Students are transformed by AU's global initiatives. Study abroad for a semester. Pursue a May Term travel/study course. Attend an on-campus event with an international focus. You’ll start to discover what it means to be a citizen of the world. Today your education requires a global perspective.
Aurora University offers several avenues for learning about our complex, interdependent world.
International exchange program
Have the experience of a lifetime and immerse yourself in a culture other your own. Experience another country for a semester through the AU international exchange program. Study art in Rome, Spanish in Barcelona or history in Madrid. As you explore faraway places, you'll learn more about yourself in the process.
In addition to sending students out into the world, Aurora University also hosts international students from partner universities as part of its exchange program. The experience not only gives students from other countries the opportunity to study in the United States in a major metropolitan area; it also exposes AU students to different cultures on campus, creating a global community right here in Aurora.
May Term
May Term offers courses specifically developed for a three-week format, including classes that involve travel/study trips to destinations in the United States and abroad. Previous courses have included travel to Costa Rica, Honduras, London, Paris and Rome. In addition offering students the opportunity to learn about a culture first hand, many of the trips also include a service component.
Alumni Relations trips
The Office of Alumni Relations hosts an international trip each year for alumni, students, friends and the community. The first trip, to Italy in 2010, took the AU group on a guided tour of the country's greatest artistic and geographical treasures. The 2011 trip to France will focus on how Paris, a once-distant city on the edge of the Roman Empire, became one of the great cultural capitals of the world.
Campus events
Global education continues on campus all year long with guest lectures presented by the Celebrating Arts and Ideas series, Wackerlin Center for Faith and Action, Servant Leadership Initiative and student organizations. These events bring experts from around the world to AU to discuss current events and provide perspective on how our lives are shaped by the world around us.
The Wackerlin Center and Servant Leadership Initiative also offer international trips with a focus on community service.
International studies minor
In the modern economy, understanding global relations is mandatory. AU recognizes this need and offers a minor in international studies to help students enhance their appreciation of globalization. This minor complements any major and provides students with a solid foundation in international studies.
