors and seniors)
- For language majors or minors: four semesters of college-level language
- 2.75 GPA (some programs require a higher GPA)
- Clear probation record (disciplinary, chapel, academic)
Students must apply for pre-approval a year in advance (fall December 1; spring April 1). Completing a pre-approval application does not guarantee Messiah approval or program acceptance.
Accès France (Strasbourg, France). Study French language, culture, and political science in Strasbourg, France, which has been a crossroads of people and ideas for centuries. As the seat of the European Court of Human Rights, the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, along with a variety of universities, this program allows students to explore the history and culture of France and the broader European continent in a unique way.
American Studies Program (Washington, DC). Open to juniors and seniors in all majors, the American Studies Program brings together students from various Christian colleges for one semester of study and internship experience in Washington, DC. Students are introduced to a wide range of subjects relating to domestic and international political, economic, strategic communication and social issues. Drawing upon the vast resources of the nation’s capital, students are encouraged to explore their disciplines in light of their Christian faith. In addition to the academic modules, students are individually placed in internships suited to their academic and vocational interests.
AuSable Institute of Environmental Studies (Mancelona, MI). Messiah College participates in the programs of AuSable Institute of Environmental Studies. The AuSable Institute offers courses and programs during the summer as well as J-term. Scholarships are available to qualified students involved in summer study at the Institute.
Australia Studies Centre (Brisbane, Australia). Adventure, academics, Australia! Students explore Australian culture while living with Australian families and taking classes alongside Australian students at Christian Heritage College in the bustling city of Brisbane. With a focus on Aboriginal culture, students learn from indigenous peoples both in the classroom, in the community, and during a trip to the outback.
CIEE Shanghai (Shanghai, China) Students immerse themselves in Chinese language and culture in the large, bustling city of Shanghai, China. Students live with host family or in student housing and take classes in Mandarin Chinese language as well as courses in Chinese politics, economics, history and society.
Contemporary Music Center (Nashville, TN). Students interested in contemporary music—as artists,in executive roles, or from a technical aspect—will discover firsthand the inside workings of the music industry.. Each semester the students take the program on the road as they perform at Christian colleges around the country. Nashville provides the perfect setting for students to explore what it means to be a Christian in today’s music industry.
Cross-Cultural Courses. Students can discover a whole new world when they step out of familiar surroundings by participating in cross-cultural study courses. Whether studying abroad in Costa Rica or spending a few weeks with an Amish family in Lancaster County, PA, students will experience firsthand a way of life that they may have only read about in books. The three-week courses include intensive study of the society through lectures and readings, as well as either an extended home-stay or an ethnographic fieldwork project. Courses and locations vary annually and have included areas such as Germany, Ghana, Italy, and Zambia.
Gaiety School of Acting (Dublin, Ireland). This three-week J-term course, which takes place in Dublin, Ireland, allows students to experience Irish culture through the arts. According to the program syllabus, the course “combines the literary study of plays with work in the craft of acting.” In addition to classroom instruction, students visit various Irish museums and theatres (such as the Book of Kells, The Irish Museum of Modern Art, The National Gallery, The Irish Writers Museum, and The James Joyce Centre), as well as participate in a final performance/reception.
GoED Africa (Kigali, Rwanda). Based in Kigali, Rwanda, the Go ED Program in Africa engages students with the reality of global poverty. Students witness growth and struggle within this developing country. The new government of Rwanda has been working to build peace and unity since its start in 1994. The program fosters spiritual formation alongside academic courses and cross-cultural experience. In additional to classroom instruction, students participate in local service projects.
GoEd Mekong (Chiang Mai, Thailand). The highlands of northern Thailand is home to GoED Mekong, an intensive immersion program that allows students to explore “the root causes of exclusion and exploitation of marginalized people groups” and to gain an “understanding of the relationship between exploitation and its root causes: poverty, discrimination, exclusion and violence.” The program fosters spiritual formation alongside academic courses. In additional to classroom instruction, students participate in service projects with local NGOs.
Goldsmiths: University of London (London, England). Live and study in Europe’s third largest city! Goldsmiths' environment is energetic— a college that allows self-expression to flourish, yet hones students’ creative and critical thinking. A distinctive constituent college of the University of London, Goldsmiths’ truly local urban setting is not the fashionably-thronged tourist mecca of the more familiar West End. As a result, students will have the chance to see the everyday London not usually visited by out-of-towners, making for a genuinely cross-cultural experience in the UK’s most cosmopolitan city.
