Faculty-led study-travel Exploration Term projects combine learning with travel to national and international sites.  In past projects, students studied ecology in the Galápagos Islands, examined the film industry by attending the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, investigated the roots of Modernity in Italy, researched agribusiness in the Czech Republic, and honed their teaching and mentoring skills with children in Uganda. Most study-travel projects enroll students of all levels. Students must be in good academic and social standing in order to participate.  

How do I enroll in a faculty-led travel project? 

Enrolling in a travel project is fairly straightforward: monitor the announcement of travel opportunities in the spring of each academic year, identify the project that is of most interest to you, speak with the travel leader, and complete the Interest form on Engage. Once you are ready to officially register, sign the financial agreement, apply for scholarship funding, and then join your travel companions in January. 

• Identify travel opportunities. Each spring, the Krulak Institute publishes a list of upcoming travel projects and opportunities for the following calendar year, including Exploration Term travel projects. A list of the most recent past or upcoming travel projects can be found here.
• Select a travel project. Review the list of opportunities, reach out to faculty sponsors, and talk with others who may have participated in the project in the past to determine if the project is the right fit for you. Monitor Monday Morning and ENGAGE for interest sessions held in the spring and fall of each year where you can ask questions of travel leaders. Complete the project interest form on Engage.
• Sign the financial agreement for your project. There are limited spaces on travel projects, and travel leaders need your commitment to ensure the project can go. As soon as you decide, contact Krulak Institute staff to sign the financial agreement. Doing so will ensure you have a space on a specific travel project. A $500 deposit will be due immediately when you register for the project. 50% of the remaining cost will be due on October 1 and 100% by December 1.

Once students are registered for a specific travel project, they will receive information from the travel leaders about airfare, lodging, and other travel expectations. Stay in touch with your travel leader and with your travel companions as you prepare for departure in January.

Although students may remain on campus during the Exploration term, the projects they complete require exploration. More than 60 on-campus projects are offered each term, including internship and research opportunities, as well as innovative courses that expand the repertoire of both faculty and students. Past projects have invited students to walk around Birmingham to better understand the city’s history and habitat; to read contemporary best-selling novels; to learn sign language; to consider the relationship between crafting and social movements; to practice “unplugging” from contemporary, fast-paced culture; or to examine how the Civil War has been depicted in the film. Projects typically have few prerequisites, so students can use Exploration Term to explore new interests or curiosities.

How do I enroll in on-campus projects?

On-campus Exploration Term registration coincides with spring term registration. To register, review the options listed in the E-Term bulletin, make your selection, attend the preliminary orientation meeting in November, and then begin the project in January.

• Review Options. Early in the fall term, The Krulak Institute publishes an Exploration Term Bulletin that lists available projects for the following January. Students should review this bulletin prior to registration.

The most recent or upcoming Exploration Term Bulletin can be found here.
 
Students register for Exploration Term projects at the same time they register for spring term courses; however, the process differs for first-year students and upper-level students.
First-year and newly admitted transfer students meet with academic advisors to learn about Exploration Term, review the bulletin, and consider options. Following this meeting, first-year students will register for E-term.  Sophomores, juniors, and seniors register for Exploration Term using Self-Service at the same time that they register for their spring term courses.
 

• Attend Information Session. In November, all registered students attend an introductory orientation session where they meet with their Exploration Term project leader, learn about the project, and prepare for January.
• Begin the Project. Projects begin in January. Work with your project leader to verify expectations prior to the start of January.

Students are encouraged to imagine and initiate their own contracted projects for Exploration Term, including travel projects and internships. Contracted experiences allow students to pursue an interest not offered through regular coursework, creating a course of study in collaboration with a faculty sponsor. Past student contracts projects have studied wildlife conservation at a rhino sanctuary in South Africa or investigated business models of bakeries throughout the Southeast. Projects should be substantial investments of time and effort, taking advantage of the focus of January to research, write, talk with, and collaborate with experts, and engage in careful observation and analysis.

How do I contract a project?

• Information on how to contract an internship can be found here.
• Information on how to contract an independent study project can be found here.
• Information on how to contract a travel project can be found here.

Scholarship funding is available to students engaged in domestic or international study during Exploration Term, including students participating in faculty-led travel projects and those contracting their own travel experience.

Faculty-Led Travel Awards

The application form for scholarships for faculty-led travel projects is available on ENGAGE and due in September. Preference will be given to applicants who have demonstrated financial need, demonstrated a financial commitment (i.e. students who have made a deposit), students who have not previously traveled for E-Term, and to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. First-year students are encouraged to remain on campus for their first term.

Contracted Travel Awards

Applications for scholarship support for contracted travel projects are due at the time students submit their contract in October. The application requires an itemized budget and itinerary. Support for these projects is provided by the SGA and other endowed funds. Preference will be given to applicants who have demonstrated financial need, students who have not previously traveled for E-Term, an itemized budget, and itinerary, and sophomores, juniors, and seniors. First-year students cannot contract for Exploration Term.

Contracted travel projects that include community service will be eligible for the Koinonia Scholarship. Applications for contracted experiences are automatically considered for the Koinonia if students have completed the question related to service learning. This award provides financial support to a student or group of students who independently contract an Exploration Term project concentrating on service issues in the global community. The Neal R. Berte Koinonia Scholarship for Student-Contracted Service-Learning Travel was created by students to honor the silver anniversary of Birmingham-Southern’s 11th president, Dr. Neal R. Berte. Koinonia refers to fellowship or communion with God or with others.

Exploration Term Travel Bulletin 

• Travel Projects for January 2024 can be found here.

Exploration Term Bulletin 

• The E-Term Bulletin for 2024 may be found here.