Go Abroad in Psychology

 

 

At OSU, Psychology majors on all campuses (including E-campus!) have opportunities to go abroad to explore human behavior across cultures, gain insights into diverse mental health practices, and develop valuable skills to prepare for a career making meaningful impacts. 

Through advanced planning with your academic advisor and OSU GO staff, you can fulfill degree requirements while staying on track for graduation in your intended timeframe. You can use financial aid and scholarships to fund your experience on an OSU GO-approved program.

Check out these tips and recommended opportunities for Psychology majors!  

Considerations

 

  • Study Abroad: Depending on your academic goals and interests, there are opportunities in a variety of settings and cultures around the world. Many programs offer courses in English that can count toward major requirements and core education requirements, while others allow you to immerse in a new language. You can enroll at a partner institution abroad and take classes side by side with local students, participate in an intensive program focused on language and culture, or travel with OSU faculty on a faculty-led program in the company of fellow OSU students. You’ll find options in the summer and during the academic year that can range from a couple weeks up to a year abroad. 

 

  • IE3 Global Internships: Though IE3 Global Internships, you can earn academic credit while gaining hands-on professional experience in an international setting. These internships are open to juniors and seniors who have completed foundational coursework and are ready to contribute to an international host organization. Opportunities span a wide range of fields—from social services and education to research and public health. If you’re looking for a more independent experience abroad that requires greater self-motivation and a high level of immersion, an international internship could be a great fit for you. 

 

OSU GO offers a wide variety of program types and durations, including many designed to accommodate a range of budgets. Depending on the cost of living and services in the host country, a program cost might be more or even less expensive than your cost of attendance at Oregon State. OSU GO staff are happy to discuss ways to balance your academic and budget considerations while exploring programs well-suited to meet your goals.  

  • Early planning will help you make cost-effective decisions and have more options for scholarships. 
  • Most scholarships and financial aid can be applied toward your OSU GO-approved program.  

You can generally finish an undergraduate degree in four years with a term or more abroad. You'll need to complete 180 credits and all degree requirements to graduate, and a psychology degree has room for electives. Education abroad experiences can count in the following ways: 

  • All education abroad credits on an OSU GO-approved program can be used to satisfy the 180 credits required for graduation. 
  • Education abroad courses can be considered for major, bacc core/core ed, minor, elective credits or the180 credits for graduation.  
    • OSU GO will help you understand the requirements of your host institution/program abroad. They may provide a Global Course Compass for your program to help you find the courses available, credit conversion, minimum and maximum course load, course restrictions, and more.
    • Your academic advisor will help you determine how your courses abroad can be applied to your degree requirements. 
  • It is essential to work closely with your academic advisor when planning courses abroad.  
    • In general, some good options to consider taking abroad are: 
      • Upper-Division Psychological Science Core 
      • Upper-Division Specialized Electives 
      • Electives 
      • Liberal Arts Core 
      • Core Ed/Bacc Core 
    • In general, some courses to avoid taking abroad are: 
      • Sequences (PSY 297 & 298, ST 351 & 352) 
      • PSY 301 Research Methods 
      • DPO-Advanced 
      • Psychology Capstone (PSY 411) 

Early planning will give you the best range of options and will allow you to integrate the experience into your OSU degree.  

  • Freshman Year: Begin planning for a future study abroad or internship. 
  • Freshman/Sophomore Summer: Consider a faculty-led program or summer program that offers Core Education options. 
  • Sophomore Year: You should complete PSY 297 & 298 before going abroad. After completing these, spring term of your sophomore could be a good opportunity to go abroad. 
  • Sophomore/Junior Summer: Consider a faculty-led program or summer program that offers Core Education or Psychology options. 
  • Junior Year: Now that you have foundational coursework under your belt, this can be an ideal time to do an immersive study abroad for a term, semester, or a year. You can also consider a term-long IE3 Global internship which requires you to have junior or senior standing. Fall term of junior year is an ideal time for an education abroad program. 
  • Junior/Senior Summer: Consider a faculty-led program, summer study abroad, or IE3 Global internship. 
  • Senior Year: You can do a study abroad or IE3 Global internship. It is generally not a good idea to study abroad in the last term before you plan to graduate, as it takes a few months for the transcript articulation process. Internships can be good options for senior year or even a final term as they follow standard OSU timelines. 
  • Senior Summer: Some students choose to go abroad during their senior summer. You can still walk in Spring Commencement as long as you complete coursework by the end of the following summer term. 

