I’ve always loved the thought of studying abroad for a semester and my school offers this really cool trip to South Africa for my intended major that I would love to go on. However, I’m also planning to take Japanese all four years. Is doing both of these things impossible? For example, if I miss the 301 class fall semester of my junior year, would I not be able to take 302 in the spring and thus would have to take only 3 years instead?
I have these concerns in particular, but I also don’t understand how scheduling works in general with taking a whole semester off. If you studied abroad for a semester in college, how did you work out scheduling? Thanks
I think it’s really important that you talk with the study abroad office at your college because there are too many variables here for an outsider to answer. For instance, your home college might have some quirky requirements, or your major might have some prerequisites that are only offered at certain times, or your home college might coordinate well with one particular foreign college but not another, etc.
Agree absolutely with @melvin123. How study abroad varies tremendously by college and by major. Most study abroad programs do not involve ‘taking the whole semester off’. Usually you take courses (or do project work) which ties to your final degree. Most of the time you can make it work, but you may have to do summer work. Talk to your advisor and the study abroad office.
…and talk to your major advisor too.
^^^and as early as possible! My D plans to do a 6 month program in Germany spring of her jr. year. She had to arrange her classes differently than students in the same major that aren’t going abroad to make sure she had the prerequisites for the specific courses she can get degree credit from in Germany.
My D did a fall semester in Spain junior year to finish up her Spanish major but it derailed her Mandarin study (she had taken it for 2 years) since there was no 301 class offered when she returned in the spring. The major issue was that as a student studying abroad, she was only allowed to take courses within her major for credit. Only one course while she was in Spain was transferable to her other major (Creative Writing.)
this almost entirely depends on your major, extracurriculars, and school. The best answer youre going to get is probably going to be from people in your program at your school.
It can absolutely mess up your schedule, which is why it’s crucial to talk to your advisor, department and the program before you commit.
Even if you take Japanese 301-302 senior year you’ll still have an excellent level in it (the only way to be better than 300-level is to study there).
So if your major has a semester in South Africa, I assume you’d get course credit toward your major and perhaps some gen eds from classes and experiences there, so won’t be delayed in that respect.
Do speak to your adviser and present a tentative 4-year plan with the semester abroad Fall junior year, Japanese 301-302 senior year, and all your requirements. Ask what s/he thinks about it.