Off-Campus Programs

Why is the experience of an off-campus program so valuable?

1. Off-Campus Programs confront us with the world around us as a text, a text waiting to be processed, interpreted, appreciated, and respected.

2. Off-Campus Programs draw our vision outward. They heighten our sensory awareness of the world by placing us in new situations, challenging us to process, reflect upon, and respond to things we have not previously noticed. For example, Off-Campus Programs, in many cases, awaken in us a greater awareness of social injustices in the world, and call us to get involved in redressing these injustices.

3. Off-Campus Programs draw our vision inward. They serve to reveal the sort of character each of us is developing, and to further stimulate character development. In the process of interpreting a new context, each of us is confronted with a vision of ourselves from a new perspective. This vision is essential in empowering us to seek new strategies for changing the self and for finding new areas in which to grow.

4. Off-Campus Programs provide us with the chance to practice the skills and sympathies that are vital to an effective Christian in the world – skills that have begun to develop in and out of the classroom on campus. In new circumstances, we may have and may notice more opportunities for practicing openness to new ideas, fair-mindedness, and self-criticism.

5. Finally, Off-Campus Programs offer us ample opportunity to practice discernment of the central core of Christianity – to sort out the essential from the non-essential in our relationship to Christ.

Why do we strongly recommend that students include an off-campus program experience as a part of their undergraduate program?

Off-Campus Programs at Westmont have grown out of the same educational philosophy as our on-campus curriculum. All of Westmont’s programs are committed to developing in our students the competencies, the skills, the sympathies, the motivations, and the knowledge base that will make them effective as Christians in their chosen vocation. Westmont’s Off-Campus Programs are much more than mere duplication of learning on campus, however. While our educational program attempts to offer students the balance of challenge and support necessary for growth, off-campus programs intensify the challenge for our students by placing them in unfamiliar surroundings.

All of the programs listed below can serve to enlarge us as Christian learners and to enlarge our vision of God’s work in the world. Westmont provides a variety of approved programs that offer different levels of support for students. They range from programs taught by Westmont faculty for Westmont students to programs in which Westmont students participate as individuals and are taught by program faculty. Students must consult with their academic advisor and with the Off-Campus Programs Office to explore which type of program would best suit their individual needs.

For additional information and applications for the programs listed below, please visit our website at www.westmont.edu/ocp. A minimum 2.3 GPA is required unless otherwise noted. At least one-half of the upper-division major requirements must be completed on the Westmont campus or on a Westmont staffed off-campus program.

Westmont financial aid (institutional grants, scholarship and loans) may be used for any semester-long Westmont Operated off campus program, including Europe, England, Mexico, and San Francisco Urban semesters. However, Westmont financial aid may be used for one program only at a Westmont Approved (versus Westmont Operated) off campus program.

Tuition for Westmont Operated and Westmont Approved Off-Campus Programs is the same as tuition on campus (except in a few cases where tuition is even higher than Westmont's tuition, in which case students are charged the higher amount). Other charges for all campus programs vary by program and are available through the Off-Campus Programs office or from the hosting institution. Students who participate in these programs through Westmont are considered to be Westmont students. Therefore, they retain their standing and class priority for returning enrollment and class selection. Although students are allowed to attend more than one program, they may not enroll in off-campus programs in consecutive semesters.

Students who choose to access programs directly are not considered Westmont students during the period, do not have the support of the Financial Aid Office in obtaining financial aid from the program, do not receive any Westmont aid, including grants, scholarships or loans, are not eligible for any merit scholarships if and when they return to Westmont, are allowed to re-enroll at Westmont only as space is available during a subsequent semester, and must obtain their own transcripts from the programs when applying for graduate school or employment.

Westmont Operated Off-Campus Programs

England Semester

The England Semester program takes place during the fall semester of even years only. It is directed by English Department faculty and combines travel to literary and cultural centers with residential study in the British Isles. Students study English literature in the land of its origin, witnessing firsthand the birthplaces of major writers and the settings of their works. They attend theatre performances in Edinburgh, London, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Dublin and visit sites through out the UK and Ireland including Oxford, Cambridge, the Lake District of the Romantic poets, and Hardy’s country in southern England. Upper division English and Theatre credit is offered. The last week of the semester is spent in sites related to the electives offered on the program; past itineraries have included trips to Florence or Israel.

Europe Semester

The Europe Semester program takes place every fall semester.

As of 2006, a new 12-unit umbrella course will be offered in place of the previous Europe Semester curriculum (IS 116/117 Arts & Ideas of the Western Tradition I, II and an upper-division religious studies course). Transfer students, please refer to the 2003-2004 catalog.

IS 121, 122, 123 and 124 European Culture and Society, Past and Present (4,4,4) — studies various aspects of European history, thought, arts, society, culture, science, economy and politics while resident in Europe.

