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Study Abroad in Communication & Media Studies*


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The affiliated study abroad programs listed below either specialize in communication and/or media studies or have extensive course offerings in these areas. Many other affiliated programs also offer courses in these fields. To view the complete list of Northwestern affiliated programs, click here.

Northwestern Study Abroad Requirements: Northwestern has a number of requirements that students must adhere to while they are abroad, including requirements that are particular to individual programs. To view these requirements, click here.

Program/University Courses
University of Stirling (Arcadia)

Stirling, Scotland
  • The Film & Media Studies Department is one of the most renowned in the UK.
  • Subjects of interest taught on a regular basis (though not necessarily every semester or year) include: media and sports, media economics, media and music, documentary film, German film, sociology of news, media and society
  • NU Professor Larry Lichty taught at Stirling as a visiting professor and welcomes student inquiries.
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year

Goldsmiths College, University of London (Arcadia)

London, England

  • The Communications Department is one of the most highly rated in the UK and offers courses in communication studies, RTVF, and journalism; but courses only have a few spaces available for study abroad students, and they fill up quickly.
  • Courses also available in PACE, Goldsmiths’ continuing studies program
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Queen Mary, University of London (Arcadia)

London, England
  • Courses include those focusing on critical approaches to film study; individual auteur studies; national cinemas; courses from a historical or sociological perspective.
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Swansea University (Arcadia University)

Swansea, Wales

  • Media and Communication Studies department offers a wide variety of courses
  • NU Terms: NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year

Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS)

Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Communication & Mass Media program designed for students majoring in communication, media studies, journalism or advertising.
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
University of Melbourne (Arcadia)

Melbourne, Australia
  • Departments in film, media, journalism, international media (no production courses)
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
University of New South Wales (Arcadia)

Sydney, Australia
  • Department of Media and Communications offers courses in film (including production), media, popular culture, and communications
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
(Arcadia University)
Wellington, New Zealand
  • Victoria University offers particularly strong courses in film, media studies, and theater
  • The city of Wellington supports a large theater and film industry
  • NU terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
University of Otago (Direct University Enrollment)
Dunedin, New Zealand
  • Courses in communication studies and film and media studies
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
American University in Cairo

Cairo, Egypt
  • Film courses in history, production, theory, criticism
  • Journalism courses in public relations, advertising, writing and communications.
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year

The following programs teach courses in a foreign language:
Program/University Courses
COPA-Santiago

Santiago, Chile
  • Universidad de Chile and Universidad Catolica both offer courses in communication and media studies.
  • Courses at Universidad de Chile are taught in the Journalism Department and cover a broad spectrum of topics. Students interested in the journalism courses should discuss them with their major advisor.
  • Required: 2.5 years of Spanish  (7 quarters, including Spanish 199)
  • Recommended: Completion of one 200-level Spanish course
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
SIT-Bolivia

Cochabamba, Bolivia
  • The Program director, Ismael Saavedra, is a Bolivian filmmaker whose ethnographic and documentary films have won major international awards. Students may work with him to produce films as their final independent study projects.
  • Language prerequisite: 4 recent quarters of college-level Spanish
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters
Padova Language and Liberal Arts Program (Boston University)

Padova, Italy
  • Courses offered in the Department in Communication and Media Studies at Universita degli Studi di Padova
  • Full year and spring semester only
  • For course listings, see http://www.maldura.unipd.it/ddlcs/index.html
  • Language prerequisite: Level 1 – 1 year or equivalent of college Italian (grades of B or higher); Level II – 2 years or equivalent of college Italian (grades of B or higher)
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Fall-Winter Quarters, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
IES-Berlin

Berlin, Germany
  • Courses offered at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin in Communications, Linguistics, and Media Studies
  • IES also typically teaches some communications and media studies courses
  • Language prerequisite: FS, FY – 2 years or the equivalent of college German; WSQ – 2.5 years or the equivalent of college German
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
IES-Freiburg

Freiburg, Germany
  • Courses offered at Albert-Ludwigs-Universität
  • IES also typically teaches some communications and/or media studies courses
  • Language prerequisite: FS, FY – 2 years or the equivalent of college German; WSQ – 2.5 years or the equivalent of college German
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
IES-Paris

