Learn the benefits of field work study abroad—and how this experience can accelerate YOUR education. ☆ There’s inherent value in study abroad. You’re thrown from your norm, tossed into new and unfamiliar classrooms, and surrounded by students from all around the globe. And while study abroad can be a great time to knock out some gen ed’s or courses unrelated to your major while abroad, there’s a way that you can take your international studies even deeper:
Field. Work. Study. Abroad.
Hands on group work while studying abroad will broaden both your views and skills.
Get out there and tap into the benefits of experiential learning—of being immersed in an environment conducive to your academic goals, giving you real-life, hands-on experience in your field of choice. Whether you want to study new habitats and wildlife in New Zealand, participate in medical research in Latin America, or conduct archaeological excavations in Israel, there’s a research and field work oriented study abroad program out there for YOU.
Still not convinced? Here’s what makes field work study abroad great.
Why participate in field work study abroad?
1. You’ll learn in new and exciting ways.
Educators around the world agree that “learning by doing” is the new black. Memorization of material can only get you so far; when you add in an experiential element, you connect to the material in profound and longer-lasting ways. You’ll use critical thinking, sensory development, and problem solving to make immediate decisions and consume course material. That’s a recipe for accelerated and deep-rooted learning.
2. It connects theory and practice.
Nothing tops real, first-hand experience as a method for learning. While the learning curve can be steep, your ability to retain the information and concepts will be sky-high. It brings the stale (sorry textbook authors) content from your coursebook to life. This means you’ll be able to help, say, your fellow classmate with solving a problem or question on the material fairly quickly (you’ll go from student to teacher just like THAT!).
Learn by experience when you engage in field work study abroad.
3. There are social and interpersonal skill gains.
Teamwork born of field work study abroad challenges students to develop soft skills, such as communication, leadership, and friendship. When you’re working in a bubble on that research paper, the only real friend you’re going to make is the # of tiles in the ceiling. When you’re doing a group project—perhaps with students from all of the world with shared interests—your social and interpersonal skills will grow tremendously. Cross-cultural sensitivities, for the win!
4. Classrooms aren’t really that much more exciting abroad.
You’ve got your teacher at the front of the class. You’ve got your blackboard. You’ve got your standard desks and uncomfortable chairs. You forgot your pen (again). The truth is, studying in a classroom abroad is preeeettty much the same as studying in a classroom at your own university. The benefit of field work study abroad is that you get to break free from the classroom and learn in new environments—explore further afield!
5. You’ll connect with other students who have specialized interests like yours!
There’s only so much common ground between you and that student from Spain in your Psychology 101 class abroad. But when you take specialized courses, like Contemporary Pacific Cultures or Argentina Cinema, you’re bound to find a community of like-minded peers with tons of shared interests. This is *great* fodder for lifetime friendships (and nerding out on hyper-specific topics without judgment!).
Every day will look different.
6. You can’t really slack off.
We love how field work study abroad programs engage students fully—there’s little nodding off when you’re meeting amazing locals while interviewing professionals on Music in Pop Culture in your study abroad destination. It’s up to YOU to make sure your project is successful; a high-focus on collaborative learning means you’re invested in project outcomes with your entire being.
7. You could be exposed to possible career paths.
Wouldn’t you want to find out now that you don’t love counting bees or surveying kiwis, even though you thought that your post-college life would involve a lot of animal GPS monitoring? Test the waters with a potential career path now so that you have more insight into the next steps you should take to secure that future dream job. Note: Your new professors and local contacts are GREAT individuals for “information interviews” if you’re serious about exploring your vocation while abroad.
8. You can follow your joy.
Writing a research paper or conducting lab work requires YOU to determine your main subject matter. If you’re loving the Maori language, incorporate lessons from those classes into your research paper on indigenous development. If you thought the patterns on that piece of ancient China (from China) was magnificent, use it to influence your essays on the contemporary culture of that art piece’s existence. There are myriad ways for your field work to criss-cross with other subjects you’re studying—and you’re absolutely encouraged to blur the lines and find topics that excite you. This personalized approach to learning is, bar none, the most beautiful part of a field work study abroad program.
There are plenty of ways to participate in field work study abroad depending on your major.
Next steps to finding field work study abroad programs
Don't pack your research tools juuuust yet. There are a few items on your study abroad to do list you should check off first.
- Decide where to go. Figuring out where to study abroad isn’t easy. The gorgeous highlands of Scotland? Somewhere down under? Don't let anything hold you back—choose a place that's right for you.
- Choose your study abroad program. Popular field work study abroad programs include the University of Otago and the School for Field Studies. Pay attention to past participants’ reviews, program/university reputation, location, and your ease of getting credits. Some schools or providers may even provide contact info for student ambassadors or past international students if you want the REAL dirt. Here’s our guide to choosing between study abroad programs.
- Plan your finances. Sort out funding before you go to afford daily essentials and splurge in travel (in addition to program costs and airfare). Do your research to have an idea of how much your study abroad program will cost. Check out scholarships for study abroad too!
- Talk to your home university. Getting all your ducks in a row is largely dependent on what your home university requires. Talk to a study abroad advisor or the equivalent at your university to see what choices are available to you.
Get out there and get your hands dirty!
And all that hard work will pay off.
This is a radical departure from traditional learning methods. Study abroad programs with a focus on experiential learning allow you to learn and flourish at YOUR pace. It takes the learning beyond the classroom. The flipped classroom is a great place to be—especially for young, hungry, intrepid travelers like you!
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This article was written in conjunction with the University of Otago in New Zealand. The University of Otago specializes in hands-on study abroad courses for all student participants, with subjects varying from Ecology to Anthropology to Politics and Marine Science and beyond. Check out their website to find exciting field work study abroad opportunities today!
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