Special effort is made to understand Europe’s heritage and contemporary society in relation to larger world contexts.

Emphasizes thoughtful consideration of Christian and cultural concerns through preparatory readings, lectures, extensive discussion, and essay writing. The courses offered will fulfill three of the following four Common Inquiries requirements:

San Francisco Urban Program

Students may attend the Urban Program in either the fall or spring semester. The program combines living and working in a unique urban setting, offering an opportunity for the study of cultural, ethnic, political, and business-oriented aspects of modern society. While enjoying the relative security and intimacy of a self-determined community, students reside in the heart of the city. The core of the program is a pre-professional internship that involves a minimum of 24 hours each week. Tutorials and independent study in a variety of areas are available in addition to the core curriculum:

Participants must take the following courses:

Westmont in Mexico (WIM)

Westmont in Mexico, a program offered every fall semester, is led by Westmont faculty and located in the beautiful, colonial city of Querétaro. On this program, students gain skills for effective cross-cultural living, experience incarnational ministry, and improve their Spanish language abilities. WIM offers students the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in Mexican culture through home stays, coursework, and field trips within the context of a supportive Christian community. Another distinctive feature is its integrated pre-departure, in-country, and re-entry training.

WIM is designed to be a part of the general education curriculum, and fulfills several GE requirements. Students from all majors are encouraged to apply.

Course Offerings

Courses in WIM are taught by Mexican university professors and the Westmont faculty director. While in Mexico you may earn up to 16 semester units. The courses are:

Spanish Language*: beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels (GE, Modern Language)

*A bonus of the program is the intensive Spanish language courses, which means you will do the equivalent of one year’s language in just one semester.

In addition to these courses, WIM has a pre-departure orientation seminar during the spring semester.

Prerequisite: equivalent of one semester of college Spanish.

SP 005M Intermediate Spanish (4 units) Prerequisite: SP 2 (one year of college Spanish) or equivalent. An innovative program combining traditional classroom instruction with the resources of in-country immersion. Each day consists of listening, speaking and communicative exercises based on Mexico-specific texts, and preparation for the days extramural activity which is designed to immerse the student in different aspects of Mexican culture.

SP 006M Intermediate Spanish Conversation (2 units) Prerequisite: SP 2 (one year of college Spanish) or equivalent.

SP 100M Advanced Spanish (3 units) Prerequisite: SP 4 (two years of college Spanish) or equivalent. In Composition, students will be expected to write approximately four typewritten pages per week, and then do specific rewriting of these texts as indicated by the instructor. Each week will present a different type of writing, accompanied by readings from Mexican texts of high and mass culture, in conjunction with a focused grammar review. A packet of selected Mexican literary texts will be used for the study of prose style. In all activities reflective interaction with the host culture will be the mode. The study of grammar will be linked to accuracy of written expression.

SP 105M Language in Context (3 units) Prerequisite: SP 4 (two years of college Spanish) or equivalent. This course develops the student’s ability to comprehend the use of language in varied social contexts and the ability to interact with native speakers. Structured observation, newspaper/magazine readings, oral interviews and exercises.

IS 193M Seminar: Engaging Culture (3 units) (Required of all WIM students.) This seminar is a continuation of the spring orientation course and is designed to deepen understanding of Mexican culture and to maximize your experience abroad. This course complements the activities of other WIM classes and provides a framework for examining the issues and questions they present. Students will participate in several field trips and projects outside of the classroom designed to help them “engage culture.” A cultural journal, reflective essays, and oral presentations will be regular parts of this course.

HIS 160M Mexican History and Civilization (3 units) (Required of all WIM students.) This course traces the history of Mexican Civilization from the principal pre-Hispanic cultures up through the Mexican Revolution and on to present day issues such as Mexican migration to the United States. Attention will be given to the relations between the U.S. and Mexico, as well as to significant social and economic determinants in Mexico’s future.

POL 116M U.S. – Mexico Relations (3 units) An in-depth look at U.S.-Mexico history that has led to the current relationship. Topics include the economic interdependence of the two countries and immigration questions. Students will also analyze cultural similarities and differences. This course is open to students at all levels.

ART 121M Mexican Art (3 units) This course will help students gain a basic knowledge of both contemporary and historical art, specifically in Mexico. Through the study of basic art principles and compositional elements, the students will come to understand artworks in general and the creation and interpretation of their own artwork. Because the study of art would be empty without experiencing firsthand what it means to create art, students will learn various art methods/techniques from local artists and gain an aesthetic awareness of art through their own personal creation. Another chief goal will be for students to gain a broad understanding of Mexican art and its role in society.

PEA 025M Latin Dance (1 unit) Alternating varieties of modern Latin dance with occasional traditional Mexican folk dances, students will explore this important aspect of the host culture with a professional instructor in the Facultad de Bellas Artes.

