Internationalization Courses

The Office of Internationalization offers the opportunity for undergraduate students who study abroad to earn credits that support development and engagement in study abroad through DU. These highly interactive, hands-on courses encourage students to reflect deeply on questions of identity, culture, cultural bias, power, adaptation, and sustainability.

Instructors challenge students to go beyond experiencing study abroad as academic tourism by providing space for critical engagement with complex issues global equity starting with understanding of self and positionally in the world. Together with peers, students deepen their intercultural understanding and capabilities.

Courses through Internationalization

The three course sequence of INTZ 2501, 2502 and 2503 allow students to earn up to 5 credits connected to study abroad starting before they leave and ending with reintegration on campus.

  • INTZ 2501 - Exploring Global Citizenship (Pre-Study Abroad)

    About this Course
    Examining questions or identity, globalization, and cross-cultural communication, this course is required of all students at DU intending to study abroad. The intent of the class is to help give students the tools and knowledge needed to be able to benefit from their experience abroad. The course is normally taken within the year prior to study abroad and is followed while abroad by the second course in the sequence, INTZ 2502, also required for students on unaffiliated programs. This is a 2 credit course. To take the course for 1 credit, students must provide documentation forwarded by academic and major advisor(s) directly to the course director that they have not been able to nor would be able to take the course for 2 credits prior to study abroad based on required (non-elective) course selection for the entire year prior. The department will then review the materials and determine whether the petition process is warranted.

  • INTZ 2502 - Global Citizenship in Practice (During Study Abroad)

    About this Course
    Examining questions of identity, globalization, and cross-cultural communication, this is a pilot course that may eventually be required of all students at DU to be taken while studying abroad. The intent of the course is to help give students the tools and knowledge needed to be able to benefit from their experience abroad. The course is normally taken during a student's study abroad experience and is preceded by INTZ 2501.

  • INTZ 2503 - Learning to Return: Moving Toward an Impact for Public Good (Post-Study abroad)

    About this Course
    This course focuses on life back from an experiential learning opportunity whether abroad or within the U.S. and seeks to generate understanding(s) about integration back into DU and various related cultural contexts. The aim of the course is to actively continue application and engagement beyond this formal course. With an intentional focus on reflection, students will be expected to read, write, reflect, and share their abroad experiences to help foster meaningful connections across their cultural learning experiences. A central activity will focus on analyzing and reflecting on an artifact students “collected” while abroad – a blog they created, a series of images they took, a video they made, etc. Students will be expected to read, write, reflect, and share their experiences abroad as a way to better understand who they currently are from having those experiences. This will be leveraged to connect their experiences with future goals or purposes around intercultural and global learning.

Global and Intercultural Engagement Micro-Credential 

The micro-credential is centered around study abroad and includes academic coursework that supports, deepens, and extends global and intercultural learning through the experience. Students engaged in study abroad take coursework with faculty experienced in international and intercultural education to cultivate greater cultural self-awareness, knowledge of cultural frameworks and increased empathy for others. Specific skills gained through earning in this micro-credential include increased openness, curiosity, ability to communicate in cross-cultural contexts and great global perspectives.

Required Experience
Students complete a term-length equivalent (usually a semester-long or more) study abroad program through the Office of International Education

Required Courses
All three required courses must be completed with a passing grade: 

Exploring Global Citizenship (INTZ 2501)
Global Citizenship in Practice (INTZ 2502)
Learning to Return: Moving toward an Impact for Public Good (INTZ 2503)

Learn more about micro-credentials and badges at DU https://www.du.edu/registrar/academic-programs/micro-credentials-badges

DU Badge catalog on Credly https://www.credly.com/organizations/university-of-denver/badges

What Students Are Saying

INTZ 2501 is an absolutely critical facet of DU's efforts to prepare students for the rigors of the study abroad experience. I have no doubt that solely due to this class, my study abroad experience will be exponentially more rewarding and valuable. I should also say that many, if not all, of the concepts examined in this class transcend study abroad.

Austin Ritzel, Student

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