University of Massachusetts Abroad

The International Programs Office, through its University of Massachusetts Abroad program, offers a wide variety of international exchange and overseas study programs. Those listed below offer structured opportunities for graduate students. In addition, there are many overseas programs which may assist graduate students in fulfilling foreign language requirements. Graduate students may also pursue research abroad as part of their degree programs.

International Programs, William S. Clark International Center, tel. (413) 545-2710, may be consulted for all specific information on these and other overseas study and research options. Programs listed below may be suspended under exceptional circumstances due to conditions in the host country.

Baden-Württemberg Program
The University of Massachusetts exchange program with Germany, established in 1964, was expanded in 1983 to include all nine universities in the state of Baden-Württemberg: Freiburg, Heidelberg, Hohenheim, Karlsruhe, Konstanz, Mannheim, Stuttgart, Tübingen, and Ulm. Among the universities virtually all academic disciplines are available, including humanities and social sciences, engineering, business, natural science, and agriculture.

Both graduate and upper-division undergraduate students with a GPA of at least 2.500 are eligible to apply for the academic year or semester. Proficiency in German is not essential for graduate studies, especially in the sciences and engineering. Internships and work placements can be arranged through the program. Scholarships are available through the exchange and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

For applications and additional information contact the Baden-Württemberg Program Director at International Programs, tel. (413) 545-2710.

University of Uppsala
Founded in 1477, Uppsala is the oldest university in Scandinavia and a well-known international research center. The population of the city of Uppsala, located 45 miles north of Stockholm, is about 200,000.

Courses in English are available in many subjects, including natural sciences and mathematics; social studies; political science and government; East European studies; economics; psychology; education; computing science; international media and communication studies; peace and conflict studies; social and economic geography; international business; Swedish culture and society; history; and the history, philosophy and social science of religion.

Applicants should demonstrate general academic strength. Students entering the English-taught program do not need any knowledge of Swedish but will benefit culturally from Swedish-language training.

For more information and an application, contact the International Programs Office, tel. (413) 545-2710.

University of Copenhagen Exchange
The University of Copenhagen, founded in 1479, has nearly 35,000 students and is Denmark’s largest institution of research and education. It is also a major force in the Øresund University, a cooperative venture of Swedish and Danish institutions of higher learning.

The University of Copenhagen has the academic structure of a traditional European university, with six main areas of study: Humanities, Social Sciences, Theology, Science, Health Sciences, and Law.

Each semester the University of Copenhagen offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses in English and fluency in Danish is not required. The University of Massachusetts Exchange Program accepts students for either a semester or a full academic year. Graduate students should inquire with the program coordinator for specific information on graduate program fees.

For more information and an application, contact the International Programs Office, tel. (413) 545-2710.

Year and Semester Program in China
The Chinese University of Hong Kong offers courses in a wide variety of fields such as Asian Studies, English, International Business and Architecture taught in English as well as beginning and intermediate courses in Mandarin and Cantonese. Semester and year options are available and students can earn approximately 15 undergraduate credits per semester. To apply, contact the Associate Director for Asia, International Programs Office, tel. (413) 545-2710.

Beijing Foreign Studies University offers intermediate and advanced Mandarin language courses which include speaking/listening, reading, composition, and newspaper/magazine reading as well as some other culture courses. Semester and year options are available at this campus located in the Haidian District of northwestern Beijing. Students can earn approximately fifteen undergraduate credits per semester. To apply, contact the Associate Director for Asia, International Programs Office, tel. (413) 545-2710.

Year and Semester Program in Japan
Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts situated between Kyoto and Nara offers graduate students the opportunity to study and conduct research for periods of a semester or a year. Graduate students must demonstrate ability to handle course and research work in Japanese language in order to be eligible. To apply, contact the Associate Director for Asia, International Programs Office, tel. (413) 545-2710.

Year and Semester Program in Taiwan
Located in Taichung, Taiwan, the University of Massachusetts Tunghai University exchange program offers coursework at intermediate and advanced levels in Chinese. Both undergraduates and non-degree graduates are eligible to apply, and up to 30 undergraduate credits may be earned. Applicants should have a minimum of one year of college-level Mandarin Chinese by the program start. To apply, contact the Associate Director for Asia, International Programs Office, tel. (413) 545-2710.

European Field Studies Program in Anthropology
The Department of Anthropology offers a three-semester program the centerpiece of which is a semester-long research project in Europe, conducted under the guidance of a department faculty member with extensive field experience in Europe. The program is directed primarily to graduate students, but on occasion, highly qualified undergraduate students may participate.

In the fall semester, students enroll in a preparatory seminar (Anthropology 660), in which each develops a unique research project, and presents it orally and in writing as a formal research proposal. Assuming it is accepted by a jury of department faculty, each student then receives a department stipend (currently $3,500) and joins other students for the spring semester in Europe. Each student then undertakes an individual research project in a particular locale, while enrolling in the Anthropology 685 seminar to analyze research results and prepare final reports.

The program is designed to provide students with an initial research experience early in their graduate careers to form a necessary foundation for later, more profound research projects. For further information, contact the European Program Director, Department of Anthropology, Machmer Hall, tel. (413) 545-2869.

Summer Program at Oxford
A six-week summer program at Trinity College, Oxford, takes place from July to mid-August, offering courses in British literature, art and architecture, politics, history, and law. All courses are taught by British faculty, and the Bodleian Library is available for research. Evening lectures, theater trips to Stratford to see Royal Shakespeare Company performances, and field trips supplement course offerings. Enrollment is open to students inside and outside the University. Admission is competitive. The program seeks motivated students willing to apply themselves seriously to tutorial instruction. University of Massachusetts students are eligible to apply for scholarships. To apply, contact the Director, Oxford Summer Seminar, English Department, Bartlett Hall, tel. (413) 545-1914. Email address: oxford@english.umass.edu.

Summer Program at Salamanca
The Spanish Department sponsors one four-week summer program in July at the Colegio Hispano Continental in Salamanca, Spain. Instruction is by University of Massachusetts faculty, the staff of the Colegio, and visiting faculty. Graduate course offerings include Hispanic Literature, Linguistics, Culture, and the teaching of Spanish. Six University of Massachusetts graduate credits can be earned in the graduate and advanced undergraduate programs, and nine in the language program.

Students may elect to live either with families or in dormitories. For an application, contact the Director, Summer Program in Spain, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, Herter Hall.

Summer Program in Beijing and Shanghai, China and Taichung, Taiwan
The Department of Asian Languages and Literatures sponsors an eight-week, 10-credit summer course in Chinese language at Tunghai University in Taichung, Taiwan. Although only undergraduate credit is granted, graduates are eligible to apply. Minimum requirements for admission are good academic standing and one year of college-level Mandarin Chinese. Courses are taught by the staff of Tunghai University. To apply, contact the Associate Director for Asia, International Programs Office, tel. (413) 545-2710.