Event Title
Best Practices for Planning and Executing Successful Short-Term Study Abroad Programs in Music
Date of Publication
3-26-2021
Document Type
Paper
Abstract / Program Notes
Short-term, faculty-led study abroad programs have soared in popularity in recent years, now accounting for nearly two-thirds of all study abroad experiences for students at American universities (Institute of International Education, 2019). Long overshadowed by semester or full-year programs, these shorter courses, defined as lasting eight weeks or less, are sometimes dismissed as “trips” or “tours” rather than viewed as opportunities for rigorous study and potentially life-changing experiences. As universities strive to honor diversity and inclusion in academia, these more condensed, intimate, and high-impact educational courses offer a safe introduction to the world and give real-life context and relevance to students’ music studies. Regrettably, scholarship concerning best practices for short-term programs is limited, and discipline-specific research that addresses such programs in music is essentially non-existent. To begin to address this gap, this paper will highlight applicable best practices (e.g. from The Forum on Education Abroad and NAFSA) while proposing others that are pertinent to short-term study abroad in music. Drawing on the experience of leading programs in Austria, the presenter will discuss some of the challenges of planning and executing dynamic courses that combine excursions and live performances with seminar discussions, archival studies, and even private lessons—all in a few short weeks. This paper will also address marketing and fundraising strategies, improving student preparedness, and developing clear content goals while also addressing academic rigor and identifying ways to foster student reflection upon return.
Biography
Dr. Joseph E. Jones teaches music history and musicology at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville School of Music and directs an annual study abroad program in Vienna. Dr. Jones’s scholarly interests include the German romantic tradition, Viennese cultural history, and the fin de siècle. His most recent publication is a book titled Richard Strauss in Context (Cambridge University Press, 2020) for which he served as co-editor. Dr. Jones has presented papers at dozens of professional conferences, including meetings of the American Musicological Society, College Music Society, and Modern Language Association.
Keywords
Study abroad, music, education
Best Practices for Planning and Executing Successful Short-Term Study Abroad Programs in Music
Short-term, faculty-led study abroad programs have soared in popularity in recent years, now accounting for nearly two-thirds of all study abroad experiences for students at American universities (Institute of International Education, 2019). Long overshadowed by semester or full-year programs, these shorter courses, defined as lasting eight weeks or less, are sometimes dismissed as “trips” or “tours” rather than viewed as opportunities for rigorous study and potentially life-changing experiences. As universities strive to honor diversity and inclusion in academia, these more condensed, intimate, and high-impact educational courses offer a safe introduction to the world and give real-life context and relevance to students’ music studies. Regrettably, scholarship concerning best practices for short-term programs is limited, and discipline-specific research that addresses such programs in music is essentially non-existent. To begin to address this gap, this paper will highlight applicable best practices (e.g. from The Forum on Education Abroad and NAFSA) while proposing others that are pertinent to short-term study abroad in music. Drawing on the experience of leading programs in Austria, the presenter will discuss some of the challenges of planning and executing dynamic courses that combine excursions and live performances with seminar discussions, archival studies, and even private lessons—all in a few short weeks. This paper will also address marketing and fundraising strategies, improving student preparedness, and developing clear content goals while also addressing academic rigor and identifying ways to foster student reflection upon return.