Global Education and Field Study

Overview

Global Education With Colorado College

Colorado College's Block Plan is not only an innovative academic model for study on campus, it is a gateway to study abroad and away.  Whether it is a single course, led by a CC faculty member that takes students across the country or around the world, a summer course far from campus, a multiple-block program led by a team of CC faculty, a semester, or even a full year away, the possibilities are vast and the programs engaging, transformative, and highly impactful for our students. 

Thanks to a combination of flexible scheduling, a broad pool of faculty-led and partner-sponsored programs, and financial aid policies designed to minimize the financial impact of selecting to study away, Colorado College has made study away a reality for upwards of 70% of all graduates over the past decade.  It is not uncommon to see 70%, 75%, even 80% of all graduates in a given year with study away on their transcripts, in many cases with more than one experience.  Off-campus study is a highly-valued academic endeavor that can add perspective, challenge, and insight into any area of study at Colorado College, for all majors and minors.

Students choosing an off-campus study program to pursue have many options at Colorado College, meeting a variety of academic needs. The Global Education staff look forward to working with you to make study away possible and to make sure it is an intentional, interconnected, and impactful part of your undergraduate education at Colorado College. 

Study Away Options at Colorado College

It might actually be easier at times to list the places Colorado College students don't go.  Since the Fall of 2021, when international travel resumed for CC groups and our partner programs, we have offered a combination of faculty-led or partner-led study away programming in 57 nations across 6 continents, including many destinations where students can choose between a faculty-led block away or a longer CC or Partner-led semester option.  Looking at the map below, you can see the diverse array of destinations available. Then, in the sections to follow, you can get some examples of CC Faculty-led programs and the more than 150 different semester options available.  
Map of 2024-2025 CC Study Away.png
This map represents only 2024-2025 programs.  Were we to look at a 3-4 year period, we would expect to see an even broader range of nations visited by CC students.  Between our many faculty-led opportunities, our pool of over 150 different partner-sponsored semester and academic year programs, and the ability for students to petition to join other programs for a semester, summer or January block, the options are nearly limitless. 

Picture a block length course, 3.5 weeks, with one of Colorado College's outstanding faculty working with a group of CC students intensively in a single field of study.  Now picture that group in Tokyo, or Berlin, or the Andes.  That is what block away is at CC.  No transfer credits, no student visas required, just a group of students and the faculty leader together, experiencing a new place, engaging with a new community, and taking their learning into the world.  And, unlike most schools with semesters or quarters, where single-course study away is very limited, at CC, the Block Away can happen during any block from September to May. 
In a typical year CC will offer 12-16 different courses across the entire 8-block academic year.  It could be Block 2 in Paris, Block 4 in India, Block 6 in Chile, or Block 8 in Los Angeles.  Programs can be domestic or international, in any discipline offered at the college. No conflicts with other courses, no complex inter-university agreements, the same high quality Colorado College educational experience enhanced with local experts, site visits, and learning through both experience and academic study. 
Some examples of recent Block Away Courses include: 
  • Art History 275: 19th Century Paris
  • Classics 260: Gender & Sexuality in Antiquity (Greece)
  • Computer Science 341: Study at the Lawrence Livermore Research Laboratory (California)
  • Dance/Theater 230: Performance Away (India)
  • Economics 260: The Industrial Revolution (London)
  • Education 110: Linking Literacy, Language, and Linguistics (Spain)
  • Environmental Studies 209: Ecology & the Environment in Costa Rica
  • Film 200 Politics & Poetics in Urban Space (New York)
  • German 320: Global Berlin: Film, City, and Identity
  • History 200: Art & Power in Florence
  • Italian 320: Gusto: Italian Food as Art, Culture and Tradition
  • Music 397: In the Footsteps of Bach (Germany)
  • Organismal Biology 370: Tropical Forest & Coral Reef Ecology (Belize)
  • Psychology 178: From Pearl Harbor to Honouliuli (Hawaii)
  • Religion 200: Martyrs & Saints (Rome)
  • Sociology 267: Globalization & Resistance in Latin America (Chile)

