Let’s face it: No one wants to go to school in the summer. But many students ““ myself included ““ have sacrificed one or more of their summer breaks to fulfill degree requirements.
For me, these past few weeks of classes could have been as mundane as they were in the past had I not noticed that I could take the same classes in an entirely different country in half the time and for almost the same price. I didn’t merely read Shakespeare’s plays, I saw them performed live at places such as the Globe Theatre with the help of UCLA’s Travel Study program.
I used to think, as I suspect many do, that studying abroad was only for those with money and time lying around. With growing student fee rates and shrinking wallets, a romanticized trip around the world is probably the last thing on a student’s list of priorities.
Yet studying abroad doesn’t just have to be the icing on your college cake; all things considered, it’s hardly more expensive than a single quarter here at home and could even help you graduate early.
These UCLA professor-led programs ““ there are more than 50 to choose from in a myriad of countries ““ cost between $3,000 and $5,000, offer between eight and 16 units of UCLA credit, and last about four weeks to six weeks.
The cost includes everything except airfare, spending money and textbooks. This might seem daunting at first, but it’s not as though that $4,000 bill on URSA includes housing payments, living expenses or textbooks for 11 weeks either.
Even though you can’t take as many units as you would at home, you could find (as I did) that it nevertheless lets you graduate early. That’s because you don’t have to worry about getting into your classes or time conflicts as long as you sign up for the program by the deadline. I’m especially grateful; both upper division classes I took during summer are currently wait-listed for the fall.
Finances aside, there are various other reasons why you should think of Travel Study as a golden opportunity rather than a superfluous vacation. Many students’ GPAs even go up after coming home because they’ve become more engaged in what they’re learning. This seems inevitable given the outstanding live performances, guest speakers and historic exhibits that supplement lecture. Mingling with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s actors at the local pub doesn’t hurt either.
There’s also no hassling with ill-timed enrollment appointments, some courses even count for honors credit, and the program itself lasts a fraction of the time of a normal quarter. My roommate was able to do two consecutive Travel Study programs ““ 20 units ““ in a mere eight weeks.
The biggest and perhaps only drawback of Travel Study is there may not yet be a program for your specific department. However, students always have the option of going through a Travel Study program through another UC at no additional cost or petitioning for major credit through their department.
And the Travel Study program is expanding quickly despite budget cuts, according to Mandy Sutton, study abroad student services coordinator. Just this past summer, three new programs in Senegal, Rio de Janeiro and Shanghai were added, which provide course credit in five different departments.
With a little prior planning, studying abroad can become a reality that fits neatly into both your purse and your transcript. If you’ve never been out of the country before ““ like the more than 40 percent of those who participate in the program ““ I say go for it. It’s one college experience where you can have your cake and eat it, too.