A strong commitment to cultural immersion guides all of Pitzer’s study abroad options including our exchange programs overseas and in the US. A key goal of an exchange program is to allow a Pitzer student to take part in the academic life of another culture while an international student becomes part of the Pitzer campus community. If you choose to participate on one of the exchange programs, you take classes at the host university or its language institute and live in housing that is typical for local students. Educational approaches vary within each culture and exchange participants must adapt to the academic expectations of the host university. As an exchange participant, you are strongly encouraged to involve yourself in experiential opportunities like volunteer work, or extra-curricular clubs and organizations to increase the number of firsthand interactions you have with people in the host culture and to gain a broader understanding of the host culture’s values and perspectives. You must be motivated to pursue these prospects through your own initiative.
A. Exchange Program Content and Design
The offerings of each exchange program will vary by location, and you are advised to research the programs you are considering carefully. Because of the different academic cultures and curricular models of the host universities abroad, it is often not possible to choose courses in 3 or 4 different fields or departments on exchange programs. Provided you meet language requirements, you will choose from regular university courses but are typically limited to one or two fields of study within a semester. You should note that not every exchange institution offers courses appropriate to all of the academic majors at Pitzer so it is best if you can be flexible in the type of courses you need to take while abroad. By planning early, you can build this flexibility into your four-year plan at Pitzer and increase the study abroad options that are available to you. Note that courses may be available at the host institution that typically are not given credit at Pitzer or the Claremont Colleges. You must have the written approval of your faculty advisor at Pitzer to enroll in such courses.
In keeping with Pitzer’s educational objective of developing intercultural understanding, students participating on the exchanges are required to take a course in the host country language in non English-speaking locations and at least one course to provide academic content about the host culture. Such courses may involve the study of the literature, politics, history or social issues of the host culture.
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B. Language Requirements
Most exchange programs require that you already have a high intermediate to advanced skill level in the host country language (2 to 4 semesters of college level instruction). Some exchanges provide a brief refresher language course at the beginning of the term or have weekly language tutoring support. In most cases, you will be enrolled in regular courses offered by the host university, taught in the host country language. A few exchange programs offer intensive language study and students on such programs will complete an entire semester of language and culture studies. If you do not have foreign language skills you are strongly advised to consider one of the Pitzer programs for the best options for both intensive language instruction and cultural immersion.
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C. Directed Independent Study Projects
Exchange participants are highly encouraged wherever possible to conduct a directed independent study project, with a particular focus of learning about the host culture. You must arrange the project in advance through the Office of External Studies and work with a Claremont Colleges faculty member who is willing to help you develop your project, guide you while overseas and evaluate your work. A significant reflective component in the form of a written report as well as other discipline-appropriate documentation of learning is required for assessment. Projects must involve field research, oral interviews, ethnography and other techniques that facilitate cultural immersion.
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D. Reflective Writing
Students on exchanges are strongly encouraged to keep a fieldbook. Since writing is one of the deepest and most precise records of experience and an activity that both generates and reflects learning, Study Abroad Advisors can provide you with suggestions on ways to incorporate reflective writing into your exchange experience. This may take the form of a directed journal for your own benefit or be incorporated into an independent study project for credit with more formal written exercises to integrate the theoretical and experiential components of the exchange.
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E. Housing Arrangements
Each exchange program offers different housing options. Wherever possible, Pitzer College requires you to live with a local family or in a dormitory with students from the host culture. A good portion of your time is spent in residential life and having daily contact with members of the host culture in your living arrangements is a crucial factor in developing more meaningful personal relationships. Living with a family also provides access to people outside the college population “bubble” so that you are exposed to a wider segment of the population with variations in age, ethnicity, class, and educational background. Living with native speakers of the host language also accelerates your mastering foreign language skills and provides beneficial insights into the host culture.
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F. Health and Safety
Helping students stay healthy and safe while abroad is a priority for Pitzer. Students must pay careful attention to health and safety guidelines in pre-departure materials provided by the College. The International Students Office or its equivalent at the host institution generally provides an orientation on health and safety issues specific to the location as well as support and guidance for students who experience health and safety issues. You are urged to follow the rules and guidelines of the host institution as well as exercise good personal judgment and responsibility for your health and safety during the program.
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