Why Study Abroad for Psychology Majors

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Why should I go?

When should I go?

What classes should I take?

How can I pay for it?

Where should I go?

Why is international experience critical for psychology and social work students?

As a student pursuing a career in Psychology or Social Work, you are passionate about people, intrigued with what makes people "tick" and understanding the various aspects and influences of culture. Furthermore, you desire to connect with and help people. Your work is important, and will demand skills for inter-cultural and cross-communication, the ability to understand and relate with a diverse population of people.  – globalinksaborad.org  

Studying abroad is one of the very best ways you can prepare yourself for your future and give yourself a leg up to enter whichever field you pursue. More than any time in the past, it is critical that students entering such a people-focused field possess a global viewpoint, international experience and understanding of other cultures.

What better way to experience and learn by living and studying in another region of the world? Experience what it is like to be a minority, gain more cultural perspectives, and make a connection with a variety of people from all around the world. Take the chance to develop yourself and your career prospects. If you're taking classes at IPFW about how peoples’ lives and thoughts affect them, imagine how much studying abroad will supplement those courses.  International experience is crucial for professional development.  

79% of people in the United States agree that students should have a study abroad experience sometime during college, but only 1% of students from IPFW currently study abroad each year. Do you want to be the top 1%? Study Abroad!

What Others Say from Gooverseas.com:  

"Although study abroad is not an integral part of training in psychology, it can provide exposure to a wide variety of quality educational experiences, and, as such, can be very fulfilling." -- Columbia University

Freud was German, Pavlov was Russian, and Piaget was Swiss; there is no shortage of brilliant psychological work being done throughout the world, so why not go study psychology abroad for a semester?! 

When should I go?

 IPFW students who have completed at least two full-time semesters on a college campus and have at least a 2.5 GPA can apply at any time.  Many students go abroad during their junior year.  Depending on your interests and goals, you may wish to study for an academic year, a semester, or participate in a specialized summer program.  IPFW Psychology faculty recommends that Junior Spring may be a good time to Study Abroad, though with planning, you can be flexible.

What classes can I take?

 Students will find a wide variety of courses offered throughout the world.  With planning, students are able to transfer courses back to IPFW to fulfill degree requirements.  Elective classes are often easier to transfer back, but students are still able to fulfill degree requirements abroad.  Some students also choose to take the opportunity to complete an internship to enhance their resume and boost their professional development for a truly unique experience. 

What classes in psychology & social work can I study while abroad?

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  How Can I Afford it?

Special Scholarships for Psychology Majors:

• The American Psychology Association (APA) has a searchable database of scholarships
• Gallagher Koster offers yearly scholarships for students studying health services including psychology, and they accept applicants who are studying abroad
• More Study Abroad Grants and Scholarships

Financial Aid

• Students who receive an aid package from federal and state sources may be eligible to apply this aid toward a study abroad program. Support from financial aid varies based on a number of factors such as remaining aid eligibility, program costs, length of stay and type of program. The Office of Financial Aid determines which study abroad programs are approved for financial aid. Please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Financial Aid in Kettler 103 at (260)481-6243.

Scholarships

• There are a number of scholarships available for study abroad programs. We provide a short list of links to different scholarship opportunities in the scholarship page, but we also advise that you visit The Institute of International Education for more study abroad funding information.

Where can I go?

Featured Semester Programs

All ISEP Exchange Programs around the world

Featured Summer Programs

Other options - IU/Purdue/ and 3rd Party Providers

Universities in many different countries offer top-notch psychology programs, allowing study abroad students to study with the greatest thinkers-about-thought in a whole range of different places. It's no surprise that the UK is full of highly ranked programs.  China's universities also rank quite highly according to U.S. News.  Australia, too, boasts amazing Psychology programs.

If you're looking for a destination that's a bit more off the beaten path, try Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, or the Netherlands.  – by Emma Cramer for Gooverseas.com

Featured Programs for Psychology Majors:

IPFW Summer Programs: Scotland Field School in Cultural Anthropology with faculty leader Doug Kline

IPFW Semester programs:

Australia                            Estonia                     Ghana

 Study in Australia! Live a life of "no worries!"

Experience what Australia has to offer! Study for a year or semester abroad on the ISEP Direct program at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). With the universities two unique campuses, students can choose between beach and urban campus settings.