Consider your academic interests and goals and work with your academic advisors and the staff in OSU GO to determine the right program.  

  1. Begin to plan six months to a year in advance. Give yourself time to research programs and talk to your advisor about your programs of interest. The best program for you depends on your academic, professional, and personal goals, as well as degree requirements.  
  2. Visit OSU GO's Getting Started page to create an OSU GO account. You’ll be added to a self-paced advising course in Canvas where you’ll be guided though important steps to help you explore options and understand academic and financial considerations to decide on the best fit experience for your unique goals. 
  3. Meet with your academic advisor(s) to discuss program selection and the best timing to avoid complications related to other major coursework and stay on track with your graduation plan. 
  4. Follow up on OSU GO items to apply. Deadlines are typically 6 months before the program. Applications often include recommendations, essays, and transcripts – start early! 
  5. OSU GO peer advisors are available to help through email, drop-in hours, and in-person or remote appointments! 

Education Abroad Programs for Psychology Students

MAP  is a link to a Major Abroad Pathway, a list of courses that have been pre-approved by your department to apply to your major degree requirements.

Compass is a link to a Global Course Compass, a program-specific resource to navigate course options and planning.

 

Major Abroad Pathways (MAPs)

More programs will be added to this section as MAPs are developed!

Argentina | IFSA Buenos Aires Quarter Program: Psychology and Neuroscience | F | W | SP MAP

 

Other Recommended Study Abroad Programs

Australia | IE3 Global: Deakin University | F | W/SP | YEAR Compass

Czech Republic | CIEE Summer Psychology in Prague | SU 

England | OSU Exchange: University of Sussex | F | W/SP | YEAR Compass

England | OSU: University of Sussex Summer Program | SU Compass

Germany | IE3 Baden-Wurttemberg Universities (Konstanz University) | F/W | SP | YEAR 

Ireland | IE3 Global: Limerick University | F | W/SP | YEAR Compass

Ireland | IE3 Global: University College Cork | F | W/SP | YEAR Compass

⇒check out all OSU GO study abroad programs  

 

Internships

International internships allow you to pursue hands-on professional experience while earning academic credit. Most internships are a minimum of ten weeks and are offered most terms. IE3 Global provides internship opportunities all over the world!  

Japan | Education, Psychology, and International Studies | F | SP 

Japan | Public Health, Social Work, and Crisis Support in Japan | F | W | SP 

Macau | Macau Teaching Experience | F | W | SP | SU 

New Zealand | Business, Social Work, and Other Individualized Internships in New Zealand | F | W | SP | SU 

South Africa | Counseling, Public Health, and Social Work Internships in South Africa | F | W | SP | SU 

Vietnam | Education, Social Work, Community Development Internships in Vietnam | F | W | SP | SU 

⇒check out all IE3 Global internships 

 

Faculty-led Programs

If you're interested in an education abroad experience led by OSU faculty and in the company of fellow OSU students, consider a faculty-led program. These programs are designed around a specific theme or focus, are developed around OSU’s academic calendar, and offer a high level of support while abroad. OSU GO offers a wide selection of programs each year that can range from a short spring break program to a full term abroad. 

Thailand | Elephant Minds and Community-based Conservation in Thailand | SU

⇒Check out all faculty-led programs  

 

Additional Programs

These programs don’t fulfill Psychology major requirements, but could pair well with a Psychology degree and potentially fulfill elective or minor requirements.

Morocco | SIT Study Abroad: Human Rights, Social Justice, and Cultural Transformation | F | W/SP

Netherlands | SIT Study Abroad: International Perspectives on Sexuality and Gender | F | W/SP