By: Lilia Darrow (COL ’20)
There is often hesitation from STEM majors to study abroad. Such hesitation may stem (hah) from fear of having to take summer classes that you missed while abroad or of not being able to balance a rigorous course load and everything your host country has to offer. Although studying abroad may make things a little more complicated, with a little effort it is definitely possible to incorporate it into your college career, whether it be a summer program or a full semester. And trust me, it is worth it. Aside from meeting some of the best people in your life, immersing yourself into a new culture, and the excitement of travel, studying abroad as a STEM major has additional perks. First, you can explore some classes that Georgetown may not offer. Second, the different teaching style allows you to better understand yourself as a student and scholar. Third, you are able to build relationships with a whole new network of STEM professors and students.
First, I want to address the concern of not being able to fit a semester abroad in a STEM program. As a late bloomer in terms of my Biology major (I took my first science class my Sophomore year), I feared I would not be able to get my shot at a semester abroad in the midst of catching up on required courses. However, the more I looked into it, the more possible it became. One thing students may overlook is the fact that core requirements such as English and History classes can be taken while abroad. So, while some schools abroad may not offer the courses you need for your major, you can take this time abroad to fulfill other requirements, most of which will be more enjoyable if abroad, anyway. This, of course leads to another concern of falling behind on the track to completing your major requirements before graduation. However, those one or two courses other students in your field are taking the semester you are abroad will still be offered when you get back. It may make one semester a bit more work intensive than others, but it is not impossible. Finally, courses can be taken abroad to count towards your major—going abroad does not mean a complete derailing from your academic plan. The Biology department was very helpful in finding courses abroad that are compatible with Georgetown courses. I ended up taking four classes at the University of St Andrews in Scotland (where Will met Kate!)—two for my major, one for my core requirements, and one just for fun. Studying abroad is possible for STEM majors, it just takes some planning.
And the planning pays off in wonderful ways. There are courses offered at other institutions that Georgetown does not offer. For example, I took an Invertebrate Zoology course while at the University of St Andrews, which is not offered at Georgetown, and allowed me to pursue an entirely new field of Biology. Exploring different areas of your science is such an important process for STEM majors, as it allows us to narrow our interest and perhaps hone our study for graduate work, concentrations, or even simply what we choose to learn more of in our free time.
Studying abroad as a STEM major also provides a great opportunity to experience a different teaching style. Labs at Georgetown are very guided and often have a grade associated with them. However, in the three STEM classes I took at the University of St Andrews, there was far less pre-lecture on the lab that day and most labs are not graded in any way. I found this to be freeing, as it allowed me to focus less on some questions I had to answer, and more on the how and why of what was happening in the lab. Furthermore, there were fewer graded components for the course overall. Usually there was a paper or two due throughout a semester followed by a final exam at the end. In this way, the teaching style is more hands off, and you have to figure out what kind of study schedule works best for you. Overall, I found the teaching much more relaxing abroad with less of an emphasis on grades and more on learning, which is definitely a joy to experience.
Finally, studying abroad allowed me to find a group of Biology students both from the University of St Andrews and other American universities to befriend. These friends give further perspective on Biology studies and are always good to have as we all journey through our professional careers.
Studying abroad at the University of St Andrews was truly a wonderful experience that I would not trade for anything. I have a couple of intensive semesters coming up, but when I think back on my memories, the friends I made, and the change I found in myself, it was worth it.
