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International Plan :: Academic Units
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A number of Georgia Tech faculty, staff and administrators have worked for over two years to bring about the International Plan. This plan offers students an important new option for becoming globally competent that has the following significant features:

  1. It is a coherent, degree-long program that is integrated into the student's major
  2. There is a general template that students in any major must follow:
    1. Students must take one course from each of three categories of international studies. A list of the courses approved for each of these categories can be found here
      1. International relations
      2. Global Economics
      3. About a particular country or region
    2. Students must become proficient in a second language
    3. Students must complete a two-term period of international experience lasting not less than 6 months and consisting of any combination of terms of study abroad, international internship, or research
    4. During or following the international experience, students take a culminating course that is designed by the student's academic unit or in collaboration with other academic units, to integrate the international experience and study into the student's major
  3. However, the International Plan is tailored by each academic unit to meet the particular needs of its students. For this reason, each academic unit wishing to participate is expected to develop a specific version of the International Plan that is approved by its faculty, by the school chair, by the Dean of the relevant college and then by the IUCC, Faculty Senate and the Provost.
What is the the International Plan?

A number of Georgia Tech faculty, staff and administrators have worked for over two years to bring about the International Plan. This plan offers students an important new option for becoming globally competent that has the following significant features:

It is a coherent, degree-long program that is integrated into the student's major

  1. There is a general template that students in any major must follow
    1. Students must take one course from each of three categories of international studies. A list of the courses approved for each of these categories can be found here
      1. International relations
      2. Global Economics
      3. About a particular country or region
    2. Students must become proficient in a second language
    3. Students must complete a two-term period of international experience lasting not less than 6 months and consisting of any combination of terms of study abroad, international internship, or research
    4. During or following the international experience, students take a culminating course that is designed by the student's academic unit or in collaboration with other academic units, to integrate the international experience and study into the student's major
  2. However, the International Plan is tailored by each academic unit to meet the particular needs of its students. For this reason, each academic unit wishing to participate is expected to develop a specific version of the International Plan that is approved by its faculty, by the school chair, by the Dean of the relevant college and then by the IUCC, Faculty Senate and the Provost

"INTERNATIONAL PLAN" DEGREE DESIGNATION

In the Spring Semester, 2005, the overall plan was presented to the Institute Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the Faculty Senate and approved. Overall Plan for "International Plan" degree designation

Which Majors Are Participating In The International Plan?

http://www.internationalplan.gatech.edu/students/majors.html

What does my unit have to do to join the International Plan?

Procedure to follow to seek IUCC and Faculty Senate Approval for a school/college specific plan

In order for students to participate in the International Plan, their major must develop a discipline-specific version of the plan that is approved by the school, the college, the International Plan Advisory Committee and then the IUCC and Academic Senate. It is our hope that additional schools will choose to participate. The process is relatively simple. In our experience, the undergraduate coordinator can work out the details fairly quickly for most disciplines. What is needed is an eight semester sequence that demonstrates how the students in a major can obtain all of the courses for the major as it currently exists while simultaneously obtaining the courses and overseas experiences required by the International Plan without going over the maximum number of credit hours for the current major. The eight semester sequence should indicate which courses will count toward social science and humanities electives and indicate in a footnote that all language courses must be taken in the same language. Some schools/colleges have had to modify their existing major slightly to make the International Plan work but most have not (e.g., engineering schools require students to take one from a list of economics courses. This requirement had to be modified to also count a global economics course that is a requirement of the International Plan). It should be sufficient for you to follow the model for one of the participating schools. The format includes a memo to the IUCC explaining any changes to your degree requirements needed for students to participate in the International Plan and an 8 semester sequence showing how students in your major might fulfill the major requirements, the core requirements, and the International Plan requirements (core and International Plan requirements can both be fulfilled by the same courses) within the maximum credit hours approved for your major. This proposed plan must be approved with signatures by the school chair, college dean or designee, and by the provost or designee. The plan must also be reviewed by the International Plan Advisory Committee and a letter of support for the plan from the Chair of this committee submitted along with the plan itself to the IUCC and Academic Senate for final approvals.

Once the plan has been approved for your discipline, you will have to develop a culminating course for your majors or perhaps join with other disciplines to offer an interdisciplinary course that serves this function. You must also determine where your students can go to study abroad, participate in an international internship, or engage in research. OIE has hired a coordinator to work with participating schools to develop partnerships with universities outside the U.S. that offer courses in that discipline comparable in quality and content to required courses at GT. This should facilitate development of study abroad options for your students. And the Division of Professional Practice has added a full time person to develop international internships for our students. We also have funding from the Provost to facilitate the development of courses such as the culminating course, study abroad opportunities, and internships opportunities. The Call for Proposals for application for these funds is sent out each semester to participating schools and colleges. In short, a lot of support is available to make participation in the International Plan workable and worthwhile.

I will stay in my host country after my internship or Study Abroad Program ends. Will this time count towards the 26 weeks of International Experience?

No, days overseas before and after official start dates of international experience do not count toward your IP program.

Do holidays that take place within the official period of the International Experience count toward the IP?

Yes, standard holidays that take place while you are involved in the International Plan do count toward your International Experience.

I am visiting the U.S. for school; can I study in my country of origin and receive credit for the International Plan?

No, students whose normal residence is outside the U.S. may not complete the International Experience in that country unless granted an exception by the IPC. In such cases, the proposed International Experience should clearly demonstrate how it will contribute to achievement of the International Plan objectives.

Can I incorporate classes or orientations I will be involved with in terms of my IP toward my overall International Experience?

Yes, structured experience relevant to the international experience that occur before or after the official start date/end date must be approved in writing by the appropriate academic unit.

Can AP credit from high school courses count as one of the three core courses?

No, only courses taken after high school can count toward your core classes.

Can international experience obtained before arriving at Georgia Tech count toward the International Plan?

No, the IP courses and experience is only fulfilled at Georgia Tech.

For More Information:

Please contact Amy Henry - Director of Education Abroad, if you would like to discuss your unit/major joining the International Plan.

Funding to support academic units participating in the International Plan.

Some limited funds will be available to support academic units participating in the International Plan. Details about the call for proposals for funding are available.
Page Last Updated: 12/12/2007
© Office of International Education, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332-0284
Ph.: 404-385-3200, Fax: 404-385-7541
For questions and comments, contact internationalplan@oie.gatech.edu