University of Houston-Victoria faculty, staff and students who want to see the world can do so while earning credits toward a degree with a visit this summer to one of four countries.

Students will get to see another part of the world, visit businesses operations, take part in cultural activities, and have fun with their international hosts during the study abroad experiences.

Holly Verhasselt

“This is a valuable part of study at a university,” said Holly Verhasselt, the UHV assistant provost and overseer of the university’s study abroad programs. “We are a global society and it benefits a student to take advantage of opportunities to learn how other cultures operate. To be a leader today requires knowledge of other cultures and language.”

Verhasselt said the trips can be good growth experiences for students who may not have traveled internationally.

“These trips open our students’ eyes to how people in other cultures operate, and students can get far more benefits than the traditional classroom setting offers,” Verhasselt said. “It is also a chance to make friendships with people from other countries that can last a lifetime.”

Chien-Ping Chen

Chien-Ping Chen, a UHV associate professor of economics, said the study in Taiwan July 14 to Aug. 2 is a chance for students to see a country that has become a global powerhouse in manufacturing and industry.

“Taipei, Taiwan is the hottest industrial city in Asia,” Chen said. “We will tour operations in the LED lighting, hospital management and semiconductor manufacturing industries.”

The UHV School of Business study abroad trip is run in conjunction with two Taiwanese institutions: National Chin-Yi University and Ming-Chi University. Students will earn three credits for the elective economics or managerial economics course toward their Bachelor of Business Management or Master of Business Administration degrees.

And the trip is an affordable way to earn credits, he added. The program fee of only $800 covers 17 days – all the food, tours, field trips and accommodations.

“We stay in a hotel or guest house as opposed to a dormitory,” he said. “Part of our trip is subsidized by the local universities because they are eager to learn from us as well. They like to talk to our university students and see what life is like in the U.S.”

U.S. students can learn why so many global companies choose to operate in Taiwan.

“It’s not simply because of cheap labor,” Chen said. “It is the culture and the work ethic. Students will learn about this part of the world and why people in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are working so hard to better themselves and their country. That’s why Apple, Hewlett-Packard and Dell have all chosen to do business there.”

This is the third consecutive summer UHV faculty members have led study abroad trips to foreign countries.

The UHV School of Arts & Sciences also offers programs in England, Spain and Mexico for a variety of liberal arts study experiences.

An intensive language and culture program is held in Grenada, Spain, for periods of three, five or 12 weeks. This program focuses on geography, history, politics, religion, family and traditions.

Magen Besancon

Trips to Mexico for Spanish-language immersion and cultural study are open-ended trips, scheduled as needed, and can range from two to 12 weeks. Deadlines are two months before departure.

Megan Besancon, coordinator for the Arts & Sciences study abroad programs, said scholarships that cover 25 percent of the program, up to $1,000, are available. Traditional financial aid, including grants and loans, are also available to eligible students.

“Scholarships are an intergral part of the program as they lower the overall cost for the student and make our study abroad programs more accessible to all students,” Besancon said.

For more information about the summer study abroad programs, visit www.uhv.edu/study-abroad/ .

UHV study abroad programs offered this summer:

Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Dates: Three face-to-face classes in Houston prior to departure; July 14 to Aug. 2 in Taiwan
Application deadline: April 18
Cost: Estimated at $3,400 for Texas residents and $4,200 for non-Texas residents; includes $800 program fee, standard tuition and fees, $100 UHV study abroad premium, required travel insurance and airfare.
Payment deadlines: $100 deposit with application; airfare minus deposit by April 18; fee balance by May 15
Courses: Three credits for taking Special Topics in Managerial Economics: Semiconductor, LCD/LED and Hospital Service (Taiwan Study)
Details: Personal expenses not included.

Location: London, England
Dates: July 7 to Aug. 7
Application deadline: April 1
Cost: $5,750 for undergraduates and $5,950 for graduate students
Payment deadlines: $250 deposit required with application; fee balance by May 1
Courses: Six credits offered for taking one class. Students may choose from classes including “Photography in Great Britain,” “International Issues in Business,” “Comparative Criminal Justice,” “Education of the Exceptional Child,” “Shakespeare in London,” “World War II,” “Cross Cultural Communication,” “Applied Ethics in Global Society,” “Determinants of Health Disparities,” “British Culture and Society” and theater.
Details: Surcharge of $150 for students taking Shakespeare, photography or theater classes. Textbook costs not included.

Location: Cuernavaca, Mexico (short-term intensive Spanish and culture program)
Dates: Any two, four, six or 12 weeks, departing on any Saturday
Application deadline: Two months prior to departure
Cost: $1,637 for two weeks, $2,393 for four weeks, $3,725 for six weeks, $6,128 to $7,130 for 12 weeks
Payment deadlines: $250 deposit with application; fee balance due one month before departure
Course: Three credits for two weeks, six credits for four weeks, six credits for six weeks, and nine to 15 credits for 12 weeks (counselors will help with selection of courses)
Details: Students are responsible for booking and paying their own airfare.

Location: Granada, Spain (short-term intensive Spanish and culture program)
Dates: Any three, five or 12-week periods, departing on any Saturday
Application deadline: Two months prior to departure
Cost: $2,537 for three weeks, $4,017 for five weeks, $8,670 for 12 weeks
Payment deadlines: $250 deposit with application; fee balance due one month before departure
Course: Three credits for three weeks, six credits for five weeks and 12 to 15 credits for 12 weeks (counselors will help with selection of courses)
Details: Students are responsible for booking and paying their own airfare.