Center for International Education
Northern Arizona University
PO Box 5598
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5598
Phone: (928) 523-2409
Fax: (928) 523-9489
FACULTY-LED EDUCATION ABROAD PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
Thank you for your interest in developing a new faculty-led program! We look forward to working with you. In accordance with policies established by the Office of the Provost and the Center for International Education (CIE), all new faculty-led programs must be approved by a department head, dean, and the Education Abroad office.
Please address each of the following sections. Once completed, return all required documentation to Eric Deschamps, Director of Education Abroad, at CIE (Box 5598) or by email. Eric can answer your questions at or (928) 523-8334.
Proposal Deadline: For all programs, we highly encourage faculty directors to submit proposals as far in advance as possible to allow sufficient time to market and recruit students, and for students to complete the application process. This is very important because timing may affect the number of enrolled students and the ability for the program to run. Depending on the circumstances, we may be able to accept late applications.
Section I: Overview
Please provide the following:
• Program Name – how you want the program marketed to students
• Program Location(s)
• Program Dates
• Sponsoring Department(s)
• Program Director (leading faculty or staff member)
• Additional NAU Staff or Faculty Members
• NAU EMPL number
• Email and Phone Contact Information
Section II: Program Information
Please describe the program in general terms in one or two paragraphs. The text submitted here will be used as a starting-point for text on the CIE webpage for students, so please present the information in a way that is conducive to students getting a general understand of the program. See edabroad.nau.edu and search for a faculty-led program for examples of program information text.
Section III: Course Information
Please list all NAU courses participants may earn credit for, indicate the number of credits each course is worth, and attach a copy of the syllabus in the NAU-approved format (even if tentative) to be used for each course offered. Please also discuss how the course may be applied to prospective students’ degree plans.
You have three options regarding your course(s) abroad:
1. If you’re proposing a new course, then your course must be approved by the UCC.
2. If you’re proposing a new course, you can opt to give your course a study abroad designation, or “SA”. This doesn’t require UCC approval. However, this option is only available twice for any program. In other words, if you want your program occur on a yearly basis, you must get your course approved by the UCC because after two times utilizing the “SA” designation, you will not be allowed to continue.
3. If you currently teach the course at NAU, and want to teach the course abroad (i.e. no change in course content), then you don’t have to get the course approved by the UCC because it already has been approved. You may modify the course slightly to take advantage of and reflect the realities of the program location.
Section IV: Instruction
Please list all individuals who will provide instruction and briefly comment on their expertise to provide such instruction.
Section V: Program Itinerary
Please give a comprehensive list of all cities/countries to be visited with dates, even if they are tentative. Please include every day of the program, including departure and return dates.
Also discuss plans for meeting with students before the trip (pre-departure orientation) and if relevant, after the trip (re-entry orientation). Dates do not need to be identified for these meetings.
Section VI: Activities Designed for Cross-Cultural Experiences
Describe activities or facets of the program’s structure that will give participants the opportunity to interact with people from the host country and learn about the history/culture of the host country/city. For example, activities could include home stays, students from the host country taking part in the classes/events, and/or other events planned for local and NAU students. These experiences may not necessarily be connected to the academic component of the program, but can be experiences designed to help students take advantage of their new cultural environment.
If the program will take place in a non-English-speaking country, indicate how students will be prepared with basic language skills prior to their departure and/or onsite. Students should receive some sort of an orientation to basic vocabulary in the language of the host country/city in order to meet and greet people, purchase food and other essentials, use transportation and handle emergencies.
Section VII: Students and Staff
Specify the desired minimum and maximum number of participants. Please list any non-NAU employees that will play a role in the program (individuals contracted for a specific service, such as bus drivers or tour conductors do not need to be included).
Indicate eligibility requirements for students that want to participate in this program such as GPA, course pre-requisites, etc.