Gordon in Orvieto (Orvieto, Italy). Italian language instruction, art history, and hands-on art studio courses in sculpting and painting makes this 16-credit program in Italy an attractive option for art students. In addition to classroom instruction, students visit artistically and culturally relevant locations throughout the country.
International Business Institute (Multiple European Sites, India and China). The International Business Institute facilitates the integration of academic study with an international field experience, giving students an opportunity to develop a global perspective of business. Thirteen countries (Lithuania, Russia, The European Union, India and China) are the classroom settings for students who participate in the ten-week Institute. Students will experience the history and culture of Europe and Asia, while studying international business, global marketing, and international business strategies.
ISA: Paris (Paris, France). The City of Light is host to ISA’s three study abroad programs in Paris. The internationally known Sorbonne is the perfect place for French majors and strong language speakers to enhance their French skills while taking classes with French students. The Catholic University of Paris offers French language classes as well as courses in culture, art, theater, literature, communications, and history. Courses are taught in French and English, depending on the specific course. Finally, students can choose to study at the American Business School Paris where courses are primarily taught in English. Students live with host families and participate in educational excursions with the program. Students can choose a faith-based option through Veritas Christian Study Abroad track where they will participate in a service project and be partnered with a missions mentor.
Jerusalem University College (Jerusalem, Israel). Jerusalem University College exposes students to the geography, history, culture, and languages of Israel/Palestine, preparing them for a lifetime of Biblical study. Students can spend one or two semesters studying in and about this Middle Eastern region of the world when they attend the Jerusalem-based institute. The school offers a number of 300-level courses in archaeology, geography, Hebrew Bible translation, history, and Middle Eastern studies.
Latin American Studies Program (San Jose, Costa Rica). Students study Latin American economics, culture, politics, and faith when they travel to Costa Rica for 17 weeks with the Latin American Studies Program. The San Jose-based program includes home stays, Spanish language study, travel to a number of Central American countries, and two-week service projects. Students who prefer a specialized experience can choose either a concentration in International Business and Marketing during the fall semester, in which the service project is replaced by a four- to five-week internship, or Biological Science study in the spring.
LCC International University (Klaipeda, Lithuania). Witness history in the making while studying in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Once part of the former Soviet Union, Klaipeda is home to LCC International University which serves 600 students from a number of Eastern European nations. Students live in dorms and take classes with European students. A week-long trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia and a weekend trip to Latvia and Estonia round out this adventure. Courses in accounting, business, communication, conflict studies, economics, English, history, literature, marketing, social science, and theology are offered each semester. All courses are taught in English.
London Internship Program (London, England). The London Internship Program, sponsored by Arcadia University: The College of Global Studies offers internships and academic study for a semester in London, England. Students are placed in field experiences related to their majors and take classes offered by faculty at Arcadia University. Internships are offered in a variety of areas, including arts, charitable organizations, media and broadcasting companies, healthcare establishments, government offices, and large corporate enterprises.
Los Angeles Film Studies Center (Los Angeles, CA). This program provides an introduction to the work and workings of the mainstream Hollywood film industry. It does not assume that students have had previous experience in film. The LAFSC does not intend to be a substitute for film school, as its curriculum is designed to expose students to the industry, to the many academic disciplines that might be appropriate to it, and to critical thinking and reflection on what it means to be a Christian in this field of endeavor. In addition to regular classes, students gain practical experience by participating in internships which have included placement with Warner Bros. Studios, Bruckheimer Films, Chamian Casting, and the “Touched by An Angel” TV series.
Middle East Studies Program (Amman, Jordan). Students spend one semester in Cairo, Egypt, studying Middle Eastern culture and religion, learning Arabic language, and exploring political conflicts. The 15-week program includes an ongoing field service project, a two-week trip to Israel/Palestine, and a two-week tour of several Middle Eastern countries. This program is designed to give students an increased understanding of Middle Eastern culture, Islam, and the greater Arab world; to broaden their horizons as global citizens; and to provide contact with a civilization that is over 4,000 years old.
