Studying Abroad?

[BrianaGrace17]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Hey everyone! I'm thinking about studying abroad during my junior year, probably just for a semester. Does anyone have any thoughts about how this might benefit me or hinder my progress for audiology?

My options are Leeds Metropolitan University in Leeds, England. (speech path)
Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. (speech path)
University of Western Ontario in Canada (audiology grad program where I could take intro courses).

I think it would be a wonderful experience, but I want it to benefit me within the field. I would love to go to Denmark and visit Oticon, but my school doesn't have a supporting program.

What do you think?

 

[AUDball2012]

Go! Def go! It will not hinder you from anything in my point of view. I did a national student exchange from NY to AZ my Jr year....and it was amazing (plus I met my husband 🙂 but thats beside the point lol). I highly recommend going somewhere else and learning about different ways of living. It gives you real perspective and makes you more open to new situations and new opportunities, which I would think would only help you in the field.

 

[cidanu]

Yes, GO! but don't limit yourself to a semester. a year would be better!

I studied abroad twice, once for a semester and once for a summer. but one of my biggest regrets is that i didn't go somewhere for a whole year. the benefits of staying longer (in my opinion) are logarithmic and not linear.

 

[quiteaud]

Go wherever you want to go and study whatever strikes your fancy. It does not have to be related to audiology. Studying abroad is a great way to learn about being flexible and adapting to new situations as well as communicating effectively with people from different cultural/linguistic backgrounds. These are skills that will help you in your career and life in general. This is an exciting time; just enjoy it!

 

[SoCalAud]

Go! It will be such an amazing experience!

 

[cidanu]

i agree with quiteaud. you don't have to limit yourself to places where you can study audiology (unless you need to in order to finish your degree requirements). studying abroad is something that will make you unique and potential AuD programs and employers are interested in you as a complete person and not just the audiology classes you took in college.

 

[BrianaGrace17]

Thanks everyone! I've heard nothing but positive things from every single person I've talked to about this.

It's so scary! But I agree that it would be an absolutely wonderful experience. I think I might go to DIS in Denmark to get my minor in Child Development.

 

[cidanu]

I think I might go to DIS in Denmark to get my minor in Child Development.

one of my former classmates did that and she worked with kids with cochlear implants. that's what got her interested in audiology. she decided to change programs to work more with international development with deaf communities, but in any case i think she enjoyed her time in denmark and probably looked great on her grad school app.

 

[BrianaGrace17]

one of my former classmates did that and she worked with kids with cochlear implants. that's what got her interested in audiology. she decided to change programs to work more with international development with deaf communities, but in any case i think she enjoyed her time in denmark and probably looked great on her grad school app.

Oh wow! That sounds exactly like something I'd want to do. Do you know what program she went through, or maybe you have her contact info so I could get in touch with her?

 

[cidanu]

Oh wow! That sounds exactly like something I'd want to do. Do you know what program she went through, or maybe you have her contact info so I could get in touch with her?

sorry i don't know which program and we don't keep in touch anymore.

 

[smswieczorek]

I studied abroad the Spring of my Junior year and absolutely loved it. I think it is such a great experience and shows that you are not afraid to do something out of the ordinary (*I know many people do study abroad, but I don't know of many speech and hearing people that did at my university). I studied nothing to do with speech and hearing while I was away, so if there is someplace you would like to go that doesn't offer those types of classes, just go anyway! It is the best experience you may have in your entire life and it also looks great on a resume for grad school 😉 Hope this is helpful!