Proposing a Faculty-Led Program

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Developing a faculty-led program, short term (2 to 10 weeks) or semester-long, is a lengthy process that involves early discussions as well as timely completion of a detailed proposal form. The general recommendation is to work with the department on the academic content, as well as with your college liaison and Education Abroad regarding the requirements and access to resources, such as education providers that can deliver logistical support in the foreign location. A course offered as part of a faculty-led program should be taught almost entirely overseas, with at least 50% of the contact hours occurring while abroad. This will be verified and submitted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) for approval of the foreign location. The proposal submission is typically done 12 months ahead to allow state approvals, development, recruitment and student preparation for the program.

Resources

• Education Abroad Proposal for New Programs
• Education Abroad Proposal for Recurring Programs
• THECB Guidelines for Study Abroad Courses
• Education Abroad College Liaisons

Thinking of Creating a Program?

Start by contacting your Education Abroad College Liaison or the Education Abroad office to learn about requirements and available resources. You can also request a list of vetted providers for your chosen location, as your proposal will need to include the name of the partner or provider you plan to work with.

For assistance, reach out to:
Christie Dunn, Associate Director
Email: cadunn@tamu.edu

Steps to Create a Faculty-Led Education Abroad Program

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STEP 1: Academic Review and Support

Faculty-led programs offer TAMU courses and potentially other academic components. Faculty should meet with the appropriate academic department head to review the courses they wish to offer. Faculty-led courses need to show in their syllabi that more than 50% of the contact hours will be taught abroad. Contact hours are lectures, activities, and visits that directly relate to the course content. Meal, transportation time, or cultural visits may not be counted as contact hours. The typical ratio includes 1 credit hour per week with 15 contact hours.

STEP 2: Creating and Submitting a Proposal

Faculty should work with their college’s Education Abroad liaison and the Education Abroad staff for guidance throughout the course proposal process.

Proposal Deadlines

Submit proposals to your Education Abroad College Liaison by:

• February 1 – For programs with course registration in Spring semester, including Winter Break and May.
• May 1 – For programs with course registration in Summer, and for August programs with registration in Fall.
• October 1 – For programs with course registration in Fall semester.

 

Resources & Documents

• Education Abroad Proposal for New Programs
• Education Abroad Proposal for Recurring Programs
• THECB Guidelines for Study Abroad Courses

STEP 3: Once Your Proposal is Approved

Your Education Abroad College liaison will submit the proposal to the associate or assistant dean of international programs. Once approved by your college, the proposal will be sent to Education Abroad for review and final approval. Faculty will receive an approval letter confirming that the program planning can proceed from the EA office.

An Education Abroad advisor will be assigned to work with faculty to provide assistance throughout the many phases of development, implementation, and post-program activities as well as in emergency and crisis situations abroad.

Coordination Timeline

 

Education Abroad offers two service levels for faculty-led programs: Standard service, which is fully supported by Education Abroad; Limited service, which is supported more by the faculty’s home department and/or college. Each service level comes with a different fee charged to the students. Please see the Service Levels Matrix as a summary of how the office can support you, depending on your department and business office needs and choice.

Refer to the following timelines for more information and steps on how to prepare for a program. Keep in touch with your college education abroad liaison for specific details throughout the development process.