Program Leader Resources
Study Away - A Study Away course is a credit-bearing course for which a substantial portion of the course includes travel to destinations in which a US citizen does not need a passport. Study Away courses are either led by or with approval of WKU faculty or other appropriate WKU employee. A Study Away course is set-up in Banner with specific attributes that define it as a Study Away course. A Study Away course may only be offered within the Winter Term or Summer Session and not during the fall or spring semesters. Course creation and faculty compensation fall under the procedures outlined on the Study Away website. While a faculty member is not obligated to use the services offered by that Study Away Office (SAO), a Study Away course will receive all the services stated in this manual and on the website.
- Program Leader Travel Information – PDF form to be completed and emailed to Study Away Office by each program leader.
- Employee Travel Authorization Form – WKU E-Signature Form
- WKU Off-Campus Liability Statement
- Driver Approval Forms – If you plan to use a rental vehicle, you must be an approved driver. Any students who will also drive a vehicle rented with WKU funds must be approved. Please complete this form and return to SAO.
- Incident Reporting Form. Use this form to report an incident on your program. You may email or print.
Other options related to Study Away
Embedded Field Experience
A multi-night (4+) group travel off-campus as part of a WKU course in which the majority of the course takes place on a WKU campus or online. An Embedded Field Experience may take place in any term (fall, winter, spring, or summer). While not a Study Away course (i.e. not set-up in Banner as Study Away), faculty designing a course with an Embedded Field Experience may request the services of the SAO by contacting the Program Director well in advance of the course's planned term. The SAO offers limited services. In most cases, the faculty leader would be responsible for planning and executing the travel component. Study Away would normally only serve as the financial manager of the travel portion of the course. An administrative fee would be charged by Study Away that would be included in the program budget. An alternate application process may be provided to the students registered for the course, but the faculty member and his/her department will be expected to perform additional duties to ensure the course is successful. A faculty member is not obligated to use the services offered by the Study Away Office.
Field Trip
A field trip is a short (1 to 3 day) off-campus learning opportunity within a full course. The field trip may be part of a course within any term (fall, winter, spring, summer). While not a Study Away course (i.e. not set-up in Banner as Study Away), faculty incorporating a field trip may request the services of the SAO by contacting the Program Director well in advance of the course's planned term. The SAO offers only limited services. In most cases, the faculty leader would be responsible for planning and executing the travel component. Study Away would normally only serve as the financial manager of the travel portion of the course. Study Away would charge an administrative fee that would be included in the faculty's program budget. A faculty member is not obligated to use the services offered by the Study Away Office.
Coming Soon
Communication Protocol
Assessment Tool - Study Away will use Qualtrics to conduct a post-program assessment. The results will be shared with program leaders. This assessment is not designed to evaluate your course or your teaching, rather it will focus on the Study Away elements of the course.
FERPA AND COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS/GUARDIANS
The PLs should make themselves aware of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). While certain academic and personal protections exist within the FERPA guidelines, the PLs may exercise discretion on reporting matters to a participant's emergency contact. The basic definition is that if a student creates a situation that puts an individual student or the people around the student at risk, then FERPA does not apply. If the matter is an academic issue, where there is no physical risk, then FERPA does apply.
Further information may be obtained at the following site: http://www.wku.edu/registrar/ferpa.php
The full text of the legislation is available here.
