About the Office of International Study Programs

Globe

The Office of International Study Programs at Northeastern University is committed to providing you with high-quality study abroad opportunities that will allow you to develop the knowledge, skills and networks needed to become productive and successful participants in the global community. Most of our programs are for a full semester for 16 semester hour credits, but some are available for a half semester for eight credits. However, all of our programs share the fundamental benefits of studying abroad through Northeastern University:

Northeastern offers two kinds of study abroad programs: Traditional, and our Dialogue of Civilizations programs. Each offers a different way to experience your international studies.

Traditional Programs

In a traditional study abroad program, a student will study at one of our more than 60 Northeastern-approved institutions around the world for a full semester in Fall or Spring, or a half-semester in the Summer. These programs are generally open to Northeastern students in any major. The student will usually take courses along with the students of the host institution and in the language of the country concerned. In many cases, however, a foreign university may offer their courses in English even though that is not the primary language of the country concerned.

In addition to regular course work, some of our traditional study abroad programs, such as those in Brussels, Canberra, Dublin and London include opportunities for students to intern for a few hours a week with a member of parliament in the country concerned. These programs are selective and competitive.

Students may be housed in university residences on or off campus, or may opt for home-stays with local families where these options are available. Normally, our traditional programs involve a semester-long stay and will result in the student receiving 16 semester hour credits upon the successful completion of four courses. In some locations, such as in Cambridge, London and Rome, it may be possible to have a one-half semester stay, in which case the student will receive eight semester hour credits upon the successful completion of two courses.

Dialogue of Civilizations Programs

Open to Northeastern students of any major, the Dialogue of Civilizations programs offer the opportunity for global interactions between students at Northeastern and students around the world. The goal of each program is to connect NU students with their peers in different national, cultural, political and social environments, and to provide NU students with a global experience that builds upon and enhances their academic studies and training at Northeastern.

Dialogue programs are generally offered only in Summer 1 or Summer 2. For each Dialogue program, a Northeastern faculty member leads a group of 20 or more NU students to one or more countries and will teach one or both of the courses involved.

The "dialogue" in each country involves a series of meetings and discussions between students and local government and community leaders on a range of topics, including politics, popular culture, human rights and women and gender dynamics across cultures. The possible themes are virtually unlimited.

The dialogue occurs within the context of two courses (eight semester credits), which have specific themes (language immersion, politics, economics, environmental studies, conflict negotiation, globalization, communication, service learning, community activism, development studies, etc.). Dialogue programs also involve lectures, site visits and cultural events. The locations of the faculty-led programs may change from year to year, but the options are constantly increasing.