The Study Abroad Programs office will add new programs to keep up with rising demand, as double the usual number of students applied to travel abroad next year.

Approximately 500 students will study abroad for direct credit next year, said Director of Study Abroad Programs Gary Johnston.

In an effort to allow every applicant to participate, the university added an international studies program in Copenhagen, Denmark, and a music program in Vienna last year.

The expansion will continue next year, creating programs in Paris and Cairo, among others.
Johnston said that programs have begun in a variety of ways - through the initiative of an academic department, for example.

"If a department comes up with a linkage, such as faculty members that have contacts at the university, then that's normally the way it starts," Johnston said. "The Denmark program started with an initiative in Peabody College."
The Vienna and Capetown programs were also created for academic reasons, Johnston said.

The Vienna trip began as an effort to give Blair students a chance to study classical music in more depth, and the African-American and Diaspora studies department started the Capetown program.

Johnston said his office usually accommodates everyone, depending on the number of applications received.

Some programs are fairly easy to get into, but admission to some of the more popular programs, such as the two in London, can be more challenging, Johnston said.

Sophomore Justin Holder, who will attend University College London for the fall semester, said because his program required a higher GPA, there are still open slots remaining.

"I don't know about the other programs, but the GPA requirement was higher for this particular one, I think it was 3.5 or something, others were 3.0," Holder said.

Sophomore Paige Holden, who plans to travel to Germany during the summer and spring, said several of her friends will also study abroad next year.

"I'm taking intense beginner German," she said. "I don't know any German yet to begin with so I'm going to learn. Two of my very good friends are going to Italy and France, and one of my very good friends is coming with me to Germany."

—To view a map of the study abroad opportunities offered through the university, click here.