New GO Short Program Development
Full-time faculty and staff members are encouraged to consider developing new GO Short programs. The first step of the proposal process is a Site Visit proposal. It typically takes about 18 months from conception of a new GO program idea to arriving on site with students for the first time. A great deal of effort goes into developing strong cross-cultural experiences, and the amount of time needed should not be underestimated.
The current priorities for new program development include:
Priority Deadline: December 1, 2022*
You can request a meeting with the Director of GO before proposing a site visit.
Drafting a Proposal
Since Spring 2017, new faculty-led site visit proposals are submitted via the GO Management System. This is the same application system that all students utilize while applying to GO. Capturing your information in the system allows us to not only to keep all of the program information in one place, but it also allows you to have a similar experience to what students go through while applying to your program. These applications guide faculty in program planning and vision and facilitate the process of proposing and leading a GO Short program.
Planning GO Short program takes time, thoughtful consideration, and work. The proposal allows GO Program staff with the necessary program information to assess feasibility and academic integrity of the proposal.
If you complete a site visit in the summer months and hope to travel with students the following summer, you should plan to submit the program proposal to the study away advisory group before the end of the summer.
Eligibility for Program Directors
Generally, faculty/staff should be members of the SU community for one year prior to proposing a GO Short program. Usually one or both Program Directors are faculty members however many PDs are staff members. Many GO Short programs are interdisciplinary by design. In many cases a team of 2 faculty PDs from different departments, or a team of 1 faculty PD and 1 staff PD may be ideal for including a variety of approaches and complementary skills.
A faculty or staff member with an idea for a new GO program should meet with the GO Program to talk about the idea and think about possible co-Program Directors.
Program Director Skills
“Faculty must wear multiple hats when they lead students abroad, from teacher to counselor to administrator.” (Goode, 2008).
While GO Short programs are SU courses, directing a GO Short program is obviously very different than teaching a traditional course. Program Directors must successfully manage all details of traveling with a group of students: logistics, group dynamics, safety and security, back-up plans, and of course, teaching. Few faculty and staff have prior training in the cultivation of cross-cultural skills, the very substance of the requirement itself. Program Directors will be the representatives for SU on the ground, even when using a provider. This is a 24/7 job during the time on site.
To help get prospective Program Directors off on the right foot, the GO Program offers a GO Program Director Self-Assessment as part of the proposal process). This document will help you to better understand the work involved in being a Program Director and if this is a type of work you may wish to pursue. If so, it will help you to identify strengths you bring to this work as well as skills you will want to develop further. GO Program staff will review the assessment with you and assist with skills development.
Additional information about the responsibilities of Program Directors, and information from the Program Director handbook can be found on the Program Director - Current page.
The Basics of a GO Short Program
A GO Short program is led by two Program Directors, who are SU faculty/staff, and generally comprises of 16-20 students. All GO Programs include three pieces: preparation – time in a cross-cultural setting – reflection. For a GO Short program, the cross-cultural setting (in the United States or another country) is a minimum of two weeks on site (14 days not including travel days). All GO Short programs focus primarily on facilitating interaction between SU students and people on location for maximum cultural exchange. Academic focus, service work, etc. varies by program.
The GO course includes:
Learning Goals:
Through completion of an off-campus cross-cultural immersion experience, students demonstrate a complex understanding of culture that enables them to:
Contact Molly Roe, Director of GO, with questions about GO Short proposals.
The current priorities for new program development include:
- US-based programs
- Winter break programs
- Interdisciplinary (as in, not focused on a single major)
- Non-traditional locations (outside of western Europe)
- Programs that include extended time in a single community to promote active and sustained interaction over several days.
- Discuss ideas for new programs with the Director of GO and/or the Dean of Global Programs
- Propose a site visit to be reviewed by the Study Away Advisory Group
- Conduct site visit (if approved)
- Submit program proposal, Curriculum Committee forms, syllabus
- GO program approval / Curriculum Committee approval
- Set budget/program price with the GO Program staff
- Recruit students
- Students apply
- Teach prep-course
- Go on program
- Teach reflection-course
Priority Deadline: December 1, 2022*
Site visit travel between July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023 (FY 22/23)
*Additional site visits may be approved after the deadline pending funds available.
