Dear Faculty Members,
The Office of Off-Campus Study invites faculty to submit all proposals to direct an Extended Study Group for either the fall semester (with a January 2026 extended study) or the spring semester (with a May 2026 extended study). Extended study programs are normally two to three weeks long and operate as off-campus extension courses to supplement content from an existing, on-campus course. To see examples of current and past extended study programs, please review the off-campus study website section, Extended Study Information.
Extended study programs permit faculty to teach on-campus, semester-long courses and take students off campus for two to three weeks at the end of the course. This experience allows you to expand your learning environment to the location that is the focus of your course. During the off-campus experience, your students may conduct fieldwork or archival research, lead performances, or engage with a new culture or intensive language.
Preference in the selection process is given to new destinations and faculty who have not yet led an extended study group. Please understand that the Extended study budget is fixed annually to cover all extended study programs and equates to a º¬Ð߲ݴ«Ã½ subsidy of $40,000 to $45,000 per group. The Office of Off-Campus Study prefers to keep the expenses charged to students across program, flight, and personal costs to no more than $4,500. OCS prefers that the cost to students be in the range of $3,500 to $4000 as price can be a deterrent to enrollment. As you prepare your proposals we encourage you to consider flight costs and program duration as these are two major factors in program expenses.
Please meet to discuss your plans with your department chair before submitting a proposal. Consider meeting with me (director) and/or the associate dean of the faculty for global and local initiatives (April Baptiste) to review ideas. Faculty leaders will be notified by early November about the progress of the submission. The Office of Off-Campus Study is increasingly working with provider programs and faculty proposers to create customized programs. This process helps support the student group and programs with on-site logistics and permits faculty to concentrate on carrying out the educational elements of the extended study. Our office will work with you to determine whether the site you are considering can be assisted by a provider.
Extended study proposals will be reviewed by the Off-Campus Study Committee.
Both the extended study proposal budget and the (Google form) may be submitted now through Friday, Oct. 18. is the list of the form's questions to help you get started. For assistance with your preliminary budget, () please meet with Susie Michael (smichael@colgate.edu) before submitting your proposal. The Off-Campus Study Committee reviews all proposals and normally recommends between five to seven proposals to the DAC for the following academic year.
Directors and co-directors of any off-campus program must be credentialed before leading the student group. If you have not already been credentialed, please submit your names via to begin the process. These improvements align our processes with best practices in international education as supported by the Department of Justice, ensuring the safety of our students while engaging in education abroad and experiential learning.
This should be done at any point before submitting a proposal for consideration. Here are the steps in the process:
- Interested faculty will complete the credential form. Credentials will be valid for five years.
- Credential forms will then be shared with the following offices/entities for review: HireRight (limited background check: criminal and education); Dean’s Advisory Council, Office of Equity and Diversity, and the vice-provost for administration, planning, and accounting.
- Once a faculty member receives their credential they can submit their name/proposal to the respective steering committee(s) for study groups or departments/programs for extended studies.
- Once approved by the relative steering committee or department/program, proposals will be submitted to the Office of Off-Campus Study.
- Proposals are then reviewed by the Off-Campus Study Committee (four appointed faculty members, the associate dean for global and local initiatives, two off-campus study staff members, and a representative from the registrar’s office). The OCS committee may request changes to proposals at this point.
- Recommendations will then be forwarded to the Office of the Provost and Dean of the Faculty for consideration and approval.
- Letters of decision will be sent to the faculty member.
a. Faculty who did not undergo a background check at the time of hire will also undergo a limited one-time background check (education background and criminal record only) as part of the review process.
b. If for any reason a faculty member is unsuccessful in the credentialing process, they will have the ability to have a conversation with the provost/dean of the faculty and can reapply.
c. Any accompanying partners/spouses on study groups or extended studies who will have sustained and ongoing contact with students will also need to go through the verification process.
The Off-Campus Study Committee looks forward to receiving your emails.
Best wishes,
Joanna Holvey Bowles
Director, Off-Campus Study
jholveybowles@colgate.edu