While the academic year features 8 potential blocks when faculty can offer their course at an off-campus site, the summer provides 2 additional blocks.  Each summer Colorado College faculty offer between 12-16 additional off-campus block courses across a wide spectrum of academic fields. All courses are CC credit and are led by our own faculty.  Students can even use the college's unique Summer Wild Card to waive summer tuition charges for their first summer program (on campus or around the world).  Summer Blocks are not only a great option for students who may want to accelerate their studies or add a topics course with experiential learning, they are an opportunity to expand the curriculum of Colorado College in interesting ways through global study. 
A sampling of the courses offered over the past few years includes:
  • Anthropology 208: Indigenous Environmental Activism (Ecuador)
  • Asian Studies 350: Food in Japanese Literature & Culture
  • Classics 223: Greek & Roman Art and History (Italy)
  • Education 250: Constructing Childhood in Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Steiner Schools (Italy)
  • English 225: Shakespeare in London
  • Environmental Studies 120: Himalayan Odyssey (Nepal)
  • Feminist & Gender Studies 214: Hidden Spaces, Hidden Narratives (Berlin)
  • Music 222: Arts & Culture in Bali
  • Philosophy 203: Kenya's Maasailand: Indigeneity in the Postcolonial British Commonwealth
  • Political Science 203: Central Europe's Post-Communist Journey (Slovakia)
  • Portuguese 298: Accelerated Portuguese Language in Brazil
  • Religion 200: Excavating Israel
  • Spanish 111/211/305/306: Spanish Language Study in Soria, Spain

In addition to individual blocks that travel the world, Colorado College currently sponsors 7 unique semester (4-block) and half-semester (2-block) programs.  They include language programs for German, Russian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Chinese.  Many of the 4-block semester programs also offer the option for students to attend only the first 2 blocks or the final 2 blocks, depending on their schedules.  Flexibility, academic rigor, and experiential learning with a deeper immersion capacity over 7-15 weeks, and all without the need to transfer in external credit. 

Current CC-Led Full & Half-Semester Programs

FALL
CC German Semester in Berlin
Option for 2 or 4 Blocks of language & cultural immersion in Berlin, Germany.

CC Russian Half-Semester in Bishkek (Blocks 1&2)
A 2-block language & cultural immersion program in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
SPRING
CC French Semester in France
Option for 2 Blocks of language & cultural immersion in Nice, 2 Blocks of Faculty-led Travel in France, or all 4-blocks.

CC Spanish & Portuguese Semester in Latin America
Option for 2 blocks of language & cultural immersion in Mexico, 2 Blocks in Brazil, or all 4 blocks in both nations.
CC Chinese Half-Semester in Asia (Blocks 7&8)
A 2-block language & cultural immersion program in nations such as China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan (sites vary each year).

Beyond the faculty-led semesters, half-semesters, and individual blocks, the Center for Global Education & Field Study curates a pool of more than 150 different partner-sponsored semester and academic year opportunities.  Some are exchange programs or direct enrollment opportunities with well-known universities across the globe, others are multi-disciplinary programs designed specifically for U.S. college students to study abroad, and other still are targeted deep-engagement programs in fields such as Computer Science, Mathematics, Environmental Science or language study.  With all partner semesters, CC students are asked to pay the standard semester tuition at CC and the program charges for housing, meal plans, and insurance of the provider, allowing all standard CC financial aid to travel with the student and making it possible for a student to select a program without concern of a higher semester expense than they would  expect if they were on campus.
 Some examples of Exchange & Direct Enroll Programs include:
  • CC Exchange with Leuphana University (Germany)
  • CC Exchange with LAB University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
  • Japan Study Program at Waseda University (Japan)
  • Kansai Gaidai University Direct Enrollment (Japan)
  • IFSA London School of Economics Partnership (England)
  • IFSA University of Melbourne Partnership (Australia)
  • Washington Semester at American University (USA)
Examples of Multiple Discipline Partner Programs include:
  • CIEE Arts & Sciences Program in Seoul (South Korea)
  • CIEE Arts & Sciences Program in Cape Town (South Africa)
  • College Year in Athens (Greece)
  • DIS Study Abroad in Copenhagen (Denmark)
  • DIS Study Abroad in Stockholm (Sweden)
  • Grenoble Science Semester with Boston University (France)
  • IES Latin American Societies & Cultures in Buenos Aires (Argentina)
  • IFSA Chilean Universities Program (Chile)
  • Syracuse University in Strasbourg (France)
  • Temple University in Rome (Italy)
Examples of Discipline-Specific Partner Programs include: 
  • AIT Semester in Budapest (Hungary--Computer Science)
  • Augsburg: Conflict, Peace and Transition in Northern Ireland
  • Carleton Buddhist Studies in Bodh Gaya (India)
  • CET: Social Justice & Inequality in Sao Paolo (Brazil)
  • Frontiers Abroad: Geology of New Zealand
  • IES: Vienna Music Program (Austria)
  • IES: Freiburg Environmental Studies & Sustainability (Germany)
  • ISDSI: Culture, Ecology and Community Semester (Thailand)
  • OTS: African Ecology & Conservation (South Africa)
  • School for Field Studies: Tropical Island Biodiversity (Panama)
  • SEA Semester: Marine Biodiversity & Conservation (New Zealand to Fiji)
  • SIT: Public Health in Urban Environments (Argentina)
  • SIT: Development & Social Change (Cameroon)

