It’s not enough to be globally aware anymore. Appalachian graduates must be globally competent. National surveys indicate that high school seniors and their families — as well as employers — expect college graduates to develop an increased global awareness and/or competency, as they will likely encounter coworkers, clients and neighbors from different cultures in their professions. Appalachian has adopted Global Learning for its Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), an important component of our accreditation.
International Education Abroad
With study abroad opportunities on nearly every continent, Appalachian students have access to approximately 200 foreign sites for semester, summer and year-long programs of study. The cost is usually equivalent to tuition and fees at Appalachian. The university also offers short-term faculty-led opportunities.
International Education at Home
Appalachian facilitates intercultural sharing, learning and exchange opportunities with international students, faculty and staff. These visiting scholars join our campus and our surrounding communities, sharing their knowledge and cultural perspectives. Students with world culture experiences become peer educator resources for Appalachian's campus and the broader community, as well as for local schools, sharing knowledge about world cultures.
International Research
When individuals across the globe can share knowledge and experience with one another, all nations benefit. Learn about specialized overseas research and learning opportunities, and how students and faculty can attend conferences, attain internships and publish in international settings.
Your Global Appalachian Education
We live in a changing world – one in which international borders are less apparent and less relevant. Events far away affect our lives – sometimes instantaneously; employers want employees who can speak languages other than English and can work effectively with people from different cultures. Today there is no such thing as a “foreigner,” only those who can demonstrate global competencies and those who cannot. Global learning is a gateway to identifying intellectual connections. At Appalachian, you will be empowered to make these discoveries, and you’ll find that the more you understand about the wider world, the better informed, more compassionate, more aware, and more fully human you will be.
Event Calendar
Save the dates for these events!
Resources
- International Student and Scholar Services
- INTAPP
- Undergraduate Admissions
- Graduate School Admissions
Let's talk immigration
We’ve consulted our internal experts, done some homework and gathered information to sort matters out and share sound information.
News, Blogs and Photo Galleries
Read up on Appalachian's international news, read the travel blogs of App students and check out their photo galleries.
A Tale of Two Visits - Lessons Learned from Traveling to Cuba
Dr. Joe Gonzalez describes a recent study abroad trip to Cuba with 15 students, 2 colleagues and no Internet.
Dr. Martin Mezner holds a round table discussion with Appalachian students after a recent trip to Cuba, which placed an emphasis on learning about Cuba in relation to policy shaping.
Appalachian's Quality Enhancement Plan - A World of Opportunities for Appalachian Students
At Appalachian, our commitment to comprehensive global learning is broad-based. Recognized by the International Institute for International Education (IIE) for the number of students who study abroad, we believe it is equally important to bring an international perspective into our community here on our campus. Recognizing that global competency is key to our students' future success, Appalachian adopted global learning as its Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), an important component of our accreditation.
Appalachian State University’s five-year QEP topic is called “Global Learning: A World of Opportunities for Appalachian Students.”
- Learn About Appalachian's QEP
- Student Involvement in the QEP
- Faculty and Staff Involvement in the QEP