Thanks for your interest in leading a College of Human Sciences study abroad program! The resources on this page will assist with your preparations to lead a program.
Responsibilities of a study abroad program director
Your responsibilities as a study abroad program director extend far beyond the instructional duties for a class offered on campus at Iowa State. Colleagues at North Carolina State University put it best when they described your role beyond teaching as: “administrator, budget manager, recruiter, travel logistics planner, cultural guide, diplomat, translator and interpreter, decision-maker, on-site student services coordinator, counselor and judicial officer.”
Specific responsibilities of program directors include:
- Collaborating with the CHS International Programs Office to develop the program proposal
- Developing an itinerary through which an ISU course can be taught that includes relevant academic and cultural experiences to create local connections abroad for CHS students
- Cultivating contacts abroad who can provide experiences for CHS students
- Participating actively in recruiting interested students
- Meeting regularly with CHS International Programs Office staff to discuss program preparations
- Screening and selecting applicants through ISUAbroad
- Leading pre-departure orientation sessions
- Following ISU policies for international programs and for financial matters
- Accompanying the student participants during the entire program abroad Communicating with the CHS International Programs Office if there are any difficulties encountered abroad
- Meeting with the CHS International Programs Office for a post-program debriefing session
- Preparing receipts and expense forms in a timely manner after the end of the program
- Completing a final report for ISU’s Education Abroad Committee
Pre-departure orientation
The CHS International Programs Office has prepared a checklist (PDF) of information to cover in your pre-departure orientation course.
Program director training and preparation
The CHS International Programs Office will create a shared CyBox folder with you for training and preparation documentation. The standard documentation we share includes:
General Information
- A handbook
- Program leader workshop handouts and slides
- Spouse, etc. agreement (if necessary)
Emergency Procedures
- Emergency contact file for you
- Emergency contact file for your participants
- CISI insurance guide
- CISI dependent enrollment form (if necessary)
Program Finances
- General expense form
- Hospitality expense form
- Receipt form
- “Allowability and Appropriateness” guide for expenses
- Event card guide
The shared CyBox folder will also be where documents are located that the CHS International Programs Office and you need to access on a regular basis as we all prepare for your study abroad program.