Study Abroad
The opening of the Office of Extra Mural Studies in 1970 established the College’s early commitment to international education. Today Hiram’s Study Abroad Program offers students an even greater array of opportunities.
Program participants live and learn in cultures that are different from their own. Students learn about life as others live it, whether that is in a country that appears to have a culture very similar to that of the U.S., for example, Great Britain, or one that stems from a different tradition such as Japan.
The typical program centers on the disciplines of Hiram College faculty who offer courses in a host country. Since 1970 more than 100 Hiram College faculty members have led over 3,800 students on educational programs to Europe, South and Central America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.
Students apply to participate in these programs. While it is expected that most students who apply will participate, acceptance is not guaranteed. Criteria for selection are not limited to, but may include grade point average, class year, recommendations, and participation in previous programs. For the most part, there is no language requirement for these programs, the principal exceptions being those sponsored by the foreign language department. Students participating in a program in a non-English-speaking country are, of course, encouraged to study the local language.
Students are charged normal fees for tuition, room and board during their study abroad program. Although all programs are subsidized by the College, participants also pay the cost of travel to and from the program site and a supplementary charge that varies depending on the location, nature and length of the program. Financial aid is applied to programs directed by members of the Hiram College faculty. Students who elect to study in programs offered by other academic institutions are not permitted transfer of Hiram College scholarships and grants to the sponsoring institution.
The College’s academic calendar, The Hiram Plan, provides students with two distinct opportunities for study abroad each semester—one in the twelve-week and one in the three-week sessions.
Twelve-Week Session: During the twelve-week session students complete three courses while spending an extended time abroad. A variety of disciplines and sites are available in the twelve-week session. Each of the modern foreign languages offers its majors, and other students interested in foreign languages, the opportunity to study in an appropriate country. These programs are offered on a rotating basis. The French and Spanish programs are centered in French and Spanish speaking countries, respectively. Students are taught by Hiram faculty, live with native-speaking host families, and visit places of literary, historic, and cultural importance.
Three-Week Session: Students may elect to study abroad during the three-week sessions which fall in December and May. Participants complete a single course intensive experience in the host country. Students select courses encompassing a variety of disciplines.
To learn more about upcoming programs, visit the study abroad website.