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Course Information Steps to Become a uStudy.us Student
Welcome to the uStudy.us Online Courses! The courses provide them the opportunity for cross-cultural learning, making better sense of their experiences abroad, and further refining their skills in cross-cultural observation, adaptation, and communication. Students are able to take the courses as a group so that their group administrator can monitor their progress. These courses include information from international students in the U.S., the staff who work with international students, faculty who teach international students, and researchers in the field who have developed materials to help students through the process. Many of the topics dealt with are practical in nature, but theoretical and conceptual issues will also be explored. Throughout the courses, students will be asked for Individual Reflection and Interacting With Others about their experiences they encounter preparing, studying, and reentry in the U.S. Regardless of where they are in their uStudy.us process, we hope that they will take advantage of the information provided here! There are three separate courses designed to be of help to students, depending on what stage of the study abroad journey they are in:
This course is for students who are in the pre-study in the U.S. stage, whether they are thinking about studying in the U.S., searching for a university or college, or preparing for departure. This course provides them with the opportunity to determine their goals for, know how to search for the program that is best for them, learn what documents they need, and prepare for cross-cultural and language learning.
This course is for students who are already studying in the U.S. Whether they have just arrived overseas, are well into their program, or are getting ready to return home, this course will give students the tools to make the most of their experience abroad! They will find out how to cope with challenges that may arise while they're abroad, how they can take care of things they may not have prepared for, and how to get ready for their return home.
This course is for students who have returned home after their studies in the U.S. Here they will find tips and techniques to help them with their return home, how to cope with the issues that may arise after they return, and how to continue their learning. This course provides them with the opportunity to continue by reflecting on their overseas experience, on the odd, sometimes painful and unexpected process of cultural re-adaptation, on the integration of their intense experiences with their current intellectual and emotional lives, and on where they can go from here personally and in their career preparation. It provides them the opportunity to continue the cross-cultural learning process, to make better sense of their experiences abroad, and to further refine their skills in cross-cultural observation, adaptation, and communication. The course requires students to complete a home school study abroad outreach presentation and a K-12 or Community College outreach presentation in the U.S. International Student Advisors and Faculty can download and print the User Guide. This thorough guide of the courses provides a step-by-step navigation and overview of the each course section. We encourage you to utilize this as another easy-to-use reference guide to help you and your students complete the courses and study abroad successfully. Information for all uStudy.us users can be viewed on the User Guide page. The uStudy.us Certificate is a symbol of academic achievement that can be earned by any college or university student who studies in the U.S. for academic credit. Students who complete the first two courses including the Info Log assignments and outreach presentations in the U.S. will earn the uStudy.us Certificate. Students who complete the first two courses as well as the Course 3 including home campus and home community outreach and presentations earn the uStudy.us Re-entry Certificate. The uStudy.us Online Courses can help turn what for many students may be an unconnected experience abroad into a meaningful, integrated international learning experience. Additionally, they connect participants to their home campus and community through mentorship and outreach, enabling returned study abroad students to make their overseas experience relevant and useful. Following completion of the courses and recognition of their achievement through a uStudy.us Certificate, students will have something tangible and marketable that they can add to their resume displaying their accomplishments. How to Receive a uStudy.us Certificate & Who Signs It Remember: After you finish a step, at the bottom of that page check each box and click “Completed” in order to receive your certificate at the end! Upon completion of the last action of Course 2: While You’re Abroad and the last action of Course 3: Once You Return, students will be congratulated and prompted to download and print their uStudy.us Certificate from the link that appears and to contact the appropriate people to get the necessary signatures that make it official. Students can also access the certificates from their profile page. Students may want to consider printing it on parchment or resume paper in high resolution at a professional printing store such as Kinko’s or the UPS Store. The Certificate appears with the student’s name with 4 lines for signatures in uStudy.us Certificate and 3 lines for signatures in uStudy.us Re-entry Certificate. The designated people who may sign the certificates and the components are listed on the Approving Signatures Explanation Sheet. A second link will also appear for students to download and print copies of the Approving Signatures Explanation Sheet as a word document to distribute to the people signing their certificate so that they know what to look for and understand what they are signing. |
Course 1: Before You Leave 
Course 2: While You’re Abroad 
Course 3: Once You Return