Paris, France
  • Communication and film studies courses offered at Université de Paris VII – Denis Diderot
  • Language prerequisite: FS, FY- 2 years or equivalent of college French; WSQ – 2.5 years or equivalent of college French
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Sweet Briar College Junior Year in France

Paris, France
  • Communication and film studies courses offered at Université de Paris VII – Denis Diderot and Institut Superieur de Pedagogie
  • Language prerequisite: 2 years or equivalent of college French
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Internships in Francophone Europe

Paris, France
  • One semester, intensive internship/academic experience
  • Placement possibilities include: communications departments of NGO's and regional government offices;  communications agencies; print media; press services of government ministries; think tanks or watchdog organizations looking at media issues; film production
  • Language prerequisite: 2  years or equivalent of college French
  • NU Terms: Fall Semester, Winter-Spring Quarters

Earning Major or Minor Credit Abroad

  • You must obtain approval from your advisor to count coursework earned through study abroad toward your School of Communication degree requirements. Research the course descriptions of the classes you hope to take abroad so your advisor can review them. Take a copy of the course descriptions to your appointment with your advisor to obtain approval for study abroad. (That is, you only need to meet with your advisor once!)
  • Attempt to take a broad spectrum of courses: both in and outside your major so that your study abroad experience is maximally beneficial. It is usually possible to graduate on time WITHOUT taking any major courses while studying abroad, so let your interests be your guide, not your worries about graduating. Your advisor will help you with this!
  • Keep a copy of your syllabus and course materials from your abroad classes and bring them to your advisor when you return so you can get proper credit for your course work.
  • Study abroad should be a broadening, cultural immersion experience. Stretch your limits: consider studying in a foreign language and/or for a full year.
  • Credit in SoC will not be given for courses that are inappropriate to the School's curriculum or that do not meet the usual standards for credit in the School.
  • If you are attempting a minor or second major in another school, you must gain permission from that department to apply transfer courses toward that minor or major. It is best to discuss your plans with an advisor in that department BEFORE you go. Credit is never guaranteed, but you have the best likelihood of approval if you talk to the department before you go.

Communication Studies majors:
  • May transfer up to three classes that count towards the three major courses that can be taken anywhere in the School of Communication.
  • Note that the three classes may not replace the nine (10 for the class of 2006 and on) Communication Studies classes that must be taken at Northwestern.
  • May transfer for major credit courses that are similar to courses that are offered in the SoC. That is theatre, media, radio, television, film, drama, communication studies and/or communication sciences and disorders courses can count. The course must be equivalent to a 200 or 300 level course.
  • May transfer courses that count for the field of concentration (outside of the major).
  • May transfer both distribution and elective courses.
  • When you meet with your advisor for their approval signature, you should discuss your course options and how they will fulfill your degree requirements.
  • Are encouraged to strongly consider studying abroad for a full year and incorporating their study abroad work into their curriculum upon return, in an independent study or senior thesis. Discuss these options with your advisor before you go.

Radio/Television/Film majors:
  • May transfer up to two classes that count towards the two major courses that can be taken anywhere in the School of Communication. (Note that the two classes may not replace the six Radio/Television/Film classes that must be taken at Northwestern. The courses must be on the 300 level.)
  • May transfer up to three courses that count toward the three 100/200 level major courses that must be in the School of Communication but not in the RTF department.
  • May transfer for major credit courses that are similar to courses that are offered in the SoC. That is theatre, media, radio, television, film, drama, communication studies and/or communication sciences and disorders courses can count.
  • May transfer both distribution and elective courses. When you meet with your advisor for their approval signature, you should discuss your course options and how they will fulfill your degree requirements.
  • Are encouraged to consider when study abroad best complements their course of study. For example, studying abroad in the second half of the sophomore year is a good option for RTF students who want to focus on production their junior and senior years.
  • Are encouraged to incorporate their study abroad work into their curriculum upon return, in an independent project or senior thesis. Discuss these options with your advisor before you go.

School of Communication Contacts at Northwestern

Name Department Phone Location
Susan Dun Communication Studies 1-7214 1-101 Frances Searle
Roberta Stack Radio/Television/Film 1-7214 202 Annie May Swift
Larry Lichty Radio/Television/Film 1-2244 207 Annie May Swift

 

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