National Outdoor Leadership School (Multiple sites in the U.S.). The wilderness is the classroom for juniors and seniors who participate in this hands-on wilderness education program. NOLS teaches students “outdoor skills, leadership and environmental ethics” in a variety of locations throughout the U.S., including the Rockies, Teton Valley, Pacific Northwest, and the Southwest; students can also take part in an Outdoor Educator Semester.
Northern Ireland Semester (Belfast, Northern Ireland) Learn about peacemaking and reconciliation in Northern Ireland as you experience the deep impact of the religious and political conflict, while studying Irish art, culture and literature.
NYC Semester: The King’s College (New York, NY) Journalism, business, and theater students can spend a semester in New York City exploring their discipline through classroom instruction, internships, and networking. Spend a semester in the major city and take advantage of all it offers as part of The King's College NYC Semester.
O’Neill National Theater Institute (Waterford, CT). This intensive theater program offers students a unique opportunity to study acting, directing, playwriting, movement and voice, and design in a conservatory setting. Students are immersed in theater studies; classes take place for 14 weeks, seven days a week! Students typically take two-week educational excursions to train with professional theater companies in New York City, Stratford-upon-Avon, England, or St. Petersburg or Moscow, Russia.
The Oregon Extension (Ashland, OR). This fall semester program enables juniors and seniors to pursue intensive interdisciplinary study in the southern Oregon Cascade Mountains. The program provides opportunity for students to deal seriously with ideas, Christian commitment, and life as they examine the nature of contemporary society. Classes, taught in three-week increments, include lectures by faculty members and researched presentations by students. During their stay at the Extension, students live in cabins with three or four other participants and buy and cook their own food as well as contribute to the operating activities of the community.
Oxford Study Abroad Programme. Academically-strong student can spend a semester participating in one-on-one tutorials with Oxford professors at New College, St. Edmunds, St. Annes, Trinity College and (Magdalen-Visiting Students Only) through the Oxford Study Abroad Program. The 12-13 week program offers courses in a wide range of disciplines and includes five educational tours each semester.
Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaiso (Valparaíso, Chile). Located on the coastline of Chile between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, Valparaíso offers hilltop vistas, beaches, and abundant cultural opportunities. At the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, students study alongside local Chilean students and participate in educational excursions in Chile. Students can choose a faith-based option through Veritas Christian Study Abroad track where they will participate in a service project and be partnered with a missions mentor.
Scholars’ Semester in Oxford (Oxford, England). The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities presents a slice of British life and Oxford education to students participating in the Scholars’ Semester in Oxford. Academically strong students spend a semester participating in one-on-one tutorials with Oxford professors, as well as taking part in small group seminars. The Council director offers a course that allows students to integrate faith and learning. Students participate in field trips to such places as Stratford-upon-Avon, Bath, the Cotswolds, Canterbury, and St. Augustine’s Abby that are designed to increase student understanding of British culture and society.
Student Visitor Program. A student may apply for a semester to study at any one of 12 other members of the Christian College Consortium. This option provides a unique opportunity to benefit from the resources of another Christian college while remaining a Messiah student.
Temple Rome (Rome, Italy). Explore the streets of Rome for a semester, amid historic architecture and famous sites dating from classical civilization! The program, run by Temple University, offers courses in history, literature, art, as well as art history. The program includes valuable excursions and activities that help students experience Italian culture and explore Rome’s rich heritage.
Uganda Studies Program (Kampala, Uganda). The Uganda Studies Program allows students to explore African culture while studying at a Ugandan Christian University. Students live in dorms with East African students (from locations such as Sudan, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, and Kenya) and participate in service projects in orphanages and medical clinics. During the semester students will travel to historic sites, parks, and cities within the country.
Veritas London (London, England). Spend a semester in London studying at the University of Roehampton. Take classes with British students and travel to various locations Britain, such as Edinburgh, Stonehenge and Bath. Courses are available in a wide range of disciplines including anthropology, biology, business, communication, dance, drama, psychology, and sport and exercise science. Students will participate in a service project and be partnered with a missions mentor.
Veritas South Korea (Seoul, South Korea) Students spend a semester in Seoul, South Korea studying at Korea University where they take classes with Korean and international students and travel to various location around South Korea, such as Jeju Island and Busan. Courses, which are taught in English, are available in a wide range of disciplines including business, chemistry, computing engineering, literature, math, media and communication, physics, psychology, and sociology. Students will participate in a service project and be partnered with a missions mentor.