Study Abroad

There’s no way around it: communication has gone global. And to succeed in the 21st century, UR students engaging in any career based in communication must adapt and embrace a perspective that sees human relations as transnational and inter-cultural. Quite simply, students of communication should be students of the world. That’s why our faculty in RhCS stresses that our students should be communicating outside of their comfort zones and immersing themselves in a host of perspectives that challenge and enhance their own. By studying abroad, RhCS students have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to apply their studies to exciting new contexts, and to see both problems and opportunities of communication as multi-angled, complex, and collaborative. What’s more, our focus in the Department of Rhetoric & Communication Studies at UR on the ethical and critical rigor that comes from a liberal arts education is strengthened exponentially when our students can see their own role in a broader, more global light. Whether our students go on to public service, corporate communications, graduate study, law school or elsewhere, we hope they enter their careers seeing themselves as citizens of the world—contributors to an ever-widening and peaceful global framework of communicative connections. In short, study abroad is not only a good idea for RhCS students, it is a vital one.

Academic Planning Considerations

RhCS students should sit down with Dr. Timothy Barney when considering study abroad in order to make sure their academic requirements are being met and also to gauge the international program that might fit their needs best. The RHCS department allows one course in study abroad to meet major requirements. The course must be at the 300-400 level and requires prior department approval. (Senior Capstone cannot be taken abroad.) Study abroad courses do not count for minor requirements. Speaking with Dr. Barney can help determine whether your chosen courses will meet our department’s requirements.

Recommended Programs

Below is a list of programs that will give you an idea of the diverse options for studying rhetoric and communication studies while abroad. The list shows many of the programs in which RhCS students have found excellent cross-over with their studies at UR. But you don’t have to limit yourself to this list: students have taken courses at other UR-affiliated exchanges and study abroad programs in the past, and our faculty, as well as the staff at OIE, would be happy to help find ways to find the right fit. We can also contact current or former students who can talk about their experiences with particular programs. To explore these and other programs, including summer programs, internships and semester programs in other locations, as well as information on financial aid, scholarships and application procedures, visit the Office of International Education.