Study abroad program proposal for Policy Studies:
Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS)[1]
Background
Faculty in Policy Studies (Tynan, Hoefler, and Edlin) and IB+M (Fratantuono and Gallagher) have collaborated on directing five summer immersion programs in London and Hong Kong in the last seven years (see Figure 1). [2]
Figure 1: Summer immersion programs for Policy Studies and IB+MYear / Location / Faculty directors / Total students / Policy students
2001 / London / Hoefler and Gallagher / 16 / 3
2002 / London (cancelled: low enrollment) / Wronski, Fratantuono, Hoefler / n/a / n/a
2003 / Singapore (aborted; no partner) / Fratantuono and Hoefler / n/a / n/a
2004 / Hong Kong / Fratantuono and Hoefler / 23 / 3
2005 / London / Tynan and Hoefler / 17 / 3
2006 / Hong Kong / Fratantuono and Hoefler / 22 / 4
2007 / London / Edlin and Wronski / 20 / 3
At least one of the short-term goals of each program was to provide a high quality, English-language, study abroad experience that could add an important international dimension to the educational experience of Dickinson students majoring in Policy Studies. In the longer term, the hope was that a summer offering in either London or Hong Kong could be developed into a deeper, richer, semester-based program that could be offered to our majors on a regular basis. In neither case do the long-term possibilities look hopeful.
London: The prospects for London are poor. According to an email communication from Brian Brubaker (9/7/06), “we do not always elect to base a program in a provincial city; however, when an appropriate academic partner is present, this approach is preferable. There is also concern that a London based program would significantly compete with the Norwich Humanities program. The College has a considerable amount of resources invested in Norwich and with increasing competition from other programs as well as the current exchange rate, we need to leverage the resources already present in Norwich.”
Hong Kong: The prospects are equally poor for Hong Kong. At the end of the most recent summer immersion program in Hong Kong, Fratantuono and Hoefler hit a dead end regarding their efforts to build a semester-long program with their partner of four years there, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HK PolyU). HK PolyU is interested in going in directions that would make it hard for us to set up and maintain a Dickinson presence there during the academic year, and no other options seem readily available at present.
It is true that there are several other English-language, semester-based programs that Policy Studies students could choose from. But Policy Studies students are able to do so only on a space available basis. And upon review, none of the existing programs serves our Policy Management and Law & Policy majors particularly well.[3]
Bologna: Our Bologna program requires a year-long commitment, and a general interest in Italy and things Italian. While students interested in international studies do well here, and while the Johns Hopkins graduate school connection is a real plus, Bologna is not a capital of government or business, and its academic offerings are not particularly deep in the area of policy or law.[4]
Norwich: Norwich does not provide a particularly strong set of policy offerings for our policy and law students, with the exception of courses in the area of environmental policy. Here, UEA excels. Two recent policy studies students (environmental studies double-majors Allio and Barrett, both ’05) had excellent experiences at UEA, specifically with regard to enhancing their skill sets in the area of GIS (something they could not have done here at Dickinson). Norwich does not offer much for our other majors.[5]
Brisbane: While reports from policy majors have generally been positive regarding this site, it is also true that our majors are allowed to fill in on this program only on a space-available basis. It is also that case that Australia is relatively far removed form the European and Asian epicenters of policy making and business globalization. No one in the policy studies program has visited, or has any connection to anyone in Brisbane, making advising spotty and speculative, at best.
In sum, there currently is no regularly offered, regularly available, broadly relevant, internationally sited, English-language partner program where Policy Studies students can advance their program of study. The policy studies faculty see this as a problem, given the strong emphasis on global education at Dickinson. Policy studies is one of the largest programs on campus (45 Policy Studies majors graduated in ’07). Our students should have a high quality, English-language, international study option regularly available that enhances their program of study.
Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS)
On the strong recommendation of Prof. Marie Helweg-Larsen[6] and Prof. Susan Rose[7], and with support and encouragement from Global Education, Prof. Hoefler made a one-week site visit to DIS in April of 2007.[8] During the week, Hoefler reviewed the DIS Program, met with administrative staff and faculty, sat in on several classes, talked with students, and went to several study sites in and around Copenhagen.
DIS is a not-for-profit educational foundation affiliated with the University of Copenhagen. DIS is recognized, supported, and supervised by the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. Approximately 400 students attend DIS in a typical semester. DIS offers approximately 125 courses within 11 semester programs in a broad range of subjects in the sciences, social sciences, architecture and design. All classes are taught in English, and all programs of study include faculty-led, course-integrated study tours in Denmark and Europe, as well a in China. Some courses also offer internship-like coursework, and all students have the opportunity to volunteer in various organizations in Copenhagen. Students live with a Danish host family, in a residential hall with other Danish and foreign students, or with a Danish roommate in Copenhagen.
Academics: DIS takes academics very seriously, as evidence by review of syllabi, personal observation, discussions with faculty and administrators, and reflections of students. In addition, an evaluation team from the University of Minnesota’s Learning Abroad Center recently completed a comprehensive review of DIS and reported that: “DIS is a quality, well-organized program that actively seeks and successfully demonstrates an exceptional level of curricular innovation. It has strong academic offerings that are taught with a high degree of rigor by highly qualified faculty.”[9]
Partner schools: DIS students come from some of the best schools in the U.S., many of which are very strong peer and aspirant schools. (See Figure 2 for a partial list of DIS partner schools.)
Figure 2: Selected peer and aspirant schools that currently partner with DISBates
Beloit
Bowdoin
Brown
Bryn Mawr
Bucknell / Carleton
Columbia
Cornell
Franklin & Marshall
Gettysburg
Haverford / Kenyon
Macalester Mount Holyoke
Muhlenberg
Skidmore
Smith / St. Olaf
Swarthmore
Trinity
Tufts
Wellesley / Wesleyan
Wheaton
Whittier
Williams
Yale
Grading rigor. The mean GPA of students attending DIS fluxuates between 3.4 and 3.5. Meanwhile, the mean GPA of grades earned at DIS fluxuates between 3.1 and 3.3. This represents nearly a half-step drop from what grades students earn on average at their home institutions (see Figure 3).
Figure 3: Comparison of DIS grades and entry level GPAs[10]Teaching. DIS takes teaching and pedagogy very seriously. All courses are evaluated, much like they are here at Dickinson, and evaluation results indicate that faculty and course content are viewed in a very favorable light. (See Figure 4 for a compilation of course evaluation results from DIS’s European Politics & Society program, fall 2006 semester.)
Figure 4: DIS course evaluation summary (European Politics and Society program, Fall 2006)1=very light 4=very heavy / 1=very easy 4=very hard / 1 = poor/weak
4= strong/excellent
Section / # Resp. / Class size / Resp rate / Work
load / Grading / Factual info / Critical thinking / Teach ability / Overall eval.