IMPORTANT ANNUAL DEADLINES

End of Block 1:  Application Deadline for Second Round of Block 7 or Block 8 individual Blocks Away

Following the Main Application window during the Spring semester for upcoming year Blocks Away, there is a Second Round for applications for Block 7 and Block 8 Blocks Away that still may have space available to enroll. All students who apply during this Second Round to an individual Block 7 or Block 8 Away class by the last day of Block 1 are reviewed for aid eligibility and aid awards are granted by early October.  Applications may be accepted outside of the window, but aid may not be available after the window closes in September.  Please check with the faculty leader of your preferred course about capacity in the course before applying. 

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October 1:  Priority Application Deadline for all Spring Semesters away (partner programs & CC Semesters/Half-Semesters)

Complete the CC Internal Application for Study Away Approval or specific Spring CC Semester/Half-Semester Application in Summit by this date to receive consideration for approval and best chance of acceptance.

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October 1:  Withdrawal Deadline for Block 5 or Block 6 Off-Campus Courses

Students may withdraw from any individual Block 5 or Block 6 Away class by this date and incur no program fee charges. Later withdrawals can lead to a portion of the program fee being billed to the student as a nonrefundable charge. 

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November 1:  Confirmation/Withdrawal Deadline for Spring CC Semester/Half-Semester programs

Students may withdraw from any Spring semester CC Semester/Half-Semester by this date and incur no program fee charges. Later withdrawals can lead to a portion of the program fee being billed to the student as a nonrefundable charge. 

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December 1: Confirmation Deadline in Summit for participation in Spring semester Partner Programs Away

All students who have been approved to participate in a Spring semester Partner Program away via the CC Internal Application for Study Away Approval (or approved Petition) must complete the Summit confirmation process no later than December 1. 

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December 1: Withdrawal Deadline for Block 7 or 8 individual Blocks Away

Students may withdraw from any individual Block 7 or Block 8 Away class by this date and incur no program fee charges. Later withdrawals can lead to a portion of the program fee being billed to the student as a nonrefundable charge. 

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January 15:  Priority Application Deadline for all CC Summer Blocks Away

Complete the application(s) for any CC Summer Block Away program in Summit by this date to receive consideration for approval and best chance of acceptance and aid.

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March 1:  Priority Application Deadline for all Fall Semesters away or full-year programs (CC Semesters/Half-Semesters & partner programs)

Complete the CC Internal Application for Study Away Approval or specific Fall CC Semester/Half-Semester Application in Summit by this date to receive consideration for approval and best chance of acceptance.

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March 1: Withdrawal Deadline for CC Summer Blocks Away

Students may withdraw from any CC Summer Block Away class by this date and incur no program fee charges. Later withdrawals can lead to a portion of the program fee being billed to the student as a nonrefundable charge. 

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March 15:  Priority Application Deadline for all CC Blocks Away for next upcoming Academic Year

Complete the application(s) for any CC Block Away programs for the next upcoming Academic Year in Summit by this date to receive consideration for approval and best chance of acceptance and aid.

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May 1:  Confirmation/Withdrawal Deadline for Fall CC Semester/Half-Semester programs and Confirmation Deadline for Fall semester/full year Partner Programs Away

Students may withdraw from any Fall semester CC Semester/Half-Semester by this date and incur no program fee charges. Later withdrawals can lead to a portion of the program fee being billed to the student as a nonrefundable charge. 

All students who have been approved to participate in a Fall semester or full year Partner Program away via the CC Internal Application for Study Away Approval (or approved Petition) must also complete the Summit confirmation process no later than May 1. 

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May 1: Withdrawal Deadline for Block 1 or 2 individual Blocks Away

Students may withdraw from any individual Block 1 or Block 2 Away class by this date and incur no program fee charges. Later withdrawals can lead to a portion of the program fee being billed to the student as a nonrefundable charge. 

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August 1: Withdrawal Deadline for Block 3 or 4 individual Blocks Away

Students may withdraw from any individual Block 3 or Block 4 Away class by this date and incur no program fee charges. Later withdrawals can lead to a portion of the program fee being billed to the student as a nonrefundable charge. 

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FIND THE PROGRAM FOR YOU

Semester Programs

Academic Year Blocks Off-Campus

Summer Blocks Off-Campus

Helpful Study Away Guides

Contact Us

Write Us

Center for Global Education & Field Study Email

Phone

719-389-6077

Visit Us

Armstrong Hall Offices 213-216

Report an issue - Last updated: 10/09/2025