Study Abroad in Communication
The Communication department encourages students to broaden their education experience through participation in UC's Education Abroad Program. Get credit for your upper division major while experiencing another culture. In addition to taking courses in interpersonal, organizational and media communication, opportunities exist to complete courses in journalism, public relations, broadcast and other areas of the field of Communication not traditionally offered at UCSB. Because students receive UC credit for EAP courses, if you plan your program carefully you will be able to complete programs without delaying graduation or adding financial burden.
PLAN AHEAD! Applications typically are due six months to a year prior to the program's start date and some programs have academic or linguistic prerequisites that must be satisfied in advance.
Why Study Abroad?
There are many reasons to consider studying abroad. Study abroad provides Communication students a unique opportunity to pursue their academic interests in a global environment. You will be able to gain perspective and critical thinking skills not available to you without the exploration of another culture or another education system. You can learn or improve your skills in another language and not only broaden the range of subject matter available to you but also approach information and learning with the guidance of professors from another culture. You will gain opportunities to collaborate with students whose background and experience are decidedly different from your own and learn new perspectives. Students who study abroad develop self-confidence and a much greater sense of independence and return with fresh eyes on their own culture and the world. In addition, students often find they have a competitive edge in the job market and are better prepared for careers with an international focus, and have an understanding of what it means to work in a multicultural, multinational corporation.
Study exciting subjects like "Media Design and Production" in Germany, "Journalism Law" in Australia, or "Television, Audiences, Cultural Identity, and Politics" in South Africa.
Have the most memorable experience of your academic career, and get credit for it toward your Communication degree.
What Will it Cost?
Study on EAP can be comparable to the cost of study at UC. In some cases, it is less. EAP participants pay UC fees and continue to receive UC financial aid while abroad. Furthermore, EAP students are eligible for special grants and scholarships from UC, the host country, and other sources.
When Should I Study Abroad?
Communication students typically study abroad during their junior or senior years. Communication students should successfully complete the pre-major requirements and petition for admission to the full major before leaving on their EAP adventure, although they may apply in advance of completing these requirements. Students should carefully consult with the Communication Undergraduate Advisor to ensure successful completion of major requirements. Students wishing to do full year programs in their senior year need to take special care to meet both major requirements and the University residency requirements.
Transfer students are eligible to participate as early as their first term at UCSB, although this is usually difficult for Communication students. For more information, visit http://eap.ucop.edu/eap/transfer/, and consult with the Communication Undergraduate Advisor.
Where Should I Study Abroad?
Communication students wishing to complete a substantial portion of their upper-division communication major abroad have a wide-variety of opportunities available to them. The upper-division Communication major is very flexible, without any specific required courses or sequences. You are allowed to complete up to half of your required 40 units in an EAP program. There are applicable courses in approximately twenty-eight institutions and seventeen countries. You can do your study in English, or improve your language skills by choosing a program where the language of instruction is perhaps Spanish, French, Italian, German, or Japanese. There is no better, or more valuable method to gain an understanding of effective communication in a global society than through the study of communication in an institution, country, and culture foreign to your own.
Students can also find coursework relevant to Communication at many others of EAP's 150 partner institutions (in 35 countries worldwide) see the Program Wizard for other opportunities.
What Classes Should I Take?
EAP students automatically earn UC credit for the work they complete abroad. However, application of credit to major requirements is subject to the discretion of the department.
The following UC EAP courses are approved for upper-division Communication major credit. We realize this is not a comprehensive list of all EAP approved Communication courses and we are working on the evaluation of additional courses. If the school or courses you are interested in are not listed, please see the Undergraduate Advisor about an evaluation.
Communication students who wish to study abroad should first successfully complete the pre-major requirements and apply for admission to the full major. The Communication department allows a maximum of 20 units of EAP coursework to count towards major requirements. We encourage participation and are actively reviewing EAP courses for upper-division Communication credit. Many have already been approved. Please meet with the Undergraduate Advisor in Ellison 4836 to review courses and programs that may be applicable to the Communication major.
What Do I Do Next?
Communication majors interested in study abroad through EAP should begin by consulting the EAP web site to see what programs and options are available. You should also visit the campus EAP office, where you can pick up an application, or talk with an advisor. Please meet with the Communication department's Undergraduate Advisor. The Undergraduate Advisor will review your progress in the Communication major, as well as help you figure out which EAP courses can be used towards completing upper-division major.