Geographic Information Science, BS

Planning your program

• When to Participate in a Study Abroad Program

  At its pre-COVID peak, approximately 85% of GEOG/ENVI majors participated in study abroad.

  Fall of Junior year is the most common time to participate in study abroad, but students have successfully completed study abroad in Winter/Spring of Junior year or Fall of Senior year.  Many study abroad programs run for one semester (15-16 weeks) rather than one quarter (10 weeks). It is easiest to fit these longer programs in during Fall quarter. Participation in these semester-long programs will allow you to return to DU with extra credit hours. There is no extra cost for these additional credits. 

  Participating in the Fall of Junior year also keeps you on track with your cohort of friends and peers, many of whom will also be off campus at this time. It then allows you to spend your final year on campus with your community. 

  A typical plan for study abroad looks like this

  Year	Recommended Student Action
  Year 1	Start considering where you want to study and what type of study abroad experience you would like. Mention to your academic advisor that you are interested in studying abroad. You may also want to meet with an OIE advisor to explore your options and make sure you’re clear of the timeline of required steps.
  Year 2	Explore the OIE Website to understand steps to take and utilize DU Passport to see what options are available. Take INTZ 2501 (the required study abroad course) and complete your study abroad application. Spring: Complete any pre-departure requirements.
  Year 3	Study abroad; then take advantage of returning student events on your return to campus
  Year 4 & beyond	Make the most of the additional expertise you have acquired on study abroad for your future classes. Don’t forget to mention relevant experiences in job and internship applications and interviews!

  Note that this is not the only possible successful timeline. If you have constraints that prevent this plan (e.g., you declared your major late, you have athletic commitments, or you hope to graduate early), your academic advisor or an OIE advisor may be able to help you come up with an alternative schedule.

• Advice and Considerations

  Advice from the Department of Geography & the Environment

  In our department, almost any study abroad programs can work. Thus, the process to pick a program begins by asking yourself the following sorts of questions:

  • What part of the world do I want to visit (more than visit, live in)?
  • Do I want to be able to speak my native language or should I use this as an opportunity to polish a foreign language (or even start one from scratch)?
  • Would I prefer a program based in a university, with college-style classes, or a program that takes place out in the field?
  • Am I hoping to get credit for my major or minor? Do I need language credits? Consider that you can also take classes that are completely outside your major or minor—this could be the opportunity to follow a passion that you have always been interested in!
  • Would I like to include a homestay in my experience, or do I prefer dorm-living, or even living out in the field?
  • What sorts of climates and cultures do I find most appealing/intriguing?

  Note that your academic advisor is not there to make these decisions for you. Use your academic advisor instead to guide you towards how to achieve your goals rather than deciding on your goals for you. 

  Once you have your plans laid out, you can start to consider how to make sure that the classes you would like to take will provide the credit that you are hoping to obtain. The most common credits received by department majors count towards major/minor electives, and AI-Society or SI-Society common curriculum courses. Use the following guidelines—in advance of your study abroad program—to make sure that your plans align with what can be approved.

  Advice from the Office of International Education

  Attend a First Step Session 

  1. Attend our mandatory info session First Step if this is your first time studying abroad through the OIE. Learn about how to find programs, how DU's system works & important considerations.

  Research programs 

  1. Start by considering what you want out of a program. See Things to Consider to get an idea of what you should be asking yourself. Once you have an idea of what you want, search for programs in DU Passport. 
  2. Read the entire online program brochure for each program in DU Passport that interests you – be sure to check the Eligibility section. 
  3. Visit each program's website for more details (course lists, extracurriculars, etc.) 

  Stop by Drop-in Advising hours to get help with getting started 

  1. Come by our office during drop-in advising hours to speak to someone about how to get started, how to narrow down your program choices and review what steps you need to take in order to study abroad. 
• Meet with Your Academic Advisor

  Study abroad is inherently personal. You get to decide where you want to go, what language you want to speak, whether you want to do a homestay, etc. As a result, you are not required to meet with a department advisor before moving forward with your study abroad application. It is certainly appropriate to ask to talk through your plans with someone in the department though. You might want to discuss the following with your department academic advisor:

  • How will the progression of my major/minor be influenced by taking time away for study abroad?
  • What would be the most appropriate timing for study abroad (especially if you have had a non-traditional trajectory into or through the major)? 
  • How might the study abroad programs that I am considering complement my major/minor classes? 

  Note that, in the end, you are responsible for understanding your specific credit needs and how study abroad fits into your overall requirements for graduation. Also, your advisor will not know the specifics of every single study abroad program so it is up to you to explore those details for yourself.

• Meet with the Office of International Education

  Our advisors are dedicated to helping you find the perfect program for your academic and personal goals, and can help provide you with the preparation necessary to excel once you arrive. 

  First Step Session 

  Ready to get started with your study abroad planning? Your first step is to attend an in-person First Step Session where you will learn how to choose a program & get started on your DU Abroad application. See Events for times.

  Drop-In Advising 

  This is where you start! Have general questions about studying abroad? Want help on how to narrow down to the right program for you? Come to our Drop-in Advising sessions! Bring your questions. Our Peer Advisors will help answer your questions & help you determine next steps. 

  1-on-1 Meetings 

  Once you have narrowed it down to a program, learn more specifics about the program by Making an Appointment with an OIE Advisor. Before meeting with an OIE advisor you are required to attend our First Step Session (see above). OIE advisors help guide you through the study abroad application & pre-departure steps. 

• Course Considerations for Your Major

  Finding courses and course approvals 

  Review the Registrar’s database of courses pre-approved for your program (TIERS). 

  If you identify courses offered by your program not in TIERS, or courses in TIERS come back differently than you would like, you can request new course approvals. 

  1. Obtain syllabi for the courses you are seeking to be approved. 
  2. Utilize the Additional Comments field of the course approval form to clearly explain what type of credit you are trying to receive for the departmental reviewer.   
  3. Advising and course approvals occur during the academic year when faculty are on campus. Make sure to submit course approvals at least five weeks before Summer or you may not have a response until the following Fall.  

  It is important to identify and seek approval for backup courses.  Your program may not have registration until you arrive on site, or courses could be changed, cancelled, or have time conflicts.   

  If necessary, you can submit course approvals anytime, including while you are abroad and after you return.   

• Research Funding

  Cost is an important factor to consider when choosing an international experience. Not only should you understand the costs of your program but you should also anticipate the other costs that will be associated with your travel. Please visit our Financial Planning page regarding tuition, housing, and meal costs of DU Partner Programs (DUPP) and unaffiliated programs. It is important that you understand all of the items and services that will and will not be included in your program. 

  Studying abroad doesn't have to be more expensive than staying at DU. If you plan ahead, few locations are out of reach, even with a limited budget. You need to be realistic about how cost-of-living varies around the world, but that can work in your favor. Sometimes, it's even possible to save money by studying abroad! 

  Most students are able to utilize most of their financial aid while studying abroad. We encourage you to speak directly with the Financial Aid Office for details on your specific aid package. 

  Details of how Financial Aid applies to your study abroad program can be found on our Financial Aid page. 

  Many general scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study in the U.S. can be applied to study abroad. You should check to see if you are eligible to apply for general scholarships that are not specific to, but can be applied, to study abroad. There also are a huge number of study abroad specific scholarships available with varying eligibility criteria and deadlines. If finances for studying abroad are a concern, you are encouraged to begin searching and applying for scholarships as soon as possible. 

  More details on available scholarships can be found on our Scholarships page.