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| Choosing an OCS Program Off-Campus Study programs exist in most regions of the world. You will find information on a very wide range of programs in the Off-Campus Study Resource Room in the North Lounge of The Forum. OCS Office staff are available to answer any questions you may have. The Resource Room is open from 8:00 - 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Featured Programs The programs featured in the resource room and on the OCS website have been carefully selected and are believed to represent some of the best opportunities available today in off-campus study. From among the broad academic and geographical diversity of options, most students should be able to identify a program well suited to their academic goals. Types of Off-Campus Study Programs Most programs offer you the opportunity to enhance your major, concentration, or other area of academic interest while broadening your liberal arts education by learning about another area of the world. In some programs, the courses offered are linked by a common theme, such as women's studies, environmental studies or global development studies. In others, coursework may be closely connected to a particular major such as biology or economics. Programs may be organized and operated by American educational institutions, universities abroad or a combination of both in a cooperative arrangement. Formats vary from traditional classroom based instruction to field work, independent study and internship. Program Competitiveness It is important to note that off-campus study programs vary considerably in competitiveness. While some programs are highly competitive, accepting only students with higher GPAs and specific course preparation, others may have more relaxed criteria for admission. Specific prerequisites and GPA requirements are normally set out in the program information materials. Campus Program Advisers are also able to advise you regarding your eligibility for a particular program. Alternative Programs Students wishing to attend a program not featured in the Resource Room must make an appointment to discuss the possibility with the Director of Off-Campus Study and obtain the approval of the Off-Campus Study Board. Approval to apply to an alternative program is granted only in exceptional cases and depends on certain factors: a solid academic rationale for attending the program, absence of a similar offering among programs featured by the college in the Off-Campus Study Resource Room, verification of the program's academic and organizational quality, and transferability to Grinnell College of academic credit awarded by the program. Applying to More Than One Program Normally, Grinnell students are allowed to apply to only one off-campus study program. Denial of admission to Grinnell students is rare because of the screening that takes place during the approval process. However, permission to apply to more than one program may be granted in cases of very highly competitive programs and is at the discretion of the Director of Off-Campus Study. In the unusual event that a student is denied admission to his or her chosen program, a second application may be submitted. The OCS Office will provide assistance in identifying and applying to an acceptable substitute program. Year-Long Approval Approval to attend year-long programs is very limited and is granted by the Off-Campus Study Board on a competitive basis to students demonstrating exceptional academic achievement, strong written rationale, and support for their plans from their major or intended-major departments. The Off-Campus Study Board gives preference to well-focused proposals designed to deepen the student's knowledge of a single culture within the context of a single integrated program. Successful applications for year-long approval normally involve a request to study in one program in one country. Choice of Semester Semester Limits If you wish to study off campus, you will be applying for approval from Grinnell College to study on a specific program during a specific semester. Although every effort will be made to accommodate your preferred semester, there are specific limits for both fall and spring to the number of students who may study off campus. If the limit is reached for the semester you have selected, it may be necessary for you to change from spring to fall or vice-versa. Therefore, even though you are asked to submit only one four-year plan as part of your application, you should take this uncertainty into account by keeping an alternative back-up plan in reserve in case it becomes necessary for you to change semester. Determining Priority In meeting requests for fall or spring, top priority is given to students whose program is only offered in a given semester or specifically recommended for a particular semester in Off-Campus Study Office publications. When a program does offer a choice of semesters, the Off-Campus Study Board takes only academic criteria into account when reviewing applications; higher priority, in the following order, is given to students whose choice of semester has been determined by: (1) Inability otherwise to complete the major (2) Inability otherwise to complete a concentration (3) Inability otherwise to take courses following the OCS semester in the appropriate sequence Non-academic, extra-curricular, or personal reasons will not be considered compelling. How do I Choose An Off-Campus Study Program? Assessing the Importance of Off-Campus Study You may already have a good idea about where and what you would like to study off campus. However, if you are just beginning to explore the possibilities, you should reflect seriously on what you are planning to do. Personally, at this point in your life and education, you are likely to be at the optimal point in your capacity to learn by living and studying in a new and challenging environment. Since an optimal point occurs by definition only once in a lifetime, and off-campus study may hold valuable personal, academic, and professional benefits, the careful choice of an appropriate program may well be one of the most important decisions you make during your college career. Core Rationale for Off-Campus Study Grinnell requires that you select a program compatible with your academic goals, which you will clearly set out in a four-year course-plan and written rationale for off-campus study. It is largely up to you to define your goals in consultation with your academic adviser. Since your choice of program must be linked to your stated academic objectives, you should begin by thinking about why you want to study off campus, i.e., your core rationale. Most students choose to link their off-campus study to their major or concentration while others may wish to use the experience to enhance their understanding of other subjects studied on campus. Whatever link you choose should provide you with a solid sense of academic direction in choosing an appropriate program. Additional Objectives for Off-Campus Study In addition to the core rationale described above, your choice of program may be partly determined by additional academic objectives you want to achieve. For example, you may wish to broaden your liberal arts education by studying a language or taking courses not offered at Grinnell. You may also have broader educational goals connected to the experience of living in another culture. The possibility of community service, fieldwork or an internship might be an important consideration. Additional objectives such as these are important to consider along with your core rationale and will help in selecting a program that is right for you. Personal Advising Campus Program Advisers An adviser is assigned to every off-campus study program featured in the Resource Room. These advisers can provide you with more information and help to answer your questions. Peer Advisers Every semester large numbers of Grinnell students return from studying off campus. Talking with other students who have already studied on a program or in a region of interest to you is essential to making an intelligent decision about off-campus study. You will find a list of such students under 2000-2001 OFF-CAMPUS STUDY PARTICIPANTS ON CAMPUS. Written program evaluations from past off-campus study students are kept on file in the OCS Resource Room. In addition to speaking with Grinnell students, you may wish to contact specific off-campus study programs to obtain a list of names and telephone numbers of recent non-Grinnell participants. International Students Grinnell College is fortunate to have a diverse student body from many parts of the world. International students may be able to provide you with valuable insights and information to help you in making a decision about where to study off campus. The International Students Office will provide names of students from specified countries or regions. |
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Off-Campus
Study | Grinnell College | Grinnell, IA 50112-1690
phone 641.269.4850 | fax 641.269.4415 for program information contact Richard Bright, Director |