Off Campus Study in the U.S.
Salt Institute for Documentary Studies
Selected Wheaton students may participate in a semester of interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in documentary photography, non-fiction writing and editing, and field research at the Salt Center, based in Portland, Maine. Selected student projects are published in the center's magazine, become part of the permanent archives, and are displayed in the Salt Gallery for a wider public audience. Enrollment is limited to approximately 25 students, who receive close guidance and individual supervision as they develop their projects. Students learn the steps of field data collection and the development of professional skills needed to shape their independent research for publication. Grades and credits become part of a Wheaton student's academic record and students pay regular Wheaton tuition and fees for this Wheaton-affiliated program.*
The Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Wheaton is a member of the Marine Biological Laboratory Consortium in Environmental Science. Select students with strong backgrounds in environmental studies may qualify for fall semester study at this world-renowned center for research, education and training in biology. While at the MBL, students enroll in two core lab and lecture courses in aquatic ecosystems and terrestrial ecosystems, select elective seminars and undertake an independent project. A special effort is made to understand the links between ecosystems on land and in water at global, regional and local scales. The MBL library is jointly operated with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, serving as a primary source of scientific information for the large, multi-institutional Woods Hole scientific community. Grades and credits become part of a Wheaton student's academic record and students pay regular Wheaton tuition and fees for this Wheaton-affiliated program.*
Mystic Seaport Program in American Maritime Studies
Under the auspices of Williams College and the Twelve College Exchange Program, described below, this program offers an interdisciplinary, field-based approach to studies of the sea: American maritime history, literature of the sea, oceanography or marine ecology, and marine policy. Students also learn maritime skills under professional instruction, including boat building, ship smithing, sailing or celestial navigation. The program offers three field seminars each semester, with a two-week offshore voyage on a research schooner, eight days exploring the coasts of California or Oregon, and a three-day trip to Nantucket. Admission is competitive. Applications must be made in the spring of the preceding year. More information is available in the Academic Advising Center. Grades and credits become part of a Wheaton student's academic record, but students pay tuition and fees to Williams College for the Mystic Seaport Program. Wheaton merit scholarships are not available, but Wheaton grants are available.*
The National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center
Under the auspices of Connecticut College and the Twelve College Exchange Program, described below, students in theater may spend one semester of concentrated study in directing, play writing, acting, movement and voice, design and other electives. A final project draws together all these elements, culminating in a performance open to the public. The semester opens with two weeks spent abroad, either in Stratford-upon-Avon or at Russia's Moscow Art Theater (subject to change). The program is very competitive and may require an audition with NTI staff. Grades and credits become part of a Wheaton student's academic record. Students pay tuition and fees to Connecticut College for the NTI Program. Wheaton merit scholarships are not available, but Wheaton grants are available.*
The Twelve College Exchange Program
Regional colleges cooperating with Wheaton in exchanging junior-year students include Amherst, Bowdoin, Connecticut College, Dartmouth, Trinity, Wellesley and Wesleyan. Admission is competitive, and students should indicate strong curricular reasons for wishing to participate in the exchange. Applications and information on eligibility are available through the Academic Advising Center; a minimum GPA of 2.67 (B-) is required. Grades and credits become part of a Wheaton student's academic record. For the period of study away, no fees are paid to Wheaton; students pay tuition and fees to the host exchange institution. Wheaton merit scholarship and financial aid funds are not available, though students are eligible for state and federal aid programs.*
Washington Semester
Qualified students majoring in political science or economics may spend one semester of their junior year at American University (Washington, D.C.) studying American government or economic policy. Students enroll in a core seminar, which consists of meetings with guest lecturers from a huge network of national and international organizations and agencies, and class readings. An elective course or research project is undertaken, along with an internship placement two days a week. For the period of study away, no fees are paid to Wheaton; students pay tuition and fees to American University. Wheaton merit scholarship and financial aid funds are not available, though students are eligible for state and federal aid programs and may apply to American University for special scholarships.*
Financial aid
*Related financial aid information is available in Student Financial Services.