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Off-Campus Study

Some things to consider as a biology major as you plan your off-campus study experience:

• Junior year generally works best to study off-campus, especially if taking organic chemistry, as those courses have usually been completed by then (during freshman and sophomore years).
• Courses that can be taken off-campus include marine biology, conservation, ecology and vertebrate zoology. Some courses have an equivalent at Hope but many that are not offered here can still count toward your biology major.  
• Most programs do not have a language requirement, making them accessible to a wide range of students.
• Several pre-health courses are offered through off-campus study.
• It is important to meet with your academic advisor regarding the courses you plan on taking off-campus.
• Credits earned off campus count as Hope College courses, so transfer equivalency is not a concern. 
• Financial Considerations
  • The majority of Hope College financial aid can be used for two semesters off-campus.
  • Typically, students pay about the same amount as they would if on campus.
  • Program providers and Hope College offer scholarships.

 Featured Programs

This is a thematic program that requires all students to take the following five courses:

• •  Conservation and Sustainability Internship
  • Tropical Conservation Biology & Policy
  • Costa Rican Natural History
  • Sustainability: Environment, Ecology & Society
  • Spanish Language Course

This direct enrollment program is organized through the Galápagos Academic Institute for the Arts and Sciences (GAIAS), a remote campus of the Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ) located on the island of San Cristóbal. The program provides the following three tracks and each of the tracks has five specific courses that students need to take during the semester.

• • Evolution, Ecology & Conservation
  • Marine Ecology
  • Sustainability and Resilience

Organization for Tropical Studies ( or )

Both of these locations are modular thematic programs. Courses include:

• • Fundamentals of tropical Biology
  • Directed Field Experience / Field Research in Tropical Biology
  • Conservation Action in the Tropics
  • South African Ecosystems and Diversity

This is a thematic program that requires all students to take the following courses:

• • God and Nature
  • New Zealand Ecosystems
  • Sustainable Community Development
  • Environmental Literature
  • Te Reo Maori

This is a direct enrollment program in Scotland. Students have access to almost all of the departments offered at the university.

& (Ireland)

IES Abroad and CIEE allows students to directly enroll in these universities. These institutions are more restrictive since students have to select one Faculty and can only take courses from that Faculty. A vast number of Biology courses are offered in both institutions. The process for both of these institutions can also be a bit long so students are encouraged to apply early to have sufficient time to complete all application requirements. Trinity College also requires students to be at least a junior and have a minimum of a 3.3 GPA requirement.

(The Netherlands)

IES Abroad and CIEE offers programs in the sciences that allows students to enroll in Vrije UniversiteitÑÇÖÞÉ«°É¯Amsterdam. Students can take classes in the faculty of the sciences. Both of these programs can be quite competitive primarily due to housing availability in Amsterdam.

IES Abroad and CIEE both offer programs through this institution. Students directly enroll in the UCT and can take an internship seminar at the IES Abroad or CIEE center. Students have access to most departments including the sciences.

Students in this program enroll directly in the University of Botswana which allows students to take a vast array of science courses. CIEE also provides students the opportunity to enroll in an internship or independent research course to conduct during the semester. A previous catalog of science courses can be

Students in this program can enroll in the university of Ghana and also take courses with CIEE. Students have access to the College of Health and the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.  

& (South Korea)

IES Abroad, CIEE and TEAN offer direct enrollment programs in both of these universities in South Korea. Students have access to most of their degrees and departments, including the sciences. Students can directly enroll through either of these three providers and choice sometimes comes down to the financial aid assistance that the student might receive through them.

IES Abroad, CIEE and TEAN offer direct enrollment programs at the University of Auckland. Students have access to most of their degrees and departments, including the sciences. Students can directly enroll through either of these three providers and choice sometimes comes down to the financial aid assistance that the student might receive through them. Links to all science and math degrees can be

Direct Enrollment Universities in Australia

IES Abroad, CIEE and TEAN offer direct enrollment programs at a number of universities in Australia. Students have access to most of their degrees and departments, including the sciences. Students can directly enroll through any of the providers in parentheses and choice sometimes comes down to the financial aid assistance that the student might receive through them.

• • (Sydney)ÑÇÖÞÉ«°É“ CIEE, IES Abroad, TEAN
  • (Sydney)ÑÇÖÞÉ«°É“ CIEE, IES Abroad, TEAN
  • (Sydney)ÑÇÖÞÉ«°É“ IES Abroad, TEAN
  • (Melbourne) - TEAN
  • (Perth) - TEAN
  • (Brisbane) - TEAN
  • (Gold Coast) -TEAN

Off-campus Study Programs Pursued By Recent Biology Majors

Biology Department May Terms

Field studies in Biology (the science and culture of coffee, Costa rica)

"My experience in Kaikoura was incredible. We were surrounded by an amazing array of marine life: dolphins, seals, whales, albatross and even penguins. My experience helping the Kaikoura Ocean Research Institute with Hector's and Dusky dolphin surveys really helped me develop a research focus for a future in ecological graduate work. I loved being a part of endangered species conservation. I was immersed in a town where every factor (tourism, fisheries, geological landscapes, the behavior of wild animals, etc.) was important for establishing a healthier relationship with the creatures we share the planet with."   
ÑÇÖÞÉ«°É” Jennifer Fuller ÑÇÖÞÉ«°É™17