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For Faculty: Proposing a Faculty-Led Seminar

Proposing a Faculty-Led Seminar

Faculty are key to the sustainable success of study abroad at Baldwin Wallace University. Faculty have a tremendous influence on students' learning and development. In addition to faculty being encouraged to promote study abroad opportunities during their in-classroom interactions with students, they also have the opportunity to work with the Explorations Office to create, plan, and lead a study abroad program. Explorations provides administrative and logistical support for all faculty-led study abroad seminars. Faculty-led study abroad programs are designed to encourage a variety of students to study abroad. These opportunities would not be possible without the dedication and effort of the faculty who direct these programs.

The information provided in this section of our website is intended for faculty who, with the support of their department and college/school, are interested in developing and administering a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Seminar at Baldwin Wallace University. 


What is a faculty-led study abroad seminar?

A Faculty-Led seminar is defined as an off-campus experience that is tied to a BW course in which students and professors travel together, in or outside the United States for an extended period of time. A study abroad seminar can be created around any discipline.


Why lead a seminar abroad?

Faculty-led study abroad seminars at Baldwin Wallace University promote learning through experience, encourage participants to make meaningful contacts with cultures different from their own, and offer the opportunity for participants to explore a unique physical location.  Students will build a strong connection with faculty seminar leaders while taking advantage of their expertise in the field.


Program Length

Faculty-Led Seminars follow a 3+1 model. This means there is an on-campus 3-credit hour course + a 1-credit hour travel course.  The on-campus course must be a full-semester course. The travel portion of a faculty-led seminar is typically 2-3 weeks in length.

Academics

Student Academic Credit

  • Short-term seminars are 4 credit hours. 


Faculty Teaching Credit

  • Faculty members leading short-term seminars will count the course(s) as part of their load for that semester. Flexibility will be granted to faculty teaching load to allow attaching the +1 course to the spring semester or to summer.


International Studies Core Requirement 

Any BW Study Abroad Program, approved by the Explorations/Study Abroad Advisory Council, will full the international studies undergraduate core requirement.


Experiential Learning Requirement (EXP)

Any BW Study Abroad Program, approved by the Explorations/Study Abroad Advisory Council, will fulfill BW’s experiential learning requirement. Experiential learning is the primary goal of faculty-led seminars and can only be successful with the careful planning and programming of BW faculty members. Although each seminar will have different secondary goals – some of which may be connected to a specific subject area or discipline, while others may be more interdisciplinary – all faculty-led seminars should provide meaningful experiential learning complemented by a rigorous academic program.


How do I get started?

Faculty-Led Seminar Proposals are due 2-3 years in advance to ensure students have plenty of time to plan and raise funds, to allow faculty time to complete exploratory site visits, and for recruitment to be successful. Before starting your proposal, the Study Abroad Center recommends meeting with your school's Study Abroad Liaison. They can offer advice and assistance with the proposal process as each liaison is a member of the Study Abroad Advisory Council. Please contact the Center for Global Exploration for your school's Study Abroad Liaison contact information. 

Proposal Process

NEW PROGRAMS (At least 3 years in advance)
It is the responsibility of the participating faculty to prepare a proposal using the guidelines below:
  1. At least 3 years before the prospective date of travel, speak with the Director of Study Abroad for advice about how best to frame the proposal to meet the Advisory Council's criteria for Purpose, Academic Components, Safety, Seminar Balance, and Resources. Note: If the proposal will include a Service Learning course, notify and meet with the director of Service Learning.
  2. At least 2 years before the prospective date of travel, draft the proposal and obtain approval from all department/division heads through the appropriate faculty process of the disciplines involved in the prospective seminar.
Note: If new courses are being developed for this seminar or if they include existing courses being modified for I or D designation, obtain approval from the appropriate Curriculum Committee for all of those courses. Seminars cannot be submitted for Study Abroad Advisory Council approval until new courses have been approved by the appropriate committee.
  1. Submit the completed proposal to the Study Abroad Advisory Council for discussion, recommendations, approval, and if/when approved scheduling. Proposals are due 2 years in advance by the following deadlines:
  • SPRING SEMINARS: March 15 (i.e. Applications for Spring 2022 seminars are due no later than March 15 of 2020).
  • FALL SEMINARS: October 15 (i.e., applications for fall 2022 seminars are due no later than October 15 of 2020).
**Note: once the application has been approved, all seminar directors must attend an Emergency preparedness/risk management workshop

Pre-Existing Seminar Approval
  1. Pre-existing seminars must resubmit an updated application and proposal at least 2-years in advance (the approval process will be the same as above). This also includes long-standing seminars where structure and systems do not change on a regular basis. Seminars that are traveling during the above deadlines must notify the Director of Study Abroad of intent to resubmit a proposal prior to departure so that it can be included in the vetting process for that semester. If a seminar is on a 2-year rotation schedule (and traveling during the above deadline), evaluations and proposals must be submitted within 60 days of return. For example:
  • A May 2020 term seminar that wishes to repeat in 2-years for May 2022 will have a proposal deadline of August 1, 2020.
  • A Fall 2020 seminar that wishes to repeat in 2 years for Fall 2022 will have a proposal deadline of February 28, 2021.
**Note: A letter of intent must be filed with the Study Abroad Center to meet the 2-year deadline.
Faculty Requirements upon return
  1. The faculty leader(s) must submit a comprehensive written summary to the Study Abroad Advisory Council.
  2. The faculty leader(s) must complete the online faculty survey. The survey details will be emailed to the faculty within 30 days of return.

Proposal Deadlines

Proposals are due 2 years in advance by the following deadlines:
 
  • Spring Seminars: March 15 (I.E., Applications for Spring 2023 Seminars are due no later than March 15 of 2021)
  • Fall Seminars: October 15 (I.E., Applications for Fall 2023 Seminars are due no later than October 15 of 2021)


Before submitting your proposal, consider the following:


Contact Explorations/Study Abroad

Meet with the Study Abroad Center Director, Christie Shrefler (chking@bw.edu ), and the Chair of the Study Abroad Advisory Council to discuss your program proposal.


Meet with your Department Chair

Receive approval from your department chair. Ensure that your department supports your seminar as a University authorized course.


Complete proposal

Online Application for Proposing a Faculty-Led Seminar  (The Study Abroad Advisory Council will review each proposal and accept/decline the proposed seminar.)