When developing a new short term program there are many factors to consider. UNC Charlotte Education Abroad encourages interested faculty to reach out to our office for a consultation meeting to begin the process. Faculty are also asked to enroll in the Program Development 101 Canvas course prior to beginning a proposal.
Program Types
There are three main types of Faculty-Led programs; embedded, freestanding, and registration. The cost structure, registration process, and academic components vary for each.
Usually offered during academic breaks (e.g. spring break or summer)
Embedded programs combining an on-campus course with learning abroad (e.g. spring break), or freestanding programs taught entirely abroad with some pre-departure on-campus meetings (e.g. summer)
Designed around a particular theme or topic
Discipline-specific or interdisciplinary
Credit amount varies (usually 3-6 credits)
Prerequisites are possible, but not required
Usually fulfill general education requirements and/or major/minor requirements
Typical minimum enrollment of 10 students
Require at least a 2.0 GPA
Can only be open to UNC Charlotte students (may allow non-UNC Charlotte students for summer programs only)
Classroom instruction, experiential learning, or hybrid instruction
Typically incorporates excursions, site visits, field assignments, cultural activities, discussion, reflection, and free time
Embedded Programs
Embedded programs incorporate a study abroad experience as a component of an on campus UNC Charlotte course(s) taught during the Fall or Spring semester offering students a unique study abroad opportunity to incorporate coursework with an international experience during a term recess.
Freestanding Programs
A Freestanding program is a UNC Charlotte-operated faculty-led program that offers UNC Charlotte credit. Freestanding simply means that the study abroad program’s course content is delivered almost entirely on-site abroad. Most freestanding programs run during the summer during the Summer I or II terms, or span both terms, and can vary in length.
Registration Programs
Programs that are non-credit bearing, or programs that are credit bearing but have a non-credited travel component, are typically categorized as a “registration program”. These include (but are not limited to) international conference travel, student organizations traveling with a faculty leader, other groups traveling with university funds.
Program Development Timeline
We urge you to consult with our office as soon as you begin thinking about developing a new program. Development of a program proposal takes generally 2-4 months. And then it takes an additional 10-12 months to implement and run the program.
The proposal phase refers to putting together the program components and submitting your materials to EA through the online application system. Materials you will need to submit include:
Faculty Director Information (yours plus any addition program leaders)
Program Information and Description
Course and Academics Information (undergraduate and graduate credit)
Draft Program Itinerary
Draft Program Budget
Program Health and Safety Considerations
We will also provide to you some helpful resources including:
Navigating EA Portal
Developing a program budget
Designing a program itinerary
Developing your programs’ academic and eligibility requirements
Resources for Program Development
When choosing a location for your program please review and consider the Travel Policy to Restricted Areas.
The development phase comes after your proposal has been received and approved. You will begin to work with EA on finalizing the program details, providing information, and reviewing resources to begin planning and recruiting for your program.
Resources include:
Education Abroad Policies for Students
EA Portal Terminology
Reviewing Student Applications in Terra Dotta
Tips for Recruiting and Marketing Your Program
Resources for Students (LGBTQ, Students with Disabilities, Financial Need, etc.)
Once the application deadline has passed and your program has reached its minimum enrollment number it is time to implement! You will be moved into a new stage of the process, and a new page in our system. This stage is called “Faculty Director Requirements” and is designed to assist you in preparing to lead your program overseas.
Throughout the year, various third party organizations offer grant funding opportunities to develop short term customized programs. Faculty seeking opportunities to develop a new program should explore funding well in advance of submitting a proposal to UNC Charlotte Education Abroad. We have created a page on this website listing the current opportunities that we are aware of being offered. Keep in mind that these grants often have deadlines well before the proposal deadline at UNC Charlotte and you must begin planning early! We recommend that you check back on the Funding Opportunities page frequently as opportunities are added regularly. Please consult with the Assistant Director for Faculty-Led & Short Term Programs in UNC Charlotte Education Abroad if you are interested in submitting a proposal to ensure your program interests are in alignment with UNC Charlotte practices.