The following courses are open to advanced Spanish students who have completed SP 100:

SP 120M Advanced Composition (3 units) Composition provides the opportunity to write extensively under the guidance of a teacher who provides suggestions for increasing accuracy and sophistication of written expression. Texts primarily from Mexican popular and high culture serve as models. Selected grammar points will be reviewed to develop further the student’s capacity to write from within the language.

SP 121M Advanced Oral Skills (3 units) Oral Skills will focus on increasing listening and speaking proficiency. In-class practice and exercises will be complemented by assignments involving interaction with Mexican people, as well as various cultural media such as radio, television, movies and possibly theater.

SP 104M Survey of Latin American Literature (3 units) Introduction to basic currents and movements in Spanish American literature since 1820 from an historical perspective. Critical readings of selected poems, short fiction and plays.

SP 160M Survey of Mexican Literature (3 units) Readings of significant texts by modern Mexican writers: novel, short story, poetry and theater. Class discussions focus on both the aesthetic qualities of the works as well as their relation to Mexican society. Various techniques for improving students reading abilities will be provided.

SP 165M Introduction to Literary Translation (3 units) Prerequisite: one Spanish literature course. Introduction to the history and practice of Literary Translation in a bi-national class. Students will be paired with Mexican licenciatura students to collaborate on individual projects.

Inoculum

This 12-day backpack trip to the northeastern wilderness area of Yosemite National Park is a special extension of the orientation program. Readings, discussions, and papers focus the course content on the uniqueness of Westmont liberal arts education. It takes place before orientation.

Participants must take the following course:

Off-Campus Mayterm

Westmont Mayterm and Summer Programs are short-term study excursions that often include both on-campus study and travel. Programs offering general education courses as well as programs offering major-specific curricula are available. A number of options are available in any given year; in the past, such programs have included trips to Europe, England, Egypt, Israel, Sri Lanka, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Oregon, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ireland, Syria, Jordan and Turkey.

San Francisco Urban Mayterm

This Mayterm takes place every year in Westmont’s newly purchased Victorian mansion on the edge of Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Students can earn eight units while exploring the streets of San Francisco and attending ethnic celebrations, music, theatre, sporting, and cultural events across the city and around the Bay Area.

Westmont Approved Programs

Christian College Consortium Programs:

Consortium Visitor Program

The Christian College Consortium promotes the development and articulation of the unique contributions that Christian higher education can make to contemporary society. The Visitor Program allows students to take advantage of different course offerings and to experience the culture of different regions of the country at the following Christian Colleges while maintaining regular standing at their home campuses. The other members of the Consortium are: Asbury College, KY; Malone College, OH; Bethel College, MN; Messiah College, PA; George Fox University, OR; Taylor University, IN; Gordon College, MA; Trinity International University, IL; Greenville College, IL; Seattle Pacific University, WA; Houghton College, NY; Wheaton College, IL.

Gordon-at-Oxford

Juniors and seniors spend a year at Oxford, England, in a program which emphasizes independent study, tutorials with Oxford dons and a seminar on British culture. Candidates are selected on the basis of GPA, superior writing skills and ability to work independently.

Gordon-in-Boston

Living in an established urban neighborhood, students study about and experience the routines of regular life in Boston. The experience and course of study provide theological and social/political reflection on the city and the urban Church, and internship opportunities.

Gordon-in-Orvieto

The Gordon semester in Orvieto, Italy, is an arts-oriented program with credit in Italian language, an interdisciplinary course in the cultural history of the Italian Renaissance and two courses in studio arts or art theory and history. Students and faculty are lodged in a convent in Orvieto, an ancient hill town located between Rome and Florence.

Houghton-in-Australia

In close collaboration with Kingsley College in Melbourne, Houghton has established a one-semester (15-16 credit hour) exploration of faith and life in Australia. Including 12 and 1/2 weeks of concentrated academic classes, the program combines academic work with travel and cultural engagement. It runs from mid-August to early December, allowing time for travel and exploration in Australia.

Houghton-in-Tanzania

Houghton-in-Tanzania is a spring only program of Houghton College set in East Africa offering junior and senior students experience in and exposure to Africa on a broad front including history, anthropology, environment, languages, politics, and religion. Extended trips away from the campus site in Iringa, Tanzania include visits to nearby game reserves and Wahehe and Maasai tribal villages.

Oregon Extension

Oregon Extension is a fall-only program of Houghton College located in the southern reaches of the Cascade Mountains near Ashland, Oregon. Students study, in sequence, four interdisciplinary themes: Contemporary Issues, Social Thought, Human Stories, and Living Faith. Special emphasis is given to individual professor-student interaction and attention to small group discussion and dialogue. Within each of these units, students can choose one academic discipline from among the following in which to receive 3-4 semester hours of credit: literature, psychology, sociology, philosophy, biology, theology, biblical studies, history, education, or science. Students earn an additional two hours of credit in Rhetoric and Composition.

Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) Programs:

Additional Approved Programs:

American University Washington Semester*

Washington Semester is a program of American University in Washington, DC, in which students live and study at the Tenley Campus. Students have the opportunity to serve in internships in eleven different programs including national politics, foreign policy, economic policy and justice, journalism, and a number of other fields. Participants come from over 200 affiliated colleges and universities in the U.S. and from 28 international institutions. A limited number of Westmont students will be nominated for consideration for the program each semester.

Border Links

The Border Links Semester on the Border program offers students a unique opportunity for academic studies, experiential learning and community living along the US/Mexico border in Tucson, AZ and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. Border Links is committed to providing a challenging and transformative experience through a variety of interdisciplinary approaches, focusing on border studies and the impact of globalization. Emphasis is also placed on intercultural relationship-building, personal reflection, and strengthening Spanish language skills.

Creation Care Studies Program, Belize

This semester-long program is a Christian undergraduate environmental studies program in Belize. In this program students explore the interconnected dimensions of natural ecology, human consumption, population, Christian discipleship, culture, economics and the implications of these and other related issues on their disciplines, avocations, occupations, world views, and lifestyles. The CCSP seeks to equip students to fulfill the Biblical mandate to care for all God’s creation, both human and non-human, through the sustainable stewardship of the earth’s systems.

Creation Care Studies Program, South Pacific

This semester-long program explores Biblical Stewardship, first hand, as students study environmental issues in Belize or Samoa/New Zealand. Designed for non-science majors, the program includes opportunities for study, reflection, research, and travel. During the program you will experience community in motion as you travel with a group of students for four months to the South Pacific nations of New Zealand and Samoa. Rigorous classes will give you direct field experiences and confront you with current world issues. CCSP readily awaits adventure seeking, Biblically minded students, who want to take on the challenge of learning how to care for God’s earth and all its creatures — both human and non-human.

Development Studies in Honduras

The Development Studies Program is a program of Calvin College based in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Students study development by living with Honduran families, traveling to urban squatter’s camps, remote rural villages, and tropical rain forests, and talking with national leaders about Honduras’ problems and its future. It is an opportunity to experience hands-on the issues surrounding poverty, development, and living in the Third World.

Lithuania Christian College

In a country where people, once isolated behind the Soviet Iron Curtain, are striving to repair and recreate society — a country bursting with the energy of independence, freedom and possibility — Study Abroad Lithuania gives you the chance to forge new relationships, explore different ways of doing things, and experience a shift of perspective while earning college credit, traveling, and gaining that elusive thing people call “life experience.”

Spring Semester in Thailand

The goal of Spring Semester in Thailand is a 16-week total cultural immersion experience. As a means for achieving this goal, students study Thai language, live with Thai families, and are placed in a study/service internship. Students will come to understand that Thai society from a multidisciplinary perspective including history, sociology, anthropology, languages, politics, economics, education, family and religion. Through their study/service internship experience, students will draw from their personal value commitments as they serve others in religious, governmental, and educational institutions. Students will also live with Thai families, take field trips, and live for a month in a Karen tribal village in the foothills of the Himalayas.

Approved Programs for Specific Majors:

Art Majors*

Art majors may attend Gordon College’s Orvieto Semester in Orvieto, Italy or the studio art programs in Cortona, Italy with the University of Georgia or in Florence with Studio Art Centers International.

Biology Majors

Several field study opportunities are available to biology majors, including the Creation Care Studies program. Information on summer opportunities available in any given summer is available from the Biology department.

French Majors*

As part of the major requirements, one semester is spent at an accredited university in a French-speaking region in Paris, Montpellier, or Aix-en-Provence.

History Majors*

History majors in the international track may attend the following program in France: Institute for American Universities in Aix-en-Provence.

Kinesiology Majors

The kinesiology department offers off-campus Mayterms for their majors every other year.

Liberal Studies Majors*

Prospective elementary teachers, particularly those who hope to teach in California, are encouraged to consider the Westmont in Mexico program. With careful planning, other approved off-campus programs may also be built into students' schedules. Liberal studies majors who continue into Westmont's credential program and who seek an international experience are encouraged to apply to student each in Costa Rica. The Costa Rica program is administered separately by the Education Department.

Political Science Majors*

Majors in the international track of political science have international internship programs available to them through the AU Abroad: Brussels program (formerly American University World Capitals), in addition to the internships available in Washington D.C. and San Francisco.

Spanish Majors*

As part of the major requirements, one semester is spent at an accredited university in Spain, Ecuador, Chile, or Costa Rica.

* While these programs are approved for Westmont students, this is not intended as an endorsement of their educational philosophy or mission.