Why Study Abroad?

Northwestern encourages students in all of its schools to spend all or some of their junior year studying abroad. Study Abroad is a crucial part of a well-rounded undergraduate education; take it from some important figures:

  • "International education prepares our citizens to live, work, and compete in the global economy, and promotes tolerance and the reduction of conflict. [. . .] [I]t is important for American students to learn other languages, experience foreign cultures, and develop a broad understanding of global issues."
    - Colin Powell

  • "We are all being influenced by the same tides of political, social and technological change. We are connected by travel, sport, communications and commerce. Your actions here in Evanston can influence life in Eritrea; and what happens in India has implications for Illinois. [. . .] And in such a world, we need each and every individual to act as a global citizen."
    - Kofi Annan, speaking at Northwestern University's commencement, 2002

But why spend time studying in a foreign country when you worked so hard to get to Northwestern in the first place? This is a good question, and this page explains some of the most important reasons that Northwestern views study abroad as a crucial part of a well-rounded undergraduate education.

To become a "Global Citizen" in today's interconnected world

Now, more than ever, our world is interconnected. To be successful--personally, intellectually, and professionally--students need to become "global citizens," skilled at interacting in and between multiple cultures and capable of analyzing issues on a global level.

As Colin Powell's statement above suggests, getting an international education -- in other words, studying abroad -- is one of the best ways for students to build global competence. Specifically, the experience can help students do the following:

Develop new perspectives on academic subjects and real-world issues

Study abroad lets students study a variety of subjects in more depth and from different cultural perspectives. Outside the classroom, students' personal education is enhanced through their daily interactions in the foreign culture, with host families or housemates from their host country and others in their community.

Achieve proficiency in a foreign language

While students can learn grammar and vocabulary at Northwestern, it is impossible to become truly proficient in a foreign language without using it in a real-world setting. Studying abroad in a non-English-speaking country enables students to really master another language in the ultimate "language classroom."

Experience personal growth

Study abroad is a challenging adventure, academically and personally. Students who return from abroad consistently report that they developed a greater sense of independence and confidence in capabilities.

Develop valuable career skills

Northwestern's University Career Services Office reports that students who study abroad often develop career skills that make them especially marketable, including:

  • Critical thinking
  • Teamwork
  • Motivation
  • Problem solving
  • Expanded worldview
  • Ability to learn effectively in unfamiliar settings
  • Good judgment
  • Objectivity
  • Independence
  • Leadership
  • Foreign languages
  • Multicultural perspectives
  • Adaptability/flexibility
  • Communication
  • Self-confidence

To extend Northwestern studies

While studying abroad, students remain enrolled at Northwestern. They may earn Northwestern credit for their coursework abroad and, in many cases, even fulfill major, minor, or school requirements.

Students often take courses that build on work they did during their freshman and sophomore years at Northwestern, and some even do independent research projects abroad. The Study Abroad Office actively encourages independent research abroad. Through the Study Abroad Research Program (SARP), the Office invites exceptional students to participate in special pre-departure seminars that prepare them to carry out research projects while abroad.

An increasing number of students have been conducting research abroad and then working with Northwestern faculty upon their return to Evanston to turn their projects into senior honors theses. For example, one student who studied in Chile wrote her thesis on the urban experiences of Mapuche in Santiago; another student who studied in Israel wrote his thesis on the media construction of Yasir Arafat as Israel's negotiating partner. In addition, a number of study abroad returnees have worked with Northwestern's Office of Fellowships to pursue fellowships for post-graduate study, either in their study abroad country, a different country, or in the U.S.

To take part in a life-changing experience

With proper planning and preparation, the study abroad experience can truly be life changing. Nationwide, students who have studied abroad consistently count their international experience as one of the best parts of their college careers. They report that they not only advanced academically, but also acquired a renewed sense of intellectual energy and focus, as well as a more sophisticated view of the world around them. In all, for those students who undertake the challenge, living and studying abroad is one of the most exciting and enriching opportunities available at Northwestern.

Take it from Northwestern returnees:

  • "Study abroad was great in that it changed the way I view my home and my country. It brought a new sense of self, a new awareness of my American place in the world. I now know how to travel anywhere and be alone overseas. And in terms of my [Classics] major, it allowed me to see who the Greeks and Italians really were and how they are now."
    - Elizabeth Gabel, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Study Abroad in Greece

  • "I loved [my] program. It was probably the best experience of my life and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I learned so much about myself, others, and the world around me. I can truly say that my experience there has changed me and my life goals in a way that staying at school would have never been able to do."
    - Jessica Tai, School of Education and Social Policy, Study Abroad in South Africa