You can request a meeting with the Director of GO before proposing a site visit.
Drafting a Proposal
Since Spring 2017, new faculty-led site visit proposals are submitted via the GO Management System. This is the same application system that all students utilize while applying to GO. Capturing your information in the system allows us to not only to keep all of the program information in one place, but it also allows you to have a similar experience to what students go through while applying to your program. These applications guide faculty in program planning and vision and facilitate the process of proposing and leading a GO Short program.
Planning GO Short program takes time, thoughtful consideration, and work. The proposal allows GO Program staff with the necessary program information to assess feasibility and academic integrity of the proposal.
If you complete a site visit in the summer months and hope to travel with students the following summer, you should plan to submit the program proposal to the study away advisory group before the end of the summer.
Eligibility for Program Directors
Generally, faculty/staff should be members of the SU community for one year prior to proposing a GO Short program. Usually one or both Program Directors are faculty members however many PDs are staff members. Many GO Short programs are interdisciplinary by design. In many cases a team of 2 faculty PDs from different departments, or a team of 1 faculty PD and 1 staff PD may be ideal for including a variety of approaches and complementary skills.
A faculty or staff member with an idea for a new GO program should meet with the GO Program to talk about the idea and think about possible co-Program Directors.
Program Director Skills
“Faculty must wear multiple hats when they lead students abroad, from teacher to counselor to administrator.” (Goode, 2008).
While GO Short programs are SU courses, directing a GO Short program is obviously very different than teaching a traditional course. Program Directors must successfully manage all details of traveling with a group of students: logistics, group dynamics, safety and security, back-up plans, and of course, teaching. Few faculty and staff have prior training in the cultivation of cross-cultural skills, the very substance of the requirement itself. Program Directors will be the representatives for SU on the ground, even when using a provider. This is a 24/7 job during the time on site.
To help get prospective Program Directors off on the right foot, the GO Program offers a GO Program Director Self-Assessment as part of the proposal process). This document will help you to better understand the work involved in being a Program Director and if this is a type of work you may wish to pursue. If so, it will help you to identify strengths you bring to this work as well as skills you will want to develop further. GO Program staff will review the assessment with you and assist with skills development.
Additional information about the responsibilities of Program Directors, and information from the Program Director handbook can be found on the Program Director - Current page.
The Basics of a GO Short Program
A GO Short program is led by two Program Directors, who are SU faculty/staff, and generally comprises of 16-20 students. All GO Programs include three pieces: preparation – time in a cross-cultural setting – reflection. For a GO Short program, the cross-cultural setting (in the United States or another country) is a minimum of two weeks on site (14 days not including travel days). All GO Short programs focus primarily on facilitating interaction between SU students and people on location for maximum cultural exchange. Academic focus, service work, etc. varies by program.
The GO course includes:
- A seven-week pre-departure course (1 SH). This course is taught at 7PM during the second half of the semester.
- The cross-cultural experience on site (0 SH). This is the off-campus cross-cultural immersion experience.
- A seven-week post-experience reflection courses (1 SH). This course is taught at 7PM during the first half of the semester.
Learning Goals:
Through completion of an off-campus cross-cultural immersion experience, students demonstrate a complex understanding of culture that enables them to:
1 – Recognize and reflect on their own culture, their ethnocentric assumptions, and differences/similarities between cultures.
2 – Recognize and articulate ways that their own identities and actions may be understood differently in various cultural settings.
3 – Describe how their cross-cultural experiences help them understand issues in different cultural contexts.
4 – Articulate how their own intercultural growth can enrich their personal development, academic development, and career readiness.
2 – Recognize and articulate ways that their own identities and actions may be understood differently in various cultural settings.
3 – Describe how their cross-cultural experiences help them understand issues in different cultural contexts.
4 – Articulate how their own intercultural growth can enrich their personal development, academic development, and career readiness.
Cross Cultural Experience and Seminar Requirement Learning Goals AY23 (Cross-cultural Learning goals were originally adopted by SU faculty in 2007; current goals were voted on in AY22)
Contact Information:Contact Molly Roe, Director of GO, with questions about GO Short proposals.