by Amanda Heerskink

DENVER – CU Denver’s Office of International Affairs is developing and facilitating a range of links across the globe. Among the options for students based here to expand their horizons is through the International Colleges Beijing.

CU Denver’s partnership with China Agricultural University has led to many exciting opportunities for students to study abroad in Beijing. Through CU Denver’s Office of Global Education there are programs including a short Maymester (end of May through beginning of June) trip to a full semester or academic year.

The Office of Global Education recently held an informational meeting about the Beijing programs. Among the offerings is a general course regarding ‘studying abroad 101.’ The course poses basic questions: Why do you want to study abroad? What credits do you need to take? Do you have any personal objectives? These were just some of the questions that any student thinking about study abroad should ask themselves.

“One of the greatest things about Semester in Beijing is that it is an island campus located is in another country,” said Jessica Greenbaum, Asia study abroad coordinator, “All the credits transfer as if you had taken the course on our downtown campus.”

Also offering perspective to students contemplating the Study Abroad Programs was Kelsey Evans. She has participated in the Maymester program in Beijing, “I realized that two weeks was not enough time. I knew I wanted to come back.”

After the Maymester course, Evans returned to Beijing for a full academic year with the program “A Window on China.”

Katie Helsel, a Business major, also hopes to pursue  a Study Abroad Program in China, “It’s really exciting. I’m taking a history of China class now and it makes me want to go there and see it in person.”

One great thing about the Global Education Office is how closely they work with third-party providers to make sure students have the ability to travel where they want and study what they want.

Evans added, “The best advice I have for you now is join a club and meet more people. It will really help you get used to it and prepare you when you’re in a different country.”

The Global Education Office has more information sessions and workshops about study abroad in China:

– Next information session: tomorrow Oct. 9 from 2-3 pm in Plaza 126
– Information session: Oct. 18 from 2-3 pm on the 9th floor conference room at the Lawrence Street Center
– Study abroad workshop: Oct. 24 from 12:30-1:30 pm and Nov. 27 from 12:30-1:30 pm both on the 9th floor conference room at the Lawrence Street Center.

For my personal perspective on studying abroad in China, link here to the blog I wrote while in China this past summer.