Also explain what you would like CIE to collect as part of the application process. CIE will collect course approval forms, health questionnaire, risk & release, passport photos, and a financial aid understanding form for all students. Additional options to choose from are a reference form, a statement of purpose, and an official transcript. The official transcript is not required to check student GPAs, we can do so through Peoplesoft. CIE can collect whatever documents you want to see to evaluate students’ preparedness to participate in your program.
Section VIII: Program Affiliations
Provide a brief description of any institutions/agencies/organizations with which the program may be affiliated (i.e.: third-party program providers, research centers, schools or NGO’s) and which institution will issue a transcript if students will receive transfer units from abroad.
If you plan to use private third parties such as tour providers, housing providers, etc. describe why you have chosen this particular provider and how you became aware of these companies.
Section IX: Risk Management
A. Travel & Living Arrangements
Outline the arrangements to be used for travel and who will provide it. Discuss where the group will be lodging. Finally, if host families will be used, please discuss screening / selection procedures. If travelling to a developing country, address provisions for adequate sanitation, food, and water safety.
B. Health & Safety
Identify risks to students and faculty such as communicable diseases present in the area (malaria, hepatitis, avian flu, etc.), high crime rates, unsafe local transportation, etc. Please discuss the safety measures that will be in place to mitigate these risks.
All students will be automatically enrolled in NAU’s international health insurance plan provided by HTH Worldwide. The price of the insurance will be included in the total program price. Program directors should familiarize themselves with the international health insurance plan in order to know what to do in case of an emergency. Please visit the HTH website at: www.HTHstudents.com.
Please note that travel is not permitted to countries for which the U.S. State Department has issued a Travel Warning.
C. Communication
Please address how we can reach you while you are abroad. For example, will you cell phone work and be on abroad? You can also provide phone numbers for hotels where you will be staying.
Section X: Program Budget
If you have not provided CIE with your program costs, please do so here. List all anticipated expenses for the program. CIE will use this information to calculate a program fee for students and an overall program budget. Items that may need to be included are:
• NAU faculty/staff expenses – lodging, airfare, local transportation
• Program fee – any fee charged by a third party such a local education provider
• Compensation for non-NAU staff - guest lecturers, etc.
• Local transportation (include fares, gas, and tolls)
• Student lodging
• Excursions - cost of entry to museums and other excursion sites, travel to and from excursions, tour companies, etc.
• Program supplies including shipping costs
• Promotional expenses – you may want to include $50 for printing posters
• Visas or entry/departure taxes
The program fee is calculated to cover all program expenses. Thus, faculty will only have money available to cover the expenses that they identify. It is thus critical to identify all program expenses. CIE recommends adding a buffer to meal and transportation expenses in case of unexpected costs.
Section XI: Optional – Student Application Deadline
CIE’s student application deadline for summer programs is March 15th. This allows faculty the time needed to recruit, but gives us enough time to organize program logistics. If you would like a different deadline for your program, please indicate the date and reason here.
Section XIII: Optional - Programming Upon Return to NAU
Faculty leaders may also want to consider creating opportunities to share the faculty-led program experience with the NAU community. Examples may include a photo gallery and display, an art exhibit, a colloquium or other student presentations, or a short film. Projects should highlight the program as well as provide students with an opportunity to share their experiences with faculty, staff, and students.
Faculty Name: ______
Department:______
Program Name: ______
Before submitting your application, please obtain the following supporting signatures and include this page with your application materials.
Department Head and Dean Approval
I authorize this study abroad program and certify that it meets the academic standards of my department or college.
Department Head Dean
Department Chair Signature: ______Dean Signature: ______
Department Chair Name: ______Dean Name: ______
Date: ______Date: ______
Please send this signed proposal to Eric Deschamps, Director of Education Abroad, by email () or on-campus mail (Box 5598).
Once this proposal is submitted, Education Abroad will consider your program and may ask for additional information.
Education Abroad Approval
Signature:______Date: ______
Eric Deschamps, Director, Education Abroad
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