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Complementary Study to Your Major
Many majors have natural companions. Here is just a small sample of some pairings:

• Business studies for engineering students
• Drawing or art history for design students
• Economics or sociology for political science students
• Creative writing for journalism students
• Archeology or history for religious studies students
• Environmental studies for agriculture students
• Literature for theatre arts students
• Geography or sociology for urban studies students
• Urban planning for architecture students

Study abroad can allow you to study one of these natural companions intensively. Courses in these areas could fulfill liberal education requirements, provide overall credit toward graduation, and possibly fulfill some elective courses in your major (with approval by your academic adviser).

Moreover, identifying that you used your study abroad experience to gain some complimentary knowledge to enhance your degree, will offer you an advantage in interviews for a job or graduate school.

Develop New Knowledge in Your Major
The University of Minnesota offers excellent education but there are areas of knowledge within majors that are not covered. Some examples include:

• Art history: Courses on museum work are not offered.
• Philosophy: No offerings on non-western philosophies.
• Global studies: Regional concentrations within the major (e.g., Australia and Oceania, Southeast Asia, Canada) are impossible to develop on campus because of a lack of courses.
• Law: Only a post-graduate degree in the US but often an undergraduate course of study in other countries you could focus on business or immigration law, for example.

Talk with your academic adviser about areas that may not be covered at the University of Minnesota but are important to your discipline. Then, research study abroad programs to find one that offers the right courses for you.

Deepen Knowledge Within Your Major
Many students take courses in their major. It is also important to take courses in your major that are not available at the University of Minnesota but would require a solid foundation in your field. For example:

• Music students interested in ethnomusicology may want to consider Rhodes University in South Africa, whose International Center for African Music is a major research center on traditional African music and instruments.
• Women's Studies; Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature; or Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies students can choose from an abundance of courses on Gender and Sexuality at the University of Amsterdam or focus on gender in the Balkans or Jamaica.
• Biology students that focus on the environment can study Tropical Ecology in Costa Rica through hands-on field work.

Through research and talking with a Learning Abroad Center adviser, you can choose a program that will enhance your University of Minnesota degree and give you a competitive edge for your career.

Last modified on February 9, 2009