Poole offering four summer study abroad options, application deadline is Feb. 7

“Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” That was the phrase a Poole College graduate put on her mortar board on commencement day in May 2014.

It’s a fitting message for today’s global business world, where even the most locally based company most likely has global suppliers, if not customers and partnerships as well.

Poole College has developed summer study abroad options that enable students to complete coursework aligned with their academic goals while traveling and experiencing other cultures. The courses reflect the college's commitment to providing students global learning experiences that will help prepare them for careers in today’s increasingly interdependent world.

Four Options for Summer 2014

For summer 2014, the college is offering four study abroad options – in China, the Czech Republic, Germany and Spain – all led and taught by NC State professors during the first summer session schedule.

An information session for these courses will be held Monday, Dec. 2, at 4:30 p.m. in 2406 Nelson Hall. [Register here.] The application deadline for the summer 2014 courses is February 7, 2014. Those interested in participation are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, as space is limited.

Study Abroad: Life Changing

Poole College sophomore Genevieve Levert, who participated in the 2013 program in China, said her summer studying abroad was a “life changing experience that everyone needs to take, to learn that it’s not just about us in this world.” Beyond the academic courswork, she said, studying abroad provided a sense of being a part of a global community rather than existing in isolation.

Levert took a Special Projects course in English, BUS 298, and an Introduction to Human Resources, MIE 330, both of which applied toward course requirements for her major. Her 2013 summer study program included stays in Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Beijing, with stops at Chinese companies and cultural sites and guest lectures by faculty at Chinese business schools. She said she plans to study abroad again for a semester in Manchester, England in spring 2014.

Caitlin Lowy, a junior in business administration who was in the summer study program in Germany, said she believes, “the most beneficial part of studying abroad…is putting yourself out of your comfort zone, becoming more independent, and gaining new perspectives.” She was one of several students who received scholarships from the Poole College of Management to help cover some of the costs of studying abroad. 

Global Learning Important for Business Students 

“Gaining an understanding of how business is conducted in different parts of the world is important to a student’s business education,” said Rob Sandruck, director of international programs for Poole College.

“The summer study abroad programs are excellent options for students to obtain and understand business in a global context while studying and traveling with fellow NC State students," he said. "Students take NC State classes which are taught by NC State faculty, ensuring that they make progress towards their degrees in a comfortable international setting.”

Czech Republic, Spain added for 2014

Poole College began offering specialized summer programs in 2013 for students interested in taking business management courses abroad. Twenty-one students participated in the 2013 summer study program in Germany  and 27 in China. Based on the success of these programs, the college added programs in Spain and the Czech Republic for 2014, Sandruck said.

The new program in Spain allows students to work toward their foreign language requirements as well as business. Students will be taking Intermediate Spanish, FLS 201 and intermediate Spanish Two, FLS 202, along with Marketing Methods, BUS 360, and Doing Business in Spain, M298. 

In the Czech Republic, students will be at the Prague Institute, a self-sustaining branch of NC State University, taking Innovation and Management, BUS 495, which counts as a marketing concentration elective and can serve as an elective for Additional Breath, Interdisciplinary Perspective, Global Knowledge, or as a Free Elective.

A second course in this option is a College of Design course, Observation and Creativity, D292. Students in this course will also have unique opportunities to interact with College of Design students in various activities. This course also can serve as an elective for Additional Breadth, Interdisciplinary Perspective, Global Knowledge, or a Free Elective. 

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Learn more about Poole College's summer study abroad programs

• Info Session | Monday, Dec. 2, at 4:30 p.m. in 2406 Nelson Hall [Register here.]
• Application deadline: February 7, 2014
• More program details at Poole College International Programs