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Program Development

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

Pre-proposal planning of faculty-directed programs:

The Study Abroad Office suggests beginning planning a study abroad program 18 – 24 months prior to taking students abroad. 

Course Proposals are due as follows:
Wintersession and Spring Break Programs: June 1
Summer Programs: September 1

Online Program Proposal - currently accepting proposals for Winter 2025 and Spring Break 2025!

To assist you in planning for a faculty-directed program, answer the following questions:

Who? 
Program Leadership and Participants

  • What first-hand experience do you have in the region? 

  • What resources are available to you at UM to plan your program?

  • What student population are you targeting? 

What? 
Student Learning

  • What course(s) will be taught on-site?

  • What is the academic content of the course(s)?

  • What are the program’s academic and experiential student learning goals?

  • Do you intend to integrate community engagement, service learning, internships, or field research for credit?

  • How will this study abroad program enhance the value of the students’ degrees? 

Where?
Location

  • How will the academic content relate to the chosen country/location? 

When? 
Timing

  • How is the proposed length of the program conducive to achieving the stated learning outcomes?

Why? 
Sustainability and Rationale

  • How do the program’s learning goals support college/department strategies for study abroad?

  • How does the program contribute to your and/or your department’s research agenda?

  • What other UM study abroad programs already exist in the region and in the proposed subject matter area? 

  • Are similar courses offered during the same term?

  • Will this affect your ability to recruit students?

Pre-proposal planning of exchange programs

To assist you in supporting a new or expanded exchange program, answer the following questions:

Who?
Proposed Exchange Partner and Participants

  • What experience do you have with the proposed partner?

  • What student population are you targeting? 

What? 
Student Learning

  • What courses are offered?

  • Does the proposed partner offer community engagement, service learning, internships, and/or field research for credit?

  • How will this study abroad program enhance the value of the students’ degrees?

Where?
Location

  • What are the benefits of the specific location? 

When? 
Timing

  • When do you want the first students to be able to attend the partner? 

Why? 
Sustainability and Rationale

  • How does the proposed partner contribute to your and/or your department’s research agenda?

  • What other UM study abroad programs already exist in the region and in the proposed subject matter area? 

  • What will attract students to study at the proposed partner and how will the program be sustained?

  • What are the benefits of having international students from the proposed partner as visiting students on the UM campus?

The above are questions to be asked before you begin the official proposal process.  Please use the Study Abroad Office as we can suggest resources or help you along the way.

The Forum on Education Abroad Standards of Good Practice

The Forum on Education Abroad is the only organization whose exclusive purpose is to service the field of education abroad.  The Forum provides a framework in the form of the Standards of Good Practice, which are recognized as the definitive means by which the quality of education abroad programs may be judged.  The University of Mississippi Study Abroad Office asks that you review and integrate these standards as you develop a program.

These standards not only assist the Study Abroad Office in identifying high quality education abroad programs but also provide faculty with guidance in developing faculty-directed programs.