Faculty & Staff Resources

Faculty Led Programs

Faculty led study abroad programs are overseas academic, experiential learning programs designed and administered by full-time UHD faculty members with support from the Office of Study Abroad. These programs provide students with a unique opportunity to spend more time inside and outside of class with their peers and faculty. Programs are offered during the fall and spring semester, and summer sessions.

• They are shorter in duration (generally 10-20 days).
• The location is relevant to the coursework and enriches students’ experience and understanding of the content.
• The travel component supports the learning outcomes in one or more courses that are in the UHD catalog.
• Courses can be taught at the undergraduate or graduate level.

Student Benefits from Faculty-Led Programs

• Affordability compared to long-term programs
• Opportunity to earn UHD course credit for major, minor, or elective
• Faculty provide additional support for students who are inexperienced travelers
• Parents feel safer sending their children on a university-organized and supervised program
• Provide students with staff support from the Office of Study Abroad
• Offer students ability to work around other commitments such as work or family

Faculty Benefits from Faculty-Led Programs

• Faculty who lead a study abroad program come back with new ideas, material, and real-world perspective that they can integrate into the classroom
• Teaching abroad can support faculty research and intellectual development
• Internationalizing UHD and your department
• Guiding students through a transformational and life-changing experience has shown to be professionally and personally rewarding

The Office of Study Abroad provides administrative and logistical support for all faculty led programs such as:

• Planning and logistics
• Student application creation
• Budget development and financial management
• Travel and medical insurance
• Travel warnings, and safety
• General Pre-Departure Orientation
• Promote the program

Let’s Meet!

Have an idea for a program? Schedule a 30-minute meeting to discuss and determine next steps.

Schedule A Meeting

Program Planning & Design

The Faculty Program Leader carries most of the responsibility for developing and executing their program, including but not limited to program proposals, student recruitment, logistics, orientation, and leading the program upon execution. Developing a faculty-led study abroad involves careful planning and consideration of various factors to ensure a successful and enriching experience for students.

Proposal Submission Deadlines

• Summer 2025 : September 15, 2024
• Fall Break 2025 : October 15, 2024

Program Timeline Faculty-Led Program Timeline

Program Review & Execution Timeline

• 1 month for review by International & Study Abroad Committee
• 2 weeks for review by AVPPC (Associate Vice President of Programming & Curriculum)
• 1 week for possible edits
• 6 weeks for bid process (4) & selection of vendor (2)
• 8 weeks for contract execution

Submit Your Proposal

1. Review the Faculty Handbook for Developing & Leading Study Abroad Programs
   • Review Planning and Approval Form
2. Complete the online Faculty Led Proposal and include following supportive documents:
   • Draft of syllabus for each offered course on program
   • Draft itinerary of program location and activities

Steps to Submitting Online Application: Submitting a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Proposal

Roles and Responsibilities for Faculty Leaders

• Developing a study abroad course with academic purpose of location and curricular relevance.
• Create a program proposal with guidance from department chair, including a course syllabus and tentative itinerary.
• Obtaining approval from department chair and dean of the college to teach course abroad. Study Abroad Program Approval Form
• Creating a comprehensive program budget and working with the Department Business Administrator (DBA) to discuss contract, foreign travel requests and approvals. Work with your DBA on an RFP for purchasing based on your itinerary requirements.
• Attend a mandatory Office of Study Abroad faculty training.
• Work closely with the Office of Study Abroad throughout planning and execution of program. Confirm final roster for travel insurance purposes.
• Creating enrollment criteria and advising students throughout the registration period.
• Recruiting students and marketing the program, including holding information sessions and program-specific pre-departure orientation for students. Office of Study Abroad will hold a required general pre-departure orientation for students.
• Complete final pre-departure requirements.

Here are some key questions that professors should consider during the planning stages:

• What are the educational goals of your study abroad program?
• How does this program align with the overall curriculum and learning outcomes of the university and the department?
• Does this program fir a needed academic or geographic niche not currently available to UHD students?
• Will this program fit well with UHD academic calendar?
• What unique cultural, historical, or academic opportunities does this location offer?
• What will the itinerary look like? What are the key activities and academic components?
• Is this program affordable?
• How will the program balance academic rigor with cultural immersion and experiential learning?
• What connection can I draw from research/academic colleagues? Who might be a good faculty partner (if desired)?
• Have you visited the location? Can you provide information at the orientation to prepare students for their experience? Can you attest this site has the necessary resources and support for participants?
• What criteria will be used to select students for the program?
• How will students be prepared for the academic, cultural, and logistical aspects of the program?

