Off-Campus Programs
Off-campus programs are available to all Albion College students who maintain a sufficient grade point average. Many of these programs provide opportunities for students in the Center for Sustainability and the Environment to broaden their experience in ways impossible on campus. Whether it be to study the marine, urban or tropical environment first hand; to appreciate a different culture’s perspective on American policies; or to take environmental courses at a European or Australian University, off-campus opportunities can be an invaluable experience. Below we list a sampling of opportunities.
More information on off-campus programs is available at the Albion Center for International Education and Brits Abroad catalog.
Urban Programs
Gives students an opportunity to become engaged in the environmental problems that beset urban areas. Each of the programs listed below includes experiential components that will fulfill an Environmental Center Internship requirement.
The Chicago Center
Earn credits while studying the cultural arts, politics, economics and social issues in Chicago. The Chicago Center (formally Urban Life Center) is a non-traditional academic program with experience-based seminars that take you out of the classroom and into the heart of the city’s neighborhoods and professional internships in every field of study. Housing is provided in apartments with other Chicago Center students, in a beautiful lakefront neighborhood (Hyde Park).
The Washington Center for Learning Alternatives
Offers an internship program with opportunities in a wide variety of environmental organizations in the DC area. Program components include a 4-day internship, career readiness, and academic course.
The Philadelphia Center
Combines coursework with internships and experiential learning. A wide range of internship opportunities, many appropriate for environmental and sustainability students, is available. Classes and seminars enrich the experience.
The Washington Semester Program
Hosted by American University in Washington D.C. The semester combines study of policy in Washington D.C. with travel, to Costa Rica in the spring semester or to Zimbabwe in the fall. Internships with a wide range of environmental agencies and organizations in the Washington area are also available through this program.
Marine Programs
Gives students opportunities to work on environmental issues related to the world’s oceans in a coastal or ship-board setting.
The Duke University Marine Laboratory
Located on Pivers Island, in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The laboratory is rich in natural, physical and faculty resources for students interested in the environment. Semester and summer programs are available. Courses in marine biology, ecology policy and geology are offered. Independent research projects are encouraged. This program is strongly recommended for students considering graduate work in marine biology.
International and Tropical Programs
Gives students opportunities to address global environmental issues.
The School for Field Studies
A highly recommended program that offers opportunities for classes and internships in Turk and Caicos, Kenya, Costa Rica, and Baja Mexico. The program has a strong environmental emphasis and integrates class work with internships addressing local environmental issues. Some Spanish is required for Costa Rica and Baja Mexico. (SFS Website)
School for International Training (SIT)
SIT has numerous environmental and climate activism programs aimed to introduce students to a diversity of perspectives by combining both the Natural and Social sciences. Students have the opportunity to study in a range of countries, from Iceland to Australia to India and beyond. Topics can be, but are not limited to: land politics, energy use, conservation, resource management, and sustainability.
University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC)
USAC is a non-profit organization providing students access to programs in 26 different countries. With the goal of being affordable, USAC prides itself on giving students a unique experience that will work around their academic schedule. There are opportunities for virtual courses and local internships to still connect with an international education community.
Institute of Field Research (IFR)
A program aimed at connecting students to field schools around the world with a variety of research focuses. Programs can be a few weeks, a semester, or a year-long, depending on the student’s personal preference, and can count as a research credit when cleared with department chairs. (IFR Website)
Environmental Courses Taken Abroad
These can enrich students’ experience in ways not possible on campus. Several of the universities approved for off-campus study for Albion College students are listed below. These offer English language instruction, so students may enroll in advanced and technical courses. Students spending time at these universities should check their programs of study with the Director of the Center for the Study of the Environment as well as the Director of Off-Campus Programs.
Aberdeen, Scotland
Oxford University, England
University of Queensland, Australia
USAC Santiago, Chile
University College Cork, Ireland
University of Cape Town, South Africa
Domestic Field Studies
Available through several programs.
Southwest Field Studies, Earlham College
A field program conducted in the American Southwest. Offered in the spring semester, courses include Natural History of the Colorado River Watershed, Outdoor Education, Environmental Issues in the Arid Southwest, and Cultures of the Southwest. The program includes visits to many natural and cultural sites in the region.
The Border Studies Program
Located in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, is devoted to exploring the cultures, histories, and cross-boundary relationships which are now shaping the identity of the borderlands. International trade and economic development, conflict and cooperation, health and the environment, and human rights and social justice are crucial issues telescoped and compressed into a small geographical area. Students enroll in three courses and complete an internship in an area of interest.
Los Alamos National Laboratories
Located in Los Alamos, New Mexico, LANL offers a well established internship program supporting highschool, undergraduate, graduate and post-doc students in Biology, Engineering, Computer Sciences, and Physical Sciences projects. Students gain experience working in a professional setting doing both lab and field work, while also being exposed to the unique culture of New Mexico.