Honors College

How to Fit Study Abroad into Your Honors College Experience

The flexibility that is the hallmark of the on-campus Honors College experience may also be used by HC members as they plan and participate in study abroad programs. As you look at programs, keep in mind the following requirements that you might fulfill through study abroad:

• University General Education (Integrative Studies) requirements
• Major and college requirements
• Honors experience

General Education requirements

As Honors College members have options beyond Integrative Studies courses to fulfill University General Education requirements, check into departmental courses to enrich your requirements outside of your major and college. Departmental offerings that would normally work as General Education on MSU's campus would also work through a study abroad program. Work with your Honors College staff adviser early in the process to explore your possibilities. Need some ideas? Use the General Education section on the HC Web page to get started! Note - programs that come back to MSU as transfer credit may still be used toward General Education, but may require longer planning and course approval time, so plan ahead. All General Education work should be proposed on your annual Academic Progress Plan.

Major and College Requirements

Use your Departmental Honors adviser early in your planning. Remember that with the approval of your departmental Honors adviser you may be able to make substitutions or changes to your major and college requirements. This may include taking a more advanced-level course, or another course that meets the intention of the standard requirement. Be aware that many majors and colleges have requirements for coursework outside their own units. Related areas, cognates, distribution work, etc, are all examples of requirements that may come from non-major courses. As Honors College members are usually not held to course restrictions or prerequisites, there may be many more study abroad opportunities available than those listed on a standard list of requirements. Again, to best utilize the benefits and flexibility of the Honors College, early and active planning is crucial.

Honors Experiences While on Study Abroad

Any MSU faculty-led study abroad program is eligible for Honors Option work under the same Honors Option authorization guidelines as campus courses. As is the case with on-campus coursework, Honors Options are always at the professor's discretion. (Also keep in mind that the length of these programs is shorter than the typical MSU semester.) Additionally, some programs may offer coursework at the graduate level and this work would also count as an Honors experience and be available to an Honors College member at the undergraduate tuition rate, as long as it is part of your undergraduate program.

Courses taught by non-MSU faculty may be difficult to arrange as an Honors Option, but in some instances this might be arranged with an MSU faculty member collaborating with the program. Such arrangements should be in place prior to departure. Programs that award transfer credit for completion are not available for Honors Options.

Financing Your Study Abroad Experience

If you are participating in an MSU study abroad program and are on a tuition-based scholarship coordinated by the Honors College, be aware that those funds can usually be applied to study abroad as well. Do keep in mind that it may use one semester of eligibility and that many scholarships have an eight-semester limit. Honors College members are also encouraged to apply for the Benchop and Cole Study Abroad Scholarships through the Honors College. Most out-of-state Honors College members were awarded the Presidential Study Abroad Scholarship as part of their admissions package. There are many scholarship opportunities outside of the Honors College as well. See the Office of Study Abroad Scholarship page for ideas and links to other possibilities.