Hi all,
I’m really considering pratt for ED, but study abroad is something that I am really looking forward to, and I’m worried going to Pratt will not allow to me to do so very easily. Engineering programs and schools are notorious and rigid curricula that do not allow for study abroad. Can anyone shed any light on how easily Pratt students can study abroad?
Here’s a recent Chronicle article about the subject. It says that one-third of Pratt students have studied abroad, and that Duke has begun a new program in Costa Rica for Pratt students.
http://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2016/09/from-ciemas-to-costa-rica-duke-designs-study-abroad-program-for-pratt-students
I was a Duke engineer and studied in London for a semester. It is very common and Duke encourages it unlike most engineering schools in the country. It’s not that hard to do so and still fulfill curriculum requirements. I knocked out two engineering courses and an upper life science as well as an art history course over the semester. I’d say a large portion of my engineering friends studied abroad.
The only major difference is that if you want to fulfill more engineering requirements instead of electives that semester, your choices are more likely to be in England and Australia since Duke offers more engineering credits at universities in those countries (probably because you don’t have to take a foreign language while in Pratt so most students choose a place that speaks English… And taking an engineering course in a foreign language would be tough).
So, if studying abroad as an engineer is something you’d like to do, I’d say Duke is a fantastic choice. It’s a great experience to get immersed in another culture and travel, and honestly is nice to have a more laid back semester. The rigor of almost all the engineering schools that Duke students go to abroad pales into comparison to what you experience at Duke.
Good luck!