Academic Partner

LeadAbrOglethorpe Universityoad partners with Oglethorpe University to make it easy for students from around the US to participate in a LeadAbroad program. Oglethorpe University is a leading liberal arts and sciences university located in Atlanta, Georgia. With its motto, “Make a living, make a life, make a difference,” the missions of OU and LeadAbroad combine seamlessly.

Founded in 1835, OU has been named among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Liberal Arts Colleges, Forbes’ America’s Best Colleges, and Princeton Review’s Best Southeastern College in its 2014 edition of The Best Colleges. Oglethorpe is a member of the Annapolis Group, an organization of America’s most selective liberal arts institutions. For seven consecutive years, Oglethorpe has been named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for commitment to and achievement in community service. Oglethorpe competes in the NCAA Division III Southern Athletic Association, and it is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelors and master’s degrees.

Through LeadAbroad’s partnership with Oglethorpe University, the faculty is able to focus on their areas of expertise and deliver engaging curriculum to our students. The academic staff leads all academic endeavors including lectures, guest speakers, site visits, discussions, activities and papers. With the help of teaching assistants, the academic staff works closely with students and ensures a challenging classroom environment abroad. From archaeological digs to unearth ruins in Greece to leading international organizations of fellow professors, our faculty are both accomplished and committed to furthering international education. 

Academic credit for all LeadAbroad programs comes from Oglethorpe University. It is up to each student to follow the policies outlined by his or her home university to transfer the credits. We will work with you and your university to help students navigate the process, but the student is primarily responsible.

Curriculum

Academic and personal growth are at the heart of all LeadAbroad programs. Each program type has a different curricular focus:

GO

GO programs are 4-week study centers. Our faculty undergo rigorous evaluations from both Oglethorpe faculty and administrators in order to earn a teaching position abroad. The faculty retain complete control over their syllabi, readings, assignments and in class policies.

Sample course syllabi are listed below. Students will select two of the offered courses in their location. All approved courses will maintain the same course title, description and learning objectives as previous years; however, course numbers are subject to change. Final 2024 syllabi will be available in January.

Sample course syllabi are listed below. Students will select two of the offered courses in their location.

All courses are subject to change and syllabi may be updated before the first day of class.

2024 GO Lisbon courses

(draft syllabi, final syllabi will be updated in April)

BUS 370 International Business

BUS 375 International Marketing

INT 290 Lisbon Through Food (this is a new course modeled after Italy through Food; Lisbon specific syllabus coming in January)

COM 220 Intercultural Communication

COM 110 Public Speaking

PRO-track option: Professional Experience with Nexgen Careers (not for credit)

2024 GO Rome Courses

(draft syllabi, final syllabi will be updated in April)

ART 498 Classical Art and Myth in Rome

ART 300 Italian Renaissance Art History

INT 290 Italy Through Food 

BUS 370 International Business

BUS 305 Ideas and Innovation: Discussions in Entrepreneurship (sample from 2023)

COM 220 Intercultural Communication

COM 110 Public Speaking

PRO-track option: Professional Experience with Nexgen Careers (not for credit)

2024 GO Barcelona Courses (draft syllabi, final syllabi will be updated in April)

PHI 202 How Ought We Live? An Introduction to Ethics and the Good Life

PHI 220 Exploring Life’s Questions through Art in Barcelona

INT 490-01 Eat, Drink, Spain (**Spanish option available for qualified students)

INT 490-02 Spanish Culture and Civilization (**Spanish option available for qualified students)

BUS 370 International Business

BUS 360 Leadership & Power

INT 290 Culture, Values, and Global Citizenship

ART 298 Barcelona Art & Architecture

COM 220 Intercultural Communication

COM 280 Gender, Culture and Communication

PRO-track option: Professional Experience with Nexgen Careers (not for credit)

GO programs also have a unique engagement model. Students experience academic engagement through coursework, discussion, tours and guest speakers. Cultural engagement comes from exploration of the local food, history and culture. Personal engagement occurs through intentional conversations with our LeadAbroad staff at weekly community club meetings and group dinners. We work with students on an individual basis to help them discover their passions, articulate their vision and get the most out of their time abroad.

LEADAll LEAD programs focus on leadership and service learning. Students earn six credit hours from Oglethorpe University in the courses of Leadership: Global Theory and Practice and Global Citizenship and Civic Engagement. Professors adapt each syllabus to reflect the local culture, history and current events. Both professors and their syllabi are thoroughly reviewed by Oglethorpe faculty and administrators, and all courses will include class instruction paired with experiential education. Students may select how they would like to list their classes on their transcript from the following disciplines: interdisciplinary studies, history, politics or sociology.

LEAD Cape Town Courses (subject to change)

(draft syllabi, final syllabi updated in April)

Advanced Special Topics: Leadership Global Theory and Practice
Choose one of the following listings:
Urban Leadership Program: ULP 401
History: HIS 490
Sociology: SOC 490
Politics: POL 490

Special Topics: Global Citizenship and Civic Engagement
Choose one of the following listings:
Urban Leadership Program: ULP 402
History: HIS 290
Sociology: SOC 290
Politics: POL 290

LEAD Greece Sample Courses (subject to change)

(draft syllabi, final syllabi updated in April)

Advanced Special Topics: Leadership Global Theory and Practice
Choose one of the following listings:
Urban Leadership Program: ULP 401
History: HIS 490
Sociology: SOC 490
Politics: POL 490
Philosophy: PHI 490

Special Topics: Global Citizenship and Civic Engagement
Choose one of the following listings:
Urban Leadership Program: ULP 402
History: HIS 290
Sociology: SOC 290
Politics: POL 290
Philosophy: PHI 290

LEAD programs are grounded in in-class lectures and coursework; however, they also emphasize experiential learning and out-of-the-classroom experiences. The courses are designed to create unique learning environments. Class time includes hands on service work in the local community, physical opportunities like hiking Table Mountain and focused role-playing activities. Students will be challenged to create their own vision statement and reflect on the impacts of their experience abroad.

DirectThese short-term programs continue the LeadAbroad focus on personal development. Through engaging workshops, the LeadAbroad team delivers key lessons from the LEAD and GO curriculum. Students will discover their values, write their vision statements and reflect on their growth abroad. Through these intentional conversations, we create a tight-knit LeadAbroad culture and allow students the opportunity to think about their place in the world and their aspirations for the future. No college credit is awarded for DIRECT programs.

This program (two weeks in Costa Rica) offers students a real-world glimPRO iconpse into three professional tracks: global health, nursing and physical therapy.  Under our PRO model, students will work alongside medical professionals while also building tangible skills for their chosen careers.  No college credit is awarded on PRO programs.

Policies, Terms & Conditions

You can find all LeadAbroad student policies, terms and conditions here.