European politics:
the EU / 1 / 28 / 33 / 85% / 3.0 / 2.8 / 3.8 / 3.0 / 3.7 / 3.4
2 / 26 / 28 / 93% / 2.5 / 2.6 / 3.7 / 3.0 / 3.8 / 3.4
Criminal justice in Scandinavia / 25 / 29 / 86% / 2.8 / 3.0 / 3.6 / 3.0 / 3.5 / 3.2
Danish politics
and society / 1 / 28 / 28 / 100% / 2.3 / 2.1 / 4.0 / 3.5 / 4.0 / 3.9
2 / 18 / 19 / 95% / 2.3 / 2.0 / 3.8 / 3.3 / 3.8 / 3.9
Euro. conflict & security issues / 17 / 22 / 77% / 2.6 / 2.9 / 3.8 / 3.8 / 3.9 / 3.9
Politics &
history of the EU / 13 / 15 / 87% / 2.5 / 2.6 / 3.8 / 3.5 / 3.6 / 3.6
Russia
today / 1 / 36 / 40 / 90% / 2.2 / 2.5 / 3.2 / 2.0 / 3.8 / 2.3
2 / 17 / 20 / 85% / 2.2 / 2.7 / 3.2 / 1.8 / 3.8 / 3.1
Envi. problems
& policy / 17 / 19 / 89% / 2.1 / 2.2 / 2.4 / 1.8 / 2.2 / 2.2
Terrorism in intrntl. politics / 34 / 34 / 100% / 1.9 / 2.5 / 3.0 / 2.9 / 3.4 / 3.0
Means / 24 / 26 / 90% / 2.4 / 2.5 / 3.5 / 2.9 / 3.6 / 3.3
Faculty development. Each fall DIS enrolls approximately 25 of its faculty in a week-long faculty development program called the Danish Educator's Workshop (DEW), offered in cooperation with the University of Minnesota's Center for Teaching and Learning Services. The DEW is designed to train the DIS faculty in the latest teaching and learning techniques, to enhance the DIS faculty's competences as educators in an intercultural classroom, and to offer an insight into trends and the culture of the U.S. undergraduate education through workshops and dialog with U.S. colleagues.
Policy Studies coursework
Policy Studies students would enroll in one of two policy-related core courses at DIS:
· Option 1: European Politics & Society program (includes course-integrated study tours in Denmark, Sweden or Germany, and to Brussels-Luxembourg, homes to most EU institutions)
· Option 2: International Business & Economics (includes course-integrated study tour to the student’s choice of Brussels-London or Berlin-Prague).
In addition, students would have wide latitude to select up to three other law- and/or policy-related electives. Figure 5 lists 23 policy electives and three law electives that students could chose from, each of which are regularly taught at DIS.[11]
Policy-related electives / DIS program
European Union Research Project
Cities in the Domestic & Global Political Economy
Danish Politics & Society
Decision-Making Processes in the European Union
Environmental Problems & Policy: A European Perspective
European Conflict & Security Issues
Politics & History of the European Union
Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism in International Politics / European Politics & Society
E / Asian Economic Organization & Competitiveness
Asian Economic & Business Practices
Creative Industries: Business, Innovation, Politics & Culture
Economic Theories of Globalization
The Expanding European Union: Challenges and Opportunities
Global Business Strategy: European Approaches
Global Issues & Asian Mgmt: Employment, Politics, & Soc. Responsibility
International Financial Management
International Marketing & Branding: A Field Project
Theory in Practice: European Case Studies in Corporate Finance
Transition Economies: Chinese & Russian Reform / International Business & Economics
International Advertising in a European Context
Managing Mass Media / Communication & Mass Media
See Figure 6 (below) / Medical Practice & Policy
Law-related electives
E / Criminology and Criminal Justice in Scandinavia
Human Rights in Africa
International Law from a European Perspective
Law and Religion: Text and Context / European Politics & Society
E
E / Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
Holocaust and Genocide / Migration & Multiculturalism
Other advantages of DIS program courses
Health Studies: Students pursuing pre-Health track and/or the new Health Studies certificate could enrich their program of study substantially with courses taught in DIS’s Medical Politics and Policy program (see Figure 6).[12] Note that several of the Medical Politics and Policy program courses are taught by MD’s; some courses are taught in a teaching hospital setting.
Sustainability: DIS is setting up more courses in the area of environmental and developmental sustainability. Such courses could fit in nicely with the new initiative related to environment and sustainability which is currently germinating at Dickinson. See Figure 7.
Other majors: Seventeen Dickinson students have attended DIS since 1973, and 3 more will be attending in the fall of ’07 (see Figure 8). These students represent a wide variety of majors. While this proposal focuses specifically on DIS as an option for Policy Studies students, clearly students with other majors may find benefit in having the DIS partner program option, as well.
Figure 6: Courses taught at DIS related to pre-Health and the Health Studies Certificate at Dickinson· Human Health & Disease: A Clinical Approach