Cost Considerations

Generally, we recommend keeping the program costs (not including tuition) to somewhere between $2,000 and $5,000 so that the program will be affordable for UHD students. Some tips on how to keep the cost down:

• Flights: Flying outside of the United States is overall not a small expense. However, there are some countries that are less expensive to fly to than others. In addition, if your program requires flying to multiple cities/countries, this can raise the price of the program
• Time of Year: Cost and availability of flights and on-site costs can greatly vary depending on what is considered “high season” in that location (ex. Spring in South Korea)
• Enrolled Students: The more students that enroll to participate in a faculty-led program, the lower the cost per student may be. It is important to build a program around a course that a wider range of students can apply to (ex. broader academic requirements, courses that can be implemented as electives for multiple majors)
• Program Length: A longer program incurs more on-site costs but also provides more value to a student. A longer program in a country with low on-site costs allows for a reasonable price given the number of days in a country (ex. Thailand)

Safety & Risk Management

Coming Soon Emergency Response Manual for Faculty-Led Study Abroad Programs

Assessing and managing risk are crucial for faculty-led study abroad programs to ensure the safety and well-being of students, faculty, and staff involved. Emergencies can range from minor to major, depending upon the circumstances and specific facts. An emergency situation is one that has impacted, or is likely to impact, the health and safety of the traveler. Examples may include serious accident, lost person, being a victim of sexual assault or misconduct, natural disaster, or civil unrest.  A non-emergency does not immediately impact the health and safety of the traveler but may still require attention or assistance. Examples may include lost luggage, passport, wallet, visa assistance, cancelled or delayed flight, minor injury or illness.

Once the Office of Study abroad and the Study Abroad Risk Management Committee is notified of the nature, scope, and urgency of a notable incident then the type of responses required and the process to execute the actions will be determined.  

By carefully evaluating potential health and safety risks, program organizers can develop plans to mitigate these risks. Here are some key questions faculty should consider:

• What is the current political stability and safety situation in the destination country?
• Are there any advisories or warnings issued by the U.S. Department of State: Travel Advisories (state.gov) for the destination?
• What are the health risks (e.g., diseases, vaccinations required) associated with traveling to the destination?
• Are there cultural norms or customs that participants need to be aware of?
• How will students be prepared for potential risks and challenges?

On Call International (Travel Insurance)

University of Houston System has partnered with On Call International to provide travelers with a Global Assistance and Insurance Plan.

Key features of the program:

• Medical, travel, and security assistance, including insured evacuation services
• International medical expenses coverage
• Coordination of emergent and non-emergent medical care
• Coordination of travel arrangements for you or a person you designate for certain emergency circumstances (such as hospitalization abroad)

Effective March 1, 2023, the University of Houston System has partnered with On Call International to provide University of Houston employees and students emergency and non-emergency services and benefits while traveling internationally for UHS business. On Call International assists 24/7 with critical medical or safety emergencies. They also help resolve non-critical day-to-day travel problems when you are traveling on sponsored programs or business.

The Office of Study Abroad will provide the trip information to On Call for registration for faculty and students traveling through a faculty-led program.

On Call International Mobile App Downloader and User Guide  Click to view On Call International Link

Call collect from anywhere in the world: +1 978-651-9213

Call toll-free US / Canada: 1-833-808-0236

24/7 Live Chat: www.oncallinternational.com/chat/direct

Email: oncallinternational.com

Text Only: +1 844-302-5131

Title IX

UHD is committed to maintaining and strengthening an educational and working environment where students, faculty, staff and visitors are free from sex discrimination of any kind. Sexual misconduct, a form of sex discrimination, is antithetical to the standards and ideals of the University. The University will take appropriate action in an effort to eliminate sexual misconduct from happening, prevent its recurrence and address its effects. Consistent with its commitment to addressing sex discrimination and harassment, UHD complies with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 ("Title IX"), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs or activities, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ("Title VII"), which prohibits sex discrimination in employment. Sexual misconduct constitutes a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX and Title VII.

Study Abroad Handbook for Faculty Leaders and Staff

This handbook is intended for Faculty Directors and Faculty/Staff Assistants who teach and accompany students on an international program. It is designed to provide you with general assistance as you propose, develop, and lead a UHD faculty-led study program. In it you will find information outlining the responsibilities of both the Faculty Lead and the Study Abroad Office, travel guidelines, suggestions for dealing with behavioral problems, procedures to follow in the event of an emergency, and other important topics.

Handbook for Faculty Leaders (revised April 2023)