The larger of the campuses, Toowoomba, is located 2 hours from the Gold Coast – home to a world-famous beautiful beaches like Surfers Paradise! Toowoomba is one of Australia's largest inland cities and offers an urban-rural lifestyle in a secure and laid-back environment. The smaller Fraser Coast campus is located at Hervey Bay, a 40 minute flight or 4 hour drive north of Brisbane. The Bay is a great location for international students thanks in part to its excellent climate, calm waters, pristine beaches and relaxed lifes

Highlighted Courses include: PSY1030 Cross-Cultural and Indigenous Psychology, PSY2010 Social Processes of Behaviour  PSY2020 Motivation and Emotion  PSY2030 Developmental Psychology  PSY3030 Abnormal Psychology PSY3050 Counselling Psychology, PSY3110 Clinical Health Psychology  ,PSY3111 Research Methods in Psychology B, PSY3250 Sport Psychology , PSY3730 Industrial and Organisational Psychology

Spend a summer, semester, or full year in fascinating Estonia, the northernmost of the three Baltic States. The University of Tartu (UT) is located in the heart of Estonia's second largest city, Tartu. Founded in 1632, UT is one of the oldest universities in Northern Europe. UT offers a broad choice of lectures in English and international programs, and the university has received numerous European and national quality awards for its academic excellence. UT's staff and students come from over 40 countries, making it a truly international university. The University of Tartu offers a modern study and research environment in an historic atmosphere. Come and experience it for yourself!

"Tartu is a great place to study! It's full of energy, full of excitement, and there are always fun events and things going on to keep you busy! It is a great way to meet people from ALL over the world and especially a great way to learn so much about many different cultures" - Karlie, USA

Highlighted Courses:  Psychology of Control, Developmental Psychopathology, Sociology of Gender, Essentialism, psychology, evolution and ethics, Cross-Cultural Psychology, Health Promotion and Medical Sociology, Many Baltic and European Society & Culture courses, and a lot more!

Top 3 Reasons to Study in Tartu

1. The University of Tartu is one the finest research institutions in the world. UT has reached the top 1% of the most-cited universities and scientific institutions in environmental sciences and ecology, clinical medicine, plant and animal science, and chemistry
2. The location of Tartu is perfect for further travelling in Northern and Eastern Europe. Tartu is very close to Riga, Vilnius, Saint Petersburg, Helsinki ,and Stockholm, making it a perfect launching pad for weekend adventures.
3. Every year the University of Tartu hosts over 600 international students from more than 30 countries in its degree and semester programs, which makes it a truly multicultural study and living environment.

Located along the sunny, western coast of Sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana prides itself on being one of the most peaceful, travel-friendly, and welcoming countries in the world. As the second country to obtain independence from colonial rule and as a global leader in the cocoa and gold industries, Ghana represents great stability and is a prototype of a quickly growing economy on the African continent. Though English is the official language, the country has an abundance of local languages. Ghana welcomes YOU – with blaring hip-life music in the streets, screaming football fanatics, famously bright fabrics and cloths, bustling shopping markets, endless sunshine and tranquilizing beaches. AKWAABA to Ghana!

Volunteer in Ghana and Engage with the Community

Ghana offers the unique experience of applying your academic, professional, or personal interests in the local community through volunteer programs. There are several opportunities for ISEP students to work alongside champions in community development in greater Accra, focusing on education, health, child development, civil preservation, the environment, and disabled populations.

Some of the organizations that students may choose from are:
Beacon House Children's Home
Mawuvio's Outreach Programme
Global Civic Preservation
New Horizon Special School
West African AIDS Foundation

Highlighted Courses: PSYC 102  Psychology for Everyday,  PSYC 303 Statistics for Psychologists,   PSYC 305 Psychology of Personality  , PSYC 307 Human Growth & Development: Infancy, Childhood andA dolescence, PSYC 401 Higher-Order Cognition, PSYC 415 Guidance and Counselling    and over 40 more!

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Featured Summer Programs

Vienna-IES Summer Psychology Program

• This is an IU Co-Sponsored Program
• Summer Program with the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES)
• Center located at Palais Corbelli, an 18th-century palace in the heart of Vienna

• Typical enrollment: 15-30 students from U.S. colleges and universities
• IES "Summer Psychology" Program*
• 6 IU credits for 2 IES courses
• German language course (Required, GER-OS 100*, 3 credits, students will need to take a German placement exam upon return for German language credit)
• Psychology and Society (PSY-OS 300, 3 cr.)
• Health Psychology and Communication Skills (PSY-P 303, 3 cr.)
• Field trips and cultural events

IUPUI Japan: Health Care Professions 

The mission of the program is to enhance the academic experience of undergraduate students through a cross-cultural communication and cultural immersion experience that prepares them to live and work in a society that is culturally different from their own.  As a result of this experience, students are expected to have a greater understanding of their own culture and that of the eastern culture of Japan.  Students will be immersed in Japanese culture while exploring in depth its communication and cultural patterns, and, in particular, the Japanese health care system.   While in Japan students will receive an orientation and will visit the historic cities Kyoto and Hiroshima during a  three-day field trip Students will earn 3 credits in EALC-E 351 (Intercultural Understanding across the Health Care Disciplines).

Other Programs available through IU Overseas Study,  Purdue Study Abroad or Third-Party Providers

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ISEP Programs in Psychology- In English Around the World, click here for a PDF

Available Countries:

• Australia
• Austria
• Botswana
• Canada
• England
• Fiji
• Ghana
• Hungary
• Lithuania
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Mexico
• N. Ireland
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Spain
• Turkey