Every summer, Bob Jones University students have the opportunity to learn about new cultures firsthand while earning college credit through study abroad programs. BJU is one of many universities nationwide that provide study abroad opportunities for its students.

With the spring semester in full swing and summer vacation fast approaching, students and professors are preparing for various study abroad courses.

A variety of reasons motivate students to consider study abroad apportunities. Some want to experience and learn about new places, and others are drawn in for the class credits they offer.

Ellie Myers, a sophomore music education major with a Spanish minor, is going on the Spanish language study tour. “This study abroad opportunity will help me to finish off my minor,” she said.

BJU offers study abroad courses in a variety of subjects including history, communication and foreign language. Dr. Paul Radford will lead a course to the UK for communication credit, and Dr. Carl Abrams will lead a course to France for history credit.

Rebekah Church, a junior criminal justice major, plans to go on Radford’s study tour. “My motivation for going on the trip, I would have to say, is to learn more about a different culture,” Church said.

Two more offer foreign language credit. Dr. Jeremy Patterson will lead a study tour to France, and Dr. Amos Kasperek will lead one to Spain.

On Radford’s communication study tour, students will explore multiple locations and listen to audio of the literature they will be learning about. They will have quizzes and reading assignments beforehand to help them connect what they’ve learned to the places they’ll visit.

“I think the one major difference is that I’m actually studying up on everything that we’re going to, and that’s just going to come to life and be so realistic,” Church said.

Patterson’s French study abroad course will be focused in Paris and towns in the surrounding area. “For my trip, the students are all going to be studying Paris with me, but in parallel, they’re all going to be studying a different French town,” he said. “So I’m excited to visit these other towns with the students and have them present the history of the town and get to know those towns and villages as well.”

Abril Brito Mones is an English major going on the French language study tour. She said one of the things she is most excited about will be visiting and reporting on a local French town.

Students will also be active in a local church in France. To prepare, students memorize Bible verses in French, including the Romans Road. In addition to learning verses, Mones is preparing by reading books and listening to music in French.

Several study abroad courses are planned for next year for students to look forward to. To any students who are anxious about traveling, Marshall Oliver, a senior communication major said, “Make sure you have all the details and talk to someone who’s done it before.”

Students should also talk to the faculty members leading the courses if they want more information about any of the study abroad courses.