There are multiple opportunities for foreign study in which MUP students may earn academic credit while studying abroad. These opportunities include foreign exchanges and programs, international coursework and field studies, and independent travel and research. International study locations include the Scandinavian countries, Europe, South Korea, and more. Typically, MUP students embark on exchange programs in their second year of study.
University of Groningen – Netherlands
The Department of Urban Design and Planning offers an ongoing exchange program with the University of Groningen, the second-oldest university in the Netherlands, located in the historic city of Groningen in the country’s northeast.
This autumn quarter exchange (Year 2) allows MUP students to take courses in Dutch planning and often a field study course, all taught in English. Several field trips are typically included. Upon return, the coursework counts as elective credits toward the MUP degree.
Students must carefully plan their coursework around the exchange, and should also consider financial, professional and personal implications of being away for one quarter.
Professor Keith Harris is the faculty liaison and typically hosts an information session each November.
Valle Scholarship
The Valle Program at the University of Washington is a fully funded exchange scholarship for graduate students in engineering and built environments, including Urban Design and Planning, supporting exchange between UW and Nordic and Baltic countries. The program was established in 1980 by Norwegian immigrant and construction leader Henrik Valle to promote international exchange in his fields.
Participating countries: Exchange partners are in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) and the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania).
Application process: Student applications are typically accepted annually from October 15 through February 1 of the following year. The application includes a resume, a plan of study, and references.
Funding details: The Valle Program is known for providing generous funding to its participants, including a monthly stipend living stipend, tuition, and round-trip travel to and from the destination.
https://www.ce.washington.edu/current/abroad/valle
Scan Design Fellowship Program
The Scan Design Foundation provides generous, need-based fellowships to undergraduate and graduate students from all academic fields of study who have been accepted to study abroad in Denmark through any program approved by UW Study Abroad, including exchanges with the University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen Business School, Aarhus University, Aarhus School of Architecture, and the affiliated partner program with the Danish Institute of Study Abroad (DIS). Funding is available through all quarters throughout the year, including direct enrollment through Danish institutions and UW’s Fieldwork, Research, and Independent Learning Abroad (FRILA).
Most MUPs who utilize Scan Design pursue research on their thesis through Fieldwork, Research & Independent Learning Abroad (FRILA), which allows students to engage globally while maintaining student status and receiving international travel security coverage.
For further information, please visit http://scandesign.be.uw.edu/
University of Washington Study Abroad Options
Graduate students are eligible to participate in any of the study abroad opportunities available through the University of Washington. However, some options in particular are better suited for graduate students. To learn more, please see the UW Study Abroad website: http://www.washington.edu/studyabroad/
Each year there are typically a number of international coursework opportunities offered through the Department of Urban Design and Planning. Field studies usually include travel for one-two weeks in an international location with the remaining coursework conducted in Seattle for the duration of the quarter. Study abroad opportunities differ in that they are usually conducted abroad the entire quarter, with students pursuing multiple courses/coursework while abroad. Studio classes are sometimes conducted as either as a field study or as a study abroad quarter, and offer students a unique, hands-on experience working on a specialized planning problem in another country.
International coursework and study abroad options offered through the Department of Urban Design and Planning vary from year to year. Examples of recent coursework and field studies include:
Mega-City Planning: Seoul, Korea
Students are in Seoul for approximately one week of field study, with an additional 3-credit course completed in Seattle during the remainder of the quarter; instructed by Professor Christine Bae. Typically offered in autumn quarter.
Bonderman Travel Fellowship
The Bonderman Travel Fellowship offers University of Washington graduate, professional, and select undergraduate students an opportunity to engage in independent exploration and travel abroad for eight months. For further information, please see: http://bonderman.uw.edu/
Fulbright U.S. Student/Scholar Program
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. Please click here to view the program website.