As globalization continues to reshape education, more students are finding themselves with exciting opportunities to travel abroad for studies, internships and cultural exchange. Dallas College offers many diverse international learning experiences, as students seek to gain real-world skills and cross-cultural understanding. Studying abroad and in-country programs have become an attractive option for those seeking to expand their academic and professional horizons. However, these programs often come with specific eligibility criteria and requirements.
Professor Diana Urrutia, vice provost of International Engagement and Global Competitiveness at Dallas College Eastfield Campus, is an expert in international engagement education programs. Urrutia shared her insights on the critical requirements for students interested in participating in study abroad, in-country and boot camp programs. With an increasing number of students seeking international opportunities, Urrutia highlights the qualifications necessary to succeed in these programs.
Urrutia said students applying for these programs have to be “currently enrolled and in good standing at a Dallas College.”
Urrutia explained that Dallas College has numerous study-abroad possibilities. There are standard study abroad opportunities, summer programs conducted by faculty members and in-county activities. Other agencies provide third-party affiliate programs. At the same time, it is important to grasp a program’s prospective fees, selection process, payment methods, deposit deadlines and forfeiture, and specifics regarding the study abroad experience. Each program offers study abroad opportunities for students, with selection based on specific criteria, Urrutia says, “Students are encouraged to review the information for each study abroad program.”
Dallas College offers various opportunities in scholarship, transfer, affiliated programs and external programs. However, these programs are not affiliated or sponsored by the college.
The school is actively communicating with students about the program. Urrutia said: “The Office of IEGC works closely with the academic schools, student success coaches, office of student life and engagement, and the office of inter-cultural and global student engagement offices to share information about the opportunities. We also use social media student blogs to highlight upcoming study abroad and global learning information.”
Faculty-led programs, which are shorter and more intensive, have their own set of requirements. Urrutia points out that these programs often prioritize practical skills over academic achievements. For example, programs are geared toward students’ careers in a specific field, such as Criminal Justice and Government Collaboration, Nursing, World Languages, Arts and Brookhaven Choral Society. Urrutia added, “Faculty-led programs are primarily offered. The majority of these programs are being conducted by faculty members in the May term and in the summer sessions.”
While each type of program has its unique requirements, Urrutia emphasizes that students should approach these opportunities with a clear understanding of the expectations.
Whether it’s achieving the necessary academic standing for a study abroad program, gaining language proficiency for an in-country immersion, or demonstrating relevant skills for a faculty-led, preparation is key.
The most crucial information Urrutia wants students to understand about the programs is: “Study abroad and global learning provides Dallas College students the opportunity to engage with local and global communities and to develop a global workforce perspective while building skills, such as inter-cultural literacy, global citizenship and adaptability.”
Dallas college students and faculty members can access the 360 GLE interactive platform on an annual subscription basis, allowing students, faculty, staff and alumni to interact with icons in various scenes, modules and videos at studyabroadassociation.com/360-gle/. The platform is self-paced, allowing access to various locations and academic topics.
Students can visit the Study Abroad and Global Learning website and the Study Abroad and Academic In-Country Learning site in Sharepoint. Students can request a one-on-one meeting or email [email protected] if they have any additional questions.
