Augustana University Partnerships & Customized Programs

Partnership Universities

Augustana University partners with universities around the world. Study away opportunities for AU students can be found at all of these partners and numerous additional locations through AU faculty-led courses and third party-provided programs. Visit AU’s study away portal for more information. Contact ipo@sanmingzhi.net for partnership inquiries.

Existing Partnerships/Program Providers

Costa Rica

England

University of Exeter

Germany

University of Potsdam

Norway

Scotland

University of Glasgow; Civitas Honors Program (Principia Consortium)

Customized Programs at AU

Augustana University offers high schools and universities customized program opportunities — flexibly designed with access to instruction from any academic department, coupled with extra-curricular activities and excursions to create a meaningful, memorable experience. Students will:

Experience American university life on AU’s residential campus
Build relationships with American professors, staff and students
Take coursework in subject area of your choosing
Go on excursions to local businesses, historical places and tourist sites to bring course content to life
Experience American culture through on- and off-campus activities

Experiential Learning

Augustana collaborates with Sioux Falls’ international businesses, organizations and community leaders to extend learning from the classroom to real-world experiences. Students can tour facilities, interview professionals and volunteer. A few examples from previous cohorts include:

EROS Data Center
Sanford Imagenetics
The City of Sioux Falls Mayor’s Office
POET Sustainable Energy
Startup Sioux Falls Entrepreneur Center
Agriculture United for South Dakota
St. Francis House

International Students Visiting With SF Mayor 2020

Program Design Process

What is needed to create a customized program specifically for your student group:

Length of Program — Choose from as short as seven days up to a month. AU also offers semester, year-long exchange options or a combination of those options.
Time of Year— Choose which month or term to bring your group to AU.
Area of Study — Choose which academic discipline(s) or specific topics your students would like to learn
Extracurricular Excursions — What activities kinds of your students interested in? Choose from outdoor activities, sporting evenings or arts & culture.
University Credits — Will your students desire credit-bearing coursework to be used toward university study or a certificate of completion?
Number of Students — AU can design programs for as few as five students or as many as 30.

Costs & Scholarships

A 1-week experience for a small group could be as low as $750 per person (including tuition for one course credit, housing, meals, local excursions and local transportation). Programs spanning three to four weeks have typically cost in the range of $2,500-$3,000, including an excursion to the scenic Black Hills and Mt. Rushmore. However, costs are as customizable as programming, scholarships and discounts for larger groups are available. Augustana will design a program around your group’s interests and budget.

Recent Customized Programs

Performing & Visual Arts (June)

Designed for high school students, participants experienced five days of engaging, interactive instruction in either visual arts or music performance arts. In the afternoons and evenings, students participated in community events and socialized with American counterparts. Students could stay on campus in student housing or with a host family. Then students took a weekend trip to the Black Hills where they visited Mt. Rushmore, Badlands National Park, and some of America’s natural beauty.

American Myths (January)

Developed for high school students, participants first spent a long weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota, touring the metro area. Students then enjoyed three weeks living on campus taking a course focusing on American myths (such as the myth of the American Dream) while developing rhetorical writing skills. In the afternoons, students examined myths close-up in the Sioux Falls community. Extra-curricular activities included ice skating, rock climbing, American sporting events, campus students events and volunteering.

Data Science (January)

Created for university students majoring in data science, students spent ten days on campus learning from several data science and business professors examining topics from technology ethics to bioinformatics. Students visited several businesses to examine how data science is used in specific industries. Students lived on campus in student housing and participated in campus life with their American student counterparts. They enjoyed additional programming such as attending sporting events like basketball and hockey and rock climbing, bowling and shopping.

Sustainable Development (July)

Designed for high school students, students immersed themselves in U.S. culture while developing skills in expository prose, speaking, and working on projects in diverse teams. Through literature, film, and experiential learning opportunities on- and off-campus, students learned about sustainable development, the United States, and the elements of good writing. Students visited diverse cultural and historical sites such as Mt. Rushmore, Black Elk Peak, Badlands National Park, community organizations such as South Dakota Voices for Peace and Friends of the Big Sioux River and other environmentally-focused organizations.