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back
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CSULB students
can see the world
By Alisha Gomez
Special to the On-line Forty-Niner
For Cal State Long
Beach graduate student Fermin Vasvillegas, France is where
he does his research.
"I am working
on my thesis and my emphasis is French history, 19th century,
and that is where I get to do all my research," Vasvillegas
said. "In Paris, they have the National Archives, the
National Library, so that's the place to do the research."
Vasvillegas has
been studying abroad in Paris since spring of 2000; coming
back for breaks but always returning to Paris for each school
semester.
"It's definitely
a great city to go to. It's a lot of fun," Vasvillegas
said. "I guess, although I've never been, but people
have told me, that New York is a lot like that. It's just
a big city with lots to do, and like Manhattan, it is compact;
you can just get around everywhere and find everything you
want to do there. That's what Paris is like."
"Bu on the
other side, I have to do the research and work on my thesis,"
he said. "I haven't finished it yet, so that's a reason
to go back and continue working on it."
Many students do
not realize that they can go back and study abroad more than
once, as long as it fits in with their academic studies, and
the courses they would be taking overseas are approved by
their academic department.
With three types
of programs offered at CSULB, students have many options to
choose from.
International
Program
The International
Program of the CSU campuswide system is a one-year academic
program available in 17 countries.
The one-year is
systemwide and all the 23 CSU campuses participate, said Cecilia
A. Fidora, study abroad coordinator. The students apply on
all the separate campuses and they can go to any of the 17
countries listed, but they must go for a full year, which
is normally a fall and spring academic school year.
"They must,
in all but a few cases, be a junior," Fidora said. "They
must have a minimum 2.75 GPA. A few countries absolutely require
a 3.0, and there is no leeway on that.
Students must fill
out an extensive application that involves two faculty recommendations,
a foreign language recommendation if required, although most
countries do not require a foreign language recommendation,
and an essay statement of purpose. They must also provide
official transcripts to prove their GPAs.
"It is a serious
endeavor and students need to look carefully at what the programs
offer for what majors because clearly if a student is an art
major and wants to go to Italy, it's a perfect match,"
Fidora said. "But if the student is a business major,
then it is not."
Over the years,
the chancellor's office has clearly defined what is offered
at which location because there is not as much of a wide curriculum,
Fidora said about the one-year IP program.
CSULB Direct
Exchange
The second program
offered is the CSULB Direct Exchange. Various countries participate
in the direct exchange and the program is available to CSULB
students for one to two semesters.
"The difference
between our exchanges is that no matter what the student wants
to take at that overseas exchange site, if it's listed in
the catalog and the student is qualified, as far as prerequisites,
the student can take anything," Fidora said.
On requirements,
Fidora said the exchanges are not systemwide, so they are
only offered to CSULB students. The requirements differ in
that it is a semester program so students can choose between
fall or spring. There is also a lower GPA requirement of 2.5,
although some countries require a 3.0.
"Our students
go to Argentina and their students come to Long Beach,"
Fidora said. "Our balance of numbers is important. We
can be off balance a little bit, but not a lot. Right now
with Australia, we have many students who want to go, but
they are not sending us students in that number."
If a student is
set on going to one particular country, such as the case with
Australia, and is not be able to go through the Direct Exchange
program, students can try an independent program, in which
hundreds exist, Fidora said.
Both the Direct
Exchange and IP programs involve students attending schools
in other countries and classes taught by that particular overseas
school's professors.
London Semester
Program
The last program
offered is the CSULB London Semester Program. The London program
is now offered to CSULB students in the fall. Typically it
was only offered in the spring.
"The London
semester is a model," Fidora said. "It started back
in 1986. It is pretty well established."
The one difference
with the London program is that the CSU campuses send their
own professors to London and students take classes with other
CSU students from Fullerton and San Diego, as well as Long
Beach. Cal State Fullerton and San Diego State also send professors
and students to London in coalition with CSULB.
Students should
realize that studying abroad is the first step if they ever
want to work abroad, network, intern or if they want to do
anything international in their lives, Fidora said.
Study Abroad Adviser
Tracy Culbertson said studying abroad reflects well on a person.
"It shows
that you have been in a diverse situation. If you have any
job that deals with overseas companies, or overseas clients,
you'll be more culturally sensitive by having that background,"
Culbertson said.
Students interested
in the study abroad programs at CSULB should check out the
Center for International Education located inside Brotman
Hall 201 or students can link to www.csulb.edu/centers/cie/studyabroad.
Students interested in independent study abroad programs can
link to
www.iiepassport.org for more information.
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