Pitzer Direct-Run Program Information

Pitzer in Brazil Summer Program                                        Photo Credit: Britany Marticorena

Pitzer College embraces a unique set of educational objectives that encourage students from all majors to think about the world in ways that expand their understanding of other cultures while working to translate that knowledge into action that will benefit the communities they become a part of whether here or abroad. This type of learning is fostered by the Pitzer curriculum in Claremont and at our study sites around the world.

To further its educational objective of intercultural understanding, Pitzer has carefully developed its own study abroad programs. The programs are open to all students (Pitzer College students and students from other colleges).

Pitzer Direct-run Programs

How to Apply

Application Steps and Deadlines for Pitzer College Students

Application Steps and Information for Non-Pitzer Students

Program Highlights

Interdisciplinary Core Course
The core course in Pitzer programs includes a series of lectures given by the host university’s faculty and specialists from governmental and non-governmental organizations that are connected to the more experiential program components of family stays, fieldwork and study trips to provide a high degree of cultural immersion and cross-cultural learning.

The Fieldbook
The Fieldbook recognizes that writing is one of the deepest and most precise records of experience and an activity that both generates and reflects learning. Demanding of your time and intellect, the Fieldbook asks you to integrate the theoretical and experiential components of the program through a series of writing assignments.

Content and Design
Pitzer programs are designed to create comprehensive, semester-long experiences rather than an assemblage of unrelated courses set in foreign locales. The program components are intentionally designed to provide the tools to help you engage the culture both academically and on a personal level.

Intensive Language Study
The Pitzer language faculty use an interactive approach to language teaching that focuses on facilitating communication with people of your host community.

Directed Independent Study Projects
Pitzer programs provide an opportunity for you to conduct a directed independent study project. Most programs can provide opportunities to complete a project to meet major requirements in any of the academic majors at Pitzer.

Community Learning Projects
Pitzer is committed to developing strong relationships with its host communities. On some programs, this results in ongoing community service opportunities that are a component of the core course.

Family Stays
Central to the success of Pitzer programs is an extended stay with one or more host families. More than any other aspect of a Pitzer program, family stays help you understand the host culture and the issues important to their community and country.

Limited Number of Participants
To best support your learning and minimize the impact of our group’s presence on host communities, we limit the maximum number of students in our programs to a level appropriate for each program site, generally from 12 to 20. Sites with rural components often have more restricted enrollments than sites in urban centers.

Health and Safety
Helping you stay healthy and safe while abroad is a priority for Pitzer. We ask you to pay careful attention to health and safety guidelines in pre-departure materials and during orientation sessions.

Request for Accomodation
Pitzer College is committed to supporting students with disabilities or special needs whenever possible. We strongly encourage students with disabilities or special needs to meet with a member of the Office of Study Abroad staff to discuss their specific requirements.  All students are required to complete the Request for Accommodation in their acceptance packet. The ability of Pitzer College, the exchange host institution, or the program sponsor to offer reasonable accommodations during study abroad will vary from program to program and is addressed on a case by case basis.

Pitzer Direct-Run Programs Enhance Scholarship Eligibility
Pitzer’s cultural immersion programs make students strong candidates for Fulbright Fellowships and other prestigious national awards like the Watson and Rotary Scholarships. The majority of Pitzer students winning such fellowships completed a Pitzer study abroad program.