Foster Faculty-led Program
Make sure to check out all the Foster Undergraduate Study Abroad Options.
What is an Exploration Seminar?
UW Exploration Seminars are short-term study abroad programs (3 weeks) led by UW faculty that take place during Early Fall Start which is the gap period between the end of the UW Summer Quarter and the beginning of Fall Quarter. These programs differ from other study abroad programs because the focus is on getting students outside the classroom and engaged in more hands-on learning.
There are usually more than 30 Exploration Seminars each year offered by UW Departments like Foster, English, CHID, iSchool, etc. Students might check out a non-Foster Exploration Seminar to go to a country where Foster does not have a program or to earn non-business degree requirements like A&H, SSc or Diversity credit. Most of the Exploration Seminars have no prerequisites and are open to all UW undergraduate students.
For the Foster Exploration Seminars, students engaging in hands on learning through daily company and cultural visits that relate to the seminar theme. These programs are led by Foster Faculty and Staff who act as the Program Directors. There is very little traditional lecture time on these programs, with students instead visiting many different companies, organization and NGO’s to learn what it means to do business in another country. There are 3-5 Foster Exploration Seminars each year which are usually open to all UW undergraduate students.
Courses and Credits
In terms of credits, the Foster Exploration Seminars are each 5 credits of IBUS 490 (general business elective credit). For these programs, students do not have to complete any specific coursework even though IBUS 490 lists IBUS 300 as a prerequisite. Students can take a maximum of 12 credits of IBUS 490 while at UW.
The 5 credits count towards Fall Quarter but are completed before Fall Quarter begins, and the credits are paid for separately from Fall Quarter on-campus tuition. This gives students some flexibility in the number of credits they take on-campus Fall Quarter. Since they have already completed 5 credits during EFS, students can take just 10 credits on-campus and remain full-time enrolled (earning 15 total credits for Fall) or they can take up to 18 credits on-campus and pay their regular tuition plus the Exploration Seminar program fee (earning 23 total credits for Fall).
In short, students will pay their regular tuition rate for Fall if they are taking 10-18 credits on-campus, and they will also pay the EFS program fee, both by the Fall Quarter tuition deadline.
Foster Exploration Seminars are the only study abroad program that fulfills a Business Minor requirement.
Foster Exploration Seminars Offerings
Early Fall Start 2025
- Business Denmark with Professor of Management Abhinav Gupta and the Global Business Center’s Theresa Maloney
- Business Ireland with Associate Teaching Professor of Marketing Leta Beard and Undergraduate Program’s Dominic Evans
- Business Australia with Assistant Teaching Professor of Management and Organization Tod Bergstrom and the Global Business Center’s Eileen Guo
Early Fall Start 2024
- Business India with Professor of Management Abhinav Gupta
- Business Ireland with Associate Teaching Professor of Marketing Leta Beard
- Business Australia with Assistant Teaching Professor of Management and Organization Tod Bergstrom
Early Fall Start 2023
- Business Britain with Associate Teaching Professor of Accounting Crystal Finkelstein
- Business India with Professor of Management Abhinav Gupta
- Business Ireland with Associate Teaching Professor of Marketing Leta Beard
Early Fall Start 2022
- Business Australia with Assistant Teaching Professor of Management and Organization Tod Bergstrom
- Business Britain with Associate Teaching Professor of Accounting Christina Nichols
- Business India with Professor of Management Abhinav Gupta
- Business Ireland with Associate Teaching Professor of Marketing Leta Beard
Program Cost
Exploration Seminars typically cost between $5,000 and $6,000. The program fee includes the cost of the 5 credits, administrative fees, housing, some meals and program related transportation. Airfare, most food and personal expenses are additional costs. The 5 credits are not factored into a student Fall Quarter on-campus course load and tuition, so a student will never pay twice for the credits earned during Early Fall Start.
Foster Study Abroad Fee
Each Foster Study Abroad Program will include the following fees in the program price: Foster Study Abroad Fee ($375) and UW Study Abroad Fee ($510).
The Foster Study Abroad fee is an Administrative Fee that funds all Foster Study Abroad activities, including organizing the programs, recruiting participants, assisting faculty, organizing pre-departure and post-return classes and events, and for providing study abroad advising for students. This fee is charged to all students participating on a Foster Study Abroad Program regardless of major.
Program Application
The Foster Exploration Seminars taking place during Early Fall Start 2025 will be open for applications in late December 2024.