Teaching a Psychology-Based Study Abroad Pre-Departure Course

Abstract

In response to recent research indicating that the benefits of study abroad are significantly enhanced by pre-departure training, tertiary institutions are increasingly offering pre-departure courses to students preparing to study abroad. Teachers of psychology are well positioned to contribute to such courses in that a large number of psychological concepts are relevant to the student sojourner experience and the goals of pre-departure training. In this article I present the goals, format, content, and assessment of a psychology-based study abroad pre-departure course, describe relevant psychological concepts, and provide suggestions for psychology instructors interested in developing and teaching such courses.