What study abroad options are available to W&L students?
Students may study abroad for credit for a whole year, one term, during the summer, or with one of the W&L sponsored Spring Term Abroad programs. A minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA is required by Washington and Lee for eligibility although many programs require a higher average.

What are Spring Term Abroad programs?
Each year 6-10 spring term courses involve travel and study abroad. Some courses are in a foreign language, but many are conducted in English and are arranged by departments in many disciplines. The costs for spring term courses are not included in W&L’s annual comprehensive fee and typically cost between $2500 and $6000. Need-based financial aid is available to students who qualify.

Is financial aid available for studying abroad?
Yes, financial aid travels for up to two academic terms (not summer). To determine the exact amount for which you are eligible you will need to consult with the Financial Aid office.

When a student studies abroad for a fall or winter term or for the full year, does s/he pay W&L tuition and fees?
Except for programs specifically sponsored by W&L (St. Andrews Pre-Med Program, e.g.), students are billed directly by the institution or program office through which they are studying. W&L charges only a $900 administrative fee for each term you are abroad. Many study abroad opportunities cost less than W&L.

Is credit for study abroad transferable?
Yes, as long as students secure permission for the courses they wish to take before they leave campus. Students who go abroad complete the W&L Off Campus Study application that includes course permissions from each of the relevant department heads.

How does a student decide where to study abroad and when?
Faculty can be a great source of information in specific areas of study. In addition, the study abroad advisors at the Center for International Education consult with every student who wishes to study abroad. The CIE contains a comprehensive library of materials about programs from all over the world and assists students throughout the entire process.

How does the liberal arts mission of Washington & Lee influence the programs within the Williams School?
Students are encouraged to find connections between seemingly disparate fields of study. How does an understanding of the manner in which people process artistic images influence international advertising? How do literacy programs in early childhood education influence economic development? What are the connections between government approval ratings and perceived market risk? What impact does the changing role of women in society have on the formation of business and public policy? What do philosophical debates on the role of individuals within society teach us about the role of businesses and not-for-profit organizations in the contemporary world? These are among the many interdisciplinary questions routinely discussed in Williams School courses. We feel strongly that Williams School graduate should be knowledgeable in a broad array of disciplines in order to more fully understand their field(s) of interest.

The Williams School offers the following five majors: • Accounting and Business Administration • Business Administration • Economics • Environmental Studies • Politics • Public Accounting In addition, Williams School faculty contribute to a number of interdisciplinary minors, including programs in Women’s Studies, African American Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Environmental Studies, and Poverty Studies. Many students also simply select courses of interest from the Williams School, even if they are majoring elsewhere.

Can I study abroad if majoring in the Williams School?
You are encouraged to study abroad for at least one full term. All of the fields of study within the Williams School include a global component that can often be studied in unique ways if students are willing to spend a 12-week term or a full year abroad. This might involve studying the European Union at a top European university, studying sustainable development in the Brazilian rain forest, or studying business and economic reforms in China. The options are virtually limitless.

Will the Williams School award AP credit in areas like economics and politics?
Yes. However, it is often recommended that students interested in majoring in those areas repeat introductory courses at W&L, even if they meet the AP requirement for credit. The study of these fields at the college level generally goes much deeper than at the high school level, and students pursuing a major in these areas often find intermediate level courses more manageable if they get exposure to introductory topics here.

What other opportunities does the Williams School offer?
In addition to the broad array of courses offered, the Williams School sponsors a number of co-curricular programs. These opportunities include • Washington and Lee Mock Convention, which occurs during presidential election years and involves virtually everyone on campus in a hands-on exercise of political forecasting. • Washington and Lee Student Consulting, which provides pro bono consulting services to local, national, and international businesses and not-for-profits. • Williams Investment Society, which manages and invests a portion of W&L endowment. • Aduro, which provides promotional planning for a range of organizations. The Williams School also regularly hosts visiting executives through the Executive-in-Residence program. These folks meet with classes and co-curricular groups and generally give a public speech to the University community during their time at W&L. In 2008-09, these guests included John Allison (CEO of BB&T), John Ebner (Senior Vice President of Sponsor Relations, ALLTEL), Ingrid Saunders Jones (Senior Vice President of Global Community Connections for Coca-Cola), and Chris Williams (Managing Director, Harris Williams & Co.).

There are in-house opportunities for research and internships with the Reeves Center and the Staniar Gallery and they are much used. Senior Art History majors spend most of their senior year doing a major research project with their theses. Students have used SSIR special funding to help them do an honors theses by starting work in the summer before their senior year.

Internships are required for students in two of our sequences; they are elective for students in the third sequence. To receive internship credit, a student must be a declared major in Journalism and Mass Communications. We have many forms of support for interns, from full funding to modest stipends.

Information about internships is available at here, and for internship funding here

The Geology Department is part of the 18-college Keck Geology Consortium whose geology faculty members sponsor five to eight research projects each year for five to ten students each. This year's projects are all over the US, and Svalbard and Mongolia. Students participate as rising seniors and begin their thesis research during a summer research trip. W&L sends two students each year.

The Geology Department's Young Endowment also fuels outstanding summer research opportunities. Students are able to apply for funding for research and travel needs in excess of the support provided by the RE Lee Research Program. Students this summer have applied for expenses related to coral sampling in Barados and zircon-fission track work at a lab in France.

Internships are required for students in two of our sequences; they are elective for students in the third sequence. To receive internship credit, a student must be a declared major in Journalism and Mass Communications. We have many forms of support for interns, from full funding to modest stipends.

Information about internships is available at here, and for internship funding here

The Physics and Engineering Department typically has 5-10 summer research students working with professors on projects in their labs. Students are funded from both University and outside sources. For example, over the past five years students have received funds from the University’s R.E. Lee Summer Research Program, from various state and federal governmental agencies such as the National Science Foundation, from the military, and from private foundations such as the Jeffress Memorial Trust. During the year students can get upper division credit for research projects or independent study with a professor. We also promote off-campus internships during the summer and maintain a large listing of suitable opportunities to which students may apply.

Collaborative student-faculty research is a cornerstone of the curricula in Psychology. We have numerous credit-bearing research opportunities as well as formal internships that can be pursued during the academic year. The department plans the operating budget in a way that allows support of that activity as it pertains to the curriculum. Additionally, Psychology administers two endowments that support student research both intra- and extracurricularly. One is the Elmes Fund, which provides support for an annual award (Elmes Pathfinder Prize) as well as student research. The other is the Rudolph Family Fund, which can be used to provide stipend support for students engaged in summer research in neuroscience or psychology at W&L or even elsewhere.

The Physics and Engineering Department typically has 5-10 summer research students working with professors on projects in their labs. Students are funded from both University and outside sources. For example, over the past five years students have received funds from the University’s R.E. Lee Summer Research Program, from various state and federal governmental agencies such as the National Science Foundation, from the military, and from private foundations such as the Jeffress Memorial Trust. During the year students can get upper division credit for research projects or independent study with a professor. We also promote off-campus internships during the summer and maintain a large listing of suitable opportunities to which students may apply.