Internationalizing the Curriculum:

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Internationalizing the Curriculum Supportive
Policies and Practices Norah Shultz Associate
Vice President for Undergraduate
Education Arcadia University
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The Culture of Arcadia University

• Arcadia Universitys mission statement begins
  with the following sentence, which serves as a
  rule for our institution
• Arcadia University prepares students for life in
  a rapidly changing global society.

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The Culture of Arcadia University

• The following is included in the preamble to the
  Universitys General Education requirements,
  which further guided normative behaviorStudent
  s should understand and appreciate cultural
  differences at home and abroad.

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Pac
First Steps
1988 - Department chairs and other key faculty
asked to visit programs and to identify courses
abroad that would substitute for courses in the
major 1991 - Funds are provided for faculty to
set up short term study abroad courses. In
particular, participating faculty members are
given money to travel to sites where these
courses will be held prior to the time they will
teach the course. 1994 - London Preview begins
faculty and staff accompany first year students.
Their participation is free of charge. Preview
has been expanded over the years to include
Scotland and Spain for first year students and
Italy for transfer students.
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Building Momentum
1999 - Faculty/administrator position (Associate
Dean for Internationalization) established in
order to help create an international outlook
among faculty and staff by enhancing and
promoting exchange programs, encouraging
curricular innovation, and establishing special
forums. 2002 - President establishes internal
grant program offering funds to faculty to
internationalize their course offerings. Faculty
members use funds to add International content to
courses and to attend CIEE seminars. 2003 The
First-Year Study Abroad Experience (FYSAE)
begins. It has expanded to include both fall and
spring options and three countries.
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Moving Across the Curriculum
Pathways to Study Abroad Majors Abroad
Program
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Outcomes

• New majors International Business Culture and
  International studies
• Student teaching opportunities in England
• Short-term course offerings
• Addition of an international requirement in the
  General Education Curriculum)
• Other course and departmental offerings and
  modifications (communications, Global Justice,
  statistics) to include more international content

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Outcomes

• Number of students studying abroad by selected
  majors 2007-2008

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Outcomes

• Percentage of Graduating Students Presenting
  Credits
• Earned abroad toward
• Fulfillment of Their Degree Requirements

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• The New Curriculum
• www.arcadia.edu/curriculum
• We believe there are three elements that have
  the potential to dramatically increase faculty
  participation in the new curriculum
• The Process involved in its creation
• The move from internationalization to global
  connections
• A new structure that includes enhanced
  flexibility and a blurring of traditional
  academic boundaries.

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Re-defining Boundaries of Internationalization
Expands Faculty Involvement

• New emphasis on connections across national
  boundaries (including the United States)
• Global Connections Experience requires reflection
  component connecting time away with curriculum
• In addition to study abroad options, can be an
  immersion experience in local or domestic
  contexts

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Newest Outcomes

• Reshaping short-term study abroad opportunities
  to include semester-long virtual or local
  face-to-face interactions with current or former
  residents of host country
• Departments rethinking ways that course
  requirements in the major can become more
  globally focused to fulfill requirements
• Offering interdisciplinary University Seminars in
  another language to enhance modern language
  offerings and fulfill requirements