Goals and Interests
"...international experience is not a luxury. Rather, it is a highly desirable component of an individual experiences, regardless of major..."
MIT Task Force Report on the Undergraduate Education (2006)
The world today is a very different place than it was even a few years ago. Business and research are conducted across national boundaries, different time zones, and cultural contexts. This means that as an MIT graduate you will be called upon to work effectively with global collaborators and across transnational engineering and science environments. In this increasingly global context, deciding to participate in a study abroad program could be one of the best decisions you make as an undergraduate.
Be strategic in thinking about the study abroad possibilities that might benefit you most. Contemplate these programs from the point of view of your major, as well as your professional and research interests and goals. The more integrated your experience abroad will be with your goals and interests, the more you will benefit from that opportunity.
If you already have developed an interest in a particular culture or region of the world by your freshman year, you may wish to start learning (or continue learning if you started in high school) the foreign language most commonly used in that culture or region. You also might want to explore the international locations of exciting developments in the academic/research fields that interest you.
If you start to think about study abroad in your sophomore or junior year, you should still be able to find a study abroad program to fit your interests and goals. Even in your senior year you may find some opportunities, especially internships and post-graduate foreign fellowships.
We look forward to meeting with you to discuss your study abroad ideas and to help you find a program that would work best for you. Please make an appointment to meet with us by contacting Jennifer Cook at jacook@mit.edu.
