Roanoke College offers many study abroad programs that allow students to earn academic credit while studying outside the U.S. Students may select from academic year, semester, Intensive Learning, or summer opportunities.Through its exchange and affiliated programs, Roanoke College provides study options around the world in all academic disciplines.The International Student Exchange Program (www.isep.org) offers study sites in 49 countries where the language of instruction may be in English or a foreign language. Exchanges through the Conference of Rectors and Principals at Universities in Quebec and at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England, the five-campus University of Ulster in Northern Ireland, the Universidad Publica de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, and the Asian Studies Program of Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata, Japan, offer Roanoke College students opportunities to enroll with local students and other students from around the world in classes in English and other languages at presti- gious overseas universities. Our affiliated programs including Regent’s College in London, Hollins Abroad in Paris,Australearn, the Umbra Institute in Perugia, Italy, the Institute at Palazzo Rucellai in Florence, Italy, the Lutheran College China Consortium’s semester at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, and the Virginia Summer Program at Oxford at St. Anne’s College of Oxford University provide additional study abroad options.Transfer credit may also be granted for course- work taken at study abroad programs not affiliated with Roanoke College if approved by the appropriate faculty and the Associate Dean/Registrar.
The Intensive Learning Program offers international travel courses in a variety of disciplines led by Roanoke College faculty during the last three weeks of May each year. Recent destinations have included the Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Peru, Scotland, Spain, and Uganda.
Roanoke College institutional financial aid can be applied to all Roanoke College exchange programs and, in many cases, to all affiliated programs. Some special scholarships are available for theVirginia Summer Program at Oxford and for Intensive Learning international travel courses.
Students who wish to study abroad for a semester or year must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 at Roanoke College. Students whose grade point average is between 2.3 and 2.5 may request an exception to this requirement from the Director of International Education, if unusual circumstances have affected their academic performance. Applicants must demonstrate appropriate academic preparation and maintain full-time student status prior to and during the term abroad.
Students must seek approval for their planned coursework on semester or year-long study abroad programs from the department chair of their major department and then from the Associate Dean/Registrar during the semester prior to their study abroad. Before requesting this approval, students should consult with their academic advisors for assistance with course selection. If approved courses are unexpectedly closed, cancelled or otherwise unavailable at the study abroad site, students must contact the appropriate their advisors, department chairs, and the Associate Dean/Registrar, as early in the term as possible to secure approval of credit for alternate courses.Transfer of credit is not guaranteed for any course that has not been approved in advance. If approval of credit for a course cannot obtained in advance, the student must bring back to their department chairs textbooks, syllabi, and all graded coursework so the course can be evaluated for transferability. Credit may be granted in the major, minor, concentration, general education or for elective credit. In all cases, transfer credit will be granted only for work in which a grade of “C-” or higher (or the equivalent) has been earned.Transfer grades do not appear on the Roanoke College transcript and are not included in calculation of the cumulative or major grade point average. Students studying abroad will be granted a waiver of the residency requirement so that coursework can be transferred as part of the last eight units of degree credit.
Inquiries should be addressed to the Office of International Education, 206 Administration Building, and (540-375-2299).