Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

University of Nebraska Omaha logo
College of Arts and Sciences Department of English
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
  • About Us Backback to Main menu
    • Faculty & Staff Directory
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • English Department Forms
    • Calendar of Events
  • Academics Backback to Main menu
    • Undergraduate Programs
    • Graduate Programs
    • English Minors
    • Knowledge & Skills Gained
    • Academic Advising
  • Student Opportunities Backback to Main menu
    • Student Opportunities
    • Student Organizations
    • Scholarships
    • Careers
    • Internships
    • Study Abroad
  • Community Engagement Backback to Main menu
    • Dual Enrollment English
    • Community Engagement
    • Department Newsletter
    • Oxbow Writing Project
  • Research
  • First-Year Writing Backback to Main menu
    • First-Year Writing
    • Our Courses
    • English Composition Placement Information
    • Retroactive Credit
    • UNO Language Lab
  • Support Us

Study Abroad

  1. UNO
  2. College of Arts and Sciences
  3. Department of English
  4. Student Opportunities
  5. Study Abroad

  • Related Resources

  • NY Times on Why You Should Study Abroad

The World is Your Classroom

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts.” - Mark Twain

quebec city canada

Why Study Abroad?

The opportunities for enhancing one’s understanding of literature written in English through foreign study are almost boundless: seeing Shakespeare performed in the rebuilt London Globe, visiting the Lake District where Wordsworth and Coleridge wrote their finest poetry, reading Joyce’s Ulysses in Dublin, discussing American literary texts with British, Australian, or Indian students, or experiencing Coetzee’s South Africa. Or perhaps you're going to study abroad to have an international experience to write about for a travel magazine or blog.

English majors who study abroad come to understand that cultural context is crucial for interpreting literary texts, that knowledge is constructed differently in other political and social milieu. Or through immersion in a foreign-language university, they may gain fluency in another language and acquire a sense of its literature while at the same time studying English literature.

English majors find that a term, or better, a year in a foreign university not only enhances their critical and writing skills, but that the experience of adapting to another academic and cultural world expands their self-understanding and gives them a keen sense of the political and social differences in today’s world. The personal and intellectual growth of study abroad provides further advantages when it comes to the challenges of graduate and professional study.


To Become a "Global Citizen" in Today's Interconnected World

Now, more than ever, our world is interconnected. To be successful—personally, intellectually, and professionally—you must become a "global citizen," skilled at interacting in and between multiple cultures and capable of analyzing issues on a global level. Getting an international education is one of the best ways for students to build global competence. The experience can help you:

Develop new perspectives on academic subjects and real-world issues
Study abroad lets you study a variety of subjects in more depth and from different cultural perspectives. Outside the classroom, your personal education is enhanced through daily interactions in the foreign culture with host families or housemates and others in the community.

Achieve proficiency in a foreign language
While you can learn grammar and vocabulary at UNO, it is impossible to become truly proficient in a foreign language without using it in a real-world setting. A non-English-speaking country is the ultimate "language classroom."

Experience personal growth
Study abroad is a challenging adventure, academically and personally. Students who return from abroad consistently report that they developed a greater sense of independence and confidence in their capabilities.

Develop valuable career skills
Students who study abroad often develop career skills that make them especially marketable, including:

  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Independence and self confidence
  • Teamwork and communication
  • Motivation and leadership
  • Flexibility and adaptability
  • Creativity
  • An expanded world view and multicultural perspective

To Take Part in a Life-Changing Experience

With proper planning and preparation, the study abroad experience can truly be life-changing. Nationwide, students who have studied abroad consistently count their international experience as one of the best parts of their college careers. They report that they not only advanced academically but also acquired a renewed sense of intellectual energy and focus, as well as a more sophisticated view of the world around them.

In all, for those students who undertake the challenge, living and studying abroad is one of the most exciting and enriching opportunities available at UNO.

Speak with your adviser about the opportunities available, and visit the Study Abroad website.

Announcements

  • Interview with Kay Siebler about Black Women Stereotypes: A Streaming Revolution
  • UNO English Alum Earns Nebraska English Teacher of the Year Award
  • Interview with Gene Kwak about his debut novel: Go Home, Ricky!
  • Alumna Spotlight: Jessie Carr

Taking Your Learning Outside the Classroom

Learning how to interact with people from other countries and cultures equips future leaders in all career fields to address urgent issues shared across borders.

Contact Us

  • Main Office
  • Department of English, 192 ASH
  • 6001 Dodge St | Omaha, NE 68182-0175

  • Phone: 402.554.3636
  • Fax: 402.554.2009

Related Resources

  • NY Times on Why You Should Study Abroad

College of Arts and Sciences

  • Contact Us
  • 220 Arts & Sciences Hall
  • College Advising Office
  • College Resources
  • For Faculty and Staff
  • Math-Science Learning Center
  • The Writing Center
  • Next Steps
  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)
  • Just For You
  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List
  • Popular Services and Resources
  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • Bookstore
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence
  • Affiliates
  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • © 2023  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • Report an Incident or Concern

Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.

scroll to top of page