A. A majority of Swarthmore students who study abroad do so either Spring semester sophomore year or Fall semester junior year. Most of these students are finalizing study abroad plans before their majors are approved. To make sure that the study abroad plans are compatible with completion of major and degree on schedule, it is necessary, if you are one of these students, to review your plans with the chair of your prospective major department - which person is probably not your under-class adviser. If you are in any doubt as to whom you should see for this, please see Steve Piker for directions.
B. It is especially important that natural science majors who contemplate study abroad meet with the chairs of their prospective majors early, because science majors - by virtue of number of courses required and sequencing - are more constrained regarding scheduling of study abroad. With proper and early planning, foreign study just about always works for natural science majors. And, for similar reasons, pre-meds should see the pre-med adviser early on.
C. The decision as to which semester (or two) to be abroad is often importantly or even decisively influenced by the scheduling of courses and seminars at Swarthmore, that are or may be needed for your major. The chair of your actual or prospective major department is usually the best person with whom to review this.
D.And especially so if you are thinking about doing honors. If you study abroad Spring sophomore year, this usually won't affect your honors program, since the honors program is normally done in its entirety during the last two years. It's quite possible to do an honors program along with one semester abroad during the junior or senior years, but this should be carefully planned out in advance. And it is sometimes possible to do an honors preparation based on work you do while abroad. But this can only be done with the approval of the sponsoring Swarthmore department, and the specifics of the plan should be worked out fully in advance. Again, the chair of your actual or prospective major department is your main adviser for this.
E. Students planning to be abroad Spring sophomore year should have their applications for major in before departure. Please see the chair of your prospective major by no later than Fall break, sophomore year, for instructions as to how to proceed with this. If it is not clear who you should see about this, please bring this question to Steve Piker.
F. For foreign study to be very worthwhile to you, it doesn't have to be closely integrated with your major work at Swarthmore - e.g., the Chemistry major who is spending a semester in Kathmandu learning in situ about Tibetan Buddhism is, likely, having an educationally and otherwise wonderful semester, even if she had done little or nothing with Buddhism or Asian studies before going. But your foreign study can be closely integrated with your major work at Swarthmore and, when this happens, very likely your program of studies at Swarthmore thereby will be much enriched. For example, consider the following sequence (which has actually occurred): 1) First two years: Spanish through 4B, a couple of Latin America courses; 2) Junior year: a semester with ICADS (field work program in Costa Rica), involving an independent project, from which student developed her own major research interest; 3) Summer following junior year: student is back in Costa Rica, supported by a College research grant, doing on her own the research project which addresses the interest she developed while with ICADS; 4) Senior year: senior thesis, building on (1-3), and based specifically on the previous summer's research project. In each graduating class, this real life example is replicated by several seniors, with subject matter emphases and foreign study programs tailored to their respective interests and programs of study.
If you are interested in integrating your foreign study closely with your program at Swarthmore, this probably will be possible. And doing so can greatly enhance both your foreign study and your overall program of study. Steve Piker will be glad to help and advise you with this, and to refer you to other faculty members who can help you with this. The chair of your actual or prospective major department is likely to be one of these other faculty members.