Studying abroad helps to prepare AgriBusiness Management students for working in a business environment that is increasingly global.

Semester Programs:

An exciting new study abroad program has been created for students majoring in Agribusiness Management at Penn State. Students can spend either the fall or spring semester at the University of Reading (Department of Food and Agricultural Economics) in the United Kingdom. The program is designed for Penn State Agribusiness Management majors in their 6th or 7th semester. To be eligible, students must have a 3.0 GPA and take a 1 credit preparatory course at University Park (AG BM 497B: Study Abroad UK) in the semester prior to their departure.

Students take 5 courses at Reading for a total of 15 PSU credits. Twelve of these credits are from lecture courses and can be used to satisfy the area of specialization requirement for the Agribusiness Management major. An additional 3 credits involve the preparation of a project paper. Students will develop a proposal for that paper as part of AG BM 497B. Students have the opportunity to take courses that are not offered at Penn State; for example, courses in food retailing and consumer behavior. They will also be exposed to a European perspective on food and agribusiness. Europe is a leading market for U.S. food and agribusiness firms. Many leading U.S. food companies trade with Europe and have production and marketing operations there.

Penn State students will live in the dorms (Halls of Residence) located on the Reading campus. Most of the meals are provided as part of the accommodation package. The campus extends over 320 acres site with trees, lakes and conservation areas, but is just 2 miles from the center of town. A bus service links the campus to the downtown area. Reading is located 40 miles west of London and is easily accessible from London’s two main airports (Heathrow and Gatwick). It is just 25 minutes from Reading to central London by train.

The first group of Penn State students in the program will enroll in AG BM 497B in the fall semester of 2008 and will spend their spring 2009 semester in Reading.

For more information:

• Travel scholarships
• Link to preparatory PSU course (497B)
• Agricultural and Food Economics at the University of Reading
• Videos about the University of Reading
• PSU education abroad – Reading program website (applications go through here, contains information on deadlines and program costs)
• PSU education abroad - portal
• College of Agricultural Sciences – International Programs Website

Information contacts:

Agribusiness Management Faculty
Professor David Blandford dblandford@psu.edu
Professor David Abler d-abler@psu.edu
 
Agribusiness Management Staff
Megan Sinasky MeganS@psu.edu
Donna Hawbaker dab2@psu.edu

College of Agricultural Sciences Study Abroad Coordinator
Marilyn McPheron mbm8@psu.edu
 

Costa Rica. Students majoring in Agribusiness Management at Penn State have the opportunity to spend a spring semester abroad at the University of Costa Rica in San Jose. The program, open to all undergraduates at Penn State, is designed for students majoring in business. An agribusiness focus has been added to all the courses, taught in English by University of Costa Rica professors, and can be used to by Agribusiness Management students to fulfill a specialization area. This program includes Spanish language immersion classes at both the introductory and intermediate level. More information can be found at: http://www.international.psu.edu/ea/   

Denmark. This program is designed for Penn State students majoring in Agribusiness, Applied Economics, Business and related fields. The Copenhagen Business School (CBS) offers highly-regarded courses that complement and extend Penn State course work. For more information on CBS, visit http://www.cbs.dk/cbs_international . To enroll, speak with the staff in the PSU Office of Education Abroad or watch the following site for information: http://www.international.psu.edu/ea/  

Short Term Study Tours:
Costa Rica. Agribusiness Management students are joining with students from Food Science to visit and study agribusiness in Costa Rica. Visits will be made to businesses specializing in bananas, pineapples, dairy and coffee. Students can enroll in a 2-credit course AG BM 497D: Food Processing and Agribusiness: Costa Rica. See Donna Hawbaker to sign up. There is scholarship support for this study tour.

Belize. Students have the opportunity to do something unique over spring break by either conducting Community Environmental Field Research (R SOC 497A) or a taking part in a Service Learning Experience (AEE 497A) in Belize. Students can join this study tour, available for 1-3 credits, via either course. Click on the course number for additional information.

Other Opportunities:
New: Global Seminar is now being offered on the PSU campus! This spring course puts students in contact with other students throughout the world to discuss global issues related to providing the world’s food supply. Penn State’s partners include universities in Austria, Denmark, Uganda, as well as the University of Georgia in the United States. The course is case-study oriented and includes real-time videoconferences between Penn State students and students from the partnering institutions. For more information, see Jill Findeis, (fa2@psu.edu).

In addition, students majoring in AgriBusiness Management can also choose from more than 50 Penn State Education Abroad Programs to gain important global experience valued by employers.