Goal

At least one study abroad opportunity should be mapped to every undergraduate major so students can identify specific programs that are academically relevant to their degree.

What Qualifies

A mapped opportunity could include:

• Global Track: A documented set of pre-approved study abroad courses offered on a study abroad program and aligned with degree requirements.
• Faculty-Led Program: A U of A faculty-led program offering coursework that satisfies degree requirements.
• International Internship: A credit-bearing international internship that can be incorporated into the major to meet a degree requirement.
• International Research Opportunity: A credit-bearing international research experience that can be incorporated into the major to meet a degree requirement.

Every major does not need to offer every type of experience. The goal is to ensure that every major has at least one specific study abroad option that can contribute to academic progress.

What to Do

For each major:

• Review existing mapped programs.
• Determine whether the major already has an academically relevant study abroad option.
• Fill gaps where no mapped option currently exists.
• Work with the Study Abroad Office to identify an existing program offering credit that can be articulated to the major, or develop a new program designed to satisfy degree requirements.

Examples include B.S. Architecture at UA Sydney through a defined Global Track or B.S. Natural Resources through the Conservation Field Studies: Galapagos faculty-led program.

Report Completion

Submit the link to at least one mapped study abroad program through the Presidential Study Abroad Challenge Major-Level Reporting Form. If multiple programs are mapped to the major, submit each program link.

Goal

Publish a sample study abroad degree plan for every undergraduate major that shows when and how study abroad can fit within the overall path to graduation without extending time to degree.

What to Do

For each major:

• Identify a term in which study abroad is possible and encouraged.
• Identify the types of degree requirements students could complete abroad.
• Maximize flexibility within the degree plan through course sequencing, substitutions and other adjustments that create space for study abroad.
• Use the sample plan as a starting point for individualized advising.

The sample plan should not be tied to one specific study abroad program or prescribe one path for every student. Its purpose is to demonstrate that a viable academic path to study abroad exists within the major.

Report Completion

Submit the link to the published sample study abroad degree plan through the Presidential Study Abroad Challenge Major-Level Reporting Form. 

Goal

All academic advisors across the University of Arizona complete the Study Abroad Navigators professional development training by the end of the 2026–27 academic year.

What to Do

Ensure all academic advisors complete Study Abroad Navigators training.

The training prepares advisors to introduce study abroad as part of academic planning and better support students who are interested in incorporating an international experience into their degree.

Report Completion

The Study Abroad Office will track Navigators completion and monitor progress toward full participation across the academic advising community.

Goal

Create and maintain a dedicated study abroad webpage for every college and department that provides students with accurate, academically relevant information about study abroad.

Pages Should Help Students

• Understand why study abroad is relevant to their field.
• Find mapped programs relevant to their major.
• Access sample study abroad degree plans.
• Connect directly to Study Abroad resources and advising.

The Study Abroad Office will provide recommended content and templates that colleges and academic units can tailor for their students. These resources will be available through the Study Abroad Marketing Toolkit.

What to Do

• Create or update a dedicated study abroad webpage for each college and department.
• On department webpages, include mapped study abroad programs and sample study abroad degree plans.
• Link students to the U of A Study Abroad website, relevant study abroad program pages and the Connect with Us page for advising and support.

Report Completion

Submit:

• The college-level study abroad webpage through the College-Level Reporting Form.
• The department-level study abroad webpage associated with each major through the Major-Level Reporting Form.

Goal

Academic advisors should proactively discuss study abroad with students and, when a student is interested, help them develop an individualized academic plan showing how study abroad can fit within their remaining path to degree completion.

What to Do

As part of academic advising:

• Introduce and discuss study abroad as part of academic planning.
• When a student is interested, use the sample study abroad degree plan as a starting point for individualized planning.
• Identify a term in which study abroad can fit into the student's academic plan and discuss their preferred term abroad.
• Identify the degree requirements the student could complete abroad.
• Create an individualized academic plan showing how study abroad can fit within the student's path to graduation.

This moves the student from seeing that study abroad is possible within their major to understanding how it can work within their individual academic plan.

Completion Expectations

During 2026–27, advisors should begin consistently discussing study abroad and creating plans for interested students.

In alignment with the MMAP syllabus, the long-term goal is for 100% of students to discuss study abroad with their advisor by the end of their second year at the latest, with interested students incorporating study abroad into their academic plan.

Individualized study abroad degree plans are an ongoing advising expectation and are not separately reported or tracked through the Presidential Study Abroad Challenge reporting forms.